Details, Details

During the week, while Qavah was recuperating and getting over her cold, I spent time getting the details nailed down for the trip to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Qavah and I will be leaving Roanoke May 11 and flying to Cincinnati for her appointments.  Although this is a regular yearly check up, I feel a sense of anticipation, hoping that a possible bone marrow donor will be found.  That would at least give us an option, although we would still have to make the big decision.   Prayers prayed for Qavah by some of the mothers we met at NIH Children's Inn last year are coming back to mind.  One of them prayed, "Let them know for sure about this possible transplant, send them two possible donors and not just one!" 

We are considering several places around the yard for Qavah's small garden.  Paul is outdoors today working on our yard, and getting rid of brush and pesky vines.  When a suitable place is found for a garden plot, we will start digging, and Qavah can start planting.  I wonder if she knows how much work is involved in tending a garden.  It will be a good exercise in taking responsibility, and hopefully she will learn the greater life lessons of sowing and reaping.   Planting a garden is a good time to teach her to be careful what we plant.  Good or bad, it all comes back at harvest time in greater quantity. 

We wish you and yours a very restful Sabbath, and I will close with the lyrics of a song I remember from childhood about the laws of sowing and reaping. 

                Bringing in the Sheaves 
           written by Knowles Shaw 1874

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

Quiet Days

The past few days I have been waking up thinking about planting flowers and shrubs.  It is an activity that has nothing to do with hospitals, medications, or appointments. Qavah has been asking about planting a garden with tomatoes, and cucumbers. Maybe this is our summer to try something like that.  It has been years since I canned my own tomatoes.  On these quiet days, it seems like anything is possible.  I'm sitting here smiling just thinking about it.

Good Friday

We decided to go to church last night for the Good Friday service.  Qavah wanted to sit on my lap.  I pulled her up close and thought her cheek felt too warm.  She was shivering so Paul went to the car for a blanket. By the end of the service, she was asleep in my arms.  She spent the day in bed with puffy eyes, runny nose, and general misery.  I went to the pharmacy hoping to find something that would work like magic, but only time and rest will cure a cold.  Paul and I have decided to work out a plan to go to Easter services separately. One of us to be at home with Qavah. She won't be wearing her Easter dress, or searching for hidden eggs, but we will read to her the story of Jesus and His resurrection.  She loves to hear us read from the pages of her little blue Bible.

Qavah's illness changes our holiday plans, but does not diminish our joy. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is fullness of joy.  Wishing you all a joyous Easter with family and friends! To see a work of art depicting the resurrection, click here.  Enjoy

 http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnplayer/cbnPlayer.swf?s=/vod/MW131v2_WS     

Good Friday

We decided to go to church last night for the Good Friday service.  Qavah wanted to sit on my lap.  I pulled her up close and thought her cheek felt too warm.  She was shivering so Paul went to the car for a blanket. By the end of the service, she was asleep in my arms.  She spent the day in bed with puffy eyes, runny nose, and general misery.  I went to the pharmacy hoping to find something that would work like magic, but only time and rest will cure a cold.  Paul and I have decided to work out a plan to go to Easter services separately. One of us to be at home with Qavah. She won't be wearing her Easter dress, or searching for hidden eggs, but we will read to her the story of Jesus and His resurrection.  She loves to hear us read from the pages of her little blue Bible.

Qavah's illness changes our holiday plans, but does not diminish our joy. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is fullness of joy.  Wishing you all a joyous Easter with family and friends! To see a work of art depicting the resurrection, click here.  Enjoy

 http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnplayer/cbnPlayer.swf?s=/vod/MW131v2_WS     

Passover 2011

I have finished putting away all of the pots and pans.  The refrigerators look empty after several days of preparation.  The roasts have been consumed and the Passover Seder is finished.  The girls were healthy and enjoyed the celebration right along with the rest of the family.  At our home Seder, Qavah asked the question, "Why is this night different from all others?"  She astonished us when she was asked to get up in front of over 200 people last night to check to see if Elijah was at the door.  When the Pastor asked, "Qavah, is Elijah there?"  She boldly stated, "Nope!"  She is gaining confidence, and is willing to step out and try new things.  Her hearing aids are in, and we will be picking them up next week.  We suspect that she is going to blossom like a rose because she will be able to better comprehend what is going on around her.  

