Silver linings

I'm not going to lie.  This week has been a challenge in all areas.  Sunday night before bed, my daughter complained that she felt weird.  We took her temperature and it was a little under 100, so we figured she was coming down with a little bug.  The next morning, her fever had skyrocketed, she was completely lethargic, and her tonsils had swollen until they were almost touching.  She complained very little, which had me very worried, as she typically complains about every little ache and pain and twinge...until she is very sick.   We rested and hydrated all day, but she continued to decline.  My son woke up from a nap with a cough and fever so we went to urgent care, and they were diagnosed with Flu A. 

The next morning, both kiddos were miserable.  Joshua woke up vomiting from fever, and he was sick every 5-10 minutes from 6 am to 1 pm.  In the meantime, my husband called from work with severe kidney stone pain.  He made it 1/2 way home and stopped at the ER for treatment and fluids.   Since the meds they gave him made him unable to drive, I loaded up the kids and headed to the ER to wait for him to be released so I could drive him home.  We sat in the car for 2 hours waiting, and my kids were both miserable.  Right before my husband was released, my son started vomiting large amounts of blood.  Terrified, I yanked him out of the car and rushed into the ER.   We had a horrible experience there.  Luckily, my husband was released while we were in triage, so when it became obvious the hospital staff did not believe me (despite a trash can full of evidence), I called the local childrens' hospital, where a friend arranged for us to have someone waiting in the ER for us.  When we told the front desk at hospital one that we were leaving, they cornered us and wouldn't let us leave, even though they weren't planning to treat us yet.   After they sent us back to the waiting room (again), we walked out of the ER and drove quickly to the kids' ER, where we were immediately escorted to a room and promptly given treatment.  My son was a very sick little boy.   He was only semi-coherent and had a hard time answering basic questions without confusion.  Within a short time, they decided to admit him.  During this, my daughter was struggling to stay awake and get comfortable from HER fever and flu, and my husband was groggy and in a lot of pain from his kidney stones.   There weren't enough chairs for all of us, so I stood the entire afternoon, going back and forth between them trying to help them be comfortable.   once they got us to a room and we saw the doctor there, I had to find a way to get my husband and daughter home.   Here is where the silver linings come in to play....

I never cease to be amazed by the family of God, both locally and elsewhere.  Throughout all this ordeal, I didn't have physical family in a position where they could help us out, but my church family stepped up and took care of us in ways I didn't even know to ask for.   I am so thankful for these godly people who sacrificed for my little family and helped to carry a load that seemed too heavy.

One sweet sister answered my text about Joshua's condition by working behind the scenes at the childrens' hospital to get us the best possible care.  Through her encouragement we were able to leave the first hospital and make sure we made it to a place where my son could be better cared for and where I was taken seriously.  She continued to check on us throughout our stay to make sure we were being cared for, she met me at the cafeteria with a phone charger, and she even brought us breakfast the next day.  When we arrived in our permanent room, she had even left a care package!

Another sister temporarily left her position at the front desk of her department and showed up in the x-ray department to handle my son's xrays.   I was so overwhelmed by all that was going on that I hadn't even messaged her yet to tell her we were there, but she saw his name and took charge.  She did this at great personal risk (she is pregnant), and then she came and spent an hour with my son so that I could take my husband and daughter home.   When I came back from dropping them off, she had disinfected the entire hospital room, arranged for plenty of pillows and blankets for me, and handled his care seamlessly.  I can't explain what that meant to me.

As we were being transferred to a room, our preacher's wife made sure that a message was sent out on our church calling tree about Joshua's condition.  Within SECONDS, our phones went crazy with messages, phone calls, texts, etc. from church family offering to help.   Even the nurses noticed how many messages were coming in during our stay.   I was so overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, although not surprised.   God's wisdom and providence is so evident in His establishment of the church, but sometimes I forget just how amazing it is until we are in a valley. 

All night long, sisters updated facebook groups for me, responded to messages, and made sure people were lifting up prayers on our behalf.   People I don't even know were praying for my little family.  I have no doubt that is how I had the strength to handle all of this, especially since I slept only 30 minutes while we were in the hospital for 24 hours...and only 8 hours from Sunday am - Wednesday night. 

Another friend showed up with essential oils for my husband and daughter.

An elder and his wife (who has been sick herself), showed up within an hour of us coming home from the hospital with soup and sandwiches and Sprite and snacks. 

Countless people offered food, groceries, and even to sit with my family so that I could sleep.

I am so thankful for the silver linings present in our dark clouds this week.  I don't have the right words to convey our gratitude.   We are so, so, so abundantly blessed.