The pediatrician came in and told us that our baby had breathed maconium into her lungs meaning that because of the stress, she had a bowl movement in the uterus and on the way out had inhaled this. This first bowel is a very sticky substance called maconium and is like tar in the lungs. It coats the inside of the lungs so oxygen cannot penetrate. This was a few days old, meaning I should have been induced earlier on, so that made it even worse.
I asked if she was going to be alright and he said he did not know.
"When can I hold her?"
"Probably not for a few days."
"Can't I nurse her?"
"Not, now, we are trying to get oxygen into her."
A few minutes later another nurse came in from Mercy San Juan and told us they were going to transfer her because she needed more intensive care than what this hospital could offer. She also said that she was on a venhilator...
Another wait, then another visit, "we've found air outside the baby's lungs. She will have to have a chest tube put in."
"Is that bad?"
"Well, yes, they have to cut into her chest..."
A few minutes later, "Your baby has just had a seizure."
It was at that point hope diminished and I believed she was going to die. I was in shock and very frightened. Next they informed me that with our insurance they would have to transfer her to Sutter Memorial in down-town Sacramento.
At 5:30 a.m. they wheeled her in for us to see her before they transported her. She was all hooked up and looked dead to me and I broke down and started crying. Everything had turned into a nightmare.
But a dear saint of God called me and encouraged me "Your baby is going to be just fine. I know God will take care of her.
And God did. I was released from the hospital at 10:30 a.m. that morning so I could go be with her. Later we found out that Sutter Memorial had the top child care facility in the nation and had she gone to Mercy, she probably wouldn't have survived. God was moving before we even realized it.
October 4- they paralyzed her because she was fighting the venhilator, a new type that was a high jet venhilator that spiral jets the air into the lungs. At this time the doctor informed me she might or might not live. He wasn't sure how things would turn out and that she would be in the hospital a minimum of 30 days.
My pastor came in and prayed over her.
October 5 -they found another air bubble and had to cut another whole into her chest. She had tubes in everywhere; in her hands, feet, head, belly button, chest.... I was also informed they were probably going to give her a blood transfusion. I requester prayer explicitly for this because I did not want her to have one.
October 6- They took her off the paralyzing medicine. She was moving and holding our fingers.
October 7- Her eyes were opened and they were bringing her down on the oxygen level and the pressure on the venhilator. She would cry whenever I left her. I stayed with her as much as possible.
October 8 -She was sucking on a pacifier with the venhilator in her mouth. Started on tube feeding. Coloring looks good.
October 9 -She came down to a low frequency venhilator
October 10 -I held her for the first time I also bottle fed her.
October 11- They let me breast feed her. "Don't be discouraged if she doesn't latch on right away", they warned, "When a baby doesn't nurse the first few days after birth the lose their natural instinct." She latched on quicker that my other two children.
I knew this could only be the hand of my heavenly father.
October 12- She came home.
What a miracle! When the respiratory therapist was escorting us to our car to leave the facilities, she asked the nurse, "What baby is this?"
"Priscilla Van Cleve."
"Your Kidding!? Did you know she was supposed to have a procedure done where they make an incision in her neck and drain all her blood and oxygenate it and then put it back in. It is a horrible procedure and there is only a 50/50 chance for survival. You consider that a good omen" said the respiratory therapist.
But I knew in my heart that an omen had nothing to do with it. My God had healed her. Great and marvelous are his ways!!!
The following excerpt is taken from the book, "Created to be His Help Meet". Although it is written to wives, there is a flip side to this coin that addresses husbands. Both wives and husbands are commanded of God to love each other. This love is the basis of any happy family. Without true biblical love, every other effort in raising our children is undermined. Loving our spouse is not contingent upon their performance, but rather our obedience to Christ and His word. The fruits of the Spirit; love, joy, happiness, gentleness, meekness... always begin with our spouse. If we cultivate them there, they will be rooted within. 
