The (epic) birth of our son: Asher Obed Lopez!

After five days at the hospital attending our daughter, Jemina Mercy, for her critically low platelet count, the Lopez family was finally home.  Jemi was just starting to act like herself: eating breakfast, playing and talking, taking a bath… and then my labor contractions started! Apparently our son, and God, had graciously allowed us to complete Jemina´s hospital treatment before sending us back to the hospital for birth.

After a little over an hour of contractions increasing in strength and frequency, I called my OB, who instructed me to update her in an hour on my condition.  However, after only another

half hour of intense contractions, my mother (an obstetrician!) decided to check my cervix herself: already 7cm dilated!  She commented: You might not arrive at the hospital in time to deliver this baby!  Aah!

Paco, my mother, and I rushed to the car: all the while my mom was dialing my OB to inform her we were rushing to the hospital, without success.  And then, about a third of the way, our car

suddenly died in mid highway!  We could not believe it!  Our vehicle had not shown signs of car problems in months- and suddenly it died at the worst possible moment!  My immediate response: This feels like a scene right out of a movie!

By God’s grace, at that very moment, a police car was passing, which Paco quickly hailed to ask to take his laboring pregnant wife urgently to the

hospital.  Once my mom and I were in the police car, one of the officials turned to ask my name: but when he saw I could not even respond with my name because a contraction hit, he frantically signaled to his partner to step on the gas, and turned on the police sirens to race us through traffic!! 

Once at the hospital, I was whisked back to labor and delivery, where the nurse announced I was practically 10cm dilated, and then scolded me for not coming to the hospital sooner. Ha! (as if that were an option!).  My poor mother was stopped at hospital admission and was bombarded by questions and paperwork, all in

Spanish, to which she could not respond, before they gave up and let her go back to see me.  She barely had a few minutes at my side before my OB arrived, huffing and puffing from racing to the hospital, to have me wheeled off to the delivery room.  The on-call anesthesiologist was able to place my epidural even in my advanced state (praise the Lord!).

And then, before I even started pushing, Paco rushed into the delivery room to be at my side!  Oh, the joy!  I had despaired of him missing the whole birth, as he had to stay with our broken-down car mid-highway.  But, he found a tow-truck just across the street from our vehicle

(only God does that!), and a mechanic right next door where our car could be towed.  Then, he contacted a taxi driver we had used during Jemi’s hospital stay to not only take him to the hospital but also do follow-up on his car at the mechanic while he was at his son’s birth.  (What type of taxi driver offers to do that?!)

Asher Obed Lopez was born at 2:14pm on Thursday, July 19, amid many tears of joy from momma and smiles from his papa.  He weighed 3.220kilos (7lbs 1.5oz), and was 49cm long. He is perfect, and a great eater from day one, and looks so much like his sister, Jemina, at birth.  Jemina adores him- and is a very proud, and

possessive, big sister (though sometimes overly exuberant in her shows of affection for him).  

That whole first night I had trouble sleeping because I kept going over every detail of Asher’s birth in my head- so so many things could have gone horribly wrong, but the Lord so perfectly worked out every detail to perfection.  I would not have changed a thing. Remembering God's grace in it all still brings tears to my eyes.  

Through this experience, I have witnessed yet again the sovereign control and incredible love that God has, not just for my life, but for my family.  He has very special plans for Asher

Obed! (*Asher means happy/blessed, Obed means servant… may Asher Obed live his whole life to be his God´s happy servant!)

Low Platelet Medical Emergency- our little girl!

After noticing increasing bruises and tiny red (though painless) dots on our 23 month-old daughter’s body over the course of a few days, we took Jemina Mercy to the pediatrician for a blood test.  To our horror, the pediatrician called us Saturday afternoon as we were leaving VBS with nightmare news: “Pack a bag and come to the hospital immediately, because your daughter is in critical condition and needs to be urgently admitted.”

