Several people have asked about making donations in Kyle's name, and we would like all donations to be made to First Baptist Church, Glen Rose. Then, we will turn all that money over to the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth. The address for the church is P.O Box 65, Glen Rose, TX 76043. Please indicate that the donation is being made in Kyle's memory. Thank you for your donations. This will help another family who is going through a similar crisis. To God be the Glory, great things He has done.

We will gather one last time to celebrate the life of Kyle Bradley Staples. Steve and I have decided to have a Celebration of Life Service that will be held on Thursday, July 16 at 1:00 at First Baptist Church in Glen Rose. Please join us in a time of praise and worship as we thank the Lord for giving us our sweet baby boy.

Kyle continued vomiting and not tolerating his milk last night, so they turned it off. We met with Dr. Davis, Dr. Tam (heart surgeon), and some other doctors today. Dr. Tam's reputation is that he is the last one to give up or quit on a child. He told us today with tears in his eyes that if it were his son, he would withdraw support. They all said basically the same.

Shiloh and I had been praying about what to do. Between Kyle getting no milk and the doctors recommendations, it became clear.

With the Staples and Ferren families gathered, we took Kyle into a more personal closed room. . . . and pulled the breathing machine. Brent read some Psalms. After a few minutes of labored breaths, God answered my prayers. The answer was no.

Ultimately, though, our prayer was for the Lord's will to be done. And I believe it was. No more poking and prodding. No more pain. No more dialysis. We wanted to take Kyle home. He's home now. He will not come to me, but I will go to him.

This will be the last post. There is no way to thank everyone who has come by, called, given us food and money, taken care of us, taken care of Abigail, and most importantly, prayed for us. I wish we could thank everyone properly, but there is no way. If I have one final request on this blog, it would be to continue to remember us and especially Shiloh in your prayers as the grieving process is only just beginning.

To God be the Glory.

The doctor came by tonight and talked with us. To summarize, he basically told us we were to the point where we were hurting Kyle unnecessarily.

We told Abigail today that the doctors thought brother was going to die. That was hard. She took it better than we did. We'll see if it sinks in; she's only four, but she's so smart.

We are going to try to meet with Dr. Susan Davis tomorrow. Shiloh and I really connected with her, and she also seems to be the most optimistic. If she agrees with the other doctors that we need to quit, then we will have a decision to make. A decision that no parent should ever have to make.

Kyle has basically been on life support (breathing machine) for over ten weeks. I think what the doctors are saying is that whether we turn the breathing machine off or leave it on, it doesn't change his chances of healing. The only difference is how long he survives.

The God we serve is powerful enough to heal Kyle, regardless of our decision. I know that. He opens doors that no one can close, and He closes doors that no one can open. We're just praying that we make decisions for Kyle that honor God and are in accordance with His will.

I'm still praying that God will heal little Kyle's body. Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live. We'll see. It ain't over till it's over.

Thursday Night

Kyle threw up some of his milk Wednesday night and Thursday morning, so they took him off for a while, and now have him at half the dose that he was on.

We had another "care conference" today to meet with all the doctors. They told us that if Kyle had one individual organ problem (heart, kidney, liver, lungs) it would not be so life threatening. Since he has developed multi-organ problems, however, they are giving him little to no hope. As one doctor put it "outside of a miracle, he has zero chance of survival." They talked to us some about limiting his care.

I told them I thought Kyle was going to make it. Kyle has not given up. I asked the medical staff to continue to work hard for him, which they are.

"Outside of a miracle" he says. Miracles are what God is in the business of doing. If I am going to pray for God to heal little Kyle's body, then until the answer is clearly no, I'm going to believe that is what's going to happen. If we don't believe it, we need to stop praying for it.

Kyle has had a very stable, non eventful day. He has been on "full dose" milk now (1 oz per hr.) for almost three days, so we're hopeful that will be the catalyst he needs to mount a recovery.
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers and support!

Not much change today. Kyle is holding steady. They upped his milk intake. After dismal urine output for weeks, he peed on one of his nurses today as if to make a statement about his determination.

Shiloh got to hold him for almost an hour. First time in 68 days. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Kyle is more swollen today. Truth be told, he is more swollen now than he was six weeks ago. His kidney function is the same as it was six weeks ago, and his liver is worse. His lungs look "hazy" on X-Ray which indicates fluid. His body is not actively shutting down, it's just not healing. The doctors and nurses have been working really hard for Kyle, but if he continues this course, I would expect that they will sit down with us in the next few weeks to make some hard decisions regarding Kyle.

By the breath of God's nostrils he can part the Red Sea. He obviously has the power to completely heal little Kyle in a second if He so chooses. If He so chooses.