I took Kathryn to the doctor this afternoon with what looks like a series of spider bites on her neck.  We were outside Sunday afternoon and she remembers that something was crawling on her neck.  The bite marks are small, but the swelling is painful, and it is keeping her up at night.  I have tried different topical creams, but there is little relief.  She has shivers but no fever.  We laughed about it today with the pharmacist because Kathryn is on so many drugs we hoped the spider died of the toxicity.  

The days are unfolding for us in pleasant ways.  The breezy warm days of spring are here at last, and we are enjoying them one by one.  

Triumphant Entry

This morning, moments before church started, we were asked to walk out of the sanctuary into the outer courtyard with our palm branches.  While standing in the sunshine, we were given instructions to begin singing a simple song of triumph, celebrating our Savior's entry into Jerusalem. We had about twenty visitors from Africa, and as Qavah waved her palm branch and sang, she whispered in my ear, "Mama, there are lots of brown people here today like me!"  Yes, a true picture of what heaven will be like, as we sing our hosanna's to the King of Kings with every nation, tribe, and tongue.

The girls have both been feeling well this weekend.  We have been preparing for Passover, and tomorrow night at sundown we will gather here to celebrate the feast of unleavened bread.  We have been cooking, chopping, dicing, peeling, and getting ready for the Passover at home as well as church.  The number at church has grown to around 224. That's a lot of people to feed.  I'm praying for the next fourty-eight hours to flow smoothly, and that God will grant the girls peace in their bodies so that they can enjoy the feast.

This is such a special time of year.  My lilacs are blooming now.  I have been enjoying the smell of fresh mown lawn, and the flowing shrubs.  Paul would like this time of year better if it weren't tax time.  It's going to be a late night.

The Grace of God

Qavah had her transfusion on Tuesday and immediately felt better.  Kathryn had her Remicade infusion today and she is also feeling much better.  I am so happy for them when their drugs are working and the side effects few.  After leaving the hospital, we shopped today for some of our Passover food items.  We went to Michaels for some crafts.  We just had fun being girls.  We came home with groceries and stocked the cupboards and soon sat down to dinner with Paul.  I can only respond in gratitude to God because these days are filled with His grace.

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” ~ Frederic Keonig

An Overview

I think if I don't post an update I will be getting calls from friends and family to check on things.  We had a new floor laid in our home last week and had to move out over the weekend to give the grout time to dry before walking on the new tile.  We returned home Sunday after church to a transformed kitchen, hall, bathrooms, and foyer.  It was the first big job we have had done on this house that we paid someone else to do.  Paul and I are glad we did, or neither of us would be able to function this week.  

Qavah has been struggling with her health and GI tract.  I took her to the lab for her Monday blood work and discovered that her blood count dropped from 10.1 to 7.1 in one week.  I had asked the lab to do a type and screen for Red Cross because I had a suspicion she was not doing well.  She'll need to have a transfusion this week; most likely tomorrow.

Kathryn had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed going to a bridal shower.  She had found a great gift and could hardly wait to give it to the bride.  It was a pancake mixing bowl filled with a granola pancake mix and blueberry syrup from Maine.  The bride and groom are friends she has known for quite a while.  When I picked her up she was smiling joyfully.  She said the shower was elegant and meaningful.  I was so happy she could go to that and enjoy herself.

Our church is going to celebrate Passover this year.  I am preparing for 208 guests next Tuesday night at the church.  I have been able to order many items on line, and there are many capable and helpful women volunteering their time.  I'm happy to be doing this for my church friends, and also thankful to God that the girls are well enough for me to step out and do something I enjoy.  

