Thank you for the emails and expressions of concern. Thanks, most of all, for praying for our son.
He was not released from the hospital today, as we had hoped, as he is still battling
a high fever, as well as throwing up and other yucky stuff.
All tests continue to come back negative. The doctors are not really able to treat him, as they don’t yet know what he has. They are keeping him hydrated with IVs, and he is doing better in that regard, but they feel that the IVs are keeping him as stable as he is, so it isn’t time for him to go home yet.
He has been running this high fever, along with other symptoms, for 5 days now. If he isn’t better very soon we are looking at perhaps needing to go to another facility for more testing. Please pray that he will turn the corner tonight. They want him to be fever free and doing well for 24 hours before he is released, so we aren’t expecting to be leaving the hospital before Tuesday.
Please pray for this sweet-natured six year old boy’s spirits. He is so tired of being poked and prodded, of people who can’t find his veins when they try to draw blood, of being hot and uncomfortable, of itching beneath his IV tape. He doesn’t feel like eating or drinking much, but he needs to start doing both before being released. He has lost about 10% of his body weight, and has no strength at the moment, either. Finally, he is suffering from severe headaches.
High fevers and pain make tylenol and ibuprofen a regular part of his hospital diet, but he detests both. The medicine has been just as hard on him as the needles.
As you know if you’ve been in this situation, the needs of those at home don’t stop just because mommy is gone! This was to be our last week of school, but Christmas break is coming early this year! We are so blessed to have two grandmas on hand to help (one who lives nearby and one who came for the holidays, just in time to be pressed into service!) They’ve been able to keep things running at home and to sit at the hospital for a spell to give me a chance to run home for supplies and to provide the other kids with some snatches of “mommy time”.
As we learned when our 8 year old spent four days in the hospital in June, the Lord is present in the midst of our trial. Our son is trusting Him in the midst of this ordeal, and so are we. He shows himself mighty, as He works on our behalf. He shows His compassion through the love of His body. He provides strength when we are weak and grace when we are tired.
I recently posted a hymn on Counter-Cultural Mom which continues to minister to me now.
“Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and pow’r.
I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.”
We feel weak and wounded, sick and sore…yet his pity, love and power are daily revealed to us. We continue to learn, as we did this summer, that when we are in need, He is a refuge. Truly, In His arms there are ten thousand charms.
