The latest on Luukas

From his mom:

Luukas had another EEG last Saturday. It showed slight epilepsy so we'll change his medicine again... it gives 50% chance of stopping the attacks. His epilepsy might slow down Luukas' development (which is already affected by his brain damage itself and by his poor eyesight).

Luukas is such a little fighter. When he first got sick about a week after being born the doctors didn't expect him to live. 9 months later he's growing and continually showing signs of improvement. But as you can see he's still has a long way to go and several obstacles to face. Please keep Luukas and all children, born and unborn, in your prayers.

Luukas' latest test results

From Luukas' mom:

Soooooooo.....

Luukas' EEG is still highly abnormal, with epileptic spikes so he is still getting medicine. We are now changing his baby-medicine to adult-medicine because he is so "big" already. He has never had an attack but he has some little uncontrolled movements.

Luukas has brain damage, but there are also good cells, even in the cortex. So perhaps I should forget the words of an ICU neurologist in June: "terrible, terrible damage". The lower parts of the brain, the better. Luukas' cerebellum is almost completely untouched, while in June they told us it was squeezed by the swelling in his brain.

Funny thing is that Luukas has much damage in the hearing area of his brain, but his hearing is normal. His eyesight is progressing, although it is still far from perfect, and the vision part of Luukas' brain is not very bad, so in time he might see better and better.

Luukas' current neurologist says she can't say how he will develop, but he will be developing.

Thank you and please continue to pray for Luukas.

Luukas update

From his dad on Jan. 21:

Luukas had a new EEG done yesterday and will have a magnetic brain scan next Monday. We will hear the results on February 5th. He has turned into the happiest of babies lately, talking and laughing most of the time he is awake. He has also got two teeth.

And now then: On February 23rd, we will pack ourselves into a plane and fly to Lourdes with him . This is because a priest friend of ours had been praying the rosary for him and received the idea during prayer. He says he would not say it was his idea in any way. And he isn't one that would be talking things like that all the time. So we hope it was a true sign from heaven, and at least it certainly cannot hurt to go there and pray.

Update on Luukas and Rosa

Baby Luukas is going for a vision exam on December 12th.

From Luukas' mom:

On 13 December Luukas has an appointment in the eye clinic in Helsinki. It is the day of St Lucy, the patroness of people with seeing difficulties. I hope this is not a coincidence. Please, join us and pray the following novena from 4 to 12 December, preceding the appointment day. On 6 December, I ask you to say a little prayer to St. Nicolas on his day, too. He is the saint I have been praying to for Luukas' vision the most.

NOVENA TO SAINT LUCY
(For Perfect Vision)

Relying on Your goodness, O God,
we humbly ask You,
through the intercession of Saint Lucy,
virgin and martyr,
to give perfect vision to our eyes,
that they may serve for Your greater honour and glory.

Saint Lucy,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen

Also, Rosa has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Please keep her in your prayers.

Luukas has a blog! Luukas' Story

Luukas and Betuska

Luukas has had test ran on his hearing and eyesight. His parents are awaiting the results. Early indications point to some problems but their severity is not yet known.

I'm also adding Baby Betuska to the "Babies of the World" prayer list. Betuska is being treated in a hospital in Prague. At first it seemed that she was developing allergies to almost every food they tried to give her. Now it seems that she is actually suffering from some type of disease. Her doctors are searching for similar cases to try to figure out treatment. Please add her to your prayers.

Luukas updates

Luukas is battling a virus in his throat. He will be having neurological tests this week. Keep him in your prayers.

Luukas' second EEG results

From his dad:

The EEG still showed abnormalities, i.e. slow motion in some parts and solitary spikes everywhere. Those spikes are related to epileptic activity, but the fact that they do not spread to the whole brain cortex (which would cause a seizure) is a positive sign. The neurologist said that these findings are by no means lifelong and permanent, so we will just go on observing the situation and giving a small amount of anti-epileptic medication. On the other hand, she was very pleased with Luukas' progress in movement, reactions and contact with other people. He really showed the best he can by listening and watching toys as well as smiling and "talking" to the toys and to the doctor and physiotherapist. His movements seemed normal for his age. His vision and hearing will be checked in October.

