Rejoice and be glad!

Sometimes when you read a story in the Bible you wonder why God allows some things to happen. But then the Spirit will help you to understand in a way you never imagined.
In the book of Job you will read what a horrible period of time Job experienced. God allowed satan to torture Job because He knew that Job would not turn from Him. I can thank God that I have not been tortured like Job was but we have been tested for about the last month. In the middle of it all I found myself inside the chapel at Children’s Hospital begging for God to strengthen me.

I guess it all started about a month ago when Chris and I began to pray for something specific. It is something neither of us knew much about or had experienced. We knew that it would take time and that God would have to show us the way. Little did we know that it required such testing. I do believe that God will test you to make sure you are ready for the things you ask for.

First, our primary transportation gave out. We broke down about 30 miles from home and the van was towed away. Thankfully family was just a few miles away and was able to pick us up to carry us home. After about a week or more, we got the van back after purchasing a brand new transmission for it. Yes, that’s right, a new transmission…and various other new parts required. For those who need a “Cars for Dummies” book, a new transmission is not cheap. A couple of days later, the van begins to act up again. We put it back in the shop and it is fixed again this time just a few small parts. A few days later Evan develops a high fever. On the way to see the doctor, in the middle of the interstate, the van quits. We pull off the road and know the van will have to be towed….AGAIN! It is anywhere from 95-97 degrees at 2 o clock in the afternoon and we are broke down with no air conditioning and we have a 3 year old and the 4 month old with a burning fever in the back. I fan them the best I can while the tow truck is on its way. A family member rescues us yet again and we go straight to the doctor’s office.

After several tests it is confirmed that Evan has a UTI and needs a shot. The doctor wants us to come back the next day for a second shot. So the next day, Wednesday, we go back for the second shot and are told Evan has bacteria in the bloodstream and will need to be admitted to Children’s Hospital. When we arrive they do a spinal tap, catheter, and various blood work. He is given an IV and we are taken to our room. He is put on antibiotics and will need them for several days. Alana had to go and spend the night with Mom. This was the first time she has ever spent the night away from us. My heart cried out for her all night.
On Thursday they explain to us they can put something called a PICC in Evan. It is a more permanent IV and is more comfortable for him. It is a tiny catheter that runs through a vein in the arm all the way to his chest. With the PICC we will be able to do the IV meds from home. I had been feeling bad that day and finally that night I woke up vomiting.
Friday they put the PICC in, but because Evan is so fat, they cannot do it in his arm so they put it in his head. They show us how to administer the medications with a pump and then give us a huge box full of supplies.
Saturday we are released. I was ecstatic to see Alana! We got home and I begin to unpack. Chris comes home from drills with a terrible headache. In the midst of all the chaos, we wish each other a happy 6th wedding anniversary. That night I begin to vomit again. At midnight we do the first round of meds ourselves. It was very scary knowing I had no medical training and was doing this. Of course we couldn’t get it to work and I had to call the help line. After a long day, Chris and I pass out in exhaustion.
Sunday I go to the doctor for them to tell me I have a virus (DUH!) and to drink plenty of fluids and eat some chicken noodle soup. ($25 to hear the same advice my mother had just given me in the waiting room.) I got home and Evan begins throwing up. I am flipping out because I am thinking I did something wrong with the PICC. I call his pediatrician and he tells us to come in first thing in the morning. I pack our bags because we wanted to have a professional do his meds and were prepared to be readmitted.
Monday morning we arrive at the pediatrician’s office. Evan has some terrible diapers and his stool tested positive for blood. We are readmitted to Children’s Hospital. Mom came to get Alana and I broke down when I had to watch her leave. I pressed my face and hands against the glass and watched her leave. At this point I find myself in the chapel pouring my heart out to God. My little boy is sick, I cannot be with my little girl, I am sick and we have had little sleep. I am a mess. The Spirit comforted that evening.
Tuesday we find out that Evan has a second bacteria called C-Diff and will be starting a second antibiotic.
Wednesday Chris and Alana start throwing up. Alana is staying with Mom and I cannot take care of her. This is the only time she has been sick and I couldn’t take care of her. She has been with Mom and Nana during all this and has visited a couple of times. I miss her like crazy. She had been visiting and I cried like a baby when I saw her leaving. This is when I started getting mad. I visited the chapel again and prayed for complete healing for our family. I then walked to the cafeteria where I see a little girl Alana’s age with no hair. I was then reminded of how blessed we truly are.
Thursday, of course everyone was feeling much better because I prayed and had faith that God would heal our family. Evan has a VCUG done to check for kidney reflux and OF COURSE it came back with absolutely nothing wrong with him.

I had been talking to my Dad and I told him I didn’t understand why the devil attacked because it just draws us closer to God. He then brought up a good point. Some people give up and don’t turn to God.
Everything we have been going through is so minor. I may have whined about it the first couple of days but now I am just joyous. My joy will not be taken from me. I will rejoice and be glad because God has blessed us and continues to bless us.

Our children are God’s gift to us. I can remember when Alana was born, the cord was wrapped around her neck. The doctor quickly unwrapped it and she was perfectly fine. Then at seven days old, she had to have her heart shocked because it was not working properly. For two weeks, up until she was 14 days old, she was in the hospital. Now she is perfectly healthy. When Evan was born the doctor discovered he had a knot in his cord. For those not familiar with what that means, if it had tightened it would have cut off blood flow to him in the womb and he could have died. But he didn’t. My children are here today because I have prayed for them since before they were born and I had faith and continue to have faith that God will always care for them.

Sunday, we waited for the therapist to come remove Evan’s PICC from his little head. He had his last dose of antibiotics and then the PICC was removed. Finally he was free of wires and needles and cords. We put him in his carrier and rolled out of that hospital with our heads held high. As we walked down the hall I looked around and realized that not all parents walk out with healthy children. Some parents walk out with sick children or worse, no child at all. We drove out of the parking deck and I wondered how many parents had to drive away knowing they would never see their child alive again. I thanked God nearly the whole trip home. I kept looking in the back at Evan’s little face and thanking God for my healthy children.

The next time I start whining about a sick child, or anything else for that matter, I will try to remember those children walking the halls with no hair. I will remember hearing the alarms on the IV and seeing the parents walk around with stress written on their faces. I will remember that day when an alarm went off in the hospital and a rush of doctors and nurses ran to one of the rooms in fear they were losing a patient. I will remember those who are unable to even conceive a child. I will remember the parents who have to go home to empty bedrooms. In all that I will praise God for the children He has so graciously blessed us with, even when they do make me want to pull out my hair.

Now after nearly 2 weeks in the hospital, we are back at home and back in the routine of things. I have my healthy children making numerous messes for me to clean up. I laugh as I find huge clumps of play dough wrapped around the back of the kitchen chair. Ahhh, home sweet home.

Psalm 27:1-3 – The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, me heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (NIV)