HillBuzz Open Thread: Friday December 30th, 2011
[ Note: the above photos are of the "1800s" trees displayed at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California as part of the "An American Christmas" exhibit that runs through January 8th. What ornaments from the 1800s can you spot that make you think of that time period? ]
PRAYER REQUEST:
I need to ask you to please pray for my boyfriend Justin’s newborn baby niece, Astor, as she’s in critical condition today. Astor was born by emergency c-section three weeks early due to complications related to her mother Darcy’s pregnancy. Darcy’s a diabetic, so Astor developed differently than most babies; she’s the size of a three month old at birth, but her lungs are three or four weeks behind schedule in development. Astor’s little body can’t get oxygen pumping correctly.
They had to airlift Astor to a special hospital forty-five minutes away from Darcy, and have kept Astor on a chilled ceramic plate to lower her body temperature so her little arms and legs have turned purple. There are intubation machines that are breathing for Astor; she’s at 97% oxygen content, but that keeps being increased to 100% oxygen because Astor’s condition deteriorates. The goal is to bring the oxygen content down so that Astor can breathe normally on her own in time.
The doctors have told Justin’s family that Astor is on the razor’s edge between life and death right now.
PLEASE find it in your heart to pray for little Astor and for Justin’s family, especially Darcy, who is in incredible physical pain because of the c-section and is now traumatized on top of that by not even being allowed to hold her little daughter yet, as she’s been in critical care treatments since birth.
Justin is an absolute wreck. He is truly the sweetest and most loving man I have ever known, and he loves his little niece with all his heart. He feels totally powerless to do anything to help little Astor, and I share in that because I can do even less than he can from here in Chicago while Justin’s at least with his family while all of this is happening.
The only thing that any of us can do today is pray for little Astor and for Justin’s sister Darcy.
Please pray for little Astor’s lungs to kick in and start working big time. Pray that the oxygen gets to where it needs to go in her little body, and that her tiny heart starts pumping that vitality through her blood so that she can be taken off the machines. Please pray that all the doctors and nurses remember absolutely everything they learned in medical school and are able to give Astor the very best care possible. Please pray that all the nasty germs and microscopic bugs that lurk in hospitals are kept at bay so that Astor can heal without their interference. Pray that Darcy is enveloped in God’s love and feels thousands of people coast to coast rooting for her and her newborn baby.
I need to testify to the awesome power of prayer. When I was sick earlier this year and didn’t think I was going to make it, two very wonderful friends named Dick and Mary prayed for me and asked everyone on their email lists to do so as well. I didn’t even have to be told when they were doing it, I just knew. I felt a sense of peace and comfort that calmed my nerves and removed worry from my mind. My body was able to heal as the peace of prayer allowed me to surrender my fears and trust in God’s will.
I would like Darcy to have this same blessing, and for little Astor to be sent a retinue of the most powerful of all angels to stand guard over her crib and allow her the opportunity to fight for her life and to serve her purpose in this world.
Please pray that a very special guy named Justin gets the chance to be the incredibly devoted and ever-present Uncle Justy I know he was destined to be.
If you are anyone with medical knowledge, I’d love for you to chime in on this thread and relate any experiences with cases like Astor’s and Darcy’s. All of the info I get is through Justin, who is not medically trained. At one point, Justin said Astor was placed inside a giant egg and taken into a special room to be warmed, but that sounds like something out of science fiction. Everything that’s happening is being filtered through Justin, relayed to me over the phone, and then processed in my mind’s eye…which makes it all the more terrifying to think about, since I have no personal experience with babies and am inclined to anticipate the very worst in all things.
I would never be able to thank you enough for any insight or prayers you can offer up today.
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What are the top stories people are talking about in your part of the country?
What are people saying about the Iowa Caucus?
Do you think this will — FINALLY — be the very last time that Iowa is allowed to have such disproportionate attention lavished on its resident divas in a presidential election year?
© 2011, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
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Ahhh, Obama misses Reggie…
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/29/us/politics/oba…
And they wonder why Moochelle doesn't want to fly on the same plane with him.
Prayers offered up forthwith! God bless and keep Astor, Darcy, Justin and their family.
Our faith is strong, my prayers continue for Astor, Darcy, Justin and family members and you too Kevin. I also pray for the healthcare workers, the work they do is a calling. I do not have direct knowledge of the situation you describe but I do have friends who have had little ones in critical condition and also have friends who are critical care nurses. The feeling of not being able to directly help is heartbreaking, the best we can do is put our faith in God and in the gifted healthcare workers who choose this specialty, they do this every day, there are so many stories we never learn about but a central theme is the human spirit is strong no matter how small or how young the patient is, keep the faith!
Prayers are with Astor and her family —
Praying, Kevin.
NYT: Obama’s kind of a White House recluse
Who knew that Hope and Change could be so bleak and monotonous? At least the New York Times is here to remind us that Barack Obama endures all this isolation in Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard for our benefit, you miserable ingrates (via Jim Geraghty):
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/12/30/nyt-obamas-…
Rollins: Bachmann stayed clear of attacking Romney in hopes of VP slot
http://legalinsurrection.com/2011/12/rollins-bach…
So sad to hear about little baby Astor. My third pregnancy was transverse (OY!) I could barely breath, walk or do much of anything but lay around and worry about my baby. Before the C section, pictures were taken for the medical journals and I had to sign multiple forms in case either the baby or I, or both, didn't make it. Like you, Kevin, I felt the power of prayers for us, although I was scared out of my mind, at the same time I felt this feeling I had never felt before or since.
