Prayer is requested for Chaplain James and Ashley Murray. (He is a Charis Fellowship chaplain in the U.S. Army.)
Late last week, they learned that the twins she was carrying were in stage 3 of TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome) and were candidates for a fetal surgery to help correct the growth imbalances that were taking place. Baby A was receiving fewer nutrients from the placenta and had lower amounts of amniotic fluid in his sac. Baby B was receiving too many nutrients and was overdeveloping. Ashley was admitted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., for monitoring.
They named the babies Benjamin Aaron Murray (Baby A) and Ethan David Murray (Baby B) and requested prayer for both of them via her Facebook page.
On Tuesday, Ashley posted, “I had an emergency C-Section due to heart failure of Benjamin and Ethan today. Benjamin was given CPR immediately after birth and was revived but struggled in the NIC unit. With grieving hearts, we share that Benjamin Aaron Murray passed away around 1 pm in Ashley’s arms.
“Ethan David Murray is in the neonatal intensive care unit and is stable. He has a very long road ahead of him since he is 24 weeks and 5 days old but we have already seen the amazing fighter he is and the power of prayer from all of our supporters!”
In the meantime, their young son, Drew, has been treated for seizure activity, which seems to be under control at this time.
Continue to pray for this family. Ashley posted yesterday:
“We have felt so many depths of emotions but today we echo Psalm 124 that if the Lord has not been on our side we would have been swallowed alive, the flood would have swept us away. Vs 8 ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’
“Thank you for continuing to pray and lifting up our family! Pray specifically for Ethan’s first week in the NICU as his stability frequently changes and needed adjustments are made. A central concern is regulating his breathing. Pray also for his daytime nurse Priscilla who signed up to be his primary caregiver in the NICU. She has twins herself and worked on Benjamin when he was in the NICU. We are sustained by the multitude of cheerleaders and prayer warriors we have around us!”