I'm not loosing faith, I'm loosing hope. There is a BIG difference. My faith is that God loves me and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for my sin on the cross; that on the third day He raised Him from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of God; that I have eternal life with Him in heaven by accepting Christ's sacrifice and committing my life to Him; and that He offers this free gift of eternal life to anyone who would do the same. THAT is where my faith lies. It is unwaivering.

My hope, however, is waining - hope that it is God's will for my son to be healed. We will continue to pray for God's will to be done, and we will praise Him whatever that may be.

We have had a more stable day today than we had yesterday. Kyle is positive on his fluids, however this was kind of a recovery day. His blood pressure has been much better and are hoping to be able to pull fluid off tomorrow. The doctors are going to try really hard at trying to pull the fluid off more slowly and more steady. In the past, they were pulling a lot off in 2 or 3 days and then have to give all that fluid back because he gets dehydrated. When Kyle gets to where he is about -200 for the day, they will back off the dialysis. We are hoping this will work as you all know we have been doing this see-saw thing for quite a while.

Thank you to all for your prayers and support. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU, ALL!!!

Today was a recovery day for little Kyle. He was doing so good with the dialysis loosing fluid. He did so good, in fact, that he got a little dehydrated which caused his blood pressure to drop. They stopped the dialysis and have been giving him fluid most of the day to get his blood pressure up. Most of the progress (fluid loss) Kyle has made the last two days has been lost.

At the time of this post, he is stable, back on dialysis, and looking forward to possibly starting milk again tomorrow. He is poised for a good day tomorrow.

Last night Kyle had a "bleed" in his stomach. Internal bleeds are always a risk when a child is on a high amount of anti-clotting agents (blood thinners). Internal bleeds are also serious business since there is no good way to stop them. The doctors turned off the blood thinner and gave him extra platelets to help his stomach clot. As you can imagine, this has put him at a higher risk for life threatening blood clots as well. As of this evening, the stomach tube has pretty much stopped sucking blood out, which is good. We're hoping to get over this hurdle quickly and get him back on the milk.

Kyle seems to take it all in stride. He has such a strong will to live. He cracked his eyes open for his momma today about half a millimeter. He has also lost a substantial amount of fluid today and yesterday, which is his primary job right now.

May God bless you who are praying for Kyle and we thank you for your comments on the blog. They're always so insightful and encouraging. Sometimes I wish some of you were writing these posts instead of me.

Lab work indicates that Kyle did not have an infection after all, so they took him off his "just-in-case" antibiotics today. His milk intake was up to 15 ml per hour, but they are currently stopping them to run some tests because they suctioned some bloody fluid out of his stomach and also found some in his urine catheter. We'll see what that's all about. He has been resting comfortably most of the day with no change to speak of.

I would like to be strong and write encouraging words today, but I'm going to be honest. Shiloh and I are tired. We are ready for this to be over. Sixty nine straight days in a hospital. I'm tired of our daughter living like a gypsy. I'm tired of the helplessness of watching my wife cry. The only time our son is awake is when he is being poked and prodded at. This is an emotional marathon with no finish line in sight. It's a nightmare from which I cannot awake.

Nevertheless, I am thankful for God's mercy and loving kindness; I do realize that there are those suffering far more than we are; and I know that nobody likes a complainer.

We will continue to wait upon our Lord, and rely on Him as our source of strength.

I know none of you will be surprised when I say...Kyle is still extremely swollen. He still cannot open his eyes and has not been able to for over a week. We are ready to see those eyes. He is actually positive on his fluids for the day. He would be negative on a "normal"day however he had to receive blood products.

We were given some rather good news, which we are not always getting. The liver doctor came by and explained that he believes the liver is "clogged" and not damaged. He will give Kyle medicine that will flush his liver and hopefully clear it up. They are continuing to increase his feeds as long as he tolerates it. We are shooting for 16 mls/hr. Kyle is up to 11mls/hr. His cardiologist looked at the eco for today and doesn't believe the "spell" he had the other night was because of the heart. His heart is doing well. The first 24 hours of lab work, on the blood and urine, are negative for infection. (Tests will be run for 48 hours to make sure there is no infection.)

Go God Go!!! We give you praise for the good news we received.

Kyle can't progress any further until we get his swelling down, so it is therefore our primary objective right now. He continues to loose fluid, which is good. According to my rough calculations, if he continues on the pace he's been loosing, he will loose all/most of his swelling in 12 - 14 days. But that's a big if.

This morning at about 3:00 he had a little bit of a scare (blood pressure and O2 saturation drop), with the outcome being they think he might have another infection. He was put on more antibiotics while we await tests results. He seems to be doing fine now.

