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Urgent Prayer Request for a Little Girl - UPDATE 2/11
I first received word about little Candace Joy yesterday morning when I checked my email. I will share here that original email from our pastor's wife, followed by the updates:
10:23 p.m.
We have received news that the 7 year old daughter of our friends, Pat and Cathy Walsh is hospitalized at Shands in Gainesville.
She was complaining of severe pain in the pelvic area and vomiting. Thinking she had contracted a virus, they treated her at home. When the pain became unbearable, they took her to a doctor. She has a mass growing on her pelvic bone (the size of a baseball).
Tonight she suffered a strange and sudden decline making it necessary to put her on life support. A new test of her blood revealed a rare and dangerous blood infection. She had recently been to Costa Rica with her family and think perhaps she contracted an infection there.
Doctors are saying that she may not live through this night. Their pastor is out of the country!! They are dear friends from many years ago and so Santiago went to be with them tonight. Please pray for the Walsh family and for Santiago.
Thank you!
2/9/06
9:35 a.m.
Thank you all for praying for Santiago as he went to Shands to be with our friends, the Walshes. It was discovered that Candace DOES NOT have cancer!! We are so thankful for that!
The masses they saw were actually huge pockets of infection. She went to surgery last night and doctors removed the pockets. (Santi underwent this procedure once....it's called "irrigation and debridation") They literally "vacuum" out the pus and scrape bone. It's very painful afterward. They are trying to determine how she developed this infection. One theory is that she picked up a nasty bacteria through an open sore (a broken wart) on the bottom of her foot.
She is still not out of the woods.....her blood is seriously infected and parts of her bone are infected. She is receiving massive doses of anti-biotic and will probably be in the hospital for a while.
Thank you for praying and I will let you know things as they develop.
2/9/06
2:53 p.m.
The infection in Candace's body has multiplied again to the point that she has the same pockets refilled. The doctors talked of putting her in a hyperbaric chamber, but now they are saying that there is nothing more to be done for her.
Please pray for Pat and Cathy....Candace is their youngest child. They don't believe she will live unless God brings a miracle.
2/10/06
11:50 a.m.
Thank you all for your continued prayer and interest for our friends, the Walshes.
My last note to you indicated that the doctors had given up and that the infections was too radical, BUT!!!
Candace's vital signs improved to the point that they were able to put her in the hyperbaric chamber for about 2 hours. She went to surgery at about 11pm and doctors were able to again drain and clean a lot of the pus. Before the surgery, the doctor (amazingly this is Dr. Kays, the same doctor who performed Santi's hernia surgery almost 8 years ago!) asked Pat and Cathy for permission to do what he felt he needed to in order to SAVE HER LIFE.
Pat and Cathy gave consent because they understood that Dr. Kays may have to remove Candace's leg to save her life.
During the surgery, so much of the infection was successfully removed that her leg was spared! We were called at 1:00am with this news.
Now Candace will be placed in the chamber for one hour each day. Drainage tubes are placed to facilitate drainage of the pus.
We are thankful to the Lord for this good news. Candace is still a very sick little girl, but she is progressing just a little bit.
Thank you
2/10/06
12:03 p.m.
The doctors discovered that Candace has "Gram positive cocci Infection"
originating on the bone and spread throughout the soft tissue in her body.
Although the Surgery went well, her right thigh has increased with Infection.
Candace has had a feeding tube inserted today to nourish her very weak body.
Today they will be undergoing an emergency procedure called
"hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy" she will be put in a oxygen chamber in Shands
hospital donated by Nasa in order to kill the Anaerobic Infection. Please pray for
the success of this procedure and for the medical team to get the upper hand on
this intense Infection.
UPDATE: Saturday, Feb. 11
said the antibiotic she's been on is the best for it, so he plans to keep that the same. The Hyperbaric Chamber is quite interesting and is helping. (We got a tour of that.) They did have to take more tissue and muscle tonight, and possibly even some nerves, but Praise God, no bone, limbs or vital organs were taken. Her life has been hanging in the balance and will probably still be for another few days.
The family certainly appreciates your prayers. Most of them have not slept this week at all, because they didn't want to leave Candace's side.
This is copied from an email from my pastor's wife (Santiago is our pastor)
Well, Santiago received a phone call this morning about Candace Joy. Doctors feel they are "ahead of the infection". Each day she is put in the hyperbaric chamber and then each day more infections is cleaned out. She has been in a medically induced coma throughout this whole process as pain meds were having no effect whatsoever. Today, anesthesia was eased off a bit so as to bring her around. Her Daddy came into the room and saw her eyes flutter open.
He came over and said, "Hey, how's my little Princess doing? Can you give me a great big smile?"
She smiled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He took a picture of her!
God is very very good.
