God Speaks-Special Needs Edition: Part 1

If you aren't familiar with the Christian faith, this post may seem a bit odd. In fact, this whole series I plan to write will probably feel very strange. Stay with me, and I will try to guide you through this very complicated and simplistic topic of how God speaks to people.

God is real and active today. As a Christian, I understand God wants to have relationship with people. He wants to speak to those he has created. The Bible tells how God spoke to people in the past. It also provides insight into how God communicates to people even today. There are numerous examples to look at in the Bible. Today's post will look at God speaking specifically through dreams. As this series goes along, we will look at other ways God speaks as I give examples from my own life. 

Let's start with this passage in Job that shares that God speaks to us.  

For God speaks again and again,

    though people do not recognize it.
15 He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they lie in their beds.
16 He whispers in their ears
    and terrifies them with warnings.
17 He makes them turn from doing wrong;
    he keeps them from pride.
18 He protects them from the grave,
    from crossing over the river of death.

Job 33:14-18 NLT

God can speak to us through our dreams. Sometimes, the dreams are given as a warning or to prepare us for the future. In Genesis 40, Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams, which ended up predicting the future and giving wisdom for how to deal with an upcoming famine. Dreams can send other messages too. Jacob had a dream about angels on a stairway and received a word of promise from God. (Genesis 28) Joseph received instruction on where to go with his wife and baby Jesus in dreams more than once (Matthew 2). There are other examples in the Bible of God speaking through dreams. 

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

And God Speaks: Dreams

I have experienced dreams from God many times. I dream regularly at night. My husband claims he rarely has dreams. Neither of us can quite relate to the other's experience. Though I often dream at night, only once in a while do I recognize a dream as being from God. My husband has asked me how I can tell the difference between regular dreams and Godly dreams. For me, it's an easy thing to distinguish. 

The dreams I receive from God are very vivid. There's a difference in the way they "feel." The most distinguishing factor though is the amount of the dream I can recall when I wake up. A dream from God sticks with me. I wake up thinking about it and remembering almost all of it. I want to meditate on the dream. Sometimes parts of the dream are repeated, which is a clear sign it's from God. It's pretty easy for me to recognize a God dream now, especially because I have had so many in the past. 

Once I feel like I have a dream from God, I start looking for the meaning. Sometimes, the meaning is simple and the message clear. Other times, I have to sift through layers of the dream and seek the meaning in prayer. I have a Christian symbols book that I sometimes consult when deciphering the dreams. The book has helped in some cases and brought confusion in others. I use the book as a reference and not the final authority. Sometimes, I share the dream with other Christians (like my father) and see what they think the interpretation is. In the past few years, I have found I often get the answer when I sit down and write out the dream with as much detail as I can. Usually after that, the answer comes without really trying. I don't know why that works, but it does for me. 

Some of the dreams I receive are short. Others are long. Some are bizarre, and others beautifully crafted. Since becoming a parent to a child with special and medical needs, I have had dozens of dreams from God. Today, I am sharing a few with you as well as my interpretation of the dream. 

The Twins, Sept. 2008

The dream: I gave birth to twins (a boy and a girl). They needed to be in the hospital for a few weeks, but I wouldn't go and see them. The doctors asked that me and all of our family come to the hospital to do a trial day of taking care of them. Their beds were going to be in the waiting room. The dream ends with me never seeing either of them. 

My interpretation: Ten days prior to this dream, I had suffered a miscarriage. I was already a mother to Jaycee at the time, and we were trying for our second child. I had many reservations about having a second baby. Jaycee's Down syndrome, congestive heart failure, and 2 open heart surgeries had made me fearful of having a second child. When the second pregnancy abruptly ended, I felt more fearful and confused. Nothing about motherhood seemed easy for me. 

To me, this dream was a message from God about what had just happened and what was going to happen. One baby was with God now, and I have to wait for our reunion in heaven to meet her/him. The second baby was coming one day, and I was in the state of waiting for that baby. The doctor represented God as my healer and was telling me to move forward. Babies are also a sign of a new beginning. This dream was a full confirmation that I shouldn't be afraid to try again. 

A House Nearly Destroyed, June 2019

The dream: I was leaving our house to pick up some food. I started to get into my vehicle to leave when I heard a loud sound. I looked up and in the distance there was a wooded area. One by one, I watched as the trees were falling down. The noise was ferocious, and it scared me. I thought an earthquake was occurring, and I was filled with anxiety. I raced back into the house yelling for my husband to warn him. I was panicking and trying to figure out what to do. My father, who was in the house, told me, "You tell it to stop." I started screaming, "Stop!" "Devil, you stop!" I screamed this as loud as I could while standing in the house. 

When I stopped screaming, one final tree finished falling, and the top of that tree came just inside an open window of the house. The destruction and loud noises all stopped. We walked around the house as I looked to see what was destroyed of ours. I was expecting to find severe damage. As we tour the house, the only damage was superficial and cosmetic. 

My interpretation: This dream occurred following weeks of stress. Jaycee had been having breathing issues for several weeks that required lots of monitoring and interventions from me. She was admitted into the hospital briefly before finally getting better. This dream was a direct message for me and how I respond to those health scares. I tend to panic and be frightened during Jaycee's illnesses. I am always worried that Jaycee's life is going to end in one of these illnesses (i.e. the part of the dream where I expect severe damage). In fact, some destructive things happen to Jaycee and our family as a result but our foundation is secure and safe. My father in the dream represented God. He was telling me to use the authority that God has given me. I don't need to call on others to pray or intercede for Jaycee. I can do it; I just need to speak and quit panicking. Fun fact: May 2019 (just before this dream) was the last time Jaycee was admitted to the hospital as of the writing of this. Praises!

A Heart Issue, Nov. 2020

This was an odd night where I had 3 different dreams. 

Dream 1: My son Elijah is in a hospital bed located in a gymnasium. He's going to die of a heart problem. Knowing this, I ask the only other person in the room if I can call other people to be with us. The man warns me, "If you call someone, make sure they can make the right decision when the time comes." I call no one. Elijah's heart stops on the monitor. I put my hand on his chest, and he revives immediately. I hold him in my arms knowing that he is going to die. Elijah looks very sick and has his eyes focused on me, playing with my hair as he slips off. I am sad for Elijah. 

I wake up very alarmed with this dream. It took me quite awhile to get back to sleep. When I did, the next dreams happened. 

