Thursday, March 14, 2013, Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, 6:27 p.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Louisiana Sandusky writing.  I'm afraid I'm not doing very well at the moment: our daughter, Bastienne Camille, aged six, is in a very bad way.  She has developed a sudden infection that has overwhelmed her body, and right now things don't look all that encouraging.

Last week, Camille had the flu.  She got over that no problems; but then last night, her fever returned with a vengeance, and she was having severe dyspneic (labored) breathing, so we had no choice but to call for the paramedics to come transport her to the hospital.  I've been here ever since, trying to get the latest updates from the doctors and nurses tending to her.

I have been calling the family all day, including those who are out of town, giving them the latest updates.  So some of the kiddos who no longer live at home may be coming back to be here just in case she should get worse (God forbid!) or something should happen.

Bill has been holding the fort at home, along with the older kids still left; they've been trying to keep things in order, which I greatly appreciate.  I've already called Pastor Bilkey and the prayer team at our church, so they are already on the job.

Camille is currently in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU); her condition, at as of the last update, is still very critical.  The medical staff has her in a medically induced coma, so her body can rest and (hopefully) beat this thing.  There are no guarantees as to whether she will be okay or not, but we are trusting in God and praying for a miracle.  After all, we've been on this journey before, plenty of times, with several of our other children, and they survived; I am praying that the same happens with Camille.

Her body is swollen due to multi organ shutdown; doctors and nurses are trying desperately to get the necessary meds into her system so they can get her body working properly again, and she has a rash; she really doesn't look like herself.  It is very discouraging, but again, we are leaning on God to get her (and us) through this latest stormy period.

Well, I am going to go to the cafteria and get something to eat; then I will be with my daughter until visiting hours end at 9.  Just pray that she will improve and that she survives this infection!  They think she may have MRSA or an overwhelming infection involving her blood stream, but they haven't come to a definite conclusion just yet.  That is the latest news; I will update as necessary.  Pray that Camille recovers; thanks and God bless!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Louisiana Mayrah.  :(