I just got home from Iowa City this afternoon. I ended up driving there around 1:00 yesterday with another friend of mine. The baby was born via C-section Wednesday night. Libby was already dialated to a 10 when they got to Iowa City so they whisked her right into delivery. The baby was on a ventilator right away and the majority of her brain was in the ancephalaceal (sp?) sac on the back of her head. By Thursday morning, the sac had started leaking and there was a high risk of infection. Libby and Nate made a difficult decision to do surgery so that they would be able to hold her. By the time, my friend Emily and I arrived, Nate and Libby were just coming out of the NICU before the surgery. Libby saw us and just broke down. We hugged her and cried with her. During the afternoon, we hung out in Libby's room and talked and laughed together. The surgery took about 4 hours. The dr. finally came in to talk to them around 8:00. Nate and Libby came to tell those of us in their church family what the news was. The surgery was more complicated than the dr. thought, but he was able to make it possible for them to hold her. There is no way that the baby will be able to breathe on her own and the condition has left her in basically a vegetative state. Life support is what is keeping her alive. I just hugged Libby and cried with her after they told us. We were able to go into the NICU to see the baby and she's just beautiful. She looks perfect from her little face down. She's chubby and just looks so peaceful. I was able to stroke her little leg. It was just sooo sad and hard to see her looking just like she should be going home with her mom and dad. Nate and Libby named her Eve Elizabeth. Emily and I ended up staying at the home of one of the members of our sister church so we were able to go back to the hospital this morning. I was so glad that I was able to be there for them!
Please, please continue to pray for this family. They need to feel lifted up in prayer right now and surrounded by God's love and comfort. At some point, they will have to make a decision to take her off life support. They are waiting for Libby's dad to arrive from Arizona tomorrow and then I'm not sure what will happen.
Glen and I are headed to a church event an hour away tonight and then we're still going to Minneapolis in the morning. I need to get ready to go so that's all for now.
We will definately keep this family and those around them in our prayers.
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