Kyle also acquired another specialist today: a liver doctor. Recent tests found low veinous flow to one side of the liver, as well as spotty liver function. While tests are being done, the liver doctor doesn't seem too worried about it. He says the liver is the most resilient organ in the body.

This might sound like a negative post. But at the end of the day, Kyle is still loosing fluid, he looks comfortable, his skin color is good. . . Go Kyle Go!

Kyle had a small step back today, as Shiloh and I had yet another anatomy lesson. Apparently, lactic acid build up in your blood is bad, and in Kyle's case it is an indicator that his stomach and/or intestines aren't tolerating the amount of milk we're feeding him. After several tests, the doctors cut his milk intake back from 14 ml. per hr. to 3 ml. per hr. and will slowly try to increase the dose.

Some good news. . . the swelling seems to be subsiding ever so slightly in his face, even though they have not been as aggressive at taking off fluid. Also, we are back in the Ronald McDonald House for another 45 day stint. We can now walk back and forth to the hospital.

Special thanks to anyone reading from Crossings Church in Waco for their love offering. The Lord (through His people) has been providing for our every need during this trying time, even what we don't ask for from people we've never met. Amazing.

It was a fairly boring day for Kyle today, which is good. Slow and steady is what he needs, but it's hard for his impatient parents. He lost so much fluid yesterday, they intentionally pulled off less today for fear of dehydration. While he is still loosing fluid, he continues to be just as swollen (if not more so). Shiloh and I are baffled by this, (how can a 7 lb. baby loose one and a half Coke bottles of fluid since Monday and still look the same?) although the doctors don't seem too concerned.

I hope all are well who read this. We are certainly not naive enough to think that we are the only ones going through tough times. So thank you for taking time to think of us and pray for baby Kyle.

Kyle is two months old today. He continues to loose fluid at a great pace. The doctors have continually upped his doses of milk, to the point that they turned off his TPN's (intravenous nutrients) today. Dr. Tam (heart surgeon) came by today and removed his last chest drainage tube and removed some stitches from his chest and stomach. His swelling is still refusing to subside, though he looks smaller just because of fewer hoses and equipment hanging from his little body. Overall, another great day in the right direction for baby Kyle. To God be the glory!

Not much change today. Kyle is getting less sedation, so he is more awake, agitated and wiggly. While no parent wants to see their child uncomfortable or in pain, it looks as if progress and healing are going to be uncomfortable.

Kyle has lost more fluid today through the dialysis, but still looks the same and can't open his eyes although he tries. Logic would tell us that he has to shrink eventually if we keep pulling fluid off of him.

Shiloh and I are doing well. We are cautiously hopeful. We're trying hard not to ride the emotional roller coaster of getting excited on good days and then crashing on bad days.

Thank you for your prayers, posts, and support. It's truly an encouragement as we read them and know that people are interceding on little Kyle's behalf.

We had a "care conference" today. This consisted of gathering with most of the specialist and general doctors that have been caring for Kyle in an attempt to exchange information and develop an overall strategy for Kyle's healing. We had a lot of questions for the doctors: some practical, some gut-wrenching, all difficult. Overall, we felt the staff did a great job of answering these tough questions. My final question of which I was most dreading was "Do we have enough collective confidence that Kyle has the potential to improve to continue the course?" Their answer summarized was that while Kyle is a very sick baby, at this time they are hopeful that he can recover. So we will continue trying to take fluid off with dialysis, continue trying to give more milk, continue treating infections, continue treating the possibility of mold, and continue on the ventilator. . . . continue the course.

It was a good meeting and when the dust had settled, while hopeful, they can't predict the future, and they can't really guess at the future for liability reasons. But I tactfully assured them that was o.k. - doctors prescribe medicines; God is the one who heals.

Kyle has had a good day today. They have taken off more fluid, but he is more swollen - the mystery continues. He hasn't been able to open his eyes for several days now.

We continue to wait upon the Lord. Thanks to all who continue the course of prayer with us.

Sunday, June 21 2009

Kyle has had a little bit better day. He is negative on his fluids, which helps with the swelling. They removed one of his drainage tubes. He is back on his feeding schedule, and he went down on both of his blood pressure medications. He continues to have alot of swelling.

We will be meeting with the team of doctors who are caring for Kyle. We will have the opportunity to ask questions and find out what the game plan is for Kyle. Please pray for us that the meeting will go well. God is good and still on His throne.

Today was not a good day for baby Kyle. He developed an infection last night and it has taken a toll on his body, specifically his blood pressure. He therefore had to go on antibiotics, more blood pressure medicine and was taken off his milk. Because of this and other complicating factors, he has taken on more fluid, which doesn't help the swelling problem. More swelling (edema) equals more pressure on the lungs, and so on and so forth and so on . . . All this to say, while it has been a relatively small setback for Kyle's healing process, the day has had a devastating effect on Shiloh and me.

