Prayers for Ira

If you haven't met Ira Hays, you need to. He's a scrappy little, chubby-faced punkin'. This picture was taken in November. He and his dad, Joe Hays were hanging out, blogging. Ira was born with health problems that I don't fully understand, but I know the little guy has spent most of his 10 months -- he's 10 months old tomorrow, the 21st -- in the hospital on oxygen. He went back in the hospital this last time on Christmas Eve. He has been intubated and is basically (as I understand it) kept in a medical coma so that he will remain intubated. He has struggled with physical addiction to his medications, including violent tremors as the doctors try to wean him off of the medications. His mom, Laura, and dad haven't held him since Christmas Eve.

Try to imagine that. Your child. Your flesh and blood. A baby. A tiny baby. In the most difficult situation you could imagine. You watch, you stroke, you love, you cry, but you can't hold him.

Ira has a big test this week. We all need to join together in fervent prayer that he PASS! Ira will be extubated (sp?) this week to see if he can do with a bi-pap or c-pap (I have no idea what that is -- some form of oxygen delivery system, I assume the tubes in the nose). If he can't he will have a tracheostomy. Please pray specifically that Ira proves, again, what a fighter he is and that he can do without another surgery -- and, more importantly, that he can rest in his mom and dad's arms.

Joe and Laura also have a beautiful daughter, Sophia, who is bound to think this is just as stinky and unfair as the rest of us do. Please pause a moment to pray for the whole Hays family and the church family that is their support system right now.