tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25741104648547438512024-02-07T12:26:06.476-08:00Thoughts & Ponderings of a Youth Worker<a href="http://whos.amung.us/show/05mu3uu8"><img src="http://whos.amung.us/widget/05mu3uu8.png" alt="website stats" width="81" height="29" border="0" /></a>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-54420037347122030852010-01-15T03:54:00.000-08:002010-01-15T03:55:56.463-08:00Why is Forgiveness so Challenging?A couple of days ago a friend of mind posted a video link on his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> account that made me think about the topic of forgiveness in a fresh light. This video featured a man singing a song about God’s love (I assume for a music video he was shooting) and a homeless man approached him and began singing with him. While the homeless man did not know the words, he did grasp the topic of God’s love, and demonstrate his understand of the love of God for everyone. As I watched the two men sing praises to their Heavenly Father, I began thinking about the topics of acceptance and forgiveness. <br /> It has been my experience that individuals who are homeless or down on their luck see God in a new perspective, which is different than many other people see Him. These “struggling” individuals see the best in people regardless of gender, age, or race. They are able to look past the superficial barriers that exist in the world today and look to the heart of people just as Jesus did. They are willing to be loving and accepting towards anyone they meet, not for a handout but rather to share the love that they have in their hearts, which in many cases is all they have.<br /> As I started thinking about acceptance, I started contemplating forgiveness as well. I began to see the love in this man’s heart through a brief video and wondered if people would see that type of love in my life. The sad reality is that in the pit of my stomach I knew they would not. Rather than seeing love, they would see bitterness, resentment, or even hatred. In order to attempt to remedy this situation, I did something that I was challenged to do a few weeks ago by a dear pastor friend of mine. I chose to first ask God to give me the power and strength to forgive certain individuals that I felt had “wronged” me in certain ways. As I prayed through these situations, I was reminded of the hurt and pain that accompanied each situation, which led to my bitter attitude. After praying for the strength to forgive these individuals, I decided to take the next step, which was to send them an email explaining the fact that I had forgiven them, and hoped they would do the same. These emails were one of the most challenging things that I have ever done in my life; however, the “freeing” feeling that came after I hit the send button on the email was great. My desire during this upcoming year is to be more open and accepting of others as Jesus Christ is towards me. While I have not yet received any responses and may not, the fact is that I feel that in the eyes of Christ I have extended true forgiveness, which frees me from the bondage of these situations that I have carried for years.<br /> After thinking about this topic and wrestling through it, are there people in your life that you need to forgive? Are there wounds on your heart that seem to cut to the core of who you are as a person, leaving you bitter, angry, or filled with rage? My challenge to you is to seek God’s counsel on extending forgiveness during these situations and to these individuals. Are you up for the challenge?Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-23529639163437956252010-01-07T17:37:00.000-08:002010-01-07T17:38:58.275-08:00AnticipationThe third and final component of this sermon asked the congregation to focus upon the anticipation of starting another year and another decade. After examining the events of this past year and this past decade, I firmly believe that the year of 2010 has a great deal in store for me personally and for my family. Listed below are a few of the anticipated events that either will or could transpire in the coming year. <br /><br />1.) The birth of our third child, Ellie Kate Hart, who will be born sometime in February<br />2.) The finding of a job (may or may not be ministry related) in order for our family to be cared for financially<br />3.) The purchase or rental of a home that we can call ours again<br />4.) The second birthday of our son Corban Boyd Hart<br />5.) The remembrance of the third birthday of our daughter in heaven, Callie Grace Hart<br />6.) The completion of my Master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University<br />7.) The celebration of five years of marriage with my wonderful wife, Mindy<br /><br /> While this is, only a sampling of the things that we believe God has in store for our family during the upcoming year we hope and pray that God has wonderful things in store for you as well. While it may be challenging to review your past and look ahead to the future, may you remember what God has brought you through in the past and what wonderful blessings are still in store for you from God, Himself.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-21983450780633617052010-01-01T18:37:00.000-08:002010-01-01T18:39:44.625-08:00The Past YearAs mentioned in the previous blog, this series of posts stems from a sermon that was delivered recently by a dear friend of mine. During this sermon, the pastor asked the congregation to review the work of God in their lives during the past decade, which was completed in the first post. Secondly, he asked the congregation to review this past year in their lives, the manner that God had worked, and what implications this holds for the upcoming year. This particular blog will focus solely upon this past year in my life and the life of my family. <br /> As this year started, it was one filled with anticipation, excited, and joy. We were beginning what would be our third year at a church where we were able to minister to an amazing group of students, work with incredible volunteers, and be a part of a loving staff. In January, we implemented a small group ministry in our student ministry for two reasons. First, we desired to focus upon a relational approach to ministry, which was easier to accomplish in a small group setting. Secondly, we volunteered to be guinea pigs for the remainder of the church who desired to start small groups in the fall of 2009. The implementation of this ministry seemed to carry a great deal of potential as we began to witness more students coming through our doors and a series of strong relationships being developed throughout the ministry. <br /> As the year progressed, several wonderful highlights took place in the ministry and well as difficulties. Rather than merely focus upon the positives of the ministry, our volunteer team chose to tackle the difficult issues head-on, which was not always the most peaceful or easy route to take. By traveling