Successful Procedure

Qavah displayed bravery and courage today.  Her procedure went well and the biopsy of her GI tract and pancreas function test were done swiftly.  The doctor was able to get all of the things he needed to send to the pathology lab to give him a better picture of what is happening to Qavah, including food sensitivities. She was asleep for about thirty minutes including recovery, and had no trouble waking up.  Her spirit was very calm the whole morning; an answer to prayer.  Her reward was playing with her friends in the afternoon.  

Our upcoming trip to Cincinnati will include more testing and procedures.  It is time to think about setting some new goals for having fun.  I have a few things in mind.   If we let her choose, Qavah would probably say that she just wants to play with Annelise and Nehemiah.  This afternoon she ran around the yard with her "friends" and had a good time being a normal kid.  Your prayers were felt, and so too was the peace that comes from God.

To Bed Early

Today we celebrated the sunshine and went out for lunch after church.  While Paul was enjoying hot sauce on his eggs and rice, he paused to blow his nose stating, "My nose is running!"  "You had better go catch it," I replied.  Not knowing that Qavah had never heard that age-old joke, she nearly fell off of her chair laughing. When she was composed enough to talk again she said, "That was a good one Mama!" Lord willing, we will rise early for Qavah's endoscopy tomorrow.  I hope to be home with her by noon.  We prayed with her about it this evening, and she seems to be taking the news of this procedure quite well.  We told her that a tiny camera will be going down into her tummy to take pictures while she sleeps and when she wakes up we will go home and have some fun. It was a good enough explanation for her.

I was grateful that I was able to speak yesterday and the retreat was a good reminder for me that God's word always goes forth to accomplish its purpose.  I didn't start the worst of my coughing spells until the trip home.  Thankfully I seem to be getting over this cold because I have a very busy week ahead. On Wednesday Qavah will be going to the hearing clinic again.  This time she will be well on her way to having a Cochlear soft band hearing aid.  We know it is going to change the way she takes in the world around her and we can hardly wait!  So many good and perfect gifts are coming down to us from the Father of lights!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ~James 1:17

Weekend...Yes!

I have had a cold and cough.  At any other time that would be a nuisance, but tomorrow I am supposed to join some women on a retreat and I am the guest speaker.  I've called Aunt Lil and we prayed this afternoon about my cold and cough.  I am hoping for a quick recovery.  I am willing to trust that I will be better by tomorrow and that I will be able to follow through on this commitment to speak for the time I was scheduled.  The theme of the weekend is Matthew 6:25-34, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body what you will wear.  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you not even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  I will take that advice, two Tylenol, and go to bed early.  I have my clothes laid out, my map, Bible, and notes ready.  I am anxious for nothing.

Leather Slippers

Paul has a pair of leather slippers that are a necessary part of his unwinding at the end of a long day.  Something about sliding his foot into his favorite slippers settles his soul for the night.  The work is over, the day is coming to a close, and his slippers put him in a relaxed frame of mind.  

Sunday afternoon he was examining a hole that has begun to appear on the sole of his left slipper.  He looked anxious as he came to me and asked if I thought the shoe repair in town could fix them.  I had my doubts as I looked at where the hole was located.  Qavah, standing nearby stated, "Or maybe I could go to the store and buy you a new pair and give them to you for your birthday!"  Paul smiled at her, admiring her generosity, and asked, "But where will you get the money?"  To which she replied, "When all my teeth come out I will have lots of money!" Paul turned to me and said in a whisper, "It's pretty sad when your only source of income is the tooth fairy."

Sunday Afternoon Movie

We spent the night on Friday night into Saturday morning with Qavah, who began dry heaving again in forty-five minute intervals.  We gave her the medicine prescribed.  By morning her nausea subsided and she fell asleep.  Saturday morning Kathryn woke up with a very bad sore throat.  Sore throats for a person on two different immuno-suppressants can easily turn into something more serious.  Kathryn is needing more Prednisone to meet the drain on her adrenal system.  She has been staying to her room in the hopes of being able to get over this bug without complications, and without spreading it.

