Thursday, September 17, 2009

Peace

This has been a unique summer. (Did we even have a summer? I seem to have missed it.)

At the end of the school year, (a lifetime ago) Jessi was dealing with some health issues. Several trips to the doctor later, a diagnosis was given, medication prescribed and off we went, waiting for life to return to normal.

Only...it didn't.

Little did we know, the medication prescribed causes feelings of anxiety in people who don't normally deal with anxious feelings. For people who battle anxiety, it unleashes a tidal wave of endless panic attacks.

So we spent endless weeks fighting unseen demons as we waited for the medication to work it's way through her system. Words cannot do justice to the trauma of four or five panic attacks a day, literally confining her to her room as the only place of real safety. Finally, towards the middle of July, she began to return her normal routines.

Just in time for Jonathan to go to the doctor for his constant back pain.

The initial diagnosis was/is a fractured vertebrae. Huh? (We're still not sure how that happened.) He ended up being fitted for a back brace and we settled down, anticipating a return to normal.

Silly me.

A week passed. Then, Jonathan stopped eating. We've been through this a few times before. Three years ago he became ill for a time and lost 30 pounds during the summer. (He has some reflux issues and hates to throw up. The easiest way to avoid that is to stop eating. Not.) At the time he was getting a bit "fluffy" and the first ten pounds lost weren't really a big deal. By the time he lost the entire 30, he was underweight and extremely skinny. Several doctors visits, food adjustments and some medication later and he began to eat...not enough to gain weight, but enough to not lose weight. In the years since, we have had a few "episodes" but we have kept them under control and everything was fine.

Until the end of July.

He couldn't/wouldn't eat, drink or sleep. From Friday until Monday.

Saturday night, I started forcing him to eat ice chips every 20 minutes so that he would stay hydrated. We did not sleep. He did not sleep. He could not leave his room or even his bed. (It was during this time that his sister began to read to him.) Finally, when Monday morning came, off we went to the doctor. By this time we were sure that this was an anxiety issue and that he could starve himself if we weren't careful. Fortunately, the doctor was able to find the right dose of anxiety meds for him and he slowly began to return to "normal."

At least everything but his back did.

School started. We obtained two sets of textbooks so he didn't have to carry them back and forth to school. He wears his brace and doesn't bend or lift. Yet still there is pain.

Pain when sitting too long.

Pain when standing too long.

More pain than there should be considering the length of time that he's had the injury.

So today we went to have an MRI.

To look for defects in his spinal column.

(Of course, during all of these months we've also been immersed in planning a wedding.)

Then you can throw in a trip to the ER Sunday morning (it was after midnight so it must have been morning) with the bride-to-be who was certain that she was having a heart attack. (She wasn't. She was having a pleurisy attack. Which, while uncomfortable, is certainly much better than a heart attack.)

And I'm still waiting for our return to "normal." Except I'm beginning to think that maybe this is the new "normal."

But that's okay. God has been with us every step of the way. We have found comfort in the written Word, in scripture memorized, in prayers prayed. And we are blessed.



"For He Himself is our peace..." Ephesians 2:14

3 comments:

Tammy said...

{{{{{Karen}}}}}

You've had one LONG summer.

And I totally understand about the "new" normal not being the normal we've been used to for years. I keep thinking that right after this or right after that things will settle down or once the kids start growing up and leaving home. But it just doesn't seem to be happening. Even the normal setting on my dryer isn't normal anymore! LOL!

I'll be thinking of you and praying!

Blessings,
Tammy ~@~

Abba's Girl said...

Dear Sister in Christ...so sorry for the hard summer, I hope fall is filled with peace...

Love, Annette H

Traci said...

Karen,

I got up this morning and read the first 5 chapters of Job. Then I read your blog. Wow. I had no idea you had such a rough summer. My heart goes out to you and your family. I appreciate you sharing here. Your strength and unwaivering faith inspires me.

I'll be praying for doses of normalcy this fall.

Blessings,
Traci