Dear Sue, Below is the update from Rick.
God bless you for all that you do!!! Have a wonderful Christmas season -- He is almost here!!!! Love, Kay [email protected] <*}}}>< <*}}}>< From: "Rick Santorum" <<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> Subject: Bella Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:18:54 +0000 Sorry for writing again so soon, but I wanted to send out a quick note to ask for a special prayer over the next couple of days. Bella worked her way off the ventilator a week ago Sunday and with her accustomed smiling good cheer has slowly, but steadily gotten stronger. The doctors have pinpointed two issues that are compromising Bella?s lung function which they believe are at the root of her two bouts of pneumonia. Both can be repaired surgically. So Bella is scheduled for surgery on Friday at 1030 at CHOP at which time both issues will be addressed. We are hopeful that this will give Bella a great chance to avoid future serious respiratory problems. Unfortunately, in this evening Bella began to spike a low grade fever. This is worrisome generally when you are in a hospital given the variety of bad bugs that can be contracted, but this has the added complexity of delaying the surgery that the doctors believe she needs to have as soon as possible. Karen and I ask for one extra prayer over the next couple of days that she is healthy enough to have successful surgery. As our family celebrates the birth of a little child that changed the world forever, we continue to thank God for the his gift of another child that changed our world forever. With love and gratitude, Rick, Karen and our children P.S. I have talked to many of you recently who have apologized for not responding to these emails. Nonsense. If you hold up Bella in prayer or in any other way pursuant to your beliefs, you have answered this email more eloquently and supportively than we could have hoped for. Some have also asked about whether we minded if you would forward this email to others. Our answer is if you think they would pray for Bella, send away! ------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- >From: "Rick Santorum" <<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> >Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:42:46 +0000 >Last week on November 13 we celebrated Bella's six month >birthday. A day later she had her six month pediatrician >appointment and checked in at over 15 pounds -- a weight that most >T-18 children take years to reach. That was in spite of the fact >that she had battled pneumonia for several weeks a few weeks prior >to the appointment. She is exceeding expectations of the doctors >both physically and developmentally. >However, on Wednesday night Bella began to get a little congestion >again. She continued to have congestion on Thursday, so we began to >continuously monitor her blood oxygen and pulse with the pulse >oximeter to see that if she did begin to have difficulty we could >get her help before it got too bad. On Thursday evening in a matter >of a few minutes she just ran out of energy and began to fail. As >we were getting her ready to go to the hospital she stop breathing >in my arms and her heart was barely beating. Karen performed CPR >and revived her until the EMTs arrived. >Because she was so critical, we had to get her to the closest >hospital, DC Children's Hospital instead of our favorite Children's >Hospital of Philadelphia. The diagnosis appears to be like the last >incident, she contracted a cold virus, that quickly turned into >pneumonia. This time she is in for a much more difficult road >back. She is in critical condition in intensive care on a >ventilator with more lines going into her than baby. Because she is >on a ventilator, they have sedated her into a coma like >state. Please pray for her lungs to heal and for the doctors to >make wise decisions concerning her care. >God has been so good to us. Bella is the most pleasant, sweet >bundle our family could have ever asked for. She loves listening >to classical music and being held by everyone in her family. She >has become the axis around which our family turns and we thank God >every day for that fact. >We are confident with your continued prayers we will have our >smiling cooing little girl back home with us again. >Thank you so much, >Rick and Karen <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue with Your help, so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