After church today Paul and I each had the same idea.  We wanted to go home, put on our comfy lounge wear, and watch a good movie.  We watched a film called The Lightkeepers.  It is a charming love story, filmed on Cape Cod.  There are many ways to relax through music, books, and movies, but today we felt like watching a movie. There are many needs and prayer concerns for our family and friends, and with the world of late.  I can't help but think God gave us the ability to watch or read lovely stories to help take our minds off the cares of this life at times.  Whether you read a book, watched a movie, visited with family, or just stayed home, we hope you feel refreshed and ready for a new work week.

A Better Day for Qavah

Your prayers are so appreciated!  I have good news to report.  Qavah was able to eat some solid food this morning and seems to be tolerating it well.  She is up on her feet today, and sang songs on the way to the doctor visit this morning.  The little girl we know and love is back.  I called Paul on my cell phone just to let him hear her sing.  Paul came home for lunch today and neither of us could stop smiling.  

Qavah is scheduled for an endoscopy in two weeks so that the GI doctor will know what things look like on the inside.  We have cut out one of her medications that has been known to cause Ileus of the bowel, and we are talking to her doctor in Cincinnati about that.  The medication is necessary, and can not be cut out for long.  We believe this medical issue has been resolved, and we are experiencing the joy of seeing Qavah healed.  We continue to pray for an even greater healing.

Who among the gods is like you, Lord?  Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?  Exodus 15:1

Qavah in the house

We brought Qavah home this afternoon after deciding that the medical help we received at the hospital could only take her so far.  Most everyone said, "I wish you felt better," as we were leaving with her.  We have to keep her hydrated but she is still gagging and heaving when she tries to drink.  The nurse told me to bring her back if she doesn't urinate within the next eight hours.  She is sound asleep in her bed at the moment.  The house is quiet.  Here in our quiet home, I believe God is going to do some wonderful things to refresh her body.  Please continue to pray that we will have wisdom to do our best for her. 

Update on Qavah

Qavah had a much better night last night and had just a few episodes of dry heaves, so together we made a decision to pull the NG tube that had been draining her stomach for her.  At first things seemed fine, but after two hours of sipping, she began to have dry heaves again.  She is not able to bring anything up, but the nausea is there with no relief.  She has had a little apple juice, but isn't taking in enough to be able to go home.  The doctors here have been great at pulling up all of her older records and have been discussing their ideas with us.  We are pleased that they want to see Qavah get to a better weight, and while they are giving her medications to help her today, they have also been mentioning different things we can try in the future.

We are very grateful for the prayers on Qavah's behalf.  She is the most patient person in the room at times.  She seems to find a peaceful place inside herself in which to retreat, while the staff considers what to do for her.  I've learned a lot about her on this hospital visit.  She has courage beyond her years. 

Qavah has discovered her bedside call button and has been known to call the nurses' station with various requests.  I thought she was sleeping early this morning when the decision was made to remove her NG tube.  A couple of hours later I was straightening her room and I heard her hit the call button. This was her simple request: "The doctor said I can take the tube out of my nose today, so can you come and do that for me now?"  Immediately, a nurse appeared and I thought about Qavah's courage to ask for what she wanted.  Of course it helps to have an adorable voice, but I thought it was a good lesson for me; "Ye have not because ye ask not!"

Prayers For Qavah

Qavah has been in the local hospital since Friday morning. That is when she began retching intensely.  Due to a past surgery that closed her stomach flap, she is unable to vomit.  Instead, her stomach has to be drained using a small tube. The doctors are doing a wonderful job trying to get her well again, but it's a slow process. Qavah will be able to come home when she is able to take in nourishment and fluids by mouth.  

Although it's been a difficult weekend, the Lord is still showing His mercy and goodness to us.  An x-ray taken on Friday to address Qavah's abdominal problems, by God's grace, showed a lung infection.  So, she has been on high-powered antibiotics for that. The GI doctor who took care of Qavah this weekend was not her primary one, but he does have some ideas of how to improve her health once she is home.  Someone who wanted to bless pediatric patients sewed a stack of small quilts.  Qavah received a beautiful one, along with a colorful pillowcase that was sewn by the local Girl Scout troop.  Yesterday, Qavah's nurse was a family friend and homeschooling mom who works only one day a month. I've been well enough for one or both of my parents to stay with Qavah at all times. All of us sense the prayers and love of family and friends.  These are all blessings from God and we praise Him for them.