Dream 2 & 3: I'm in a nursing home. My grandma (who had recently passed away in real life) was near death in the hospital bed. She falls out of the bed, and my daughter Jaycee climbs in it. Jaycee is going to die of a heart problem, but we are both at peace. I never touch her or react. 

Suddenly, I'm at work doing a speech therapy home visit. A toddler crawls into the room. He is deformed and very sickly. I scoop him up in my arms and try to comfort him. My co-worker and I try to figure out who this child is and who he belongs to. We eventually find his mother and start trying to talk to her about him. She gives us no attention and walks away. She knows her child will die of a heart problem and doesn't want to hear any hope we have to tell her. 

My interpretation: I struggled at first to understand this night of dreams. After the first dream, I was immediately worried for Elijah. I thought it was a literal warning for his health. Whenever I woke up from that first dream, I started praying for Elijah. I struggled to go back to sleep because I was so upset from the dream. It scared me. I drifted off back to sleep and had the last two parts of the dream. When I woke up that morning, I knew they were all related but was unsure of the meaning. By the end of the day, I felt I had the message. 

All 3 dreams featured a serious condition that was life and death. My reaction in the dreams was the focus. In the first dream, I saw success in ministering to my son (his heart revived) but it's short lived. I resigned to the fact that he would die. My first action (touching his chest) produced a positive change. However, my next action was to hold him and do nothing. This is an issue I've had in the past with situations with Jaycee. I'm full of faith and encouraged when a challenging issue turns around. But, if I'm challenged again too quickly, my faith is low, and I'm drained. The warning the man gave in the first dream was interesting and probably good advice. 

In the second dream, my emotions are better in that I have peace. My emotions don't dictate what I do. However, I don't do anything. I never use my faith or touch her. In the last part of the dream, I'm in my regular work setting with a co-worker, which makes me think I found someone to co-labor with (possibly a reference to the man's warning in the first dream). I take action in this dream. I don't get depressed or sad. I feel the urgency to do something. I hold this toddler the same way I held Elijah in the first dream, but this time I do it with a different posture. I seek the mother but I don't share with her about God's power to change the situation. 

The three dreams show growth in my actions and reactions. It also seems to indicate that I am ready to go beyond helping my family to ministering to other people. The dream is a reminder to use my faith, not be too emotional in situations, and to take action!

Parting thoughts

It is my hope in sharing these dreams with you that you can recognize God's attempts to speak through dreams. The scripture I shared in Job says that God speaks but people fail to recognize it. It's easy to blow off dreams and disregard some as simply strange. Other people may tell you the dreams mean nothing too. I hope that by sharing my experiences, you can learn how to apply this in your own life. 

Stay tuned for part 2 in this series! 

COVID, Down syndrome, & Our Experience

I'm still in a bit of shock over what has transpired in the past couple of weeks. My body is worn out. I haven't been sick, but I have been caring for those who have been. Our supply of nebulizer vials and ibuprofen is critically low. The amount of bleach, lysol, and disinfecting wipes I have used in the past week is quadruple my norm. It's been a wild few weeks, and I am grateful we are through the storm of COVID-19. 

During the pandemic, we have felt it was important to try to protect our teenage daughter, Jaycee. Jaycee has Down syndrome, a twice repaired heart defect, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea (treated with bi-pap since age 3), and other lung problems. She's been on a ventilator twice for a cold virus; any respiratory illness has historically been difficult to manage at home. 

With this in mind, we have always weighed risks for her- not just during the pandemic- but any time in her life. There is a delicate balance in keeping her safe and having a life. We have had to find this balance again and again as health issues or respiratory viruses have popped up. We don't want Jaycee to be sheltered at home for long periods of time, and we don't want to put her in harm's way, if it can be avoided. With COVID-19, there seemed more at stake when making these decisions compared to other health concerns in the past. 

We haven't exactly hidden ourselves away in the past 10 months, but we haven't thrown caution to the wind. We considered how we could do some things while minimizing Jaycee's risks. We taught Jaycee early on how to wear a mask, because she had necessary medical appointments in the spring of last year. We initially practiced short outings with her using her mask. It was a struggle at first, but eventually she tolerated the mask longer and longer. She's a pro with it now, but her drool doesn't always make it easy. I have always carried sanitizer with us but use it even more frequently during the pandemic. We used her wheelchair during outings so we could limit what she could touch and position her where we wanted her. We tried to lessen her risk; not keep her at home all the time. 

In August, she had the opportunity to attend school in-person. We felt it was important for her to attend. School is her social life, where she gets her therapies to treat her delays, and where her educational needs are met. School makes her happy; she was extremely unhappy and confused with remote learning. My son wanted to attend school in-person as well. By August, my husband and I were working outside of the home. We figured at some point, we would have a run in with the virus given that we were all going out almost daily. 

Out of nowhere, my son suddenly developed a cough one night in January. It came on so quickly that I didn't suspect anything serious. He's had many colds in his life, and this seemed like those. The next day, we took him for a COVID-19 test and paid for an additional rapid test fully expecting it would be negative. The positive result put me in a state of shock and the entire family in quarantine. We had unknowingly been around someone somewhere with COVID-19. We couldn't trace the virus, but sometimes that is the case. 

With the positive test, I found myself facing what I had feared for months. I had read some articles on the severity that could occur with Down syndrome and COVID. I also knew Jaycee's own medical history, which didn't give room for much optimism. However, Jaycee has been on a long healthy streak, and her body is stronger than its been in years. 

On day 2 of our quarantine, Jaycee woke up with loose stools. She constantly battles constipation, so I knew it was a bad sign. If she felt poorly prior, she had not made that known. I messaged a few of my strong Christian friends who gave me encouragement and calmed some of my fears. It was no surprise that Jaycee tested positive that day, as well as my husband who also developed symptoms. 

We contacted Jaycee's pulmonologist immediately. We started our "yellow" zone medicines and interventions (increased nebulizer treatments, cough assistance, airway clearance) on the first day of her symptoms as we tried to stay ahead of the problem. We were told to check if Jaycee qualified for the monoclonal antibody treatment in our state. With a quick google search, we found our state's guidelines and who they considered "at-risk." It appeared Jaycee qualified, but it took our local doctor to work out the details. 

On the 3rd day of her symptoms, Jaycee received the antibody infusion at our local hospital. The infusion was an outpatient procedure that took a little over an hour to run intravenously with an hour of monitoring afterwards. Jaycee handled the infusion well, and I took comfort knowing she had this treatment working in her favor. 