We also happened to meet Rosa with her mother in the hospital, and while she is not as active in contacts as Luukas, she drinks milk from a bottle, keeps her eyes open and understands things that are going on around her.

Please continue to keep Luukas and baby Roosa in your prayers.

Luukas update

Last Thursday Luukas' dad posted some positive news. Since, Luukas' mother has asked for continued prayers as Luukas continues to have some problems breathing. Below is the news from Luukas' dad.

Luukas had an appointment with a neurologist yesterday, and her findings were that there is nothing pathological in his movements apart from a slight anomaly in left eye movement (which, according to her, might just go away as he gets more used to focussing his sight). He was also found to listen and watch things, which we of course already knew. He will start physical therapy twice a week starting next week or the one after. Also, the neurologist said both the EEG and the MRI will have to be re-run because they obviously do not reflect the present situation. Luukas' present dosage of anti-epileptic medicine is about half of what it should be, and he has had no seizures, so there is hope we will be able to stop giving that, too, but it will depend on the new EEG.

This is wonderful news. Luukas is now nearing 3 months of age. When he became ill a week or so after being born the doctors didn't expect him to live more than a few days. When he did, they said he would never show any brain activity. Now his neurologist has confirmed that he is indeed exhibiting brain activity. There have been a lot of people praying for this little guy and there's not much more to say other than, God is good! Please remember Luukas in your prayers.

Luukas returns to the hospital

According to his dad Luukas has a mild viral infection in his lungs. He is now in the hospital receiving treatment by way of inhaled medication that can only be administered in the hospital. However, his dad did say that the nurses were overjoyed to see how much Luukas has improved since the last time he left the hospital.

Prayer does make a difference...please include Luukas in yours.

the latest on Baby Luukas

Luukas continues to show small signs of progress and hope. This little guy is a big example of what prayer and Christian charity can do. How many people can say that they have united people from around the world in prayer? I would venture to say that it its not too many. . . pretty impressive for a newborn child in Finland.

From his mom:

Just came back from a doctor's routine check-up. As we had already known, Luukas' physical state is all right, and even more than before, because his lungs are better. The doctor said something about his being more prone to pneumonia and too weak coughing, but I don't know where her "knowledge" came from as she doesn't see Luukas daily and we know he coughs, and since his lungs are now ok, it should mean he coughs enough, right? Hopefully she said only what she had read in the doctors' statement from last month, and besides she added that she can't really know because she usually doesn't deal with babies like Luukas.

And as for Luukas' brain. Well, babies at his age usually keep eye-contact and smile. And the doctor said so. So we can pray that Luukas does that some day.

But we have noticed recently that he pays attention (stops crying, opens his eyes wider) to sounds like running water or a beep made by a rubber duck. That is brain activity, isn't it?

To read more about Luukas' story type his name into the search box in the sidebar.

Luukas update as promised

From Luukas' dad last Thursday:

Luukas is now officially out of hospital. His feeding tube was taken off today after 36 hours of successful feeding without the tube, which only seems to have increased his appetite. The only medication he continues to get is a medicine that prevents epileptic convulsions. The pediatric doctor checked him today and said that the murmur around his heart has ceased and his liver returned to normal size. He also moves much more and stretches his muscles. Everybody in the hospital was surprised and happy to see the changes in his condition. Of course we do not know how the brain is, though even the doctor seems to have her doubts about the EEG result, but Luukas has an appointment with a neurologist again in the second half of August. Anyway, the doctor mentioned the possibility of him starting to smile which is quite contrary to the earlier predictions (="will never communicate, will never learn anything").

