Southern Scribblings

Well, my Pilgrim Pals, I guess some of you have been wondering what I'm up to. I thought I had sent an e-mail to Terry regarding my whereabouts. Maybe she didn't read it.

Anyhow the picture will tell you where I am. I'm here in the Dunedin, FL area for a couple of days of Spring Training with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Tomorrow I'm heading south to the Ft. Myers area to spend time with my good friend David Shantz who is playing goal for the Florida Everblades.

Friday it's back to Dunedin for another game and more connecting with ballplayers.

Tonight I enjoyed the hospitality of Tom and Caren Tucker, dear friends who I worked with while I served with Baseball Chapel.

It's time to get in bed. Tomorrow morning will come early. I'll be flying home to another winter snowfall on Saturday. Yuck!

Be encouraged, dear pals! God is in control.

Love in Christ,

The Pilgrim

Child Of The King

More news!




Erin's still doing great! The doctors are actually gonna partially close her abdomen incision tomorrow. They will actually start stiching the ends of the wound similar to a football and install mesh in the incision. The wound vac will still be in place for a while. The incision will be gradually closed over time. More Great News! She's off all blood pressure meds! Her kidneys are removing about 1/3 of the fluids she is receiving which is great. The dialysis machine is removing the rest. The nurse said her kidneys could probably handle all the fluids but they are gradually easing into it. Still no transfusions. Gonna start another medication to help make her more comfortable and sedate her a little. Everyone who sees Erin seems to be amazed and happy with her progress. I think we owe it all to the Lord because without his healing hand none of this would be possible. Everyone here at Vanderbilt is wonderful. Please pray for Erin's healing (especially her lungs) and the Staff at Vanderbilt. We appreciate all of you! God has been using Erin in mighty ways and she is lying here being still. Just wait till she walks out of this room! To God be the Glory!


Erin is a chid of the King! She is a little alert! She is following mine and Morgan's voices with her eyes!!! She is trying to move her head a little bit, of course she can't due to canula in neck. She also is trying to move her left arm a littlle. They changed the dressing on her wound vac in her belly and put some mesh in it. Or, a screen door as Erin calls the mesh in my stomach. They still hope to try and close the wound in her belly up within a couple of days! Thanks to everyone at RNR who signed all the banners and signs, they are hanging her room. Praise God, Praise God! We still have a long road and along way to go HOWEVER, God will continue to carry us through!

Beautiful Blue Eyes

Praise God in Heaven above! He is at work in Erin's life! We have recieved more news that is very encouraging! They are backing off on her sedation to see how her body reacts! She just opened her big, blue, beautiful eyes for me and her Sissy (Mo) to see! They are going to replace her wound vac today and possibly remove it and sew her belly up within the next couple of days. Here is the greatest of all news, they are going to turn her venilator down from 60% to 50% and if the saturation and BP numbers stay as good as they are they will try to turn down oxygen on ECMO machine tomorrow! To God be the glory for ALL HE has done!!! You all will never know how much your outreach and caring has meant to us! God has so blessed us with such a wonderful extended Christian family!

Kimberly- Erin's Mommy

More Good News From Chris

have more good news for everyone! Erin's chest tubes are draining very little today and as long as her vitals don't drop it's a sign the bleeding is stopping. The ECMO Technician told me they are discussing clamping off the drain tube on her right side since it isn't draining and this will avoid any bacteria creeping back up the line. Morning Xray seemed to show a little more Aeration in her left lung. She possibly will receive some small amounts of nourishment into her stomach today to stimulate her digestive system and to assist in healing. Erin hasn't had a blood transfusion since last night but has received platelets. We're so excited about all these new developments but we know Erin is still very critical. Please continue to lift her name up to the Throne of God. We know that all healing comes from Him. She has been stable for a while and I feel it would be great to pray specifically for Erin's Lungs. It's up to God and Erin to heal her lungs. Please be sure to thank God for everything He is doing in Erin's life and how she is touching other people with her story. We know God will receive all the glory from this situation and He deserves it! I want to thank Everyone who has taken time to pray for Erin, visit this site, and leave comments. It's such a blessing to all of us here in Nashville to read the things you leave. Keep it up! Thanks! I love you all! Thank you Jesus!
Chris(Erin's dad)

Oh Such Good News From Erin's Sister, Morgan!

Good morning! Erin had a great night! They got to take 1 of her blood pressure meds away, and are backing off on another.. The bleeding is under control.. Her oxygen levels are staying at a higher level than before... Praise God!
Continue the prayers, for we know that God has brought Erin this far, and will continue to carry her in the palm of his hand!
God bless you all!
Morgan (Erin's Sissy)

Mystery Money

Yesterday I got a surprise in my mailbox at the office! Somebody sent a nice "care package" and it sure helped to relieve the "cares" I was carrying. You know who you are so...THANK YOU! - The Pilgrim

Gloomy Morning in Philly

After an uneventful flight from Toronto to Philadelphia I'm safely here in Philly, thankful for the opportunity to stretch this 6' 5" frame. My connecting flight isn't until 11:25. Fortunately I was able to switch seats and get an aisle seat near the front of the plane to Tampa.

I was so crushed and bent out of shape on the first plane that the blood is just starting to flow now. They sure don't build planes for big guys!

I'll keep you posted on "The Pilgrim's Excellent Adventure" as things materialize.

Until the next time, keep looking to Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.

The Pilgrim

Boarding Now

It's almost 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I'll board my flight in 5 minutes and head to Florida with a 2 1/2 hour stopover in Philadelphia.

Thanks for your prayers.

The Pilgrim

A Little Improvement In Erin

Erin is doing a little better with her new machine and changes!!! They have now changed the direction of her ECMO flow and she responded well by her blood gas raising 2 points!! We will take any point we can get!!!!!AMEN!!!! We are now back to a waiting period to see if her lungs will respond by starting to heal. The fungal infection of course is still present she just has to be able to stay on ECMO long enough for her lungs to heal so they can take off the ECMO and her body can fight off the fungal infection because as long as she is on ECMO the fungal infection will most likely not go away!!!!! Thank you all for the long day of MANY prayers!! Continue praying with us that Erin is TOTALLY healed but specifically now for the healing of her lungs!!!! Love you all and GOD BLESS YOU for all you've done and our doing for our little girl!!!!!
Brian

Update On Erin

MONDAY, MARCH 03, 2008 04:15 PM
She made it thru the switchover but they are still watching her closely. Just spoke with Dr and said procedure went a little better than what they expected! Erin is still having some irregular heartbeats they are watching. They changed out her circuit but did not change the flow direction yet beacuse they didnt want her body to be overwhelmed with change. So they built in a way to reverse the flow without having to take her back off the machine. They will do this later this evening after her body settles back down. Thank you for the prayers and keep them going, she still has a long way to go.