Knowing COVID-19 has a wide variety of symptoms, it was hard to predict what it would look like in Jaycee. I felt like I was sitting around and waiting to see if she stay on a mild course or get worse. I tried to fight off anxiety and stress. It all seemed to hit me at night, and I had great difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Part of me felt like I needed to watch Jaycee's pulse oximeter monitor all night because that is historically when she has her greatest difficulties. Ten months of hearing the worst COVID-19 stories were in my head making me feel like I needed to watch Jaycee all day and all night, which isn't humanly possibly. Her heart rate and oxygen saturation numbers bounced around more than usual at night, but nothing too alarming ever happened. 

With her verbal speech limited, I am not sure if Jaycee felt strange, achy, or lost her taste or smell. She rarely voices pain or anything of that sort. I could tell her voice sounded different for a few days. Her appetite didn't change at all. She ran low fevers of 99-100 for a few days. She often looked tired in the afternoon and evenings and slept 10-11 hours a night. A few days after her infusion, she developed a small cough. Her breathing had changed somewhat, noticeable to me because I have had to analyze it for years. But overall, the sudden decline or worsening respiratory symptoms I feared would come simply didn't. For that, I am so grateful. 

I adjusted her medications based off her oxygen saturation numbers and apneas tracked on her monitor. By the time her 10 days of quarantine were over, she was well enough to return to school (with clearance from the health department). I thank God that we were able to get her an early treatment and that Jaycee made a quick recovery. It really was an answered prayer. 

As for the rest of the family, we all faired pretty well too. My son had a few days of coughing and snot, and then quickly felt much better. My husband had a rough time having many symptoms at once. We carefully monitored his breathing for a few days before calling the doctor to get medications that seemed to slowly help. He isn't completely back to normal yet, but he's getting there. I felt I developed some minor symptoms after the rest of my family were positive. However, I tested negative not once but twice. It's a little perplexing as I obviously had a high exposure to the virus taking care of everyone in my home. As I write this, I'm left in quarantine while the rest of my family is out. I am tempted to complain about being in a long quarantine, but I have nothing to complain about. Our family is blessed that we all recovered and had no major complications. 

I share our story for other families who have a loved one with Down syndrome. Prior to talking to our pulmonologist, I had no idea that antibody treatments would be available for her. I want to make sure other families are aware that this may possibly be an option for your family member with Down syndrome or other health conditions. If your family has a run in with this virus, I hope you can have a good outcome too. 

A Year with Home Nursing

"You have been through a lot of hardships with your daughter. What kind of supports do you have?" 

The social worker sat there waiting for my reply. Supports? I rambled off something that people typically say when they are caring for a loved one with special and medical needs. 

With concern in her face, the social worker asked how I was caring for myself. Rarely had anyone at these medical appointments for my daughter had ever asked about me, my ability to cope, or my ability to physically do all that caregiving demand of me. 

This conversation was the catalyst for several changes I made near the end of 2019. At that point in time, I was struggling. Caring for someone, who had been in and out of the hospital for years, had taken its toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. The stress that comes with caring for a child with many development AND medical needs cannot be clearly articulated in a paragraph or two. The effects of the prolonged stress are possibly easier to convey. 

I lived in a state of exhaustion. I was always tired. Always! My body had aches and pains from muscle tightness related to tension I held from stress. Anxiety constantly tried to control my thoughts and life. For me, anxiety was unrelenting thoughts trying to keep myself busy or in a state of stress. Even when life was calm, my mind found ways to keep me in a state of alarm. 

For these reasons and more, one of the steps I took to help myself was to look into home nursing for Jaycee. It was one of those things I thought about doing but never really investigated how to secure it. In the past, I had convinced myself I was doing fine and never took the bold step to pursue it. Since I was Facebook friends with a mom who had home nursing for her children, I sent her a message asking her for advice. She graciously responded to my many messages and helped set me on a path I never would have found on my own. (Thanks Shelly!)

I discovered that Jaycee met the requirements to be deemed "Medically Fragile" by our state, which opened up several resources for our family. One of these being home nursing. Once I made a decision to start home nursing, it took a couple of months to complete the paperwork and get everything in place. I needed that time to process how life was getting ready to change. 

It wasn't an easy decision for me to bring in nursing. I was conflicted. I felt I was Jaycee's mom, and I should be able to do all of her caregiving. By bringing someone in, it was an admission that I wasn't able to adequately care for her. That didn't feel good. Yet, I couldn't help but see that my stress and physical symptoms were too much to ignore. If I were being honest, there was no way I could continue that intense amount of caregiving she needed for the rest of her life. 

At the time home nursing started, Jaycee was taking 8 daily medications. Two more nebulizer medications were administered twice a day. She had a few more medications used as needed. She did a minimum of 2, 20-minute vest therapy sessions and 2 short sessions with a cough assist machine each day. It took nearly an hour every morning and evening to complete these necessities. Jaycee wore a bi-pap at night, which generally went well. When she was sick, however, she needed monitoring all hours of the day and night and increased medications. 

Besides her medical needs, Jaycee had daily developmental needs. She is almost independent in the shower and restroom, but "almost" means there's some supervision that must take place. Though she was 13 at the time, she couldn't be left alone like anyone her age. She doesn't understand consequences, dangers, or safety issues due to her intellectual disability. 

There was part of me that hated giving up parts of her care, and part of me that desperately needed a break. I had to remind myself that all of this was for Jaycee's good. If I were in a better state, I could care for her with much more patience and joy. Besides that, I had to consider the future. One day, she may need someone to take care of her besides me. It might be good for both of us if that starts sooner than later. Perhaps, we both needed a bit of separation, and this was a small step in the right direction. 

When our nursing hours were approved, we had to decide when we wanted a nurse at our home. Even though I was told it would be difficult to obtain, I asked for night shift hours to be filled. In a few weeks, we interviewed our only candidate for the position. That nurse is the one who has been in our home for nearly a year. 

The nurse generally works 3-4 nights a week for 12 hours at a time. She comes in the early evening hours. She does all of Jaycee's PM medications, nebulizers, and other interventions. She helps Jaycee with the showering and dressing for bed. The nurse takes care of the baths/ointments that are done to control staph infections. The nurse washes her vest and cleans her nebulizer parts. Generally, she helps her get a snack after bath and entertains her with games. The nurse watches her oxygen levels all night and her sleeping positions through the baby monitor. If her bi-pap slips off or her oxygen dips, she is ready to rectify the situation. When Jaycee has been symptomatic and needed medications throughout the night, the nurse is the one who completed them while I slept in my bed. 

