December 19th, 2025
Sounds like Ruth will be getting tampered with more today. They just changed her bedding, took a chest X-ray to evaluate lungs, and did an ultrasound of the head to look for bleeding. Once they get her body temp back under control they’ll do an ultrasound of the chest to look at some heart plumbing which regulates how much blood goes to the lungs. In utero very little blood goes to the lungs, but now that she’s out we need the valve to close sooner so that she can start making use of her lungs.
Blood labs came back with some concerning numbers, so we’re hoping it’s a fluke related to being cold while everything else was going on.
Dr Kato will be in to evaluate her when he does his rounds at about 10.
Thank you for your prayers. We’ll keep you updated!
Ruth is stable and doing well. The nurse fed her Hannah's milk and she is in the process of getting a planned blood transfusion. Hannah got to apply a lotion to Ruth's body so she stays moist.
Claudia, our nurse, is getting attached to Ruth. I can tell she enjoys caring for her.
Hannah is getting discharged this evening.
“The Tarahumara generally murder ‘defective’ babies by starvation and or exposure. Old people often get the same end. Americans aren’t any better as they abort millions. Helping in the struggle for Ruth’s life really drove home the utter evil of abortion. I have always held to a pretty radical pro-life position. I might better be called an abolitionist.
Should Ruth suffer permanent injuries from this preterm delivery, our family’s care for her will be an ongoing rebuke to those who consider some people disposable.
God clearly arranged so many details to preserve Ruth’s life thus far that it is no coincidence. The probability of this working out by chance is absurdly small.
I have not wept so bitterly since my father died in 1992. Yet I would far rather have a severely disabled or dead grandchild than one who rejects Christ. In heaven every tear will be wiped away and every hurt healed. Ruth’s infirmities will one day be healed when all things are made new.
Job has been my comfort.
Job 2:9-10
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
God has not abandoned us. He will provide the strength and faith we need moment by moment.”
Hannah and Priscilla and I will all sleep at the camper tonight. We’ve been visiting the NICU every 6 hours (2, 8, 2, 8) when we’re allowed to touch her. Aside from that, they like to keep her quiet to avoid overstimulating her brain and causing injury. So I’ll be making a 1-3am hospital visit tonight. Seeing her every time we’re allowed to touch her helps us maximize our presence without burning ourselves out. She’s definitely in good hands.
And I’m off to take a nap now.
Ruth is still stable. We are back to the original respirator settings, and we got some details regarding some of the scans that were done today. Ruth has a slight brain bleed on her right side which we will be monitoring to make sure it doesn’t grow, and she does have a moderate to maybe large valve opening in her heart which is normal at this age but not good if she’s outside. We will hear from the head doctor tomorrow morning what the strategy for that might be—hoping for non invasive medication or nothing at all. There’s just a lot of things that aren’t designed to work outside yet, but we will keep praying. God is in control of all of this, the good parts and the bad parts. He has preserved her life, and though we are promised nothing else, we know He has the power to do all things. Thank you for your prayers.