I'm thankful that my morale is not a determining factor in Kyle's success. May all who read this not fall to the temptation that our prayers fall upon deaf ears. The Lord our God WILL have the victory in Kyle's life - one way or the other.

Thank you for your prayers for Kyle and for our family.

Friday, June 19th 2009

Kyle is 8 weeks old today, and he continues to fight. They did not pull as much fluid off today as yesterday, even though there is still some swelling. They want to take it slow over the next few days. He continues to receive milk through a feeding tube, and they have increased the amount he is getting.



We continue to be encouraged by the comments and prayers left for us on this blog. Also, it's so comforting when our prayer pagers go off. Prayer is a powerful thing!

Some good news...

Today has been a better day for sweet Kyle. The dialysis worked much better today and they were able to clean out a "clot" in one of his other drain tubes. The combination of the clear drain tube and the dialysis has left Kyle less swollen and able to open his eyes once again. His urine output remains too low and strong kidney function is a key component to his recovery. God is in control and we are trusting Him and are patiently waiting on His timing in the healing process.

Please continue to pray that Kyle's kidneys will begin to work efficiently and that the Lord would work in such a way as to allow us to get good news each day as Kyle continues to recover. We are learning each day to wait on the Lord, and hope He is glorified in and through this difficult time.

Thank you again for all your prayers and comments...what a blessing you are to us and to Kyle!

"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

Psalm 5:3

Kyle continues to swell even though the nurses are pulling fluid off through the dialysis. His urine output has not been as good today as the last couple of days. At the time of this post, his eyes are swollen shut. To be honest, as the day goes on, I become more frustrated and discouraged. Please pray that we don't loose sight of Who is in control and that we wait on Him.

Please continue paging us when you pray, even if it is in the middle of the night. We are up at all hours of the day and night. The "buzz" of our pagers is what makes the day bearable and it lets us know we are not in this alone. (Information about our prayer pagers is on the left hand side of the home page)

Tuesday, June 16th 2009

Kyle continues to be stable, but he is a little more swollen. His head is more swollen today than yesterday. Please pray that the swelling in his head is not the result of another problem. He is maintaining. Please continue to pray for those little kidneys.

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!"
~Psalm 31:24

Monday, June 15th 2009

Today has been a good day for Kyle. He is maintaining once again, and his vital signs look good. He is still swollen, and the doctors have said they want his kidneys working better. His kidneys have improved some, but they still have some healing to do. We'll leave that part to the Lord!

We would like to thank our church family for the generous love offering given to help with our hotel stay. The Lord continues to provide for our every need. We needed a place to stay when Kyle first arrived, and the Lord opened the door for the Ronald McDonald House. We were able to stay there for 45 days. Now, we are in a hotel, and the Lord has provided the finances for our stay there. We have been given love offerings from others, as well. New Covenant Fellowship in Waco gave us a love offering, and individuals along the way have helped us financially. We are eternally grateful for everything the Lord has provided through the generosity of His people. He meets our every need. He is watching over us and Kyle, and He has provided each step of the way. Words cannot express our gratitude for the prayers, cards, visits, and gifts we have received. We are so blessed! What a mighty God we serve!!

God is God!

There are simply no words to really thank the hundreds, if not thousands, of people praying for us and for Kyle. We will never be able to properly describe our thanks and appreciation for the prayers, the emotional support, the acts of kindness, and the blessings we have received from the family of God over the past few weeks. And, while the road is hard, God is with us! God is working to heal Kyle. God has provided for our needs. God is faithful. God is God!

Today, has been a better day for Kyle. The dialysis seems to be working more efficiently today. However, the swelling remains unchanged. They have been able to wean Kyle off some of his medications, which is encouraging as well. We look forward to making more steps in his recovery this week. Please continue to pray for those who work with Kyle. May the Lord impart wisdom to the doctors and nurses who care for Kyle. Pray that this week will be full of good news as God works each day to heal and restore Kyle's physical strength. Thank you again for praying. Thank you for letting us know you have visited this blog by leaving comments for us to read on days when we are so tired. God is faithful. God is God!

"I lift my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Psalm 123:1-2

A Special Prayer Request...

Well, we got a little spoiled the last few days. And, while today was not a "bad" day, Kyle is retaining fluid once again and his blood pressure has not been as high as the doctors would like. The low blood pressure is not good for his kidneys. And, his kidney function impacts his fluid levels. Needless to say, it is not easy to be in this cycle once again. And, so we are asking you to pray specifically for wisdom for the doctors as they work with Kyle. Also, please pray a special prayer for Steve and Shiloh. They are exhausted. Kyle is seven weeks old and the road ahead looks very long. We know God is at work. We know God is on His throne. We know He hears our prayers! Thank you for praying. Thank you for loving us through this time.