It was an adjustment for me at first. It was strange to have someone in my house hanging out with us most nights. I had a hard time falling asleep with a complete stranger in the house at the beginning. I was hoping the nurse wasn't going to snoop through my house or steal our identities. When Jaycee was sick, it was difficult to trust the nurse to take care of her. I have always been the person to do it, so it was huge for me to let go of that responsibility. 

Another objective with home nursing was to have time alone with my son, Elijah. At first, we went out at least one night a week for short outings. I took him out to eat or to a local store for him to shop. We drove around looking at Christmas lights and went bowling. It was nice to have one-on-one time with him. It was peaceful to simply go and have special time together. My husband, Elijah, and I spent New Year's Eve at the movie theater watching Star Wars for a late showing while Jaycee stayed home with the nurse. It was really fun night. Unfortunately, the pandemic stopped our outings for the most part when everything was shut down. Hopefully, we will get back to more frequent outings. 

My husband and I have had to work through some guilt related to leaving Jaycee at the house with the nurse. We know that Jaycee doesn't do well with activities in the evenings due to her stamina. Still, we feel bad about leaving her behind. Elijah is important too, and time alone with him has been scarce over the years. Much of our lives have revolved around Jaycee's needs and care; nursing has allowed us to consider the needs of the rest of the people in our family. For the most part, Jaycee is satisfied to stay home watching Disney movies or YouTube videos. 

We are coming up on our one year anniversary with home nursing. It's been a year of adjustment, learning, and growing. Jaycee befriended the nurse immediately and transitioned well. The rest of us have had to work through some emotions and thoughts of having someone enter our personal space and family life. All in all, it has been a good decision for our family. We're thankful to have this support. It's been really challenging but good for me to let go a little bit. I have especially learned that other people can be trained to help our family, and it's been reassuring that Jaycee can have good care even if it's not done by me or her dad. 

A Small Victory for an Anxious Mind

I hate to admit that I struggle with anxiety, but I do. Anxiety is something that has been part of my life as a result of multiple hospital traumas and stress with my daughter, Jaycee, who has special and medical needs. The degree to which anxiety has affected my everyday life has varied over the years. At times, anxiety seemingly plagued every moment of my day, making my mind so busy that I woke up feeling exhausted. Other times, anxiety was a mild factor, and I could actually feel relaxed during the day. If you never dealt with anxiety, it is hard to describe its hold and presence in one's life. I know this- I hate anxiety.

I do, however, love that my daughter has been healthy lately. After years and years of repeated respiratory infections, my daughter is on a successful plan of treatment. She is now on a 15 month streak of staying out of the hospital. (Thank you Mayo Clinic!) You would think that during these months of good health that my stress and anxiety would be next to nothing. The problem is that for years I lived in a state of stress- dealing with one emergency situation or respiratory illness after another. It rewired my brain to stay in a state of anxiety. I have to work hard to keep anxiety at bay. 

Despite Jaycee's good health, these past few months have not been without some stress. The virus shutdowns affected the jobs of both my husband and myself for months. This and a dozen other things have created bumps in life, which I am sure that other people can certainly relate to. 

In the past few weeks, I have been trying to refocus and work on calming that anxiousness that tries to bubble up inside of me. I started reading and working through some exercises in Less Fret More Faith by Max Lucado. Little did I know that I would have a small opportunity to practice what I was reading. 

Three to four nights a week, a nurse works a 12 hour shift at our house, completing Jaycee's medications and monitoring her breathing overnight on her bi-pap. Shortly after Jaycee went to sleep one night last week, her monitor started going off. It was odd, but I figured it was a false alarm. I was busy with my son, so my husband was the one who investigated the alarm. A false alarm can occur due to a sensor going bad, the position that Jaycee is sleeping in, or the sensor not reading correctly. It is a true alarm if Jaycee's oxygen level gets lower than normal or her heartrate gets too high. My husband was puzzled because it seemed that Jaycee had a true, short oxygen desaturation for some unknown reason. 

I wasn't too concerned...until 30 minutes later. The alarm went off again and indicated her low oxygenation numbers. It was bizarre for her to experience this with no other symptom. My husband and I had a quick conversation with the nurse and formed a game plan for the rest of the night if she continued to have these issues. It was getting late, so I went to bed. 

I started reading on my Kindle as I do almost every night. I was torn between going to bed as usual and freaking out about Jaycee's breathing and alarms. My thoughts swirled: The nurse will be watching Jaycee all night, so she will be fine. She will notice anything out of the ordinary. She will take good care of her. But, if she is taking care of her, I won't know what is going on. If I stay in this bed, I won't know what is going on with my own child. If something is off with her breathing, then I won't be able to work tomorrow. I will have to adjust many things quickly in the morning.

My brain was jumping from reasons why I should stay in bed and sleep to why I needed to panic. 

Fortunately, I was able to shut my thoughts down quickly and go to bed. It was a small victory for me. I will admit that I woke up at 5:30 that morning, about 20 minutes before my alarm, because I was ready to get the hand off report from the nurse. However, I rested well all night before waking up. 

I was happy to hear that Jaycee had been completely fine the rest of the night. Nothing else happened. There was no reason to be anxious or panic after all. I was thankful she was ok, and I was grateful that I handled this fairly decently. 

In years past, when we didn't have a nurse, I would have stayed up for an extra hour or two and watched her numbers on the monitor. I would have worried, literally paced the floors, and worked myself up into an exhausted state. Because I would need to see with my own eyes how she was doing, I would not have been able to go to bed. 

The victory that occurred covered two issues. First, I was able to rest and shut down my anxious thoughts. Secondly, I was able to let someone else handle the situation. Having a nurse in our home for the past 9 months has pushed me to give up some of my caregiving. I need help, which is what prompted the initial call for nursing. In the beginning, it was hard for me to accept the help and let the nurse do things with Jaycee that I have always done. However, on this night, I was able to trust the nurse to watch my daughter, so I could rest and continue with my normal activities the next morning. 

Some victories come with accolades, trophies, or headline news. This victory was an anxious mom sleeping in her bed. I hope and pray that I can be victorious the next time. 

