I’m happy to report that Zeke has been bouncing back faster than he has in the past. He is almost back up to full feeds and his personality has been back since Saturday. 

We have been very busy with doctor appointments since Monday so I have not been able to update here, but I’m excited to share the plan with you now. 

We will continue to address this holistically, as our team does agree with my assessment that this is a gut/brain axis issue and that the trigger was the heavy antibiotics from March 2024. Now, please don’t misunderstand- the antibiotics were necessary and absolutely the correct treatment decision at that time. But I do believe it has caused this cycle to occur due to the acidity levels in his gut. I won’t get into the nitty gritty here but I have been doing loads of research to get my head around potential causes and courses of treatment and my medical team agrees this could certainly be it. 

We will continue on a gut healing protocol which includes red light therapy, l-glutamine and a host of probiotics. 

We will begin stimulating his vagus nerve to help from the neurological side. 

Every 4 weeks we will be getting blood work to monitor his levels. If we see a drop in bicarb, we will be doing an infusion in office. We are hoping this will keep us out of the hospital and also show us when his bicarb actually begins to shift. 

Finally, we will be making some adjustments to his feeds, as there is evidence that the feeds he is on could also be adding to the acidity in the gut.

We also met with an endocrinologist- and we love her. We praise God for connecting us with her. She is knowledgeable, kind, excellent bedside manner and thorough. She gave me labs to get done should we have to go in the hospital again, as she needs labs done during the episode. Yes, I have also sent her the labs I have from our 8 visits! 

God gave me a special nod this week. Two actually. 

(1) One of Zeke’s therapists said “he is on the verge of a breakthrough.” I have not heard anyone say that for almost a year now. It was very encouraging.

(2) One of our practitioners is a believer and was sharing how God had a laid a verse heavy on her heart this week and she felt led to share it with us as well, speaking this over us. 

“Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. 
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭8‬-‭9‬a ‭NIV‬‬

There are many words in this verse that are exactly in Zeke’s life verse. My spirit was stirred as I read this verse and realized what God was doing. He was reminding me. He has not forgotten me. He has not forgotten that He named Zeke Josiah. 

Friends, it’s easy for me to begin to doubt as the days turn into months and the months into years. It’s easy for me to doubt when my body hurts from picking up this sweet boy (he is heavy!). It’s easy to doubt when we are on the cycle of hospital visits. Doctor visits. Therapy visits. Feeling like my whole world is just about medical stuff. 

And then God, in His graciousness and kindness, reminds me. He isn’t slow. He hasn’t forgotten. He will fulfill His promises. He is trustworthy. He is doing something. Jon said they yesterday after I told him about the verse. “God is doing something. Our eyes just can’t fully see it yet.”

But as I thought about it, I feel like God gave me a glimpse. 

If Zeke was fully healed already…
…my friend would not have found the GI that significantly helped her child. 

…I wouldn’t have been able to pray for that mom in the hospital. 

…I would not have been able to pray over several nurses over our hospital visits. 

…I would not have been as equipped to walk with a dear friend through her recent heartbreak.

…I would not understand that miracles are sometimes journeys.

…I would not have been able to see the body of Christ come around me and my family. Sending Legos to Zane so he is seen, sending coffee to me so I can function, sending money to feed us at the hospital. Friends coming over in the dead of night to sleep on our couch so we wouldn’t have to wake Zane up. 

…and much more that I won’t write here.

I’m encouraged. God is doing something. 

I fully believe He is going to FULLY heal Zeke. One day, I will be able to post on here that he is walking, talking, eating and climbing trees. I don’t know when. I don’t know how. But I know God is faithful. 

So today, will you first take time to thank God for all these things with me? 

Then will you pray for this protocol to work? 

Then will you pray for Zeke’s full healing? 

And finally, let’s remember to pray for 6 and 7 today. That they may find Him.