Seven quick takes returns! To join the carnival, click here.
1
I spent 8 hours on Sunday in the ER with my second born. She woke up in the night complaining of neck pain on Thursday night. I figured she’d slept on her neck wrong. On Friday she walked around with her head straight up to the sky refusing to put it parallel to the ground. By Saturday, she was walking around like Quasi Moto with her back hunched compensating for her neck. On Sunday we went to the ER to rule out meningitis, hydrocephalis, and anything else that could make her neck behave in such an odd way. We tried heat, tylenol, massage, and flexing it in her sleep. With Ryan’s surgery on Monday I wanted to make sure she was just suffering from something muscular.
The problem is her glands were swollen. Two rounds of x-rays, an ultrasound, a CT scan and (sedated) spinal tap later she was diagnosed with muscle spasm. She is taking a muscle relaxant and is almost completely better. Whoo hoo.
2
Here is the voicemail Natalie left on my cell phone while I was with Ainsley:
Mom, I wonder when you come home, can you please tell me. I wanna know when Aunt Sarah gets here. Call me back. It’s Natalie Marquiss. And can you please come back soon. How is Ainsley feeling? And I hope she feels okay. Amen. I mean, agh! (Giggle. Big pause.) Bye. Have a great day. I hope you have fun. It’s Natalie Marquiss. Bye. Okay? (Big pause.) Bye, mommy. I’m so glad that you went to the doctor’s with Ainsley. Okay? So, bye. (Click) “
3
Ainsley was also grateful I took her to the doctor. On Tuesday, with her neck almost straight, she hugged me tight and said, “Thank you, mommy, for taking me to the hospital. My neck feels so much better.”
4
It’s Friday. I would like to stay home. Really, I do. The cleaning lady came yesterday and my house will only look this good until the kids wake up. But mostly, I’d like to at least avoid all doctor’s offices. As mentioned, Sunday I was in an ER. Monday, I waited outside an OR. Tuesday I took Ainsley to the pediatrician’s office for her follow up from Sunday. Wednesday I worked on the house. Thursday I took Ryan to the pediatrician to check his g-tube site. There is some redness and drainage and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t brewing an infection. So far, it just looks irritated. If the redness grows or the drainage increases, we have to go to Children’s today for the surgeon to look at it. I really don’t want to go.
5
Henry took off Tuesday morning to help me with our invalid children! Ainsley had her follow up and Ryan was still recovering. I needed him. He knew it. He rocks.
6
This post is beginning to make it sound as if I had a heck of a week. Oh okay, I did. But I have a great network of friends and family who take care of us. Monday my mother-in-law sent a lasagna through her daughters who were watching my daughters while Henry and I were down with Ryan so I didn’t have to premake dinner. Tuesday another friend called to say she was bringing us dinner which was great since my grocery run was spent in the OR. A few minutes later I mentioned to Henry we needed milk. The phone rang. It was another friend calling to say she was headed to Trader Joe’s and did I need anything… I asked her to get milk. Wednesday, just when I was thinking we could get through the week without going to the store but really wishing we had some fruit, a friend showed up with a grocery bag full of fruit, scones, cookies, and snacks for us to munch on. Seriously? Thank you, Lord! I so needed to be taken care of this week.
7
Another couple very dear to us let us vent and cry and laugh on their shoulders Monday night. Another friend watched our kids so we could do it. It made us stronger and better. We couldn’t be more grateful (unless they also offered to put our kids through college). No, seriously, we are very blessed.
Some weeks, you’re just glad to get through them. This is one of them for me. How about you?
Comments (12)
I love you…love how you can keep your sense of humor through everything. Love how God took care of you through the help of friends and family! Love that you have a wonderful husband. Love that I can pray for you right now!
Linda @ Truthful Tidbits
Sorry you had a bad week. “When it rains, it pours.” Thats what mom always says and I believe her. PTL for family and friends who stepped in and helped at the perfect time. God is so good. love ya.
I love the voice mail! I’ve gotten a few of those before and they’ve made me smile 🙂
Aww. Rough week. I love that Natlie called you it sounded like a converstation I would have had with my first. So sweet. Fruit, Milk, Scones… Like you said before God is in the details. Amen? Amen!! Its awesome when you have family and friends who hear and obey God.
As others said, I am in awe of your patience, gratitude, & sense of humor. With everything going on, you’re still able to keep moving forward. Even moreso, your incredible grace & gratitude with how you receive help from others is a true lesson to learn. Being a gracious receiver is just as important as being the giver. Thanks for making so many of us smile 🙂 Happy Friday! Theresa from Massachusetts
Love the voicemail! LOL!
Sometimes I think God takes care of all of the little things so that we will remember that he takes care of the big things too. If he cares about milk and fruit, you KNOW he cares about the entire welfare of each and every one of us.
It’s those wonderful God moments that keep us going and encouraged when the tough stuff happens. Thank God for friends who are angels in disguise!
Natalie is a hoot! I think she must have missed you 😉
“mostly, I’d like to at least avoid all doctor’s offices…”
Boy, do I empathize with THAT one!
I didn’t make it through mine! I had to take today off work… Between 3 days working 13+ hours (the other 2 days- 8 hours), the death of my 3 year old sister, and my period coming.. I crashed… I’m glad that these weeks usually don’t stay for long… God is good and He will provide and pick us back up again.. SO, SO grateful for who HE is.
I love that God provides for our needs even before they are spoken outloud. God is so good. Sorry for the tough week.
Nicole – I am so sorry your little sister died.
Same, needed to be cared for and God showed up big time. Our God is an awesome God.