Scriptures and Prayers for Family in the ICU

Over the course of my child's life, I have been in the ICU over 10 times with her. Some of these ICU stays were planned after her heart or airway surgeries. Most of them were not planned and were the result of an illnesses suddenly attacking her body. 

The shortest amount of time my daughter has been in ICU was under 24 hours. The longest stay was 3 weeks. I don't know what it is like to be the sick person in the ICU. However, I understand what it is like to be the loved one sitting anxiously beside a hospital bed looking for signs of improvement. Yes, I am no stranger to the beeps, alarms, tests, machines, tubes, lines, pumps, doctors, and flurry of activity that is in the ICU. It is certainly no place that I want my child to be, and it has become a place that I associate with panic, stress, fear, and anxiety.

I've prayed many prayers in the ICU over my child. Some prayers were said out of desperation and fear of what I saw in front of me. Other prayers were full of faith and ended with the assurance that all would be well. I have said prayers that were long and powerful. Others were short and incoherent from exhaustion. Some prayers were simply, "Jesus help," because I couldn't think of anything else to say. I've come to realize that all of these prayers were all of value. 

In the middle of the chaos and crisis, I often make a decision to pray. The important thing is that I uttered words to God from my heart. I've discovered that prayer is powerful even if you don't have the "right" words to say. 

Today, I'm sharing some scriptures and short, sample prayers that I have said in the ICU over the years. However, I want to encourage you to simply pray from your heart. Whether it be long or short, eloquent or rambling, fear driven or faith inspired, let your prayer come out and share your thoughts with God. 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. Psalms 27:1-4 (NKJV)

God, I know your scripture says there is nothing to fear in You. You are the strength of life. You can provide life for my child. There is nothing to fear in the ICU because You are with me. Though I look around and see scary and disheartening things in the hospital, help me to not be in fear. Help my child, who may not understand everything that is happening, to have perfect peace. Let me be confident that you are here, fighting this battle with us, and will strengthen us all for this battle. Amen!

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV)

Lord, I know that sickness is not from you. I know that any threat to my child's health is not from you. You give life. You give it abundantly. I ask that You let life stir up inside of my daughter. Strengthen her body, mind, and soul. Let sickness leave; let health come. Give new life to her heart, lungs, and vital organs. I declare that my child has many long days of life ahead of her because she is your child. Thank you for healing my child and giving her life. Amen!

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Psalms 46:1-3 (NKJV)

I thank you, God, that you are a help in our troubles. In the ICU, there have been many troubles. There are things trying to destroy and to disrupt life. I thank you God that you are bigger than any of these things. Help me to not focus on the "big" things going wrong around my child. I pray that the discouragement be removed for me and my child. Let us walk through this knowing you are our helper, healer, provider, and can restore all. Your word says you are a very present help in trouble. Let my family know this today! Amen!

 

Related posts:

Prayer for Lungs

More Prayers for Lungs

A Year Without the Hospital

I'm working hard to change the way I think. 

Over the past few years, I have come to think of my daughter as a "mostly sick kid with times of health." The fact that my daughter, Jaycee, has been in the hospital 2-5 times a year for the past several years has contributed to that line of thinking. Besides the hospital admissions for pneumonia or respiratory infections, there were plenty of illnesses in which Jaycee was intensely treated at home. After years of challenges, I am happy to report that things are finally changing for the better. 

If you have been following this blog for awhile, you know the complexities of Jaycee's health. If you don't, this might be a good background read for you. The repeated respiratory infections have been devastating for Jaycee's quality of life, and it's been distressing for the rest of her family. That led to us taking Jaycee to Mayo Clinic for a third opinion on her lungs last year. 

By August 2019, Mayo Clinic had a plan in place for Jaycee's sick lungs after extensive testing. The main changes were:

-taking an antibiotic 3 times a week 

-adding in two new nebulizer medications to use daily

-increasing the settings on her vest airway clearance machine

-and obtaining a cough assist machine to be used daily.

In addition, we were given a different plan of attack whenever Jaycee did get a respiratory illness. It was more aggressive but necessary given the state of her lungs. 

Once we started her new intervention plan, I was cautiously optimistic. The team felt Jaycee would do well and promised a new, healthier future. I wasn't sure that it was even possible. I saw her has a "sick" child. I wanted the good health to be true, but it was hard to be believe things could be different. I had been promised good health before by other professionals. I had been let down in the past, so I was reluctant to simply trust that this plan would work. 

A few months into the new treatment plan, Jaycee's health seemed to be stable. Hope started to grow inside of me. Keep in mind that I had years of watching my child turn blue, be rushed to the ER, and suddenly need oxygen. These past experiences had me torn between believing for a better future and being scared that at any time things could fall apart. 

In the fall, Jaycee made it through an illness at home. It was an intense few days of treatments, but she recovered without going into the hospital. It was the reassurance that I was looking for. However, I kept saying, "Let's see if she gets through cold and flu season." That would be the real test. 

My reluctance was keeping me from believing better things for her. At church one Sunday, our pastor started encouraging us to pray for things that only God could change. He encouraged us to pray for the impossible, believe in miracles, and stretch our faith. I know this should be common knowledge as a Christian, but it's easy to let past hurts affect your prayer life. It was simply a challenge to pray in faith for areas that seemed like they were never going to get better. In that moment, I knew God was speaking to me through my pastor. It was the words I needed to hear. It was time to get beyond the traumas, fear of being let down again, and past experiences and simply cling to hope and faith that things could be better. 

In November, we rejoiced that we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving at home with our families. The previous two Thanksgivings were spent in the hospital. Being home for that holiday was surpassing a huge hurdle in my mind! 

December and January passed with no illnesses. Those were two months that were notoriously hard for Jaycee. I was grateful again that things were improving! The longer she went on her healthy streak, the more confident I became. 

In February, we all came down with a cold right as we headed out for a Disney vacation. Jaycee either got a mild version of our cold or had a small reaction to being in a different environment. Either way, the medications and machines did their job, and she was able to fight off her illness on vacation. 

Since then, Jaycee has been in near perfect health. She's had a few, small changes in her breathing this spring, which happens during allergy season, but her lungs quickly responded to the medications. If there's been any good to the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders that shut my state down for almost 2 months, it's that we went no where to get a germ or a cold virus. She has stayed remarkably healthy over the past few months. But, when there's no church, school, or social events, there's a better chance of staying well. 

