Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Eowyn Update 33: ~Her Race Has Been Run~


As many of you know Eowyn Mai Rose-Marie Havertape went to be with our Lord and Savior last night .. She is perfect in every way and in the arms of God!! Caleb and I had a family meeting with the doctors yesterday morning at 10am and we were informed that a test, that was sent out about a month ago, for a very rare gene, came back with a positive result .. Eowyn was born with Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia with Misalignment of Pulmonary Veins also known as ACD/MPV:

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACD/MPV) is a disorder affecting the development of the lungs and their blood vessels. The disorder affects the millions of small air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs and the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the alveoli. It is through these alveolar capillaries that inhaled oxygen enters the bloodstream for distribution throughout the body and carbon dioxide leaves the bloodstream to be exhaled. In ACD/MPV, the alveolar capillaries fail to develop normally. The number of capillaries is drastically reduced, and existing capillaries are improperly positioned within the walls of the alveoli. These abnormalities in capillary number and location impede the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Other abnormalities of the blood vessels in the lungs also occur in ACD/MPV. The veins that carry blood from the lungs into the heart (pulmonary veins) are improperly positioned and may be abnormally bundled together with arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs (pulmonary arteries). The muscle tissue in the walls of the pulmonary arteries may be overgrown, resulting in thicker artery walls and a narrower channel. These changes restrict normal blood flow, which causes high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries (pulmonary hypertension) and requires the heart to pump harder. Most infants with ACD/MPV are born with additional abnormalities. These may include abnormal twisting (malrotation) of the large intestine or other malformations of the gastrointestinal tract. Cardiovascular and genitourinary abnormalities are also common in affected individuals. Infants with ACD/MPV typically develop respiratory distress within a few minutes to a few hours after birth. They experience shortness of breath and cyanosis, which is a bluish appearance of the skin, mucous membranes, or the area underneath the fingernails caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. Without lung transplantation, infants with ACD/MPV have not been known to survive past one year of age, and most affected infants live only a few weeks. For a full explanation please copy and paste the follow link into your browser: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/alveolar-capillary-dysplasia-with-misalignment-of-pulmonary-veins.

After talking with the doctors and consulting with the lung specialists they told us this disorder is fatal and there is a 100% death rate, she would not be a candidate for a lung transplant and there was nothing further medically they could do for her. The latest x-ray showed that her lungs had began to scar, do to the very high pressures from the vent she was on, her diaphragm was no longer rounded but had caved in and was no longer allowing lungs to expand and oxygenate her blood; it also showed that her Intestines were deformed and not working properly. In addition, she was failing to circulate her own blood and was loosing oxygen needed to keep her body warm .. In finding out this information, speaking with the doctors and praying about what we should do Caleb and I decided that the best thing for HER would be to take her off the ventilator and place her into the arms of God. Last night around 7pm the vent was turned off and as she lay in my arms she passed away and entered the Kingdom of God! We know that Eowyn is an eternal being--she always has been and always will be since creation. The Bible says that God knew her since before the foundations of the earth; we also know that she will forever be our baby girl .. We can no longer hold her in our arms but one day she will welcome us into hers. I thank God for every single day we got to spend with her, to love on her and show her how in love with her we were and still are .. She is my baby mama and I will love her forever!! My heart is heavy and I miss her more then I could ever express to you, I feel as though my heart has been ripped from me but I know in time God will heal and restore it. Thank you all for every single prayer you put out there for her .. It didn't turn out how I wanted it to but it did turn out how God wanted it to and there is comfort in that!!

We will be holding a memorial service for her but all the details have not come together yet .. I will post and let everyone know when and where it will be held. Thank you all again for everything you have done both spiritually and financially, we love you all so much!!! I do ask that you please not send flowers, though they are nice to receive, we do need help financially to pay for her funeral. A monetary gift would be greatly appreciated; Our address for those who need it 25891 Fore Drive, Hemet CA 92544 .. Thank you all so much!

8 comments:

  1. We don't know you personally but have been praying all along with you. We love you and will continue to pray for peace for you, though your sweet one is healed.

    Kimberly, Kirk, Pailey and Amanda

    ReplyDelete
  2. Caleb,
    Words cannot describe the sadness my heart feels for you and your family. My mom and I have been praying for you since we found out a couple weeks ago and will continue to so. Could you post an address where money can be sent.
    Thanks!
    Chrissy (Wigal) Garcia, (John's sister)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I posted an address .. Thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We too have never met personally but through mutual friends came to follow Eowyns journey. Many in my church and facebook friends continue to pray for you all in the days ahead. You honored Eowyn throughout and that is a great gift.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Caleb and Autumn,

    There are No Words, we are so Sadden to hear the update on Eowyn.
    I don't think anyone ever understands Why, but God must have Needed Her. She will be amoung the many He has Taken, and Forever More Safe with Him. I believe you will see her again.

    You are in Our Prayers, and if there is anything you need us to do for you, we are aways here.

    With Love, Debra, Jessica, Justin & Chuck

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tears with you. What a precious gift from the Lord. Praying God will comfort you through this precious and painful time. My heart aches with you. Praise God for her. Love, Erin

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have only heard about you to pray from Far Reaching Ministries prayer letters. I have been doing that and will continue to pray for you guys. I recently helped my sister walk through the loss of her baby - I know that nothing I say will fix things, but you have such a hope that the World can't have. But you already know that.

    Love in Christ,
    Jesse, Summer, and Fenley (in Eastern Oregon)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love you both. I am on FRM's prayer team (& a HUGE LOTR fan...I come from a long line of Christian literary geeks, so I LOVE the name Eowyn!) & I am so deeply sorry for you...I know that ache of loss & my heart just grieves for you & with you...I pray Abba just enfolds you both in His arms so you can hear His heartbeat & feel His nail-scarred hands wiping away your tears...and sense His peace. He holds Eowyn in those same arms.

    ReplyDelete