Thursday, April 28, 2011

Phillippians 4:6-9

Caught myself in "worry" today. 

***had our follow-up today with Liv's optometrist today.  The glasses aren't doing everything she had hoped.  We have been told to commence patching while we wait for our referral to the ophthalmologist.  She is unsure of what the ophthalmologist will recommend....either bifocals or surgery to correct her vision/lazy eye issue.

Found this scripture and am speaking it to myself and learning to apply it to this situation.

Phillippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Father, I will not worry about anything (including Liv's eye situation), instead I will use that energy to pray about it.  God, I need to know the cause and treatment for her vision issues.  I thank you Father for the health care we have received thus far that has led to the early diagnosis and treatment of her eye.  I thank you that she had taken so well to the glasses. I thank you for your peace that I am going to experience throughout this waiting period and after.  I pray that it will guard my heart and mind from worry as I put my faith and live in you.  God, the only thing that is completely and wholly true, honorable, and right and pure, and lovely and admirable is YOU....so, I will think of you at all times and praise you for your excellence.  May your peace be with me as I practice all I've learned from Paul's teachings.

I thank you for your word, God.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Blessing and cursing...

So, I got some bad news today...my surgery has been postponed indefinitely.

I received a call from my surgeon's office saying that se hadto go to Toronto with her husband suddenly and things were moving very quick and she was canceling all surgeries for May.

Immediate thought, this SUCKS!!!

I remained calm, explained I was disappointed, but I was okay and wasn't angry. The receptionist advised me that I'm still a great candidate for the hospital I was going to and once my surgeon returned, and dates were available for the hospital again, I would be on my way back.

Now, I had a choice, I could choose blessing or cursing. I opted to choose blessing. Something about the reason compelled me to feel for my surgeon and pray everything was ok. I had no idea why she was going...I thought maybe a transfer for her husband (a surgeon too), seminars, sick family.

Tonight at power up, one of the parents who works at the hospital came to speak to me and tell me she was sorry my surgery was cancelled/postponed. She, then, proceeded to tell me that my Dr's husband is criically ill in Toronto undergoing experimental treatment :(

I'm so happy that I chose blessing instead of cursing. Te small amount of pain I go through every so often pales in comparison to te amount of pain/stress my surgeon is feeling right now as she is envisioning losing her "friend, love, husband,etc"

So, I thought my quick referral, appt date, and such were an answer to my prayers, but maybe they are an answer to her prayers. She now has one more person speaking on her behalf to our Healer and Comforter and asking for Him to bless this family of "healers" and be with them in their time of need. Father, I ask for peace, courage, and faith for this couple. Please extend your grace and mercy to them.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Weekend

I was really looking forward to a great weekend. We were going to go to our church's Good Friday service as well as today's Easter service.

Wednesday night, after Olivia was put to bed, she woke up vomiting. Soon after, the fever started. I kept her home from daycare on Thursday. She maintained the fever through to late Friday, so we didn't go to church.

Saturday morning, everyone was healthy and feeling well.

I took a nap in the afternoon and was awoken by a horrible
Sound from our washer. Our washer that we bought in 1998 decided to stop spinning. Although inconvenient, I was happy that laundry was up-to-date including Liv's blankets she was sick on.

We decided to go price a new washer and dryer set since no stores were open today.

While at Sears, Noah kept sitting on the floor. I thought he was just bored. When I saw his face, I knew instantly hat we needed to get him home before he had a major vomiting episode in the middle of te appliance aisle.

Our endearing son will never admit to being sick, feeling ill. So on the way home he was saying he felt fine. We no more than got in the door and he hurls all over the living room floor :(

Luckily, he had no fever. Unlike Olivia he continued to vomit bile even after his belly was empty. He experienced extremely sharp pains in his belly too.

We called Telecare to see if there was anything that could be done for the pains. They advised us to go to emerg since it could have been something more serious than the flu.

Thankfully, there were 4-5 empty parking spots at Emerg, and two people in the waiting room. Noah's heart rate was elevated due to beginning stages of dehydration. They gave him Zofron (?) to help ease the vomiting and sent us on our way.

We no sooner got home and got Noah in bed, that I went to use the washroom and upon flushing, the toilet began to overflow A LOT!!!! The floor was covered in toilet water (thankfully only #1).

I was already starting to feel nauseous, our tub was already filled with wet towels from our broken washer that quit right at spin cycle. I had to use about 10 clean towels to clean up the mess.

Wihin 15 minutes ofthis episode, I was on my hands an knees vomiting :(

Very quickly, I developed a fever and continued vomiting through the night.

I'm so thankful, it is a long weekend and have been able to spend the day in bed recuperating.

As the weekend ends,
- 3/4 of our family has had vomiting and fever.
- 2/4 of our family has had diarrhea.
- 1/4 of our family has had to deal with a bunch of sickos and really step up (thanks Scott...love you for it),
- we are without a washer (Scott has had to make a trip to the dingy laundromat)

I'm eagerly anticipating tomorrow so that I know our family is one day closer to being healthy again.

With all of this "bad", I still remain hopeful an positive and know that it pales in comparison to what some people have endured this weekend, this week, this month, this year.

