Whew

It seems that there is not a calm AFTER the storm, just a lull between waves. One day I'm thinking God for his protection during the Passion Play production: no flues, colds, infections. We had all been healthy. Twelve hours later, both my children have horrible sore throats and can't talk - admittedly, the quiet was good.

But things just continued down hill. Sore throats went away but the pain in Chris's gut and back did not. Three days in the hospital, limited diet, an endoscopy and two weeks of meds. Not only was he not better, he was getting worse.

Then last Monday, he comes into our room, doubled-over in pain. To the doctor we go! We discover that day that the back problems they had seen on the emergency room CT Scan had been healed - thank you, Father! But, why is his abdoment hurting? Dr. Z touches him and he flinches hard. The Dr. believes it's his gall bladder. Other doctors don't agree, so the decision is made to consult doctors who specialize in pediatrics.

Wednesday night, 5:23 pm, we leave for Denver an arrive at the hotel at 12:53 pm. Seven hours and two Lortabs later, we are sleeping in a foreign beds. At first, it was just to be Chris and I. Then I thought that if I took Ashley, we could possible see her surgeon for her first post-op x-rays. David came home to see us off and decided he should go as well. That was God's providence. David's arrival coincided with the Denver Docs calling and asking us to bring all of Chris's tests with us. David needed an hour to complete something at work and that gave me time to go to the hospital and pick up the records. Had he not made that decision and we had been inside talking about it, we would have missed the call and not taken the records, thus delaying Chris's treament. God's hand at work.

Thursday, we awoke and went to the Bass Pro Shop - one of our family's favorite places. I can clothes shop and have a Starbucks and they can look at outdoors things and go to the shooting gallery, too. While we were shopping, Chris began to feel quiet poorly, so we headed to the Children's ER. In the ER, they let him lay and rest but felt that keeping our scheduled appointment with the specialist would be best.

At 2:00, we went to meet the Gastroenterologist and a Surgeon. David took Ashley to her specialist. The GI guy thought there might be other possibilities, but seeing Chris's symptoms and his tests together, he felt that it was a dysfunctional gall bladder. Then came the surgeon who never even questioned that there was another possibility. He said that at 35% HIDA scan (how they test they gall bladder) in a healthy person was fine, but a 35% scan in a person with upper quadrant pain and his symptoms was a bad gall bladder. Dr. Bealler left and sent in his scheduler.

God's hand again - he had one opening on Friday at 4:45pm. We took it.

On Friday we checked out of the hospital and rushed over to a local theater to see STAR TREK - great movie! It has ruined us for seeing movies in Durango! The theater's screen was wider than our largest theater is deep! It was a WIIIIDDDEEE screen.

Then we went to local mall. yeah! A little Old Navy, Game Stop and a few others before heading to the Hospital.

Chris's 4:45 appointment became 6:00 pm and at 8:00 we were finally in a room. God provided a family room in the hospital for us to stay in. It was a nice room with a queen bed and chair and a private bath. Sis and I went down and showered and then slept in Chris's room. It had a couch that became a nice bed. David slept in the family room - decided he needed the rest since he had to drive home.

The next morning the doctors came in and said that Chris's gall bladder was swollen to the size of an adult male and when they dissected it, there was a coating of fat inside. In his age, this would be due to a genetic factor (I'd been saying for a month that I had GB problems, my dad, his parents. . . ). His gall bladder was dysfunctional and just didn't work.

So why did God have us go to Denver for this? I don't know. But I do know that's where we needed to be. Each step, God opened doors - specialists who had available appointments, a doctor here who could make things happen, family rooms, records - all in God's plan.

We are glad to be home. Chris even went and watched his team win 2nd place in the Durango Shoot-Out tournament yesterday afternoon! Today he is moving a little slow but he is moving and took only Tylenol last night.

What's next? I'm always afraid to ask. I know that God will give us a renewed strength during this lull and when something else raises it's head, His grace will carry us and again, we will see the hand of God. I wonder when S*tan will realize that we are God's children? He seems a little slow witted at times.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and notes of encouragement. Today, I am taking shelter in my home and hiding.

One song keeps going through my head:

"Everywhere you see insecurity
Surely there must be a place reserved for only me.
A special place to hide
Shelter from the storm outside.
Never fear, the Father's always here.

He will keep you.
He will keep you.
He will keep you in His hands!
He will keep you.
He will keep you.
He will keep you in His hands!"

I pray you see how God is keeping you today!