down this path however a more beneficial ministry was established for our students. During this time we witnessed amazing growth in our students spiritually, we watched a true servant’s heart develop through a mission’s trip in the local area, saw several students stretched through a challenging week at camp, and witnessed deep spiritual relationships occur through our weekly programming. <br /> While I am painting a wonderful picture of ministry that many youth pastors dream of, there was something unsettling in my stomach through all of this. It was that strange feeling that you get when you know something is not right, but you push through anyway because everything else looks so good. The events that transpired during this past fall drastically altered my personal view of the church and those who guide and direct it. I would like to be perfectly clear here and state that this is not an attempt to ridicule or write negative things about individuals in this church, but merely a statement of my interpretation of the events that transpired. During the past four months, my family has endured a great deal of speculation and hurt from the story not being told truthfully because of “confidential reasons.” Well after a great deal of self-examination, I feel that it is important for others to learn from my mistakes and hopefully glean from the insights that I have gained. In the early fall of 2009, I was made aware of a disagreement that a few people had with a practice we were utilizing in our ministry. While this practice was not contrary to the teachings of Scripture and did not endanger any teenagers, I was told my job was in jeopardy. I was told that my job was in jeopardy but I could not discuss it with anyone. Despite attempting to appear unfazed by this news during the departure of a dear fellow pastor, those close to me knew something was wrong. In just a matter of six days, I went from a youth pastor celebrating a wonderful ministry to an unemployed person seeking to provide for his family. While the decisions that followed my termination and the manner in which it was handled, along with the reasons provided (which are still being shared as “confidential” even to me) have caused a great deal of pain I decided to seek to glean insights from this situation. While I would like to say this has been an easy task it has not, as the unfavorable actions of a few have forever tainted the view of the church in the eyes of several people who once called this church home. Author Charles <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Spurgeon</span> once said, “Fiery trials make golden Christians,” and if we were to put this into practice many people would be far better off. By examining the difficult situations that life provides us, we are reminded of a God who loves us deeply and cares for us intimately. With this in mind, along with the thoughts of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “When a man is pushed, tormented, defeated he has a chance to learn something,” the following are insights that I have gained from this challenging time in my life.<br />1.) God is ALWAYS in control even when we do not think so.<br />2.) Trusting in His peace and grace will enrich our lives far more than doing something we do not love for a paycheck.<br />3.) My family is and should always be my second highest priority, behind my personal relationship with God. Author George Santayana states, “The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” May we all remember the importance of family in our lives.<br />4.) Being at peace with God is far more important than being “liked” by man.<br />5.) “Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a greater.” (William Hazlitt)<br />6.) Seek to repay evil with good, rather than evil for evil because by doing this your character and heart shine through, which hopefully resembles the heart of Christ.<br /><br /> As I reexamine this past year it has been one filled with adversity due to the loss of my job as a youth pastor. With this loss, not only did the sole source of income in my family cease but we also lost our house due to it being owned by the church where I was employed. Despite the heartache and the poor treatment that was issued to my family, we are still continually and daily praying for this church. We desire to see the ministry continue and witness God working in the lives of His children. We are praying for the leadership of this church that it would be a staff guided by God, and not the selfish desires of man. We are praying for healing for the students, families and the members of the congregation who were affected by this termination. While we do not agree with the termination or that manner in which it was handled we will continue to hold our heads high seeking God’s approval and trust in His guidance for our future. While this time has been extremely challenging for our family I am reminded of the words of Henry Ward Beecher who said, “Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.” <br /> May you cling to the handle of faith during this upcoming year and throughout the rest of your life.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-63459010317730266332009-12-30T16:45:00.000-08:002009-12-30T16:48:12.529-08:00The Last Ten YearsYesterday, I took an opportunity to do something that I love, which is to listen to a sermon from a wonderful pastor and dear friend of mine. During this sermon, I began to think about certain things as he preached a simple sermon that challenged me greatly. As he worked his way through the text and applied it to the world today, he began to examine what the church he was serving at would look like in the next ten years. As he worked through this scenario he applied it to the lives of those in the congregation by asking the question, “Where were you (or what were you doing) ten years ago?” <br /> As I began to think about the various joys, challenges, and obstacles that have come my way in the past ten years, I stood amazed at what God had done in my life. Ten years ago, I was in my first semester of my senior year of high school. I was a typical student concerned with my own little world and my own needs. I focused solely upon what clothes I wore, how to excel in both school and sports, who my friends were, and who the prettiest girl was in our school. I was a selfish high school students consumed by the culture of “me.” However, despite these glaring issues I was focused on finishing high school and moving through college. I knew that God had called me to be a youth pastor. I knew where I would be going to college. I knew what type of friends I wanted to have and what type of girl I wanted to marry. My plan was perfectly laid out and I was poised to follow it to a “T.” In hindsight though, I realized that God’s plan were far greater than anything I had thought or conceived, and thankfully, His plan has taken control of my life. While my journey over the past decade has taken several twists and turns, the results have included a life filled with love, grace, and care from a God who meets our needs daily. During the past decade, the following things have occurred in my life.