-Kathryn

Hidden Things

I sat in the library with a cup of tea and my eye followed a brown streak up the wall to the ceiling.  I had just sat down to rest and to look at a magazine when I saw it.  We soon discovered that our bathtub on the second floor was leaking, and the tub was located right above the brown streak.  A family friend was visiting and took a look behind the wall of the bathtub. He discovered that the sheet rock covering the ceiling of our library below was saturated with water and it would have to be removed.  It was obvious once the men began to tear into the job that the tub had been leaking for a very long time. 

Perhaps it was always just a small drip.  But over time, that small drip turned into a major problem.  It wasn't until the leak penetrated the wallboard that we knew there was a problem.  Tonight there is a very large hole in the ceiling of our library where the soggy, moldy, sheet rock has been removed and a fan is drying out the wood. The saddest thing of all is that the access to the plumbing is in Kathryn's room.  Once the hidden  access door was opened, the smell of mold wafted into her room.  We didn't even know the leak was there, yet it might have been the cause of some of Kathryn's sinus problems in the last couple of years. 

There is a spiritual lesson in a steady drip.  It's lenten season, a time of repentance and addressing the sin in our lives.  How quietly one small drip turned into a big unhealthy mess in our ceiling that no one could see until the destruction was extensive.  Likewise, one small grievance that begins to gnaw at us from the inside out works in the same way, and the outcome is messy.

Lord, forgive our sin.  Forgive us for the hidden grievances that eat away at the relationship we have with You and with others.  Thank you that on Calvary You made a way to clean out the mess in our hearts and make us new.  For your name's sake.  Amen

Laughter On Deck

On Saturday morning, Qavah was in the shower getting ready for the day.  As she was taking her shower behind the curtain, Paul was at the sink shaving.  I was waiting to get her out of the shower to dry her off and I heard her ask, "Daddy are you the big bad wolf?"  "Where is this conversation going?" I wondered.  Paul answered her by saying, "Yes, and I am shaving the hairs off my chinny, chin, chin!"  She laughed as though nothing funnier had ever been said in the history of man.  Then he announced, "Hey, Now I am brushing my big sharp teeth!"  Another explosion of laughter came from behind the shower curtain.  I stood there thinking about the small ways a Daddy is able to be silly and delight a daughter.  Paul finishes his morning routine with one of those nose and ear trimmers and I wondered with a chuckle if I had married the big bad wolf after all.

Later that day, while Paul worked on a project on the upper porch, Qavah was about fifteen feet away from him standing at the rail.   She was totally engrossed in her own world, and imagined herself  at the rail of a sailing ship.  She waved her arms wildly and shouted into the wind, "Ahoy, Captain, shall I put down the anchor, and get some fish, and call the Mermaids?"  Paul's laughter brought her abruptly back to reality and the two started laughing all over again, just as they had at the start of the day.   It's fun for me to observe how Paul delights in her imaginings.  I hope she will remember these happy days of childhood, and will grow up to marry a man with whom she will continue to laugh. 

"Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life."

Daffodils!

I looked out of the window to the side yard and saw Qavah running full speed toward the house from across the field.  She had one purpose; one goal.  She got to the back door as I opened it, and with a beautiful smile she held out two daffodil blooms for me and announced,  "Look Mama!  I got some flowers for you!"  Robins, daffodils, sunshine; I believe spring is just around the corner!  We are entering a new season, and it is good!

Song of Solomon 2:10-12

 My beloved spoke and said to me,
   “Arise, my darling,
   my beautiful one, come with me.
 See! The winter is past;
   the rains are over and gone.
 Flowers appear on the earth;
   the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
   is heard in our land.