Life is fragile; Count the blessings

Well, it has been a month since my last post. Sometimes, I feel like I would like to try one every week, and then life kicks in, and the week has turned into 2 or 3. As mentioned more than once, we still have slow dial up, so I expect lengthy downloads of each individual page it takes to get here. Then there is just the amount of other stuff that goes on in a typical day around here. Oh, well. Life goes on, and I WILL keep posting, because I find the process somewhat cathartic. Maybe I should try writing a book someday. But for now, this blog is a good release.

I think I have to go with a thought tonight that has been prevalent in my life the last few weeks. That is, that life can be......IS fragile. Not to say that it explodes like a crystal vase at the slightest vibration, but that when life seems to settle into a routine, get ready! Mine rarely seems to be routine, other than the constant stream of new drama.

Let's talk about health! This year got off to a rough start that way. Here at home, we are generally OK. I am heavier than I should be, and terribly out of shape, but otherwise healthy. Healthy prognosis for everyone on the homefront, except for Benjamin. He has fought, (in his own way) with every round of stomache bug that has come through, and there have been a few. His "new plumbing" makes it impossible to tell by standard means if he is sick. But he has been in the bathroom a lot more than normal, and his stomach hurts more than usual. Maybe as the weather warms up, and the little bugs go away, he will get to feeling better. I would trade everything I have, if my kids could just live a normal healthy life! But that is not the plan!

Then, in early January, we get an e-mail from Justin. Man of many words......NOT!! the 8 line e-mail contained this little zinger in the middle. " Now Mom, don't freak out. I had an issue with low blood sugar, and I have been transferred to Guadalajara. New comp is Elder Vasquez, and everything is OK". Been around long enough to know that an "emergency transfer" doesn't take place for a minor event. Some searching e-mails to Mom's group of friends on "Missionary Moms" got better details.

Justin had a series of very low night-time blood glucose readings, and had a seizure. He had a small head injury, and it required a trip to the ER. His comp., Elder Juarez, had done perfectly what he needed to, so Justin was OK, but the president wanted to bring him closer to the medical community at Guadalajara. Michelle was frantic at first, but then realized that Justin had been taken care of the same as if she had been there. She started to be at peace with the situation.

Side-bar.... Church: In the weeks immediately following that stress with Justin, we had several of our church family that were in and out of the hospital for various (some serious) reasons. One of our older friends had some heart trouble, and had to be in the hospital for a few days while they figured out how to get his heart rhythm back to normal. He is doing great now.
Another sister had surgery, which is always significant, but with her alzheimer's, post surgery care and discomfort has been a major challenge for her family.
Another couple have each been to the ER, one for heart issues, which are still "working", and the other for a back injury which has never healed right after many years.

Yet another couple took turns in and out for a series of stomach and sinus infections, and this was the one that got me REALLY scared. After sharing time in and out from about the middle of December, she was just in the downside of a sinus infection. The antibiotics were knocking down the infection, and she was actually feeling better. Then one day at work she noticed some bruising on her arm. She didn't remember bumping anything, and it didn't hurt, so she kind of wrote it off. That was, until later that day when she noticed similar bruises in other places, and a strange red "rash" developing on her neck.

When they decided it was odd enough that a trip to the ER was necessary, that's when it got dicey. Blood tests revealed that her blood platelet count was DANGEROUSLY low. (They were told that a healthy range is from 300-350 Thousand units) She was testing with 15!!!!!!! IV bags of platelets were pumped into her to stop the internal bleeding (bruises). A few hours later, her count had climbed to 1300, and then fell back down to ZERO! as fast as the IV pumped platelets in, her body was destroying them.

Turns out, it was set off by a reaction to the antibiotic (sulpha or sulphur based), and once her body cleared that stuff out, she bounced right back. But before that point, the doctors had told her husband that if she started bleeding into her brain, she would at best stroke, and it might kill her, because the bleeding made it nearly impossible for them to do anything other than pump in platelets as fast as they could. That was a very rough night for many of us!

These are cursory glances at the traumas that face us, as my family includes the branch members that are my stewardship. I cried with Br. J when he told me that his wife might not make it through the night. I stewed over the heart problems of Br. M, serious enough that children from longer distances made an effort to come here. I am constantly praying for all these members, because I know how hard it can be to stay positive in the face of a constant health concern.

Then just 3 days after relaxing about Sis. J., we get a call on Thursday Feb 25th! Justin has had another seizure, suffered a head injury, and mission medical, together with his Mission President have decided to send him home! Our house was filled with tears that night! Michelle and I barely slept, the kids fairly well cried themselves to sleep. Some joy in the knowledge that we would see Justin the next day, but distress because his health had sabotaged something he so deeply wants to complete.

I know, this is long, bear with me, I am reaching the end, AND a potential point!

This week at home may be a great blessing! Justin has already seen his endocrinologist, and been given a clean bill. We determined that his body increased its sensitivity to the insulin DRASTICALLY!! He is using less than half what he used before leaving. And still having some minor lows. That itself is good, now that we know it's happening.

He will be able to go back out, if not to the same place. we will have to wait to hear from Salt Lake, to determine his new assignment. But in the mean-time, our mission president has requested Justin's service. He has need of a Spanish speaking elder over in Tennessee, so we took Justin over yesterday (Saturday), where he will spend the next several weeks (until we hear from SLC) being the Spanish go-to-guy! I think that will be a great confidence booster for Justin, as he has already had success working with a spanish speaking family in setting an appointment for the next discussion, and inviting them to church next week!

Then there is a medical-insurance issue that may be a great blessing. Because Justin had problems, but is now in control, he is a perfect candidate for new technolgy, a continuos glucose monitor, which would not likely be approved as long as his old pump is under warranty. (The pump and the monitor communicate). We thought his warranty still had several months left. Guess What! His old pump warranty expires in 2 weeks!!

Maybe this is a case of the Lord working in mysterious ways. The blessings are coming, and Justin is still able to serve. The members of our branch are currently on the mend. Benjamin will get to feeling better, because the doctor gives him a 3 month supply of antibiotics (NOT SULPHUR BASED!), and life goes on. Things seem to be drifting back into a normal routine.......


but we can smile until the next round