Still hanging in there...

Oh, some days are so trying and some are just so-so. Today, was a so-so day. Kevin again ended up home because of the flooding going on around here. Not flooding at our house but in the town where he works. There is no travel advised in town so the college was cancelled two days now. Good news is he gets paid when they cancel but not all the times he hasn't been able to get out of our driveway because of snow. Oh well, God provides and someday we will look back on this trying time financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually and see how God pulled us through and already we give all glory to the Lord for his leading and care of us during this time. We are thankful for the work Kevin's been able to do on the girls' room.

I feel Isaac had a good day. He's back to school. Getting rid of the parasites the last couple of weeks really wiped him out. Good thing he wasn't behind in anything really so he should be able to stay on top of things now. He is so much better when we can get him to drink a lot. He had another lymph treatment yesterday and they seem to be helping him. He looks better in his face to me. I bought him and me and anyone else who wants to jump a little, a rebounder. I found one with a handle. I thought it would help our lymph systems drain better to be bouncing. Isaac could use some movement too. He already tried it out.

Please keep on praying for Isaac to heal. Pray for his lymphatic system to stay clear. Pray for him to keep on digesting his food (the doctor was so pleased when I told him about his bowel movements, it means something is starting to work right)(Praise the Lord!), Praise that his thrush is gone and he can eat solid foods again! Pray for continued strength for him to patiently endure the healing process. Pray for me also to "patiently" endure. I am feeling overloaded again at times and get too impatient with the kids. I want to crawl in my bed and watch movies and let someone else do all that needs to be done! Don't worry, I won't do that but it would be nice for a day or two or more :) Thank you so much for thinking of us! We appreciate it. We will get through this, Isaac will heal, and we will be able to celebrate!

Oh, the reason for the post was to say our computer is going in for some clean-up work so it will be gone a few days. I'll check in when it comes back. God Bless and have a good week and week-end.

First of all...

First of all I wanted to post again on Thursday night to say the apple cider vinegar did the trick! After rinsing his mouth with it three times and swallowing some his mouth felt good enough to eat some chicken for supper! I was so excited to see it work so quickly. The next day was tough again so we did it only once and today again only once but he just finished some more chicken! Praise the Lord!

Today, the girls and I were at the home school convention. What a blessing! I didn't actually go to any of the speakers because I got lots of talk time with other mom's. There are a lot more people praying for Isaac now! I also met a woman who does the exact same thing as the doctor who is treating Isaac. We talked about the things Isaac is taking and some of his most recent symptoms and she was able to give me some insight and was very encouraging. She has helped children as sick as Isaac and they have gotten well. It is amazing to me how God knows exactly what I need exactly when I need it. I needed her today! She helped give me hope again. I don't believe I have ever lost hope but it sometimes hides behind the bad days and the tiredness that threatens to overtake me. I have to admit most all conversations centered around Isaac but that is what someone gets for asking "How is everything going with you?" Sorry to all my friends for this consuming all my talks with you. There seems to be nothing else so important right now.

Emily and Jordan had such a good time. I got a few thank you's for taking them. We did have a good time having a girls time out.

I hesitate...

I hesitate to say it but we are having a relatively good day. It seems whenever I say we are having a better day it goes downhill after that. I don't believe in bad luck so I will say we are seeing some good things. Isaac has had less bowel movements, less cramping and looks pretty good. His color has gotten better now that I'm am really pushing fluids. He's flushing more toxins. He has not napped today, not normal for him. The thrush hasn't cleared yet but I discovered yeast infections #1 natural food enemy is apple cider vinegar so he's gargled twice today with it and swallowed some. Chewing on the #4 enemy, garlic, is not an option for him. He would not appreciate it at all. The #2 and #3 were things I don't have. I found these online in case you are wondering what I'm talking about. I looked up if thrush is contagious and happened upon a site I can appreciate. It talked you through a natural approach to it. Natural versus medical equals about the same amount of time in recovery.