<br />1.) I graduated high school in 2001 with an honors diploma and recognition from the National Honor’s Society.<br />2.) Started my freshman year at Taylor University Fort Wayne in a scholarship program that I was not supposed to qualify for. (While man has his criteria, God has His own).<br />3.) During my freshman year, I met two men who would forever be instrumental in my faith journey, personal life, and ministry. (Thanks Johnny and Brian!)<br />4.) I was able to travel three times to the island of Jamaica to work with less-fortunate people who have a special place in my heart.<br />5.) I was stretched as a leader in various capacities that would benefit future positions that I would hold or need.<br />6.) I traveled to several youth ministry conferences exposing me the “big stage” that is youth ministry rather than relying upon my limited scope or understanding.<br />7.) During my junior year of college, I met the love of my life, my beautiful wife Mindy and feel deeply in love with her and we married the following year.<br />8.) I graduated with a double major in youth and pastoral ministries from Taylor after four years of college.<br />9.) After graduating college, we traveled to Tennessee where we spent three years in ministry at various settings. <br />10.) After time away (and seeking to establish independence), we moved back to Indiana to begin ministering at a church near Fort Wayne.<br />11.) I learned the joy of becoming a parent as well as the heartache of losing a child during 2007.<br />12.) I experienced a roller coaster of emotions during my son’s month in the NICU during 2008.<br />13.) I was delighted to discover that another blessing would be entering our lives in 2010, in the form of our daughter Ellie Kate.<br />14.) I started and have nearly finished a Master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Ministerial Leadership.<br />15.) I was terminated from a church that seemed to be for unjust cause but caused me to evaluate the care, love, and concern that my family needs, as well as other areas of my life.<br /><br /> It is truly amazing what God has done in my life during the past decade as I have nearly received three diplomas, got married, and am on the verge of having my third child. <br /> This sermon served as a launching pad for a time of self-discovery in my own life that I will be conducting over the next few days. During this time, I will be posting blogs for people to read, discuss, and hopefully be enlightened by as they examine their own lives. For me, this past decade has been filled with several loops and corkscrews however; I know that these occurrences have shaped me to be the person I am today. In the coming days I will post more thoughts about my life, the manner that God is working, and I will be open to comments and insights as I travel down this path with all of you.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-6892535742948710712008-09-02T08:48:00.000-07:002008-09-02T08:57:56.797-07:00A Look Back and A Look AheadWell, summer is officially over and the fun filled fall months have begun. For those of us in youth ministry the summer months are always filled with camps, trips, mission projects and other fun stuff that keeps us very busy. <br /> This past summer was no exception for us and our students. We spent our summer attending our yearly church camp, going on a mission's trip to New York, and of course the typically Cedar Point trip. We also did some things this summer with our students that we fun such as bowling, golfing, going to the movies and other things. One of the most meaningful things that I saw was the heart that our students have for serving. We took three days this summer to do service work for those in our community. We went to the rescue mission, an elderly adult facility, and to a place that provides tutoring for underprivileged children. Our students performed a variety of tasks all of which were worthwhile and wonderfully done. I am so encouraged by their love for serving others and their willingness to get their hands dirty. <br /> As we look back on what was done and where we have been we are eagerly looking ahead to where we are going. This fall should be amazing for our student ministry. We are planning on making some major changing to our programming, which still needs prayer by the way, and moving forward with ministry. While we already have our calendar mapped out we know that there are still a number of things that will come up. We are also aware of the number of issues that our students are facing and will face during this upcoming school year which will mean that we will have our hands covered in the dirt of their lives by the time the end of this school year gets here, which is fine.<br /> Our family has been very busy as well, running to see each other and also spending time with little Corban. He is a wonderful blessing to our lives and we love having him around. He truly does bless our lives and in just seven days he will be four months old! We are truly blessed and love what we are doing.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-32243266957517276832008-07-09T07:16:00.000-07:002008-07-09T07:24:59.545-07:00The Last Two MonthsWell today our little guy, Corban turns two months old. It seems like only yesterday that we were going through all the challenges of getting ready for his arrival. After our challenging month in the NICU I must say that we are stronger people however, it did not come easily. During our little guys two months of life we have faced challenges and difficulties which include our son being in the hospital for nearly a month, feelings of inadequacy as parents (as I'm sure all parents experience), and a variety of other things. During this past two months I also had to undergo one of the most painful things that I have done which was to leave my wife and son for a week while I was at camp with our students from the church. While this was a wonderful experience and I'm glad that I was able to go, it was also very challenging because this was the longest that I have been away from my wife during our three year marriage. The hard part is that we know we are going to do it all over again next week went I am taking our students to New York on a mission's trip. This will be another challenging but wonderful experience, I'm sure. Leaving your wife and son is never easy but especially with everything that we have went through and the hurt that has been recalled. You see also in this past two months we relived the loss of our daughter a year ago (June 29th). This was another piece of the puzzle in our lives but we are continuing to move forward and make progress. We appreciate your prayers as we deal with the variety of issues that we are facing.