Urgent prayer needs!

Amelia started having nystagmus, the jerking of her eye muscles, again last night. This is a very dangerous sign of infection and brain damage, and we immediately took her to the Luther ER. We haven't seen her eyes do this since the early days of her infection in October. Her headache has also gotten suddenly worse and she is having difficulty walking.

The ER doctor at Luther tried to get Amelia transferred to the University of Minnesota last night via ambulance, but the neurologist on call refused the transfer. The ER doctor is miffed, and didn't know what to do. On one hand, he had his own pediatric staff telling him that Amelia is too ill to be treated at Luther, and on the other hand, he had the admitting doctor at a University hospital assuring him (without seeing Amelia) that she isn't sick enough to be admitted there! He did the only thing left as an option, and admitted her to the 24 hour observation unit, where she is technically an outpatient and still under the care of the ER doctors.

This morning, our own family practice doctor is hard at work sorting out the political battle that is apparently going on between our home hospital and the large University hospital. He is also coordinating the schedule for a spinal tap, laryngoscopy and IV antibiotics hopefully to be started at Luther this afternoon.

We urgently beg your prayers, as Amelia is just slipping down that same slope she was on last October. We aren't sure why she is becoming so ill again, but suspect the bacteria that was found in her spinal fluid last 10 days ago. She needs protection, and safety, and care. We are unsure where we can find those things for her today.

Prayer requests:

• Amelia's safety as she suffers another episode of brain and spinal infection
• Protection for her brain, personality, and skills as her brain is injured yet again
• No seizures. Please pray that Amy will remain "healthy" enough for Luther to be comfortable treating her today without another transfer.
• Please pray for the pediatricians to be open to hearing what our doctor (in family practice) has to say. They have to agree to his treatment plan because of Amelia's age.
• Skill for the neurologist and anesthesiologist who will be sedating our sick little girl and poking needles into her spinal column yet again.
• Knowledge and discernment for doctors and parents as we try to come up with a suitable treatment plan.
• If we are transferred to Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN (part of Mayo), that the doctors there would be willing to try antibiotics and would take Amelia's condition as seriously as the doctors here do. Pray for prompt, decisive treatment.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

...the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. ~Romans 8:26-27