Each day I think about you and Jada and check on this thread. She has made an impact on so many lives. Please stay strong and know that others care.

I am continuing to pray for Jada and your family. The strength you all have is amazing.

Praying for Jada .

Terri, checking in! I noticed... I wasn't needed this weekend but the offer still stands forever ;) I loved the pic of sweet Jada.

I was gonna bring something up to the hospital this past weekend but was a little under the weather. :( But you never know when they might meet a (stranger) fellow YT :)

praying for jada...i hope and pray she is doing a bit better today. prayers jada stay strong.

Lots of prayers needed for Jada today.

Continuing to pray for Jada...

Ann, I appreciate you so much. I might be calling you to see if you Mandie-sit at your house...?? :)

I'll try to get back in a few to update you all. It is NOT good. Prayers are so appreciated!!

I can keep Mandie and can even bring her back home when things get sorted out.

Okay, here is what happened over the last few days. Saturday, she was not good by any means, but even her bad numbers held steady most of the day. She had a lot of visitors and even interacted (while heavily drugged). She smiled at several of us and even watched some videos on my mom's iphone. You could tell she was watching even though she was drugged and her eyes were only half open because her eyes would follow it and she would grin every once in a while. Her CO2 levels were "good" at around 50 all day (no idea what that means, but for her, that was "good")

Fast forward a few hours to the next day, yesterday. I was told to get up there asap..that her numbers were crashing and my sister needed me. I jumped in the car and drove up there. Her temp spiked again and wouldn't go down and they were worried she would get septic again. Her CO2 levels jumped to 80. So, basically, she was being poisoned. Even with a breathing machine, her damaged and diseased lungs just can't change CO2 to O2.

Sooo, at 10:30 last night, they started a procedure to put her on ECMO, which is basically an artificial lung to change those gases for her. The thing with ECMO is...they put a huge tube in her largest, femoral vein...that bleeds into the machine the oxygenates it and then goes back up a huge tube into her femoral artery. It's extremely risky to bleeding out and clotting and strokes.

About 2 hours into it, the surgeon (who is "the best" according to everyone) came out all red faced and sweaty and very obviously frustrated. They couldn't get her veins to cooperate. Jada has spent 23 years of having her veins attacked, having ports in, etc...they are all scarred up and others are small and others are just useless. He went back saying they were bringing down ultrasound to find more access.

An hour and a half later at almost 3am - he came out all cool and calm and said, "It's done. It's working well."

I went back and saw her. She looked beyond horrifying, but her stats looked great. Basically, we bought her a little more time in hopes of those lungs coming in. She has to have the transplant now - do or die, literally...she can't be on ECMO forever.

I went home at 5am this morning feeling a little more positive. Then, at noon, my mom tells me the ECMO is being re-done because the circulation "past" the spot it is in now won't allow blood flow past it. So, her lower left leg is getting NO CIRCULATION. They were going to try her neck. I knew last night that I heard them say her neck was almost next to an impossible option. I about lost it walking into work. Then, Mom tells me they couldn't..I wasn't surprised. They tried another spot on her leg but it just wouldn't work.

So, where it stands now is..they left it where it is and I'm assuming she still has no circulation..?? I dont know any more than that. I am going back up there tonigh. Apparently, my dad is coming from Florida tonight, also.

So, please, prayers -- lots of prayers

Praying they can find some access for ECMO somehow. This child has been through so much maybe those lungs will materialize somehow. Keeping Jada in constant prayer tonight. I've set out a reminder so that every time I see it, I will know to pray for her.

Jada, Teri and family...praying for you all....

let this be a reminder that if your not already an Organ Donor now is the time to consider doing so...its very easy to have it put on your license information. Its something we don't like to think about but something we all should think about...for Jada and others...

Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I've been praying and praying for days for Jada... still praying that things get turned around quickly for her. I don't know what else to say... just praying. Hugs, Kathy

Jada
 

Teri,
Still sending prayers for Jada and your family. Stay strong.

Julia

:thumbup::thumbup: We can't take em with us, people. May as well let someone else live if we can't.

Please Lord, restore circulation to that leg and provide a viable set of lungs...this young woman has been through so much...

Im so sorry. I just saw this. I wish your niece the very best...

Amen, Marilyn.

Sending prayers asking God to work miracles in Jesus name.

Agreed:thumbup: Terri I am here for whatever you need friend. Continued prayers for Everyone.

Continued prayers for Jada. She has stayed strong and endured so much.

Quick update before I literally crash on my couch for a few zzzz's..will be hitting the road back to Birmingham early in the morning.

Good news on the circulation at this moment (I've learned that things change minute to minute so this is THIS moment)...her foot is Pink!!!! :)

She has so many things still going on - the infection in her blood stream is the one we are most worried about - need to get that under control. If she is septic, transplant can't be done.

So, here are the specifics for prayer if you are keeping score ;) ...

1. Get the infection under control
2. Keep that circulation going in that left leg
3. Lungs, lungs, lungs, lungs.

Thank you all so very very much! You don't realize how much I feel your prayers...and see them. Hugs!! Love you all!

:hands::hands::hands::hands::hands::hands::hands: :hands:

Praying for killing infection, continued circulation and that call to come to the hospital that lungs are available that will work for Jada as soon as she's eligible again. Amazing that that foot is pink! They must have resolved some or a good deal of that circulation problem. Maybe it was just a temporary arterial or vascular spasm or collapse and now it's resolved. Praying for miracles every time I see my little reminder!

Good thoughts and blessings for Jada and family. Always in my thoughts

Praying for Jada tonight. Hold on, pretty girl.

I've been so busy lately Teri and I missed your original post. I am so sorry that your niece was not doing well but glad to hear that the procedure is working for her. Its great news that she is doing well and the she is in capable hands. I cant imagine what you and your family have been going through and I pray the Jada will continue to do better. {{Hugs}} take care.

Praying for a miracle.

Up for a second to post the latest news. As I said, it changes minute by minute. I'm not joking. I can post this and it scares me because the next post can be totally opposite. But here goes...From my sister -

" Here we go: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (a.k.a. ECMO) uses a machine to do the job of the lungs. Large tubes are placed in an artery and a vein. Blood leaves the body, is run through a machine that puts in oxygen, takes out carbon dioxide, and also regulates the body temperature. Referred to as "The Bridge to Transplant", ECMO is sometimes used when a patient is waiting for new lungs but just has nothing left to give from the old ones. It is kind of a "last resort" and is quite risky.

Jada started ECMO early this morning, around 3am. It seems to be doing its job right now. We had a long, exhausting day with tears, family,prayers, laughter, and, best of all, ANSWERED prayer. God showed off today. He is merciful and full of grace.

Jada is still VERY sick...critical, in fact...don't dismis that, but today I saw a teeny touch of forward progress, and on that I will rest.

~~even if..."the piggie goes to market"...I will trust him"

She said that about the piggies because she COULD lose them if that circulation doesn't continue. Please continue to pray it does.

One other thing - several of my sister and Jada's friends from CF and hospital, visited tonight. Jada smiled and squeezed some hands and mouthed "I love you"....she's done this before and then crashed the next day. Praying this is going to STAY moving forward.

Bottom line...she's got to have lungs. No matter what, she can't be on the ECMO forever.

sending many prayers for jada and your family. stay strong jada and keep fighting for those new lungs. hugs terri.