Posted by Janne on Feb. 10, 2006 in Prayers and Praises
Feb. 10, 2006 - Praying For Candace
Posted by creativehsmom
Praying also for her parents, they are probably heartsick.
I've heard a lot of good things about oxygen-therapy.
Cathy
Please keep us updated
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by drewsfamilytx
Oh my! Praying for this girl, her family and wisdom for the doctors!
Love,
Marsha
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by DandelionSeeds
I've added it to my blog... will spread the word as best as I can...
Oh... and by the way, I'm officially not speaking to my husband now that I've seen the absolute gorgeous blog you have now! a;lskdfa;sldkfj;saldjf I LOVE IT!
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by TNMOM
Praying for thsi family and a miracle!
Maria
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by jammyphoto
Oh my! What a horrible ordeal....will be praying here in MA! Will post it on my blog, too.
In Him,
Jenn
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jedi4sweet
I just heard about this over at CoMamaBear. I'll continue praying for her, the doctors and her family. = )
Feb. 10, 2006 - PRAYING!
Posted by Anonymous
Oh my goodness, YES! I will pray and post this on my blog here and at HSteadB.
God Bless,
Amber
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Amber
I posted it and linked it back to here. Please keep us posted if you hear anything else.
God Bless,
Amber
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by lmb4him
oh my dear .. this poor dear child and her parents. Definitely praying for her health and survival of this horrible infection.
Lisa Michele
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by ClagettsFLStyle
I will be praying for this little girl and her family! Thank you for asking me to pray!
Feb. 10, 2006 - Hi Janne
Posted by flapjacks
I picked up your prayer request on cudltot's blog and I just wanted to say I'll pray too.
I'll add you to my friends so I can keep up to date.
Alice
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by eyecorn
Janne:
How shocking and heartbreaking. We are praying for this precious child and will check back often. Thank you for posting us and giving us the opportunity to pray for her.
God bless,
Michelle
Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by joyismystrength
Just reading your post gave me that sick, facing a trauma feeling in the pit of my stomach. I pray that the situation improves. There is so much evidence already that God is preserving this little girl's life. I pray for the doctors involved in the operating and diagnosing, and for the parents who must be heartsick at the moment by moment developments.
Feb. 10, 2006 - Yes, we will pray
Posted by boo4baby
I can't imagine what these parents are going through, but I am glad we serve a God Who knows and cares. We will be praying for her tonight!
Blessings,
Becky
Feb. 11, 2006 - Praying!
Posted by ccpeterson
I am praying and have passed the request along!! Please update when you can!
Feb. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by OreoSouza
Janne, we are praying. All of us at my house. And I posted on my blog. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Feb. 11, 2006 - We will certainly keep her...
Posted by takingthechallenge
...in our prayers. And I'm linking to your posts right now.
Feb. 11, 2006 - Going to put this on my site right now...
Posted by cudltot
Praying for her.
Chrissy
Feb. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by rerlpr
Looking for an update on this little girl...
Leslie
Feb. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by mycrazylife
Janne, We will be praying our hearts out for Candace and her family. I cannot imagine the suffering her parents must feel watching their child in this condition.
Feb. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by LouiseJane
We will be praying here in Devon for this little girl. x
Feb. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by hippiechyck
posted the link to here....please keep us updated!
Feb. 11, 2006 - Praying For Candice
Posted by angelstar1220
I'm late coming to this thread and am not sure whats been happening with her in the last day or so but I will be praying hard for the family.
Carol
xxx
Feb. 11, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by teena6
Janne, I have posted this on my blog too. I am praying for Candace and her parents and family. Please do keep us updated. I have checked the site for updates.
I love your blog and how pretty it is .. you are very talented.
blessings,
Teena
Feb. 11, 2006 - little Candace and family
Posted by Rolea
have been praying for this situation and am very glad to hear of the success in her condition to this point. how scary.
Father God, You are hope, there is really no such thing as hope if You are not in the midst of it. You hear all the prayers rising up to You, from those who know the only hope we have, that Candace has, in this battle will come from You. I pray also for the family members, may Your Spirit constantly remind them to bring their anxiousness to You, to find place for thanksgiving, to confess their weakness, and to find the peace and strength that surpasses all comprehension coming down from You where we all receive every good and perfect gift from, bring to their hearts and lives more than they could even think or imagine and above all Father, be glorified. Amen.
Feb. 12, 2006 - Thanks for the update!
Posted by Amber
I visited her website and couldn't help but start crying....I signed the calendar.
God Bless,
Amber
Feb. 12, 2006 - Praying for Candace...
Posted by Lancelotacres
...and her family. My heart goes out to them. Thank you for the updates.
Hugs,
Lisa
Feb. 13, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by doehillhomeschool
We'll pray for her at our house! I'll link to this from my blog and forward the request to some women who will pray as well. Bless you for bringing her to everyone's attention!
in Christ, Gin