Happy Fathers Day

Abby gave her dad the best Father's Day present ever today! After almost four weeks of not hearing her voice, he heard her say Happy Father's Day today. Her cuff on the trach was deflated, briefly, so she could move air past her vocal cords. The doctors and nurses were very pleased that she was strong enough to push the air past her vocal cords to talk. But Abby was the most stoked of all. She smiled her beautiful smile for hours afterwards. Even the nurses were crying with us. 


Other updates:  She is on strong antibiotics to fight an infection and was feeling poorly with an upset stomach earlier this week, but she is feeling better every day. On Monday she is undergoing a swallow test to determine if she is ready to eat more solid food. Abby's had cravings for ribs and strawberries and Lay's potato chips! Her arm and wrist movements are improving but still no voluntary finger movement; she does have feeling in them and can squeeze her right hand a little bit. She has also experienced more feeling in her feet and toes in the past week. Before she could only feel positioning and firm touching, now she is feeling light touches to her. 
Her breathing has stabilized now and the respiratory therapists have decreased her oxygen concentration to 21 percent which is approximately the percentage of oxygen present in our atmosphere. She is still on the ventilator for now which is mainly for assistance in increasing her lung capacity.


Prayer requests:  Please continue to pray for complete healing. Pray for her diaphragm and lungs to strengthen and the area around the trach to heal quickly. Pray that she passes the swallow test with flying colors and that her stomach tolerates solid foods again. Pray for protection against any more infection and any more setbacks.


She received a beautiful clear cross necklace this week with a mustard seed inside. It was a wonderful reminder to us all that we need only faith as tiny as that seed to move this mountain. Matthew 17:20 - He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Great things are possible when they first start with lots of prayer and faith in your heart. It just takes a little; in fact, all you need is faith that is as small as a mustard seed.  


Thank you all so much for your love and support.  Please come out to the Mosh for Marsh concert this Tuesday (you might need to bring ear plugs depending on your age).  Abby loves you all! #PrayforMarsh bracelets will be available there.

Abby practicing her swahili,

which she uses to communicate the nurses that can't read her lips.