DW is worried about his periodically irregular breathing. We still ask you to pray in this matter and for the complete healing of his brain.

Luukas' parents have also asked for prayers for a baby girl named Roosa that has been in the same hospital with the same disease as Luukas.

Luukas is not doing well

From his mom by way of Defenders of the Catholic Faith forum

The doctors don't know how long he will live. He is not conscious and in a couple of months strong epilepsy might come as an addition to the whole situation. Within time things will only get worse. He is more likely to get infections and they are not going to treat them not to make him suffer longer. How will we live? We want to have more children, go to church and other places...'

Things aren't looking good for Baby Luukas. However, God does work miracles and we should never give up on the power of prayer. This family is going through an unimaginably difficult time right now. Please pray for Luukas' family that they find comfort in the love of Christ and understanding in the acceptance of His will.

Luukas

The little guy is having trouble swallowing and is showing signs of pneumonia. Please take time to pray for Luukas and his family, as well as all children both born and unborn.

Previous posts about Luukas

Update on Luukas . . . not good

From his godfather:

The situation is that Luukas breaths himself without ventilator. He looked awake when I have seen him 2 days ago. He is also not anymore in the intensive care. The doctors are however very pesimistic about the brain condotion as on Thursday there was not activity (EEG). So from this point of view there is almost no hope that baby will recover and live conscious life and i am affraid that parents also takes this as fact. I would say they would need now our prayers to recover their hope and trust in the miracle that we are all praying for. So far I understood they are tired but now it is up to us help we have to really believe and really hope instead of them. I personally dont give up and i hope that Luukas will be fine. I thank you also on behalf of parents for your prayers , but continue, we are praying for big miracle

Please remember to keep Baby Luukas and his family in your prayers.

More on Baby Luukas:

June 14
Juen 13
June 12
June 10

Update on Baby Luukas

The Catholic Message Board - View topic - Luukas' brain scan

From Luukas' dad:

We have now received the results of the brain scan. Unfortunately, it shows great damage in his little brain. He will be on anti-epileptic medication, and the doctors expect him to develop very slowly and have problems with both movement and intellect. He will most likely get off the breathing machine tomorrow, and leave the intensive care unit shortly. The doctors did not see any reason to keep him in the hospital very long, so it seems he is coming home in a few weeks, with periodic checkups and treatments in the hospital, as well as physiotherapy at home. It seems that his sight is OK, but they will run an EEG to check his brain and its reactions more tomorrow.

Please continue to pray for a miracle in the complete healing of Luukas.

Update on Baby Luukas

From his dad:

Today's word: Luukas is showing great signs of progress. He breathes himself most of the time, and reacts to touching by moving his mouth, eyelids, fingers and legs. He even moved his eyes a bit today, though they do not react to light yet. These new signs of life almost invariably seem to start when his mother is touching him. The doctor said today that he still has a high content of thiopentane in his blood, and that it might take a week (from last Sunday) before he is fully awake. She estimated to have him breathe without the machine the day after tomorrow. Luukas has also been taken off almost all medication and his heart and kidneys are doing just fine. It seems that in a few days, he will be able to leave the intensive care unit. Tomorrow they are planning to run a magnetic scan of his brain (which was initially scheduled for Monday). Please continue praying that the results would be good and the recovery complete.

This little guy has been faced with the fight of his life, for his life, in his first week of life. Continue to pray that he continues to improve to a full recovery.

update on Baby Luukas

Keep praying for Luukas and his family. I'm not sure what time it is in Finland but as of 5 minutes ago his mother says that he was able to breath on his own for most of the morning. But he's not out of the woods yet. Please remember this child who is barely a week old and fighting for his life in your prayers.

Prayer for baby Luukas

Please say a prayer for baby Luukas. He is a very sick newborn in Finland. You can read about Luukas and his family and join others in prayer at Defenders of the Catholic Faith forum .

For Luukas and all children both born and unborn:

Hail Mary, full of Grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.