Qavah's Medical World

My neighbor Kim brought six cases of Pedia-Sure over for Qavah tonight. She had extras. Qavah drinks them like milk shakes and it adds seven hundred calories to her diet per day. She has gained three pounds since November 12th and has managed to keep them all! I can hardly wait until the GI doctor sees her next week. She looks so much better than the last time he saw her. If you've had a child who was not thriving and suddenly things get turned around, you know what I mean when I say every ounce is worthy of a "hallelujah!" shout. I am also fortunate that Qavah takes her bitter pancreas medication faithfully without a fuss. She got it out of the refrigerator tonight and shook it herself. She said, "Time for my nasty medicine!" It is another gift to us that she takes all of these things in stride. Children adjust to things so quickly.

Another thing I find endearing is that once Qavah gets to know some of our guests, she will check their arm veins to find the best ones for drawing labs. This is all so much a part of her world she thinks nothing about rolling up a sleeve to check for a plump vein. In spite of the fact that her first five years have been wrapped up in the medical world, we are praying that she will one day be free to live her life without transfusions. She's old enough now to remember these tough times, and wise enough to know that when a cure comes, it will change her life. "Bring it on, Lord!"

St. Andrews

We were all able to attend Lessons and Carols at St. Andrews church last evening. We sat on the second row together and I felt such a great rush of gratitude for the good health we were all enjoying. The fact that we could all be there listening to such an accomplished choir in the beauty of St. Andrews sanctuary, was a miracle to me. Every day is a gift.

Yesterday was a wintry day here in Virginia. The wind and rain held steady most of the day and it was the kind of cold rain you can feel in your bones. Seated in the warmth of the sanctuary of St. Andrews, surrounded by people who had come to enjoy the celebration of the birth of Christ, we felt the warmth of His presence. For his December first meditation, Charles Spurgeon wrote, "How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to Him, and in Him find joy and peace in believing."

Kids of all Ages

The "family" dinner routine has changed for us. Most of the time Paul Burton prepares something for himself at odd hours of the day since he works twelve hour shifts. Although he lives on our property we don't see him very much during the work week. Today he worked at the hospital all day and took sweet potatoes and cranberries with him for the OR staff Thanksgiving lunch. He has called home three times today just to find out what we were up to. It was a slow day at the hospital. There were very few surgeries and only a couple of emergencies, so his day was rather uneventful.

Kathryn's Methotrexate treatment was today, so she didn't have an appetite. She took it easy and worked on laundry. Paul and I had various projects to finish. That left Qavah to fly around the house wearing her princess costume waving her magic wand. After her transfusion yesterday she had more energy than the rest of us put together.

When we do get to sit down together for a meal it is a lot of fun to listen to the table conversation now that we've thrown a five year old into the mix. Recently we ate at the Chinese restaurant and at the end of the meal the waitress brought the traditional fortune cookie. Qavah loves to break her own cookie and then we read her fortune aloud for her. That gives her a thrill. Then Paul Burton read his and the conversation went like this:

Paul Burton: (reading his fortune) "You will receive words of wisdom from a child." Then he asked, "Qavah, do you have any sage advice for me?"

Qavah: "What?"

Paul Burton: "I asked if you had any sage advice for me."

Qavah: (With a very serious look) "No I don't, I keep all my toys upstairs."

One thing is true about kids of any age; they provide us with entertainment.

Thanksgiving

The pastor spoke of gratitude yesterday. We watched a video at the close of the service which made me grateful that I am able to embrace and live in the love God has for me. The Pastor said, "If the Fourth of July is Independence Day, Thanksgiving is Dependence Day." It is a day set aside to reflect on the fact we are dependent on Him and He has been faithful to supply all of our needs. God bless your Thanksgiving!

Horton Hears a Who?

Qavah has danced and played today
A perfect day in every way.
The sky was blue
The colors true
And we had so much work to do!

The kitchen is clean,
Dinner is done,
I'm going to Wal-Mart with Kathryn for fun,
Qavah and I have been reading Seuss
Horton the Who and Seuss on the Loose.

Of sing-song rhyming I need a break,
Everything I do can be rhymed of late!

Accomplishments

Thank you for your encouraging comments on the previous post. Sandy's prayer is a good one for all of us and I must say her prayer for me was answered in a big way. A strong dose of courage in the morning accomplished many things!

After waiting around yesterday for all the return phone calls, by the end of the day I heard back from everyone I left messages with but for two doctors. Insurance matters were settled, appointments were made, tests were ordered, and my car even got to the shop for a transmission overhaul. Things got done!

"Prayer changes things" is not just a trite expression. I wonder how many things that happened yesterday were the result of answered prayer from years past, also. Yesterday's successes may have been set in motion many years ago when I fell asleep at night to the sound of my grandmother praying over me. I'm so grateful that He inclines His ear to us in every circumstance. He heard my cry for courage and answered.

Breakfast with Kim

Late Friday night an email came in from my neighbor, Kim. I've mentioned her before as the proud mother of fourteen children. After emailing a couple of times back and forth we decided to meet for breakfast early Saturday morning at the nearby Denny's. We left our phones on at the restaurant because Kim has to keep tabs on the night shift nurse leaving the house and the day shift nurse coming to help her care for her special needs children. I left my phone on so Paul could call me with questions about Qavah's morning medications. With one ear to our phones we relaxed into a conversation that lifted my spirit so high I decided to blog about it. Kim gave me a pep talk.

I explained to Kim that no sooner did we arrive home from the best medical appointment we have ever had for Qavah, when a series of discouraging events started pounding in like murky ocean waves. What had promised to be a simple series of testing became complicated by a disagreement between Qavah's doctors, and questions about moving forward with treatment. As I was telling this to Kim and looking to Monday morning when I am "going to the mat" for Qavah, I found myself exhausted and faint-hearted. Kim talked about her experiences and by God's grace I was poised for a learning experience. As she described the resistance she has had with the medical field at times over the care of her children she said, " Dawn, courage will keep you from being swallowed up by fear." I thought that was so profound that I wrote it on the back of my shopping receipt. She suggested that I not only pray for wisdom, but for courage. It was such a simple concept that my courage rose as we finished our third cup of coffee.

Remembering to have courage at the right time is the key. In one of the books from the Narnia series written by C.S. Lewis, Aslan gave the children three things to remember at the beginning of their journey. He told them they must repeat those things everyday or they would forget their objectives. I arrogantly thought, "just for fun I am going to memorize these myself." It wasn't long before I was caught up in the adventure of the story and in a riveting moment one of the children asked, "Oh, what was it Aslan told us to remember at times like these?" I set the book down and try as I might, I found I had forgotten them also. Isn't that like life? I was so caught up in the challenge of Qavah's health care and my own fears that I forgot that the power I need for this task is already within me.

On Monday morning I'm trading my fear for courage. It may rear its ugly head a time or two but through Christ, "Who did not give me a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind," I will proceed. As perfect love casts out all fear, my love for Qavah will keep me fighting this fight. I choose to yield to courage. I just sent myself an email that I will open first thing tomorrow. It says, "Dawn, you can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you." And the heading of my email reads, "Courage!"