Last month, I started counting down the days that would mark the 1 year anniversary of her last hospital admission. We marked the date with a prayer of thanksgiving and recognition of how much life has changed in the past year. I had zero faith that this was possible a year ago. It really feels like a miracle. 

Now that we've reached the one year mark, I feel it is time to consider my daughter as a "mostly healthy kid with times of illnesses." I'm starting to make this strange transition. It's been wonderful to view my child differently but also see how much better her quality of life can be. 

Having a year off from the hospital has meant that we have had a bit of reprieve from many things. There's less absences for illnesses, less time off of work for illnesses, fewer medical bills, less stress, and fewer disruptions in our life. I'm grateful for the way things worked out and for answered prayers. 

Still, an impossible question is in my mind. Can she make it two years without a hospital admission? We'll find out...

How Life Has Somewhat Prepared Me for This

We are finishing up our 5th week of home isolation due to stay at home orders from COVID-19. Like millions of other people, nothing about my daily life looks like it did prior to this. Still, there are aspects of it that I can relate to from previous experiences.

Having a child with special and medical needs, I have endured situations that most people have not. My daughter has a list of diagnoses that have resulted in several surgeries and over thirty hospital admissions of varying lengths.

Today, I'll share three aspects of this crisis that I have been somewhat prepared for because of my life with my daughter.

1. Going Without Pay
Presently, my husband and I are both home and not working. (I'm working about 3 hours a week from home. Does that even count?) This is definitely an odd situation when neither of us have our regular income, but we've lived through other financial woes.

In the course of our 17 year marriage, we have had plenty of months when my husband was unemployed due to the nature of his job being seasonal. There have been a couple of times when I've went months without pay during a state budget crisis. We both have jobs in which there is no paid time off. That means every time one or both of us were in the hospital with my daughter over the years, income was not being earned. In 2013, we both spent an entire month at the hospital when she was fighting for her life. We both had no income for an entire month. These are just some of the examples that we have navigated together.

The rough financial times are trying. It's stressful to figure out how to pay the bills when the income isn't as much as usual. However, we have learned how to grocery shop on the cheaper side and make every dollar count. In addition, we know the importance of saving up in the better times for the shortages that happen during the harder times.

Don't get me wrong, we have had some struggles. I've went to the grocery store before with $30 trying to figure out what I could scrape together for meals. Sometimes, a lot of things hit at once (i.e. a car breaks down while you're unemployed and you receive an unexpected medical bill), and it can be simply overwhelming.

The main thing we have discovered in our times without our regular income is that somehow things always worked out for us. We give credit to God for helping us meet our needs. Did I mention prayer is a good thing to do? Going without our regular pay is never easy, but we've done it before. We can do it again during this COVID-19 crisis.

2. Plans that are Canceled
It is disappointing to cancel plans, especially when the decision is out of your hands. Due to my daughter's numerous illnesses, we have had to miss and cancel dozens and dozens of plans both big and small. Because of her health, we tend to hold our breath whenever we plan anything and hope we get to do it. It never gets easy. The disappointment is often met with tears and sadness.

In the past, we have canceled a family camping trip to Branson due to a hospital stay. I've missed school events for my son because my daughter's illness prevented me from attending. Our family has spent two Thanksgivings, a Father's Day, a birthday or two, and other minor holidays in the hospital. Those days looked nothing like we wanted, but the important thing was my daughter's recovery.

It stinks when your schedule has to be changed or plans seems up in the air. I know; I have been there multiple times. Still, I don't like it. Sometimes, I grieved over what we couldn't do, and that's okay. What I have figured out is that my perspective changes years later. The disappointment isn't as strong, and we have learned to make memories in the good times.

Today, I am reminding myself of these things as I am frustrated by the restrictions in life, my inability to plan, and my work changing. I try to tell myself that I won't always feel this way, and my family's safety is the most important thing.

3. Virus Anxiety
I have a healthy respect for viruses. I know what they can do to my child, and I know I need to avoid them if possible. Sometimes, my respect isn't healthy and I become very fearful. When your child has ended up on a ventilator from a common cold virus not once but twice, you end up being a bit fearful of germs. Germs are a real threat to my daughter's lungs.

That threat causes me to react differently when I know certain viruses are in our community. I find ways to avoid shaking hands with people at church. I don't take my daughter out to public places or grocery stores in an effort to decrease her risks. When we do go somewhere, we use hand sanitizer often. We may stay home for days or weeks, especially if my daughter is recovering from an illness. We adjust our lives to minimize the risks.

I'm really no more fearful of this virus than I am of any other virus. I understand the severity of this one, but all viruses are a threat to my daughter. However, I'm not use to hearing about a germ with such fear from the general population. I don't suppose most people have worried about a germ so much. Not me; this has been a normal part of my life for years. I have had to find balance though when trying live a life and minimizing our risks for my daughter. There does need to be balance, and decisions cannot be based upon fear. I've had years to sort this out!


Even though there are some aspects of this pandemic that are strangely familiar, there are plenty of things that are not. I won't pretend that I was prepared emotionally and mentally for this whole thing, because that wouldn't be true. I have struggled some days with my emotions and stress. It is reassuring to know that our family has ended up fine in any crisis we have lived through. That gives me hope for the future.

I pray this post gives you some sense of what families like mine go through multiple times a year. More importantly, when all this ends, I pray you'll remember people like us, understand our decisions, appreciate our struggles a little bit more, and reach out to offer help. Be safe!!

When a Loved One is on a Ventilator

In any form of media now, it is common to hear talk of ventilators with the COVID-19 pandemic happening. I have heard stories of COVID-19 patients needing ventilators, hospitals demanding more ventilators, and the race to make more to fill the demand. Ventilators aren't some foreign concept to me, and the frequent mention of them is giving me unpleasant flashbacks.

Perhaps, you have never seen a person on a ventilator. Maybe everything you know about ventilators was observed on Grey's Anatomy. I can tell you that, from my family's experience, nothing can prepare you for the reality of it.

Twice my daughter, Jaycee, has needed ventilator support for a common cold virus called the rhinovirus. Jaycee is medically complex and her multitude of lung and heart problems often result in her needing support in the hospital for illlnesses that others can fight off at home.

Back in 2013, Jaycee was admitted to the ICU for breathing difficulties and pneumonia related to that pesky virus. I remember everything about the night she was placed on a ventilator. She was rocking back and forth in bed, hyped up from multiple breathing treatments, when I implored her to go to sleep after settling into our hospital room around midnight. A few hours later, everything changed suddenly, and I was regretting that my last conversation with Jaycee was begging her to go to sleep.