Yesterday started out extremely busy and by afternoon I was experiencing some burn-out. I get weary from the constant care required in getting Isaac well. Don't mistake that for complaining, I just get tired! I get weary from seeing such baby steps to wellness for him. I am encouraged by the things we see but sometimes want a giant leap just once in awhile. I am taking a vacation from his care but I know I won't take a vacation from thinking of it. I am taking my oldest two girls and the baby and going to the Home school Convention on Saturday. I'm a little sad because the used book sale is tonight and the convention starts tomorrow and I'm going to miss it. Normally, Kevin would take the day off and we would go together one day or the whole time or he'd watch the kids and I'd go. It is such a wonderful weekend of encouragement and just plain talking to all the people I know. That is it actually. I like to talk!! My seven year old wants to come but I told her I'll be talking to people a lot and you'll have to stand there being quiet every time! :) I don't think she or I would like it. I am looking forward to the break. Keep Kevin in your prayers as he holds down the fort.

Hello...

Another day is done and it is another day that the sun shone bright with such promise of springtime and new growth. I've been thanking the Lord for the new that he brings each Spring and praying for new things for Isaac this Spring in his healing and wholeness. Isaac had a lymph treatment yesterday working on keeping his small intestine clear and open. It helps your lymph nodes drain and keeps them open to do the job they are intended to do. Toxic build-up from the lymph system working on keeping you healthy can get them clogged so to speak. Isaac has had to drink a lot of extra today to help the process along and I can see the difference in his color. He is much less yellow than usual which of course makes sense since it's keeping his organs flushed. I am going to work harder each day to get him drinking more. I believe he'll feel much better too. We again saw less cramping. Praise the Lord!

I see Isaac getting well and it is a very slow process but it is faith growing slow. The more helpless I am the more helped I am by the Lord. The more stressful my life gets the more patient I've become as a mother. The more time-consuming my job is the more time I have for praying for others. The less sleep I get the more I am able to accomplish.

Prayer requests:

1. Pray for Isaac to sleep through the night thus allowing Kevin to sleep through the night.
2. Pray for Isaac's fungal infection to clear up, it is coming out his mouth and causing him considerable discomfort and makes eating solid food difficult. (He is on fungal medication to help clear it up but it takes time for that to happen)
3. Pray for the parasites to leave his body. He tested yesterday and they are still there. We have sent them to the Mayo clinic to be identified. That may give us some insight.
4. Pray for a van for our family. We are still without a vehicle that can transport all of us, living by borrowing a mini-van. Pray for God's leading to a reliable van and for the finances for it.
5. Praise for God's goodness and his leading us this far. We are so thankful for his steadfast love.

Change...

One thing the doctor told us who is working with us getting Isaac well is that "change is good". Change means something is happening. We are clinging to that because there have been changes in Isaac. He's not felt real great lately but he has less cramping and less pain after bowel movements. Sometimes he has no pain after them!!!! Almost unheard of for Isaac. Praise the Lord. He has so much less cramping that I just felt a mile high today and while everyone was at church I was able to accomplish a lot of things. When he feels good, I feel good. We go to the doctor tomorrow and he is getting a lymph cleanse like I've been getting. It will clean out toxins from his lymph system and hopefully get his body doing some things on it's own. I can tell you since I've been doing them I feel like a new person. I didn't know I could feel this good. I thought the way I felt (brain fog, too tired to think past 2 p.m., too tired to tackle extra jobs, etc.) was the way it was going to be for me. The lymph cleanses have changed my life.

Thanks for the prayers. Keep praying for healing of Isaac's intestinal track. Pray for us to continue seeing progress each day. Pray for Isaac's spirits. He can get low sometimes during the day and needs an extra boost now and then. I'm putting together an order for some books on tape for him to listen to when he doesn't feel good. He's listened to everything we have here. I'm getting some history on tape so he can actually be learning during this time. He really enjoys the history stuff and remembers it much better this way than reading it himself.

Please pray and pass it on...

Please pray for Isaac's healing. Pass it on to those you know will pray for him. Pray for him to completely pass the parasites and to heal from the damage they have done. Pray for his body to respond well to the foods and supplements (vitamins, etc.) he is taking. His energy is down from fighting these things and now is working toward healing. Pray for progress to be seen each day!!

Another new day...