I had imagined we would be rushing to the hospital any day now- but for the birth of our son (as I had already reached term in my pregnancy)- but I never could have imagined I would be doing so for the health of our little girl!

Jemina’s bloodwork revealed a critically low platelet count (of only 6000, when healthy platelet level is 150000).  Though she acted like a normal, healthy toddler (eating, playing, laughing), her dangerously low platelet count put her at risk for serious internal bleeding from any, even minor, bump or fall.  Her condition, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), is a rare autoimmune disorder (affecting only approx. 6 of every 100,000 children!) usually initiated from a minor infection/cold in which the body erroneously reacts by not only attacking the infection but the body’s own blood platelets. 

Once at the hospital, Jemina was confined to bed

or arms for her own safety from falls or accidents (imagine telling an active toddler to sit still for days at a hospital!), and was started on IV medication and fluids around the clock.  She was so brave when the nurses connected her IV and drew her blood: just two big tears rolled out of her eyes.  During her abdominal ultrasound, Jemina was given her own wand and happily explored her own tummy (like she had seen done to momma at so many OB appointments these past months).

During the hospital stay, we were blessed with help by so many: my mom flew down immediately to stay with Jemina and me at the

hospital, and my whole family (with lots of medical professionals) were in contact with recommendations and explanations. Paco´s family took turns caring for Jemina so we could shower or eat.  Many church brothers visited. 

On her fourth day at the hospital, her new blood work revealed a miracle: a platelet count of 156,000! Healthy numbers! (when doctors had said she would be discharged if she could reach barely 30,000). She was sent home on Tuesday evening- though with orders to continue medication and monitoring for the next month.  Her ITP was not cured at the hospital; rather, the meds she was given restored her platelet levels,

but her body´s immune response against her own blood is something only “time”, or GOD!, can restore.

Unfortunately, Jemina awoke on Wednesday at home feeling miserable: vomiting every couple hours and holding her head in pain. We had tears in our eyes watching her misery.  After almost a full day of not keeping liquids down, we returned her to the hospital for a shot of nausea meds. 

Apparently, we were witnessing side effects of very strong medications on the little body of our baby girl.

On Thursday, by the Lord´s grace, Jemi seemed like a new person! She ate a light breakfast (and kept it down!), took her medicines, enjoyed her bath time, and was chattering and playing again.

Though we continue to witness side

effects of her medications, we are also witnessing her daily health (no signs of reappearing bruising or petechiae).  We trust that the same God who created and loves Jemina, who has sustained her and us in so many ways in this trial, is the same God who will bring her to full health. 

"Game On" VBS (Vacation Bible School)

Yay, VBS!  35 children joined us at Horizonte Tlaxcala church to learn how Jesus equips us to win this game of life- with hope, belief in Him for eternal life, and joy in every circumstance. 

Unfortunately, with the Mexican school year ending on July 10^th this summer, our Vacation Bible School had to be programmed during the final

days/weeks of my pregnancy.  However, this opened the opportunity for other brothers in the congregation to play a more active role in the camp this year.  We had regular planning meetings together as a team; an opportunity for me to disciple the brothers in this children’s ministry event. 

With games, crafts, snack station and choreographies the kids had a blast as

they memorized Bible verses, learned Biblical truth, and prayed to Jesus, our Savior and coach for life. 

Baby Shower!

Our beloved brothers at both our churches, Horizonte Tlaxcala and Calvary Grace & Truth, planned a surprise baby shower celebration for me and our expected son!  And, boy, was it a surprise! 

Paco was involved with the planning and had the task of getting me to the church without suspecting the party.  I was so surprised that I actually screamed when everyone jumped out! (and then I equally scared all the guests

who were concerned that they might have just scared me into labor contractions. Ha!) 

I felt so loved- so much planning with the decorations, the games, the gifts, the snacks.  I was pleased to see that even new members of Calvary church attended to shower us with love.  I am overwhelmed by God’s love for my family, and expected baby boy- shown through His Body, the church.