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-29380404192073952552008-06-11T10:29:00.000-07:002008-06-11T10:37:48.974-07:00PlansAfter the chaos that has been our lives for the past month things are starting to get into a "normal" routine again. I have been able to come back to work at the church consistently, which is good because the summer is one of our busiest times. It's hard though to leave my little guy though, much more so than I ever imagined but mom is taking great care of him and loving on him all the time so he's alright. <br /> However, over these past few days Mindy and I have been diving into a conversation that seems to always come back to a similar theme. That theme is plans. Throughout both of our lives we have been planners. We schedule details, plan ahead, and work to have all of our ducks in a row. With the birth of our son, we had our plans laid out that he would be born on Friday morning and be in our arms in a matter of hours. However, someone had other plans. That someone would be our Heavenly Father and Divine Creator, God. As we went through the process of waiting three weeks and six days to get our boy home we were unable to see the big picture that God was teaching us. However, now as we look back on things we are able to see His hand that we knew was there but many times couldn't see. His hand was upon all three of us and in hindsight was teaching us that our plans are not really that important unless they are His plans. After looking back on everything we went through we have come to realize that God's plan is so much better because we not only have a son now, who even the nurses didn't think would make it at first, but he is healthy and active. This process has shown us the importance of God's plan and our need not to be so stuck in our own plans that may lead us off course. Just some food for thought and this will be a sermon I'm sure with a little more work and time. Thank you again to everyone who prayed for is loving on our son. We love you all!Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-17426988460001351172008-06-06T14:52:00.000-07:002008-06-06T15:03:01.407-07:00Final Update on Corban<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvNhu3XpdvHuXvxLKFSOXGOdoTDfyfS_HeSzcyZBWXYlpPBy9d6VuSV_G6cKyVD9MJXjtTr5g05zrQsFXhlvjd33W5Nd14hua5n2uVhglU_qza934pQwMhwmTrzc4qyCsZcYUDGP0lRio/s1600-h/corban+home+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208892345256976130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvNhu3XpdvHuXvxLKFSOXGOdoTDfyfS_HeSzcyZBWXYlpPBy9d6VuSV_G6cKyVD9MJXjtTr5g05zrQsFXhlvjd33W5Nd14hua5n2uVhglU_qza934pQwMhwmTrzc4qyCsZcYUDGP0lRio/s320/corban+home+010.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yesterday was an amazing day. We were able to bring our little boy home. It was one day shy of a month in the NICU. A song that we have been listening to a lot lately has really been stuck in my (this is Mindy) mind. It is called Waters Gone By and is based on Job 11:13-20. I would encourage you to read these verses but I am going to write the words of the song. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>You will lift up your face without shame</div><br /><div>You will firmly stand with no fear inside</div><br /><div>You will surely forget your troubles and pain</div><br /><div>Recalling them only as waters gone by</div><br /><div>If you put away the sin in your hand</div><br /><div>And allow no evil to dwell</div><br /><div>If you devote your heart</div><br /><div>And stretch out your hands to Him</div><br /><div>You'll be secure for there is hope</div><br /><div>And you will safely take your rest</div><br /><div>You will lie down</div><br /><div>With no one to make you afraid</div><br /><div>But the eyes of the wicked will fail</div><br /><div>Darkness gives way to morning's light</div><br /><div>Life will be brighter than noon day</div><br /><div>As the waters go by into the night</div><br /><div>I will lift up my face without shame</div><br /><div>I will firmly stand with no fear inside</div><br /><div>I will surely forget my troubles and pian</div><br /><div>Recalling them only as waters gone by</div><br /><div>As waters gone by</div><br /><div>-Shawn Lewis-Glory Revealed CD</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>As Matt and I have recalled over the last few days the journey that Corban has taken in his month of life we are reminded of how far God has brought him. I don't know what God has planned for his life but I am sure that it is going to be amazing. He has an incredible story to tell. The past is "waters gone by". I hope that this has been an encouragement to anyone that is going through troubled waters. He will bring you through and "life will be brighter than noon day." Trust me....I've lived it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Thank you for all your prayers and support during this difficult time. We appreciate it and know that God heard and answered each one.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-33455817118383475862008-06-01T20:45:00.000-07:002008-06-01T20:53:40.631-07:00Update on Corban - June 1, 2008I know that it has been a few days since our last post about our little boy and honestly it's been because things have been really crazy. Corban is continuing to move forward and has been off of an oxygen support at all since Wednesday or Thursday of last week. His medicine ends on Wednesday, which is great since it was on a twenty one day cycle. Finally, his feedings have been a struggling point, but he seems to be getting the hang of it now. For a while he was stuck around 30 cc's but this afternoon he seems to have cracked that barrier with a little help from mom & dad. We realized that he just needs a little more time, sometimes a break, and occasionally a diaper change to get him through the feeding. We are willing to take whatever steps are necessary to get our boy home. We are in the process of doing the discharge stuff and are hoping to be home by the end of the week with our boy. Please continue to pray for little Corban so that he can get his feedings up to where they want them so he can go home. Also, if you all could say a special prayer for Mindy and I as we are getting worn down and tired of living out of a suitcase. If you would pray for these things it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much and we love you all.<br /><br />In His Name,<br />Matt, Mindy, & CorbanMatt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-72236820573240511452008-05-29T19:40:00.000-07:002008-05-29T19:51:05.940-07:00Update on Corban-May 29, 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1EoWbbzsZbVCv4_Y-HteRHfrLMtrIbRittZjBHqMEF56d-Skyn1JvHR6XH4ID6TpNnnDxAcIvv-jzdCoNgrOtSR4np-vrHAGFG4VPlX7wPqbRtfbTWob3KPMMxG3vxbd_KwdCfBoc29Q/s1600-h/5-29+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205997894661574274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1EoWbbzsZbVCv4_Y-HteRHfrLMtrIbRittZjBHqMEF56d-Skyn1JvHR6XH4ID6TpNnnDxAcIvv-jzdCoNgrOtSR4np-vrHAGFG4VPlX7wPqbRtfbTWob3KPMMxG3vxbd_KwdCfBoc29Q/s320/5-29+002.