March 20, 2008, 10:25 PM: Jace was born today!!

After 6 hours of relatively smooth, yet intense labor, Jace Garrett Steinhaus was born vaginally at 9:36 AM at St. Luke’s Hospital. He was not breathing on his own, but appeared to know his dad’s voice as he actually turned his head and opened his eyes as Dan greeted their newborn son. My dear children, Lauren and Dan, blessed me with the opportunity to be in attendance at Jace’s birth. Two doctors, 4 nurses, Dan and I attended Lauren and Jace with a neonatology team on hand in the next room. He was quickly intubated and IV lines were started. Lauren got a glimpse of Baby Jace before they took him to Texas Children’s neonatal ICU (NICU) with Danny and his parents in attendance. After being in bed 6 hours, Lauren was allowed to visit with Jace until she tired.

We are delighted with his presence but very sad at his multiple health issues that must be addressed. We see God’s good hand in his formation and do not doubt His outcomes to be perfect; yet, Jace is one sick little boy. He is stable, but the team of doctors have scanned and x-rayed him from head to two, as well as conducted multiple blood tests. At this point, the geneticist is assuming he does have Edward’s Syndrome (Trisomy 18), but the preliminary tests may not be back until Monday due to the holiday. So far, it appears he is missing the corpus callosum which is the tissue that runs the length of the brain between the two hemispheres and serves in multiple capacities one of which is communication between the brain ‘halves’; his esophagus does not end at his stomach, but his trachea has an opening into his stomach; there appears to be a blockage in his urethra (the tube that exits the bladder to the outside world); his heart has multiple anomalies, but is pumping strongly at this time, his feet are both clubbed, one hand has an abnormality, and the list goes on. Please be praying for wisdom, peace, grace, and strength for Dan and Lauren especially, and for us as we minister to them. Dan and Lauren understand the severity of his issues; they are hurting but really know that God’s goodness will prevail. They are truly grateful for at least this time with their son.

I hope I don’t embarrass one of my dear students, but he sent this sweet prayer which soothed my bruised heart and once again reminded me of the incredible ways God has already used this precious, perfectly-knit-in-God’s-eye little boy: Jace Garrett Steinhaus. We will always cherish Baby Jace. I can’t end this note any better than with this dear student’s prayer.

Rejoicing in life, hopeful in heartache,

Kathy for the Harts and Steinhauses