"Jesus loves me. This I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so!"

God is so good...

Today was a really wonderful day for Kyle. He continues to take steps toward a recovery and as a family, we are in awe of the goodness of God. Today, doctors removed three "tubes" from his body which made such a difference in his appearance. Two of the "tubes" were monitoring his heart and one was helping to monitor his urine output. We know the two for his heart will stay out and we are hopeful the other will not have to be replaced. Kyle's swelling continues to go down and, while he has always been beautiful, he is looking much better! Go, Kyle, Go! We are so thankful for what the Lord is doing and we are learning to wait on the Lord He heals Kyle. Please continue to pray for a healing and know we are forever grateful for all your prayers. There are not words to adequately express our thanks to you for remembering us each day. We are encouraged by your words and the scriptures left for us. Thank you...God is so good!

Thursday, June 11th 2009

Kyle has had another good day! He continues to heal and progress. The swelling is going down each day. They are weaning him from one of his blood pressure medications as well as one of his pain medications. He continues doing dialysis, but we have faith that the Lord will heal his kidneys. Go God Go!!!! And, Go Kyle Go!!!! It is through our Mighty God that there is any healing in this precious baby. Thank you all for your words of encouragement, prayers, and scriptures. It lifts our spirits to read the comments left for us and for Kyle.

Wednesday, June 10th 2009

It's been another good day for Kyle. He continues to heal and is doing well with the new dialysis catheter. It doesn't seem possible that he will be seven weeks old on Friday. He is such a beautiful blessing.

Please lift up in prayer the doctors and nurses attending Kyle. Specifically, pray that they will be very attentive to Kyle's needs. Pray for wisdom, and please continue praying for Kyle's kidneys.

Jesus loves me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak, but He is strong.

Tuesday, June 9th 2009

In the midst of a busy day for Baby Kyle, we are reminded that every victory comes from above...

We pray...

Go God Go!!! Continue healing this precious baby, and may You receive the glory. We ask, Father God, that you be with Kyle and post your angels around him. Be with the doctors and nurses and guide them as they care for Kyle. Lord, you created Kyle's organs. You know the most intricate details of his little body. You formed him and knit him together. With a touch of your hand, you could choose to heal him completely, but we know that You will work in Your time and in Your own way. Teach us to wait upon You. Help us to give each minute, each hour, each day to You. We will wait upon the Lord...

Amen

Thank you for your prayers. Kyle is recovering well from his surgical procedure this morning. We will continue to keep you all posted.

UPDATE...

Kyle had his surgical procedure this morning to replace his dialysis catheter. The surgery went well, and Kyle is recovering. To God be the glory. Thank you for your prayers.

Monday, June 8th 2009

It has been a good day for Kyle. He has been on a pacemaker, and he was taken off today. He is holding his own and doing well. They have increased the amount of milk he is receiving, and his urine output has been good.

We have a specific prayer request for Kyle. He will be undergoing a surgical procedure tomorrow to replace his dialysis catheter. This is the tube used to transport fluids to and from his body for the express purpose of doing the dialysis. The surgery will be at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Please say a prayer for Kyle tonight, and remember him in the morning. Specifically, pray that this will not be a set back for Kyle, but that he will continue in his recovery. Thank you in advance for remembering Kyle in your prayers. There are not words to express our gratitude for the intercession taking place for Kyle.

Go Kyle Go!!!

Sunday, June 7th 2009

Baby Kyle continues to fight. He has had a little more swelling, but overall it's been a good day. His fluid output has been good. He remains on dialysis, and we continue to pray for those little kidneys. It seems his recovery is going to be a long, slow process, and the Lord is teaching us to wait and be patient. We will wait upon the Lord. He continues to show Himself faithful. We catch little glimpses of Him and are encouraged along the way.

They have also cut back on Kyle's blood pressure medication. His blood pressure has been good throughout the day, and we are so thankful. They have also increased the amount of milk he is receiving.

Please continue to pray specifically for Kyle's kidneys.

Go Kyle Go!!!!!

Saturday, June 6th 2009

Go Kyle Go!!! This is becoming the theme for this blog. Today was a good day. As you can see from the photo above, he still has alot of swelling; however, the past few days the swelling has gone down. His kidneys are doing a little better. He's been able to open his eyes more. He is taking baby steps towards recovery. We thank and praise the Lord for every day. May we never take for granted the life and breath the Lord gives us. For it is truly a gift.

Proud Sister

Big sis' Abigail with Baby Kyle.