Christina was born, beautiful and perfect, except for breathing issues, which seems to be common with C section deliveries. She spent a couple days getting her breathing to normalize and has been fine ever since.
Prayers for Baby Astor and everyone.
So supposedly Obama's poll numbers are rising, our economy is getting better, and Romney is surging in the polls. Gosh, Rush was right again. Our media is telling us these things to demoralize us. They want us to think that all is lost…..Romney will be the Republican nominee and Obama is going to win a second term. Do any of you even bother to listen to media anymore? I know I don't.
You got it Kevin. I've prayed and I trust that the Lord will deliver. I don't know His plans, but I do know that we can trust that God will do the right thing all of the time. I have a scientific, but not medical background. Babies from moms with prenatal diabetes are big because the baby was growing rapidly from the high concentration of glucose in her blood. Unfortunately, what tends to happen is that the baby gets fat, and that is how her body converts the glucose. Because she's premature, her lungs (last organ to be fully develop before birth – I think) are not fully develop to oxygenate her body once she has been born. I pray for the Lord's miracle. I know that this little girl has always been in the strong right hand of God. Keep the faith.
Prayers are with Astor and her family
One other thing. It seems that the oxygen going into her lungs is nearly 100%. This is to give her the best chance of increasing her blood oxygen. The idea is for her lungs to be able to oxygenate her blood sufficiently as the oxygen concentration going into her lungs are decreased. However, this can only be a short term solution because of the hazards of handling 100% oxygen (there is a reason why our atmosphere cannot have more than 21% oxygen. Oxygen is a powerful oxidant and can destroy fragile systems). Our lungs are equipped to handle the extraction of oxygen even though the effective concentration of oxygen in the air we breath is only 21%. I would ask that others correct my understanding so that the information is accurate 100%.
A 99 y/o man in Italy is divorcing his 96 y/o wife of 77 years because…
*takes deep breath*
…he discovered the affair she had….
…in the 1940s.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howabo…
I understand that we can't see a marriage fully from the outside, but I'm allowed to say that he's an awful, awful man, right?
So much of what the left-wing said about Coulter turns out to be true
Who would have expected it. Ann Coulter in her endorsement of Mitt Romney gave a very misleading account of Rick Santorum’s immigration record, asserting that he voted against E-Verify.
Ann’s a lawyer, so she knows that omitting material facts can be just as much a fraud as stating false facts. And Ann omitted from her narrative the fact that the rejection of E-Verify was not a stand alone, it was a rejection of the McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill.
Good for Santorum for calling her out:
http://legalinsurrection.com/2011/12/so-much-of-w…
Ann Coulter is willing to say anything to elect Romney. Her attack on Santorum is just a small taste of what she has said about Newt and Tea Party supporters.
It’s sad to have to admit that so much of what the left-wing said about Coulter is true, it just didn’t seem so bad when it was pointed in the other direction. But as they say, what goes around ….
And it has come around to bite conservatives.
Update: It gets worse. Thanks to reader JohnJ2427 for the link to Coulter’s 2006 column arguing against the immigration bill she now criticizes Santorum for not supporting, Read My Lips, No New Amnesty.
When Ann endorsed Romney as the "only one who could win", I thought she made her lamest argument ever. I have read all of her books, each several times, and have always been a big fan. Till now. She has officially jumped the shark.
Ann Coulter is a Bushy. She supports progressive Mitt Romney just as the Bush family does.
Gingrich Floats Sarah Palin As Possible Vice President Pick
Newt Gingrich tells a tele-townhall that Sarah Palin is someone to be considered for the Vice Presidency or Energy Secretary.
Caller: If you’re fortunate enough to be nominated, would you consider having Sarah Palin as your running mate?
Gingrich: She is certainly one of the people you would look at. I am a great admirer of hers and she was a remarkable reform governor of Alaska, she’s somebody who I think brings a great deal to the possibility of helping in government and that would be one of the possibilities. There are also some very important Cabinet positions that she could fill very, very well. I can’t imagine anybody who would do a better job of driving us to an energy solution than Gov. Palin, for example. Tell her that she would certainly be on the list of one of the people we would consider.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/12/30…
Palin's position is in Fox News making millions. She does not wants any title.
If NAZI-RACIST-Jews Hater Ron Paul or plastic elitist Romney or womanizer-corrupt Gingrich win Iowa, then this nation is LOST. Trump will make sure Obama gets a second term. The Clintons and Monica Lweisky will be back in 2016. Chaos will reign abortions, men with men, women with horses, God will be destroyed and Satan will be king of the USA.
Kevin: Prayers going up to Mary, as in Blessed Mary as I have a better relationship with her. On another note, miracle babies happen all the time, my daughter was one. Born 5 weeks early and not breathing on her own at birth she spent time in NICU too. I was sick (massive loss of blood) and couldn't hold her either. I finally tricked the nurses into taking me to the bathroom whereupon I waited on them to leave and walked myself to NICU the day after my C-section and almost bleeding out. LOL There is one powerful drive in a Momma! I feel very deeply for Darcy as I know that the distance is absolutely killing her and I will pray that she is released soon, or taken to baby's side ASAP.
There is nothing in this world as precious as a newborn baby, they are the resources of the human race.
Godspeed and keep us updated.
VP? noooooo…… come on, Sarah! http://conservativeblogscentral.blogspot.com/2011…
Prayers have been made. Did you know babies can breathe through their skin also? Common practice in the past was to put them in a more highly oxygenated incubator to allow their skin to do some of the breathing for them. I know how very frightening it is to worry about your child's survival. I am praying for Justin and his family and for you and all of the good work that you do.