Isaac has passed a ton more parasites. They are quite big now each time and there are so many of them. Well, not so many today but yesterday and Monday there were a lot. I believe we are at the end of them. I am praying we are anyway. Once these things are gone we should see some real progress in his recovery.

Please continue to pray for him to get rid of all the parasites. Pray for strength for his body to do this job. Pray for healing of his gut lining now that these things are leaving and who knows what kind of damage they have done. Pray for strength for all of us. This has been a long, hard week. Kevin was able to stay home yesterday because of a snowstorm. With Isaac not feeling good again he didn't want to be stuck away from home for two days. Kevin being here is always a blessing for me. Thank you again for checking in and for praying for Isaac and our family!!!

Some good things happening...

With the good you have to take the not so good. Isaac wasn't feeling good all last week and this weekend. He was nauseous, had headaches and flu-like symptoms. Friday, I took a look online for parasite die-off and that was what was listed for the symptoms of it. Friday, Kevin also put one of the little buggers (parasites) in a jar of alcohol and water. It has tentacle like legs hanging down and a tail and we saw lots of them pass out of Isaac in the last two weeks. At first we thought they were banana pieces with the black stuff on them but they consistently look the same and they don't feel like a banana, besides Isaac eats only smashed banana. This is very encouraging news but like I said in the title some good (getting rid of parasites) with the bad (his not feeling good). The doctor we are seeing said the big ones will be last because they are the strongest and hang on the best. We are praying that these the last week were the biggest and the last. Online it also says that parasites can be the cause of why people get sick like Isaac. It is possible but we will never know for sure why Isaac got this sick.


Today, Isaac is tired but eating quite a lot more than the last few days. I made him some homemade gelatin since the other stuff has dyes and sugar in it. It was easy and tastes pretty good. I don't make jello often but I believe I'll try this as an alternative. I made it with pure 100% grape juice and he liked it. We can only give him a bite and then wait to see if he has a reaction. Saturday morning I tried dry curd cottage cheese and an hour later he had some hives on his arm. Next week, I'll try it again and see if we get the same reaction and then we'll know if he can have it or not. The cottage cheese is so rich in protein and has hardly any lactose which he can't digest right now. I am praying to be able to keep adding new foods.

Our doctor is so encouraged by everything that is happening and that helps. Please continue praying that we are seeing the last of the parasites. Pray for Isaac's body to heal and for strength for all of us. This has been long and can be so wearying. Thank you!

At a loss..

I sign in about every other day on this blog and then I can't think of anything to write about. It is usually at night and so that explains some of it. Night is still not my friend. Lately, I've had lots less anxiety but still it's always there waiting to encroach on the evening. Last night I read two Raggedy Ann stories to my littlest girls trying to get a handle on it. Keeping busy is helpful but then I don't want to be so busy I don't hear the Lord. Balance. It's hard to stay balanced but today I am working on being quiet so that the Lord can work. I need to keep my thoughts good and hopeful and positive.

Please pray for continued strength for Isaac. He is so strong and being a good kid. Pray for God to complete the healing in him. Pray for any parasites to finally lose their hold on him and be gone. Thank you!

I feel great!

I asked Isaac around noon how he felt and his words were, "I feel great!" He is nearly finished with school today and looks so good. Last night he commented that he didn't think he was sick because he is just used to feeling like this and I wanted to cry everytime I thought of it. He hardly remembers what it feels like to feel better than this. I am praying hard today for God to show him how good he will be feeling soon. Isaac also had a dream last night that he got better quick. Kevin asked him what he did then. Isaac said, "I was happy." This also breaks my heart because illness saps your joy in life and I just can't wait until he is happy most all the time! Please keep praying for these good days to get better and for Isaac's dream to come true.

Reflections

Our Pastor and his wife had their last Sunday at our church. They have retired and are moving. They were there almost 28 years. We've been there 16 of them. They've been there for most of our married life (18 years). Life will not be the same without them there. I pray they have a very blessed life as they have blessed so many people's lives. We have grown to be who we are through much of their influence and caring. How do you even say thank you to people who mean so much to you? How do you even say good-bye? Thankfully, we will see them on the other side of glory! Praise the Lord for them and for their faithful service!