Things are looking better today. Kyle is doing well on his fluid output and the swelling seems to be better today, also. Go, Kyle, go! The concern continues to be the swelling and his kidney function. Please, keep praying for a complete healing and that God gets ALL the Glory.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your
works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden
from you
when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in
the
depths of the
earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days
ordained
for me were written
in your book before one of them came to
be." Psalm
139:13-16

Today has been a good day in that Kyle responded well to the medication the doctors gave him to help him break down blood clots. The swelling in his head and face has gone down some and Kyle was able to open his eyes throughout the day. We are so thankful for even the small steps he makes in his recovery. Each day we marvel at the way the Lord works and moves. For Kyle was created by God, and nothing that Kyle faces is a surprise to the One who created Him. Thank you for your prayers. We serve a Mighty God indeed!

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
Psalm 27:14

Wednesday, June 3rd 2009

"This is the day the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it." No matter what each day brings, we will rejoice. The blood clot that has been of concern has not been located. Doctors and nurses have no answers as to why Kyle's head remains swollen. Some of the swelling has gone down, and he was able to open his eyes for the first time in two days. They have decided to give Kyle a medication that will aid his body in breaking down blood clots. They began administering the medication around 5:00 p.m. Please pray that if the blood clot is still in his body, the medicine will work. Also, please pray there will be no adverse side effects from this medication. It will thin his blood and increase the risks of bleeding.

Please continue to pray that God would impart His wisdom to the doctors and nurses attending Kyle. Pray that the swelling in his head would go down. Pray for his kidneys. He remains on dialysis. It's so comforting to know there are friends and family around the world praying for Kyle. We believe in the power of prayer!!

Watchful Eye...

Daddy watching during one of Kyle's procedures.

Tuesday, June 2nd 2009

We ask for your prayers! It's been another eventful day for Kyle. His chest has been covered with a wound-vac, which has been covering his incision and pulling the skin together so the rest of the incision could be closed. When the wound-vac was removed, it was no longer necessary to sew the rest of his incision. His chest is now completely closed. Praise the Lord!

He underwent a procedure today to remove a sore spot on his arm. The procedure was successful, and he is recovering from that.

The main concern now is the blood clot that was located in his shoulder. Kyle's head and neck are very swollen, and it is believed that this is caused from the blood clot; however, a sonogram was done on that area, and it appears the blood clot is no longer there. The doctors and nurses attending Kyle are baffled because his head and neck are still swollen. They are doing further tests to see if the clot is gone or if it has moved. There is only One who knows where the clot is, and our prayer is that He will impart wisdom to the medical staff. He is the Great Physician! Please pray for wisdom. We are hoping that the clot is gone for good, and that God has already healed Kyle from this. Or, maybe He is setting the stage for a miracle. We pray doctors and nurses will stand speechless because of God's work!! Please intercede on behalf of Kyle and all those at Cook Children's Hospital who are directly involved with Kyle's care.

To God be the Glory...

It has been another busy day for Baby Kyle and his parents. God is good. God is so good. First, doctors removed one of three chest tubes in Kyle's chest! That is one less "thing" coming out ot his tiny body. Tomorrow, Kyle will also undergo a small surgical procedure to remove a small sore place from his arm. By removing this area, they will be able to discontinue one of his medications. This particular medication is very hard on the kidneys, so we are hopeful this step will help his kidney function.

The cause of the swelling in his face and head is a blood clot located at a site on his shoulder. Earlier last week, doctors had to relocate a med-line from his shoulder to his leg. Because the med-line had been in his shoulder so long, a clot formed. Kyle has good blood flow to the brain and his brain is getting plenty of oxygen. But, because of the clot, fluid is collecting and causing his face and head to swell. Much like his kidney function, Kyle's body must take care of the clot. Please continue to pray that his kidneys would heal and the swelling in his body and head would also heal.

As you read these daily updates, please feel free to leave a comment, prayer or scripture for the Staples family. Your encouraging words mean so much to all of us. We are so thankful for the hundreds of people praying us through!

Prayer request for Monday, June 1

In the midst of so much, Kyle continues to fight and the Lord constantly shows Himself faithful to us! We do ask that you please be in prayer for Kyle and the new swelling in his face and head. Overall, he is making tiny steps forward, but this specific request is of great concern as the Lord continues to work and heal. We cannot express our thanks to each of you as you remember us in prayer!

"This is the Day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24 (NIV)

Sunday, May 31st 2009

Not much has changed for Kyle today. He continues to maintain and is in a stable condition. Please continue to pray for Kyle's kidneys. He is still swollen, and they will not close the rest of his incision until the swelling goes down. They cannot drain the fluid off of him. This is something Kyle must do himself.

Thank you again for the words of encouragement and scriptures. We love reading through those and are encouraged by the kind words.