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Corban sure is a tough little guy. We called to check on him this morning when we woke up and the nurse told us that he had pulled his feeding tube out and they were going to try to let him keep it out. We got to the hospital a short time later for a feeding and he was doing fairly well but at his next feeding they had to put it back in because he was slowing down a bit. He still has some work to do in this area but he has been pushed so much the last few days that we are confident he will get the hang of it! It just might take some time. </div><br /><div>He really is a sweet little baby. Not that we are partial or anything, but he really is! He was quite alert and awake this morning so we were able to just take him in some more. It is kind of funny but some of the nurses actually fight over who gets to take care of him. It is a good feeling knowing the level and quality of care he is receiving. We also are being told usually at least once a day how amazed everyone is at his improvement. We know that this is not anyone's doing but God's. There is no way that Corban would be where he is today if it were not for the faithful prayers that have been prayed on his behalf. Thank you for all of your continued support.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In Him-</div><br /><div>Matt, Mindy & Corban</div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-46618400446873964402008-05-28T07:28:00.000-07:002008-05-28T07:36:09.484-07:00Update on Corban - May 28, 2008Yesterday was another good day for our son. He is continuing to show progress while Mindy and I are able to be more involved in his life. Yesterday we were able to feed him multiple times and change diapers, hold him and just love on our boy. They are continuing to wean him off of things and we are getting closer and closer to bringing our boy home. We don't know exactly when but basically we still have to clear three hurdles before it can happen.<br /> First, is the breathing issue. Corban is on the lowest setting on the lowest machine and may be coming off of it as early as today.<br /> Second, are his feedings. He has to continue to get his feedings down and increase them as they are getting close to where they want them but are not there yet. This would also let the umbilical lines come out which would allow us to hold him without gloves.<br /> Third, is the anti-viral medicine that he is on which will run its cycle on June 4th.<br /> Please continue to pray for our little guy who has overcome so much in his short three weeks of life already as we desire to get him home. Thanks so much for your love, support, and prayers and we love you all.<br /><br />-Matt, Mindy, & CorbanMatt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-81759637123183533462008-05-26T17:32:00.000-07:002008-05-26T17:41:09.732-07:00Update on Corban - May 26 - Part Two & Pictures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJBK7RrGOgihytXhoXsit_xtcThr9IdDsuyd-YNYUXvc20ZbfA5mbZeD3bNvbaOESRxnyyh9jAQhlTQzOaQs34UDLshg7E7nKG-_MphkLs90yheDBfFsp609_dyG354HDr8JWdb9lqdyI/s1600-h/corban+2+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204851164163346002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJBK7RrGOgihytXhoXsit_xtcThr9IdDsuyd-YNYUXvc20ZbfA5mbZeD3bNvbaOESRxnyyh9jAQhlTQzOaQs34UDLshg7E7nKG-_MphkLs90yheDBfFsp609_dyG354HDr8JWdb9lqdyI/s320/corban+2+002.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptj2wR4B9wBx7vnCp4B7ZkJ_Qh_09Tpv1SvO9F80w4bsdBD4gp2Ui0zpsmOnvDjsxf5PsfK2xPZhF2gtdQBKiQt-v8V_i_Oa1P_ymBkc2W9KV_LhNECVJYKm6Hun57NkY-WTJ7bN0IpwL/s1600-h/corban+2+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204851164163346018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptj2wR4B9wBx7vnCp4B7ZkJ_Qh_09Tpv1SvO9F80w4bsdBD4gp2Ui0zpsmOnvDjsxf5PsfK2xPZhF2gtdQBKiQt-v8V_i_Oa1P_ymBkc2W9KV_LhNECVJYKm6Hun57NkY-WTJ7bN0IpwL/s320/corban+2+003.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxwpC60BGk2UwqsJJrBX1U5ihE3JHpxFRUP1TOVBYTCXuap2fS4tHqa8xtNn4vC0wid0OscObyrI1c0uEZzkaRglTwr9V0kAJqTiwF1kyrd8_wAPmOqZSCrON4HBS3XUbBAs7JuHL8iz_/s1600-h/corban+2+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204851168458313330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxwpC60BGk2UwqsJJrBX1U5ihE3JHpxFRUP1TOVBYTCXuap2fS4tHqa8xtNn4vC0wid0OscObyrI1c0uEZzkaRglTwr9V0kAJqTiwF1kyrd8_wAPmOqZSCrON4HBS3XUbBAs7JuHL8iz_/s320/corban+2+005.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Today was another great day for our little guy. Corban has continued to make progress and we are thrilled. Tonight, Mindy and I were able to give him a bath, feed him, and hold him for a long time. We are loving being able to do more with him and looking so forward to getting him home. He is continuing to make progress and we are so excited. I am attaching a few pictures of the bath and feeding from tonight for you all to enjoy. Thanks again for your prayers, love, and support as they are greatly appreciated.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-77921459838427767822008-05-26T09:06:00.001-07:002008-05-26T09:12:01.790-07:00Update on Corban - May 26, 2008Yesterday was a very big day in the life of our son. We went up to the hospital to see little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Corban</span> and while we were there only a short time (because we had to get to church) the doctor told us that he would be coming off the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ventilator</span> yesterday. This was wonderful news and we were very excited about it. The took him off the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ventilator</span> yesterday morning and he has been doing fine. We were also able to take part in the first feeding of a bottle to our son and I (Matt) was able to change his diaper for the first time. While these may seem like small things to some of you they are huge because this is the first time that we have been able to do these things. Also last night night we were both able to hold little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Corban</span> for a good amount of time which was great. We were able to spend about an hour and a half with him in our arms which made us so happy. He is doing very well and we are very excited about the progress our son is making. Please continue to pray for our little guy as he continues to get one step closer to coming home and being in our arms.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-83601207331148185492008-05-24T13:05:00.000-07:002008-05-24T13:10:36.450-07:00Update on Corban - May 24, 2008Hello again everyone, I wanted to provide you with another update about how Corban was doing. The past couple of days have been great and filled with progress for our little guy. Yesterday, the continued to wean him off medicines and adjust the ventilator settings to which Corban responded great. Today, was an even better day because for the first time in little Corban's fifteen day life he was held by his mother and father. This was great because we were thrilled to hold him and love on him so much. While it was only a short time, it was still great and well worth it! They have been able to stop all of his blood pressure medicine, leave him on only one antibiotic, and just a little bit of oxygen. Overall Corban is doing great and things are looking more positive than ever. We are so thrilled and excited about the days to come and getting our little boy home.