Tad's Life

I found a better photo from a week ago. Emma is in the back on the right. Abigail is in the front on the left. As you can see they felt good enough to be with us for the UWM Christmas gathering last Thursday, though they weren't feeling 100% at the time.

Paul and Kate and the girls flew to Paris last night in an especially equipped airplane. They are, by now, in a very good children's hospital there. Daniel L, our UWM leader in Europe, should be there with them and has arranged for a family for Paul and Kate to stay with if needed.

Yesterday was a day with many ups and downs. Emma's red blood cell count was so low that they did a transfusion. She has a rare blood type, O-, so although they needed 3-4 bags, they were only able to obtain 1 for her. Legal issues prevented Paul, who also is O-, from giving her blood directly. In the early evening, Emma's blood oxygen level fell dangerously low. An oxygen mask was insufficient to raise those numbers. We thought we were losing her. The doctors were able to put her on a respirator, though, and fairly soon her oxygenation was back up to good levels.

Abby was alert, though very sick still and needing a transfusion, when they left. Emma continued to be in a coma, though her vital signs were all good. We are praying for them to live and to come through with no neurological damage.

And we're praying for Kate and Paul as they deal with this nightmare testing of their souls.