Jaycee went into septic shock and was later diagnosed with ARDS. She went from needing some oxygen upon admission to needing the ventilator quickly. For 3 weeks, I watched my 7-year-old child breathe with a ventilator.

In 2015, the rhinovirus again created havoc in her lungs and a less sudden need for a ventilator occurred. For a week or so, I sat beside my 9-year-old daughter listening to the hum of the machine breathe in and out for Jaycee.

I am not an expert on ventilators, but I will tell you about what I observed as the mother of a patient from these two events.

I was not prepared for everything that came with the ventilator. Jaycee was sedated while she was intubated. One reason for the sedation was that it prevented her from trying to pull out her breathing tube. With her sedated, we found ourselves in a weird mode where she was there but not really there. We talked to her, reassured her, played music, played her favorite tv shows, and held her hand when she was stable, but it was hard to know what she understood, processed, or heard. Tubes did all of the major work of her body while she slept. There were tubes and wires everywhere! It was a sight that was hard to take in and see.

Then there was the noise from the ventilator. It set me on edge all day and night long. The ventilator wasn't a quiet machine that's portrayed on television. It's noisy. It had a constant hum as it inhaled and exhaled for Jaycee. It alarmed frequently for a few different reasons. If she coughed, I jumped at the alarm it produced. Coughing also typically meant she needed to be suctioned. I hated the sound of the suction and the cough that happened as a result. It makes me cringe thinking about it now. Perhaps, it wouldn't bother anyone else, but it was something that I hated hearing and watching. 

The idea of Jaycee being on a ventilator was simply scary too. In other illnesses, Jaycee had been on oxygen, high-flow nasal cannula, and c-pap support for oxygenation needs. The ventilator is the final stop on the oxygen train. To me, it was worrisome that there was nothing left after the ventilator. In the 2013 event, Jaycee was on the highest support on the ventilator and not sustaining good numbers at different points. Other things were eventually tried (like positioning her on her belly, adding nitric oxide, etc.) which eventually led to improvements. It's scary to see someone struggle to breathe and know that there's nothing else that can be done. 

As for Jaycee, I don't know what the experience was like for her. With her limited communication skills, I don't know what she was feeling or thinking during those times or what she remembers. I know there were moments of discomfort and sadness judging from her body language and tears. 

For her sake, I hope she doesn't remember any of it. I hate to go back to those memories. They aren't pleasant. With all the talk of ventilators lately, I have found myself revisiting some of those memories. I feel for all the people needing them right now and their families. It's not an easy thing to live through. 

There are many opinions out there right now regarding what the public can do to stop the spread of COVID-19. I don't know what you should do, but I know without a doubt what I should do. I never want to see anyone I love on a ventilator again. Therefore, if there are some things I can do to put the odds in our favor, I will gladly do them. 

Be safe out there!

2019: The Year I Prayed Differently

Happy 2020!

Like many people, I tend to reflect about where I've been and where I am going when a new year begins. I usually make a mental to do list for the upcoming year that seems attainable. In the past, some of items on my list were: take a vacation, deep clean my house, grow closer to God, make an effort to reach out to others, etc. 

Last year, I felt compelled to do something different. Rather than having a task to complete, I had a "word" to focus on. "Ask" became my focal point in 2019. 

You may feel like 'ask' is a strange selection for a word, but I knew exactly what I was being challenged to do when I got the idea through prayer. First, you have to understand what happened the previous year that preempted everything. 

In 2018, Jaycee, my daughter with Down syndrome and other medical conditions, was in the hospital five times for respiratory issues. The hospital admissions were hard and the recovery at home long. It was a draining year. It wasn't the first year that she was hospitalized so often, which only exacerbated the feelings of stress and anxiousness over her health. 

During 2018, my prayers for Jaycee were mainly, "God, please keep Jaycee from getting sick." Sicknesses like colds or influenza were major threats to Jaycee's lungs. If she could keep the germs at bay, then she would be fine. My prayers reflected that line of thinking. If God could protect her from getting the germs, all would be fine. Once Jaycee became sick, I felt there was little hope that her lungs could fight anything off. Caring for someone with chronic health conditions can lead to that type of thinking, especially when you have consecutive months of health trials. 

My faith was only strong when Jaycee was healthy. I had seen Jaycee in respiratory distress too many times over the span of a decade. It made me fearful and shook any sliver of faith I had when she was ill. We had exhausted all the pulmonary tests and treatments (or so we were told by two hospitals at the time). 

When Jaycee was symptomatic, I spent little time in prayer. You may think that odd, but I was busy. I was managing multiple medications and treatments, calling doctors, and trying to stay on top of her care. I didn't ask God for much help during these trials; I simply lacked the faith or the energy. 

On January 1st, 2019, I prayed something different. I asked God to make Jaycee healthy (as opposed to not getting sick). I must admit, I had trouble even saying the words at first. My thoughts told me it was a crazy thing to even say. It seemed like it would be an absolute miracle for Jaycee to be healthy- without sickness- without hospitals. I prayed her lungs would be healthy. I wrote out a little page and stuck in on my bathroom vanity as a way to keep focused. 

On January 25, 2019, we rushed Jaycee to an emergency room as she suddenly turned blue. Jaycee was discharged after a few days, a relatively short amount of time in the hospital for her. We continued to intensely care for her at home. However, a couple of days later, Jaycee needed to be rushed to the ER again. She had developed pneumonia from RSV, which wasn't caught at the first hospital. (Yes, 12 year olds with crummy lungs can end up with serious repercussions from RSV too!)

Did I want to stop asking for her to be in good health? Yes and no. I knew I would face opposition by praying this way simply by knowing Jaycee's health history. I wish I would have had at least one full month to pray peacefully and develop some faith before the obstacles. However, I knew I needed to go forward. I knew I needed to stretch my faith and speak life over her lungs, now more than ever. I made an effort to pray for her when she was sick instead of going into full "mommy-nurse" mode.

RSV has a long recovery time. By mid-February, Jaycee had more sick days than healthy. Yet, I chose to keep asking on Jaycee's behalf. The more I said it, the easier it became. It also helped me develop faith and look long term for her rather than the current crisis.

The year of asking and having faith for Jaycee started out rocky. She would be hospitalized once again in May. There were a few other illnesses too when Jaycee endured several days of interventions at home. There was no magical end to her health problems. But, a few things happened in 2019 that were game-changers. 