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-44584758287063707562008-05-23T11:48:00.000-07:002008-05-23T11:51:08.686-07:00New Pictures of Corban-May 23,2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22CNkKoZmqNvlc2hdbBOLD5P-NChRoiNy4rj6UAE0EhstKuAHTzRde6G2rohjgOvx87ceVCVwsLK3VXlb4w8EN8_JdnDYjrnnFeuZ-En_ykoj1YEuSsDWwSK99Uz-k0yB1b3k0CGCr65d/s1600-h/Corban+039.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203647684262235682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22CNkKoZmqNvlc2hdbBOLD5P-NChRoiNy4rj6UAE0EhstKuAHTzRde6G2rohjgOvx87ceVCVwsLK3VXlb4w8EN8_JdnDYjrnnFeuZ-En_ykoj1YEuSsDWwSK99Uz-k0yB1b3k0CGCr65d/s320/Corban+039.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1ZdFsQB2D9DALO5l3fn_mEpoBAq3CAa77CrGsuV6QSwiaXhEihbJkCsw_vdZBurzWsY5auQqLWchIAX7lwoFF0pLbACG47g2GpVBDL_1irizsvJKrhbnsAJpWw8bld6p5MawyBVhD2zE/s1600-h/Corban+038.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203647688557202994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1ZdFsQB2D9DALO5l3fn_mEpoBAq3CAa77CrGsuV6QSwiaXhEihbJkCsw_vdZBurzWsY5auQqLWchIAX7lwoFF0pLbACG47g2GpVBDL_1irizsvJKrhbnsAJpWw8bld6p5MawyBVhD2zE/s320/Corban+038.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eHJP1JnKE96vM2PdzeA520sgsvOuPmUB5teBnON1qdShoR4kXaZK3ifWM1JqXChQujHNyek4wX6LRqOSPo8iINIQF-F807DLjY-9gXv9TY2DnhvsvhGd8VbOKeHlR0Oz_xtlRrL4xAkY/s1600-h/Corban+036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203647688557203010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eHJP1JnKE96vM2PdzeA520sgsvOuPmUB5teBnON1qdShoR4kXaZK3ifWM1JqXChQujHNyek4wX6LRqOSPo8iINIQF-F807DLjY-9gXv9TY2DnhvsvhGd8VbOKeHlR0Oz_xtlRrL4xAkY/s320/Corban+036.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Here are some new pictures taken today of little Corban.</div><br /><div></div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-5107606845467776152008-05-22T20:54:00.000-07:002008-05-22T21:02:09.815-07:00Update on Corban - May 22, 2008Hello everyone, I wanted to post another update of how Corban is doing. The past couple days we have seen continued progress in the life of our little guy. Within the last few days we have seen the number of medicines decrease greatly. He has went from around 12-15 different medicines down to only four and he is getting off one other one tomorrow. Last night we were able to see the nitric tank be taken away which means that we are one step closer to getting our son home. Today, we were able to see one ventilator switched to another which was a huge step down as well. While this was challenging Corban has responded great to the challenges that have been in his path. He is continuing to make progress and he has begun breathing on his own which is wonderful. He also has had two other big steps in the last two days with him being able to start feeding and secondly getting a "bath" today. These are great steps forward as we continue to inch closer to getting our son in our arms. While we are excited, we are still needing prayers for our little guy because as the doctors and nurses have commented about how amazed they are by his progress we know that it's because of your prayers.<br /> I also wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who has been praying at our church, New Haven UMC. It was a blessing to be back with you this past week and hear more encouraging words from you all. Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers as they are greatly appreciated.<br /><br />-Matt & MindyMatt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-37608474549789595522008-05-20T19:13:00.001-07:002008-05-20T19:21:09.997-07:00Update on Corban - May 20, 2008Hello again everyone, I wanted to give you an update about how little Corban has been doing today. This morning Mindy and I went to the hospital and found out that he was down to 40% oxygen (only 19% to go). They also told us that the removed two more of his medicines (which leaves him with only four to go). They also took down the nitric oxide that he is on (only one more time to go with this as well). They have also talked about switching ventilators as well within the next couple of days as well.<br /> Overall we had a very successful day of progress and we are greatly encouraged about how little Corban has been doing today. We know that we still have a ways to go before he can come home but we are very excited with his progress and we appreciate the prayers from all of you!Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-82637165298386531972008-05-19T21:08:00.001-07:002008-05-19T21:12:16.249-07:00Update on Corban - May 19, 2008 - Part TwoHello everyone I wanted to let you all know that Corban is continuing to make progress. As I mentioned in my previous post Corban has been weaned off of a number of things throughout the day today. This evening Mindy and I went back to the hospital to see our son and we received some more good news. His stats were still up and they were able to wean him down to 50% oxygen which means that he has only 29% left to go. While we know it will still be a while we are greatly encouraged and excited. Please continue to lift up our son in prayer as he continues to get better. Feel free to leave us comments, questions, or prayer requests on here and we will be more than happy to get back to you. Thanks again for your love, support, and prayers as they are greatly appreciated.<br /><br />-Matt & MindyMatt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-18787283302924869272008-05-19T12:57:00.000-07:002008-05-19T13:07:49.346-07:00Update on Corban - May 19, 2008Hello everyone, I wanted to send you a quick update on our son's progress over the last couple of days. Yesterday, was a difficult day as it seemed like every step that we had taken forward we took two additional steps backwards. Last night was hard because we felt like Corban may have regressed rather than made progress. However, a bright spot of last night was that Corban not only had his eyes open but he was following Mindy and I as we were talking to him. He also tried to grab onto our fingers and hand which was encouraging since we haven't been able to hold him yet. All in all though yesterday was basically a standstill day in the way of progress.