Growing Well at Home

Jeremiah came home from the hospital on Sunday, June 22nd, the day after his original due date. He has been adjusting well - almost as well as Chrystal and I - as we all get used to being a family. I think the dogs are having the most difficulty, feeling neglected and learning the hard way that they are no longer the center of attention. They have assumed their rightful place as dogs as we place them in right perspective.

On his 7/10 doctor's appointment he weighed in at 8 lbs - he is over twice the size he was when we met him on April 22nd.

He has yet to grasp the concept of bottle-feeding. Suck, swallow, breath, suck, swallow, breath - it's all a bit too much to focus on at the same time. Currently he is being fed through a feeding tube, plugged into his stomach. This procedure has been easier than we anticipated. We are not sure how long till he is able to bottle-feed, but we are not rushing him. He seems to have championed every other aspect of his fight to develop normally so we are giving him grace with the feeding.

Grandma and Grandpa Greer came for a visit over the 4th of July weekend and got to meet their new grandson for the first time. During the visit we were able to go and view the local fireworks display together. No longer celebrating just Independence Day, the fireworks display promises to be an annual event celebrating Jeremiah's dedication to the Lord as we were able to dedicate him at church that Sunday. We were so blessed with the many family and friends who were there to stand with us.

We have been able to venture out and visit a few restaurants together keeping us from being house-bound. Jeremiah has several doctor's appointments each week as they monitor his growth. He has also been a regular visitor to his chiropractor!

We have been blessed each day as the mail-carrier rings the doorbell and delivers yet another gift, card, or greeting. The Lord has given us so much through our loved ones.

Even the, almost daily, benefits summary detailing all that Blue Cross-Blue Shield has paid for is a sign of God's provision for us. They estimated the total costs of his hospital stay to be close to $200,000.00 with very little of it being paid out of our pocket.

Please continue to visit us at Jeremiah's blog as we will try to keep everyone updated here.