In all things give thanks....God I thank you that we have the means to be able to afford a new washer and dryer, I thank you that we had comfortable beds to rest in while we were sick. I thank you for a husband who didn't complain once with all the extra little things he had to do since yesterday. This being Easter weekend, thank you for the ultimate sacriice you made when you sent your son Jesus to die for our sins and rise again victorious! Our weekend will never compare to that weekend Jesus enfured so many years ago.

Happy Easter everyone :)

Monday, April 18, 2011

So excited...Thank You God

If ever you wonder if God looks out for us, as His children, he does. Even the small things he has got covered. Afterall, He is the one we should model our parenting after.

Today, after a short knowledge of having cholecystitis (gallstones), I had my consult with the surgeon.

A quick recap:
-having major occasional pain in my right hand side under my rib
-having a nagging pain almost always after eating and in the evenings
-thought I had excess gas
-had an u/s to look for gallstones (a month or so ago)
-discovered I had a 1-inch diameter gallstone along with several others
-got referred to specialist
-prayed I would be seen soon, but knew of others' plights and assumed that I would play the waiting game
-last Thursday, received a call from surgeon for my appt today

So, in the span of 2 months, I've discovered I have gallstones, have seen my surgeon, and my surgeon has booked me for surgery in 2.5 weeks.

Most people I know, aside from going to Emergency in the middle of a major attack and having an emergency cholecystectomy, are on waiting lists upwards of 18 months.

I believe I was shown favour in all of this :) I thank God for his fatherly care and hearing my prayers and looking after me!

The best part about it, he used the doctor to give me a boost today. I was told I was young, healthy, and slim (all contributing factors in the quick surgery date) That nade my day :) almost like a reward for taking care of myself.

Oh...in case anyone was looking for an update on my coworker. After an MRI, a CAT scan, EKG, EEG, u/s of the carotid artery, blood work, etc, it was deemed that there was nothing physiologically wrong with her...awesome news. Now she must come to terms with the diagnosis..."overwhelmed with life" (read panic disorder/depression) Praying for her and that my life can somehow be used to show her to whom she can cast down all fears, frustrations, and shortcomings.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Noah-isms

Today,Noah is celebrating his classmate's birthday. She has been the girl since almost the beginning of the school year that he has proclaimed is going to be his wife...he was 5 when this started :)

Today, as he was decorating her birthday card, he says "this is going to be so special for E!" I wanted to prod to see if he felt the same way about her, but the minute I decided not to, he proclaims "E isn't going to marry me any more, she is going to marry C. No big deal, we are still friends and I can find another wife"

Hahahaha! I agreed with him!

In light of the recent suicide in our town where rumours are flying around that he did it because his girlfriend broke up with him, my heart is happy that my son realizes at a young age that there isn't just one person that is meant for you :) and it was funny to boot!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Got The Call...woohoo!!

So, today at work, in the middle of a potential medical emergency of my co-worker, I got a call from the surgeon's receptionist telling me that the doctor triaged her referrals and felt that I should be seen within the month. I have my appt on Monday at 9 am....WOOHOO!!

I believe I'm being shown some favour here. I called last week to find out the wait and I was told her gallbladder binder of referrals was very full. Last week the surgeon was on vacation, so I believe that God is working his wonders by me getting into see her so quickly. Wouldn't that be nothing short of a miracle if I get in for my consult and get the surgery before I ever have another major attack?

I'm enduring the constant nagging, but am really hoping I never have another major attack! I think it is worse pain the labour and I went drug-free when I had Olivia (so that is a pretty bold statement)

The medical emergency...one of the ladies at work was having episodes of "slowed responsiveness", feeling heavy and light-headed, panic over the symptoms, rash, heart racing (to name the ones I remember).

I've never been more thankful for working in an environment where I have immediate access to nurses and other health professionals. I was speaking to said coworker when ahe said ahe felt faint and her eyes kind of started rolling back. I quickly ran to one of the managers nearby whonis also a nurse. She quickly came and assessed the situation. It was very scary. This normally quick-witted and on-her-toes kind of person really struggled to answer simple questions. She had three of these episodes within 20-30 mins :S

I took her to emerg where she was brought directly to Acute
and put on some monitors.

I called her best friend who quickly came and relieved me.

I received a call from her later on and they are admitting her for follow up tests. They are ruling out migraine (but she has no history of migraines), epilepsy (again no history or family history), and thirdly a stroke or early warning signs.

Praying for you B...hoping you get some answers and that these symptom quickly pass <3

Friday, April 1, 2011

The verdict is in...now I wait for a referral

Today was my appt with my family doctor to hear the official results of both my ultrasounds and to get the referral to the general surgeon.

I don't know much about cholecystitis and all that, so maybe I'm just a run-of-the-mill case, but I only know mine.

Apparently, I have a large stone (1 inch diameter) an at least one smaller one. The bigger one isn't the concern since it can't escape the gallbladder, however the smaller ones can. With that said, the bigger one is the one that likely causes the constant discomfort...it is blocking the gallbladder when it contracts.

I've been referred to a fairly new general surgeon in town in hopes that I will be seen sooner and get the surgery. I've made it very clear to my doctor, on the referral, and to the general surgeon's answering machine that I can go for my consult at any time...I can be there within minutes if they need a filler patient.

I really don't want another attack like I suffered a couple weeks back...the sooner I'm seen, the sooner I get a surgery date, and the sooner I'm pain free :)

As for the other ultrasound, my uterus and ovaries are perfectly healthy :) and no surprise babies, lol.

All in all a great visit