Saturday, May 30th 2009

Kyle is maintaining and is stable today. He does have more swelling. His little kidneys are functioning, but they need to do more to remove the excess fluid from his body. Please continue to pray for his kidneys. And, pray that Kyle would be able to come off dialysis for good.

They have discontinued weaning him from the ventilator for now. He has so much swelling that they don't want to put too much on his lungs.

Please pray that God would give the doctors wisdom. After all, He is the Great Physician. He created all those little organs, and He is the one who can heal!!

Friday, May 29th 2009

Kyle is doing well. He had an echo cardiogram done this morning, and the surgeon and doctors are pleased.

They removed his catheter today, and he is continuing to receive milk through a feeding tube.

Kyle is still swollen, but his kidneys are functioning. He has been through so much in his short lifetime. He is maintaining and is stable. His healing process is going to take some time.

Thank you to all who have left words of encouragement and scriptures. It has really helped and is a constant reminder to us of God's faithfulness. Please continue to remember Kyle in your daily prayers. He is such a wonderful gift from the Lord!

Thursday, May 28th 2009

Kyle had to go back on dialysis today. He is very swollen. Please continue to pray for his little kidneys. Pray that the Lord will heal his kidneys, and he will be able to come off dialysis for good.

He had a feeding tube placed, and they have been giving him milk. They have to start with very small amounts and see how he does. Pray that he will do well.

God is good. We entrust Kyle to Him everyday.

Precious Moments...

Baby Kyle with Mommy

Wednesday, May 27th 2009

Kyle is off dialysis again! Praise the Lord! He is maintaining and doing well since they closed his chest yesterday. Please continue to pray for his kidneys. He is being weaned from the ventilator, as well. Please pray for a smooth transition. It's been a good day. God is faithful! Thank you to all our family and friends who are lifting Kyle to the Lord everyday.

Prayer Request for Wednesday, May 27

Kyle started dialysis again last night. His urine out-put has decreased and he has taken on fluid. Please pray that his kidneys would once again start working. Thank you for all your prayers...

Tuesday, May 26th 2009

To God be the glory, great things He has done! Today, Kyle's chest was closed. They wired his sternum and began closing the skin on his chest. He has been open so long that the skin would not close completely, so they are using a technique to stretch the skin. He should be closed by the end of the week. They also began weaning him off the ventilator. This process will take several days. Please pray that this will be a smooth transition for Kyle. It has been a good day. Thank you for praying! God is working miracles in Kyle's life. We will continue to keep you posted...

Sunday, May 24th 2009

Baby Kyle is a month old today! We praise God for each and everyday! Kyle was taken off dialysis again. His kidneys are functioning well and doing everything little kidneys are supposed to do. Alot of the swelling has gone down. See the power of prayer at work! The plan is to close his chest this week. Pray that his chest will be closed sooner than later.

We want to thank Connie Griffin for coming to Fort Worth today and giving Shiloh a much needed haircut. She was getting pretty shaggy. =)

As always, thank you for your continued prayer support, and we will keep you updated on Kyle's progress.

Saturday, May 23rd 2009

Kyle was placed back on dialysis today. He is receiving more fluids and medications than his body can expel. So, for now, he will remain on dialysis. The good news is his kidneys are functioning. All praise and glory belongs to our God!! Please pray that the swelling in Kyle's body will go down, so Dr.Tam can close his chest. We covet your prayers for this precious baby. Thank you in advance for remembering Kyle in your prayers.

BIG Sis'

Proud sister, Abigail, with baby Kyle.

Friday, May 22nd 2009

Today has been a good day! We praise and thank the Lord for all He has done in Kyle's life. Kyle is 4 weeks old today. He had another tube placed to help drain some of the fluid from his chest. The plan is to take him off dialysis at midnight. Pray that this baby's kidneys will function properly. The quicker the swelling goes down, the quicker the chest will be closed. Once the chest is closed, he will really begin to make progress. He has also been wearing monitors on his head to measure the oxygen levels to his brain. Those are coming off today as well. Thank you to all those who have visited this blog thus far. Please feel free to comment and leave words of encouargement or scriptures.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

These are photos of Kyle in the PICU. Please continue to pray for this baby. Specifically, pray that his kidneys will begin to work so the swelling will go down.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Baby Kyle in the NICU at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. This photo was taken before Kyle's first open heart surgery.

Pray for Kyle...

