Celebrating Drew

“Trust ye in the Lord forever for in the LORD Jehovah is everlasting strength.”

This is an email I sent on March 10, 2007:

 

From: RyBoom4@aol.com
To: RyBoom4@aol.com
Sent: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 7:12 PM
Subject: prayer request

Please pray for my sister Dana. She is in her 28th week of pregnancy and after a difficult night last night, she went to the hospital this morning.

After bloodwork, they discovered that she likely has a severe preeclempsia (toxemia). She was transferred by ambulance to Lacrosse, WI to a more specialized facility. Dana’s platelet count is supposed to be 100,000, and this morning it was 27,000 and then recently down to 12,000. She is undergoing a transfusion currently. Some decisions are going to be made in the coming hours, but Dana feels the doctors are leaning toward delivering the baby.

Thank you for praying. Please pray for safety for Dana and the baby… 1) that God would preserve life and health for Dana and the baby, 2) that God would give strength to Dana and the baby, 3) that God would strengthen and encourage Andrew, and that 4) the doctors would be full of wisdom and skill.

Chrissy and I are going to be driving to WI tonight.

Details to follow as available.

 

On March 14, 2007, after a great number of tears and urgent happenings, I sent my 11th update to friends and family that read:

 

God has seen fit to bring forth Andrew Joseph Blondo into the world in His time, and His time was yesterday afternoon.

Dana delivered Drew under general anesthetic via C-section at 12:33 p.m. CST yesterday.

Drew was born at 2 lbs. 4 oz. and was 13.78″ long. He is breathing normally under his own lung power. The doctors have not expressed concern about any of his functions. He cries, kicks and relieves himself normally.

Dana is taking some morphine. She is also still on magnesium sulfate, which blurs her vision and causes her much weakness and grogginess. Her platelets are still low and her blood pressure is high, and the doctors are discussing different options, including the possibility of a platelet transfusion. As of noon today, Dana has still not seen the baby (she may not be near him while she is on the magnesium for her blood pressure, and she is still not very mobile.) She will still be a patient here for at least 4-5 days.

Thank you for your continued help in prayer.

 

And Drew’s little pilgrimage began. He spent eight weeks in ICU and finally went home on May 13th weighing 5 1/2 lbs. In his journal, “Drew” recorded on May 15th,

 

“Home is definitely the funnest place to be. Mommy is with me all day long and daddy would be too if he didn’t have to go work at our church. They both love holding me all the time! I LOVE BEING HOME!”

 

Thank you for your interest and your prayers of thanksgiving and of continued strength. Here are some pictures below of Drew then and now (last weekend). He currently weighs 20 lbs. Drew’s life is a gift from God alone. God has the power to give and take and keep.

Send Drew a note for his birthday on Friday: adblondo@yahoo.com

 

The first time I met Drew.

When Drew met his mom.

That first meeting.

Drew’s rig.

After a couple of days, his mama got to hold him.

This is Drew today (3/8/08). Happy and smart and always ready to laugh at the truly funny.

Drew with Lincoln.

Slightly unimpressed with his first birthday cake.

Slightly buzzed by his first birthday cake.