Connor is home

UPDATE:
I'm sending out a quick update because we need some prayers. After we got home yesterday, events unfolded and we realized that Connor's albumin was low and he was leaking fluid into the abdominal area. (If you remember, this was what we suspected was wrong when we went to the ER 2 1/2 weeks ago.) He's currently at Plano Presbyterian. He received some albumin last night and that will hopefully fix that problem. He's receiving some blood. His red count is low. After that, he will get some lasiks (diuretic) to help him urinate all this fluid out of him. This should decrease the size of his belly, which should then relieve the pain in his back. WE are praying and believing that this will be the answer to our prayers that Connor would be able to sit up and walk without back pain. PLEASE PRAY FAITHFULLY FOR THIS.

Also, his red blood count and platelets have lowered over the last two weeks. This is concerning, but I have to believe that it is because of his sluggish bone marrow. He currently has an infection (yet to be determined) and that has caused his white count to be very high to fight the infection. After his bone marrow transplants, his bone marrow is sluggish and when it really works hard to produce one line of cells, the other two cell lines drop. This happened when he was having the bleeding ulcer. His bone marrow was creating 3X the normal amount of baby red blood cells to compensate for his low red blood count. At the time, his platelets and white counts were decreasing steadily. PLEASE PRAY THAT IS THE CASE THIS TIME - THAT AS SOON AS THE INFECTION IS CLEARED, HIS COUNTS WILL NORMALIZE.

It is so hard at times like these to remain steadfast in our beliefs. Satan wants us to believe that he is winning, but I have to believe that God will redeem this situation. He is simply answering our prayers to make his abdominal area smaller and his back pain to go away. He will rid Connor of this infection and then his counts will stabilize. I am thankful the He will answer our prayers, like this devotional from Sarah Young says:

"When you bring Me prayer requests, lay out your concerns before Me. Speak to Me candidly; pour out your heart. Then thank Me for the answers that I have set into motion long before you can discern results. When your requests come to mind again continue to thank Me for the answers that are on the way. If you keep on stating your concerns to Me, you will live in a state of tension. When you thank Me for how I am answering your prayers, your mind-set becomes much more positive. Thankful prayers keep your focus on My Presence and My promises."

Please pray...
1. The albumin and lasiks will decrease the fluid retention and alleviate the pain in Connor's back.
2. The antibiotics will kill the infection
3. His blood counts will stabilize when the infections is gone
4. That he will be able to come home tonight.

Thank you for answering our prayers, Heavenly Father.

Always Believing,
Joy Cruse
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"Connor is home from Guatamala this weekend and we had to admit him to Plano Presby for blood and water retention. Please pray for him to have a great weekend. He should get out later this morning and hopefully to see "up". He will fly back on Monday and will be gone a month."