<br /> Today however, has been just the opposite. We called in this morning shortly after 10:00 a.m. and we were met with great news. The nurse told us that the doctor has weaned his oxygen down to 80% which is great (a reminder that we breath 21% oxygen). He also told her that Corban could be weaned three percent every hour instead of just the one percent so long as he tolerated it. This was encouraging but also very scary for Mindy and I because we were unsure how he would respond. However, after lunch we stopped by the hospital and saw that Corban was down to 73% oxygen, which is the lowest he's been since he was born. They have also taken him off one of his medicines for his blood pressure, are planning on taking him off two of his three antibiotics later today. They had also been able to take off one of his two monitors (his pre-ductual one for all you medical people reading this). We also found out that both the doctor and the nurse feel like he is turning the corner which is great news for us. While we were there they turned down his oxygen even more to 70% which is great but they did tell us that he would need to be in there for at least nine more days because of one of the antibiotics that he is on. Corban seems to be making great progress and we are very encouraged and thrilled today. Please continue to keep our little guy in your prayers as he is doing better but is not out of the woods yet. Thank you again for all of your love, support and prayers for our little guy and us!Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-51269496190447711612008-05-17T19:41:00.000-07:002008-05-17T19:57:05.550-07:00Update on Corban - May 17, 2008 - Part TwoWell today has been an overall great day for Mindy and I because of the progress of our son. This evening we went back to the hospital to see Corban and he has continued to make progress. They have stopped weaning him on the various machines for today because of all of the changes that they have made this morning. However, he was still holding steady with great stats. We were very encouraged by the numbers continuing to be good which has not happened consistently since he was born.<br /><div><div> Also today was a good day for something else that happened with our son, which was his response to our voices and touch. Since they have had him on the respirator they have had him on a paralytic to minimize his movement to allow the machine to do the work necessary. However, this morning they decided to take him off that medicine completely which allows him to move around some. As we walked into the room and started talking to the nurse, we noticed him moving as we looked more closely at him, his eyes were open! This is the first time that we have seen our sons eyes. They were the typical grayish / blue that many newborns have and we are wondering if they will stay blue or turn brown. But as a whole today was a good day because our son made some great progress, opened his eyes and was responding to our voices which leaves us greatly encouraged. </div><div> We still have a long way to go before Corban will be in our arms or home but we know that with continued prayers and support Corban will continue to get better and be in our arms sooner than we know. Thank you again for your prayers for our son and keep them coming. We love you all and appreciate your prayers and support!</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201546288891355874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjH8yKGLSS3oZ6Au5DvH0eiQwXph0TZPBqRPu739NCTrvd85NQVmeU-lXfVtqa8R_CUMi5ODAnhR3Z8WFfWzMeZEU_1rDR6-6LUR7FQ6lYmZVjUsvT5MwQUqXZakl_jL8JpNjVjLP3daCo/s320/IMG_0120.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-35658256459654012332008-05-17T08:25:00.000-07:002008-05-17T08:33:57.841-07:00Update on Corban - May 17, 2008Progress, progress, progress, seems to be the word of the day today for Corban Hart. Yesterday was a challenging day as we felt that we were at a standstill with everything until Corban's stats came up, however today is a different story. We called the hospital this morning and it seems as though Corban is taking huge strides to get better. Here are a few things that we found out when we called the hospital this morning.<br /> 1. Corban's blood pressure has been great and they are able to start to wean him off one of the medicines that he is on to help correct this.<br /> 2. His blood work is looking great and the doctor is greatly encouraged.<br /> 3. They have been able to decrease the pressure on his ventalator, which assists his lungs in expanding and contracting from 17 to 16.<br /> 4. Corban is receiving a nitric gas to help the artieries in his lungs open up more and they turned it from 15 to 10 this morning. (They decrease this in multiples of five so only two more decreases to go)<br /> 5. Corban's stats look great and they have been able to decrease his oxygen level from 100% to 91%. We breath 21% oxygen so we still have room for progress here but we are moving in the right direction.<br /><br /> As you can see, Corban is taking positive steps in the right direction towards gettting better. We know that we still have a long way to go before everything is alright but we are moving that way. We would like to thank all of you who have been praying for our son and us during this time as it has been challenging. Please continue to lift us up in prayer as our son is starting to turn the corner but still needs your support. Again we appreciate your prayers and support during this time as we draw closer to getting our son into our arms. We love all of you who are praying for and supporting Corban and us during this time.<br /><br />-Matt & MindyMatt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-17996745187977651572008-05-16T20:09:00.000-07:002008-05-16T20:13:10.536-07:00Pictures of Corban From the NICUHere are some more pictures of Corban showing the things that he has endured in the NICU. The first and last picture are from early on in the NICU and then the other three are from more recent.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrxCheBrD4SaIIgEuUf6zO3-S_qCy1DxOIK_H7gCgK17wROW0Gpy9CJs7X7M_ggbjxqfy_PSADfiekYvZpC_CuNfFRETveP3Uio3IOY_xzmHKHyLS9PkE-2YglfrpVQqrKq9NKHdoSr0Q/s1600-h/IMG_0109.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201179223806370434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrxCheBrD4SaIIgEuUf6zO3-S_qCy1DxOIK_H7gCgK17wROW0Gpy9CJs7X7M_ggbjxqfy_PSADfiekYvZpC_CuNfFRETveP3Uio3IOY_xzmHKHyLS9PkE-2YglfrpVQqrKq9NKHdoSr0Q/s320/IMG_0109.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MLPwFDMXeTNv6vqCWKkNQb5V6l26HHS4Vwx3mFPfEOkTpVzvqeN9VblH4eGV9Q2H6pk_9Y04QSdwqXsMlbmnvtTkgqCX3DI_b4rYF7WOurKo84vsNFHMavrXHO8yV9sLy0Tv3kvdRLGR/s1600-h/IMG_0111.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201179228101337746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MLPwFDMXeTNv6vqCWKkNQb5V6l26HHS4Vwx3mFPfEOkTpVzvqeN9VblH4eGV9Q2H6pk_9Y04QSdwqXsMlbmnvtTkgqCX3DI_b4rYF7WOurKo84vsNFHMavrXHO8yV9sLy0Tv3kvdRLGR/s320/IMG_0111.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADuHkOclN0GFsIvM1S6p7GctumR1Sn7Wtmw697tFT0tMiNzrIKl7TEDML5SGLLr0-6e8AHXvAmn713A-13O2zVdxpdjDbF_7gCEmLokbVC5y14AIb3QQ6XECNDL8N3znH5pHOXvPJYigO/s1600-h/IMG_0112.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201179228101337762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADuHkOclN0GFsIvM1S6p7GctumR1Sn7Wtmw697tFT0tMiNzrIKl7TEDML5SGLLr0-6e8AHXvAmn713A-13O2zVdxpdjDbF_7gCEmLokbVC5y14AIb3QQ6XECNDL8N3znH5pHOXvPJYigO/s320/IMG_0112.