I asked one of Jaycee's specialists about enrolling her in outpatient physical therapy in the spring after she fully recovered from RSV. Low muscle tone is part of Down syndrome and every illness seemed to make Jaycee weaker. I didn't realize just how poor Jaycee's endurance had gotten because it happened slowly over time. I became accustomed to using the wheelchair for most public outings. I accepted the fact that she couldn't lift her legs for more than 30 seconds to shave. After a few weeks of therapy, there were noticeable changes in her. It didn't change her lung status, but it made a huge difference in other aspects of her life.  

In 2019, we made three trips to Mayo Clinic where Jaycee's lungs were extensively tested by them for the first time. As a result, new treatments were added as well as new diagnoses. In some ways, I struggled after our second Mayo Clinic trip in late July. Knowing exactly what was wrong with Jaycee's lungs was frightening. She was prone to pneumonia and we knew why. The best thing for Jaycee's lungs would be for her to have long stretches of health to give them time to heal. It seemed like an impossible task. I was hopeful for the new treatments but also fearful from the information we learned. I continued to pray for her health, but it was harder knowing the condition her lungs. 

In September, I listened during the pre-service prayer to my pastor who challenged us to pray for supernatural miracles. He asked, "Are we praying baby prayers that require no faith or miraculous prayers that only God could answer?" As he spoke, the worship team sang, "Great are You Lord." The lyrics to this song often run through my head during a health crisis: It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise. The combination of these things happening were a sign to me. Don't fear the future. Continue to ask for Jaycee's health. Step out, be vulnerable, and ask. 

Much can happen in the course of a year. Some things are easy and good, and some are hard. These events can sway our emotions and our prayer life if we allow them. Other events happen that seem small or a shot in the dark. However, they turn out to be exactly what needed to happen. Opposition may come in life but God can also raise people up to provide encouragement if we are willing and available to receive it. Situations in our lives can change. That's why we have to decide how we are going to believe. Our faith shouldn't be changed by events. Our events are meant to be changed by our faith. 

In 2019, I made a choice to ask God for health for Jaycee. I really believe that by changing my prayers I have been able to see a healthier version Jaycee. The 8 weeks of physical therapy helped Jaycee's endurance and activity level tremendously. Deciding to go to Mayo Clinic provided us new insight into Jaycee's pulmonary problems and better ways of treating them. We ended 2019 on a 6 month no hospital admissions streak. Six months! 

Last night, I said a prayer for Jaycee before kissing her good-night. Want to guess what I prayed for her?

Friends, what do you need to start asking God for again?

The Aftermath of an Illness

My house has hints of what's transpired over the past few weeks littered about in various rooms. The kitchen has more syringes in the drying rack than usual. The thermometer and small pulse oximeter have taken residence on the kitchen counter. Four extra medications sit beside them. Next to that, a notebook filled with pages of documentation regarding medication administrations, heart rates, and oxygen saturation numbers lays open-ready for more notes to be added.

In the living room, discharge instructions from the hospital lay on my side table. Two sets of nebulizer masks and tubing sit beside family photos.

In Jaycee's bedroom, the familiar bi-pap takes its usual place next to the bed. Added to the mix of equipment is the bigger hospital grade pulse oximeter to monitor Jaycee while she sleeps. It's pointed directly at the video baby monitor, which feeds into my bedroom at night. Tape, to secure the probe, is within an arm's reach.

The last few weeks have revolved around my daughter's respiratory illnesses. Her combination of Down syndrome (narrow airways), asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and a poor cough response means that a small change in her respiratory status can bring about serious breathing problems. Daily, we do inhalers, hypertonic saline nebulizer treatments, and vest airway clearance to keep her lungs in "best" state. Her interventions increase with the onset of the slightest symptom.

At the beginning of May, Jaycee had a respiratory flare up after flying on an airplane. By the time we flew home from our short trip to Vegas, we were attacking the illness (or whatever you want to call it) with albuterol treatments, steroids, and frequent monitoring. Just as she was starting to improve she caught a cold that my husband and I both had. Her breathing was audible at times as the cold brought on coughing and snot. We made more trips to the doctor, calls to pulmonary, started another round of steroids, and kept on treating her at home. By the end of week three, I was ready for her to be well.

As we came home from grocery shopping, I told my husband, "I think Jaycee is finally getting better. Maybe my stress level will start to decrease." Earlier in the day, she had energy to play with her cousins. She laughed at jokes during a family celebration. She ate the delicious fish and cupcakes.

Ten minutes after I made that statement, everything changed. As I drove home, I said, "Jaycee's breathing sounds weird." I couldn't see her, but my ear is finely tuned to hear the slightest change in her breathing. My husband reported she was fine- simply trying to sleep.

"That's probably a bad sign," I said.

It was. The emergency inhaler and small pulse oximeter we had carried around all day came in handy as we started giving medications and checking her numbers. I pulled off the highway to see that her fingers and lips were blue. I knew the number would be low; it was.

My son sat next to her in the van saying, "I don't understand what's happening."

The day was so ordinary just hours before this occurred. A smile had been on my face where a worried look appeared most days prior. Things were going well until they weren't. My family was shocked as I told them the news. No one could believe the change in her respiratory status, except they could because it's happened in the past.

That led to 48 hours in the hospital over Memorial Day weekend.

It was a short admission for Jaycee. Like usual though, Jaycee needed intense around-the-clock interventions and monitoring once home. Her recovery was slow. At the time of writing this, she's yet to get back to her normal baseline, but she's inching closer.

I see the illness in different parts of my house. I feel the effects of the illness in my own body and mood. I hear the difference in my daughter's breathing. I listen to my son talk about his concerns after witnessing his sister turn blue. This is the aftermath.

If you have read this post and can't relate to any of this, you are blessed. If you have never been through a medical emergency with your child, you are blessed.

Do you want to know something? I'm blessed too. Blessed is a perspective. Yes, in the middle of her respiratory distress, I didn't feel blessed. However, I knew I was, even if I didn't feel it. Stress, fear, worry, and exhaustion are all strongly felt during Jaycee's illnesses. However, I also know that we are in this together as a family. We're looking out for one another. We're carrying each other's burdens and thinking about the needs of someone besides ourselves, which was a bit challenging when this illness was happening during my birthday. Still, I know what's important in the long run.

An illness brings an aftermath. God meets me there helping me through all the cares of this world to more effectively love my children.