This blog has been created to help those who are praying for Kyle Bradley Staples to keep up to date on his progress. We will try to post everyday on this blog. Check back daily for new photos and information on Kyle's progress

Timeline April 24th-May21st 2009

Kyle Bradley Staples was born Friday, April 24th 2009 in Stephenville, TX. Seemingly, everything was great with Kyle. He had a fast delivery with no complications; however, that day the Pediatrician picked up on a heart murmur. She checked his oxygen levels, and they were low. She informed Kyle's Mommy and Daddy that he would need to be moved to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth for further testing. Kyle was 12 hours old when the Teddy Bear Transport team from Cook Children's arrived. He rode by ambulance to the hospital with his Daddy by his side. His Mommy, Shiloh, was released from the hospital only 15 hours after giving birth. She was rushed to Fort Worth to be by Kyle's side. At the hospital, many tests were done and it was discovered that the left side of Kyle's heart was underdeveloped. The aortic valve was too small and the aortic arch was too narrow. Steve and Shiloh were informed that Kyle would require open heart surgery. The news was devastating!! Here is a timeline of events for the past month.


Friday, April 24th 2009: Kyle Bradley Staples is born in Stephenville, TX at 1:57 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. and was 19 inches long.

The Pediatrician in Stephenville picks up on a heart murmur and calls for the Teddy Bear Transport from Cook Children's Hospital. Kyle is taken by ambulance to Fort Worth. Tests are run and Kyle needs heart surgery. He is placed in the NICU until the surgery.

Monday, April 27th: Steve and Shiloh meet with Dr. Vincent Tam M.D.. He is the Medical Director of Cardiothoracic surgery. He explains to Steve and Shiloh what will be done for Kyle's heart surgery. The surgery is scheduled for the next day.

Tuesday, April 28th 2009: Kyle has open heart surgery to repair the aortic valve and increase the size of the aortic arch. For the first time since leaving Stephenville, Steve and Shiloh are able to hold Kyle. He goes into surgery at 10:45 a.m, and he is finished by 5:00 p.m. By all accounts, the surgery went well and Dr.Tam was pleased. Kyle's chest is left open to allow for all the swelling to go down. Steve and Shiloh are told the chest will be closed in 3-4 days. Kyle is moved to the PICU.

Saturday, May 2nd 2009: Kyle's chest is closed.

Monday, May 4th: Kyle has an echo cardiogram and they discover a hole between the ventricles. Dr.Tam is not pleased with Kyle's recovery. The pressure on the left side of Kyle's heart is too high. Dr.Tam explains to Steve and Shiloh that the pressure could be the result of three possible situations: 1)The aortic arch is still too narrow. 2) The aortic valve is not working. 3)The hole in the heart is causing the pressure.
More surgery is needed...

Tuesday, May 5th 2009: Kyle had a rough time in the early morning hours. A doctor sat with him through the night monitoring him. At 7:30 a.m, Kyle is prepped for surgery. The surgery begins at 10:30 a.m and is finished by 9:30 p.m. Dr.Tam repaired the hole between the ventricles and increased the size of the aortic arch. Dr.Tam performed the Ross procedure to repair the valve. He took the pulmonary valve from the right side of the heart and replaced the aortic valve. A valve from a cadaver was used in place of the pulmonary valve. The nurse tells Shiloh and Steve that Kyle's heart is happy with the changes made. His chest is left open again, and he is moved back into the PICU.

Wednesday, May 6th 2009: Kyle's kidneys begin to fail. He is placed on dialysis.

Thursday, May 7th 2009: Part of one of Kyle's lungs collapses. Doctors want to put him on an ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine. Dr.Tam adjusts Kyle's medications and decides that ECMO is not the best thing for Kyle at the time.

Friday, May 8th 2009: In the early hours of the day, Kyle becomes very unstable while a nurse suctions out his lungs. Steve and Shiloh are called to the hospital. By the time they arrive, Dr.Tam is there. He explains that Kyle's numbers drop during any procedures. Dr.Tam's recommendation is that Kyle be placed on an ECMO machine. The ECMO machine is a technique that gives the blood oxygen outside of the body. One tube drains the blood out of the heart and sends it to the machine to pick up the oxygen. After the oxygen gets into the blood, the other tube brings the blood back to the heart. The ECMO will give Kyle's organs a rest and allow him to recover from all the surgery. He is placed on ECMO that day.

Thursday, May 14th 2009: They start weaning Kyle off the ECMO machine.

Monday, May 18th 2009: Kyle is taken off the ECMO machine and dialysis. It was a good day!

Tuesday, May 19th 2009: Kyle stops urinating and is placed back on dialysis.

Wednesday, May 20th 2009: Kyle remains on dialysis but is very stable. He has a good day!

Thursday, May 21st 2009: Kyle is very swollen. Dr.Tam wants to close his chest, but he cannot do this until the swelling goes down. Kyle is still on dialysis. As soon as his kidneys start functioning the swelling will go down. Then, his chest will be closed. He is stable.