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aG3G0McMiNrSEqkSef_tvsITlmKWabZT2bCOtPPtVhk-UllUleOV1yBuiBwJkmyQeNKN1AT_FUCYwSkH95G0DZTxjBFxS04kJX_7n1KsO25Pyhmp11fJfKOCPmQqfZgp22Ju_i9luxcR/s1600-h/IMG_0113.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201179232396305074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aG3G0McMiNrSEqkSef_tvsITlmKWabZT2bCOtPPtVhk-UllUleOV1yBuiBwJkmyQeNKN1AT_FUCYwSkH95G0DZTxjBFxS04kJX_7n1KsO25Pyhmp11fJfKOCPmQqfZgp22Ju_i9luxcR/s320/IMG_0113.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21CKwOxXoadxsFOD-MVnqLDM2hJwCSyF0SHVEWfu09pwcskk71HIKZyyaV03cwgspZr4ZR-LJXwhkGb2lo7X7v9Khuge-l9w4_wcXec5igQ_XDwNQRFH3s2RDWNHV-WJc1CtkHEfVW9j_/s1600-h/IMG_0108.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201179232396305090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21CKwOxXoadxsFOD-MVnqLDM2hJwCSyF0SHVEWfu09pwcskk71HIKZyyaV03cwgspZr4ZR-LJXwhkGb2lo7X7v9Khuge-l9w4_wcXec5igQ_XDwNQRFH3s2RDWNHV-WJc1CtkHEfVW9j_/s320/IMG_0108.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-62595227620528231922008-05-16T19:14:00.000-07:002008-05-16T19:23:25.935-07:00Pictures of Corban<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS5fr83e0qqZbDqMwcQPtD2zD3mKcb7N-IptIcptNTEv8PzFILyZyIg8pBNwmvUA5Dw0z5_OCT1PqDju43JorjH2IfNR98oShMefWyg3HJ1vpdEakaBfE_6WZ98TPWfE4tsGMs4gSWYSh/s1600-h/Corban+Picture+(2).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201166716861604466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS5fr83e0qqZbDqMwcQPtD2zD3mKcb7N-IptIcptNTEv8PzFILyZyIg8pBNwmvUA5Dw0z5_OCT1PqDju43JorjH2IfNR98oShMefWyg3HJ1vpdEakaBfE_6WZ98TPWfE4tsGMs4gSWYSh/s320/Corban+Picture+(2).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Here are some pictures of Corban for you to enjoy.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifacHkMTjnEpGHWlhzGEJbqzCSu00FzvtVodapHSOwqGCR1yh9hrMOZMvwk4GohW_vWzcGtNtx0zvK9UzlYB9bmENBV7vkA4Qc4-UH1xef3UdI8kkBzojwdwB93qbskwdDF06UHG6MneH0/s1600-h/dscn0999.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201165419781481026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifacHkMTjnEpGHWlhzGEJbqzCSu00FzvtVodapHSOwqGCR1yh9hrMOZMvwk4GohW_vWzcGtNtx0zvK9UzlYB9bmENBV7vkA4Qc4-UH1xef3UdI8kkBzojwdwB93qbskwdDF06UHG6MneH0/s320/dscn0999.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16PopVaNvxgbvbAz95_UKHVPVq__Ws1MuktYACEXkP3POWko6SUJc_VM1MF_AatslKq9gxDBwCAnxcTH9Wukdjy-Zwhs2-rCwriAoVltq1uhjlnFaavXLWg0sRQw5ZOlHAQ5WZJKFhXI-/s1600-h/DSCN1000.JPG"></a></div></div>Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-2294271928963866652008-05-16T18:52:00.000-07:002008-05-16T19:12:23.000-07:00Update on Corban - May 16, 2008 - Part TwoWell today has been a different day for us. While yesterday was filled with visible forward progress as I mentioned in the last post. We were able to see the settings being turned down and progress made we left the hospital feeling great. This morning we called the hospital to get an update on our son and found out that some things had changed. We were informed that they had to make some adjustment because they had to suction out his tube that is connected to the ventilator. While this is normal the issue was that he did not respond well to this and his stats dropped. After this occurred they had to readjust his oxygen from 82% to 100% again. Just as a reminder we breath 21% which is what they need to get him to. While we were discouraged about the adjustment that was made the harder part was yet to come because they wanted his oxygen saturation to get back up to 97% or higher and Corban was holding steady at 96% which meant that they couldn't change anything. <br />While this was discouraging the positives for the day included a number of things. Corban's blood pressure was good throughout the day, his nitric level was lowered, and his pressure on the ventilator was lowered as well. As a whole we were encouraged by today but still wanting to see more results. In Mindy's words, "We are seeing progress, just not at the rate we would like." We want to see our son home and in our arms however we don't want to do anything that would jeopardize his health. We are asking for continued prayers so that our son can be healed and come home.Matt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574110464854743851.post-77601855873862441512008-05-16T13:23:00.000-07:002008-05-16T13:36:18.564-07:00Update on Corban - May 16, 2008Hello everyone, I wanted to post another entry to let everyone know how Corban is doing. While we have been relatively generic with our posts about our son we want to let people know how our boy is doing and since this blog is serving as the means of doing so for people across the country. We are going to spell things out on here starting this evening so that phone calls can be saved and more focus can be given to Corban. <br />Yesterday was a very productive day and honestly one of many hopefully in both our eyes and in the eyes of the doctors. Yesterday they began to wean Corban off the level of oxygen that he was breathing. You and I breath 21% oxygen all the time however, they had Corban set to breath 100% oxygen all the time to help get his lungs going. As the day went on they were able to turn down his oxygen all the way to 82%. The were also able to adjust the pressure and the nitric oxide that they have him connected to. All in all it was a great day where Mindy and I both felt extremely encouraged. <br />Also we will be posting some pictures of our little guy later this evening as well to let everyone see how handsome he is. Just to let you know while Corban is only a week old he has been through a lot. In some of the pictures you may see the extreme measures that have been taken to assist him through this process, but he is doing better now and on the road to recovery. So far we have seen our son hooked up to monitors that show his blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration's per minute. He also has three antibiotics going into him, two medicines for his blood pressure, and also two medicines to help relax him so the ventilator can do it's job. He has been hooked up to four total machines through the process to help with his breathing and finally it seems like he is beginning to turn the corner. <br />As I mentioned we are using this blog as our correspondence with people so feel free to leave comments, questions, and / or prayers about our little guy and we will try to answer them as soon as possible.<br />Well, I just wanted to give an update and let you all know how he is doing. I will post more later about today, pictures, and some other things but we are off to dinner and then back to the hospital. We love all our you dearly who are praying for our little guy and look forward to being able to share him with you soon!<br /><br />-Matt & Mindy HartMatt Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15484854462335448379noreply@blogger.com0