Oh my...

Lions and tigers and lice, oh my... I guess that's not how it goes but that's our life right now. We got the call from friends that they had it and that we probably do too. I checked heads and found a live one in poor Rebekah. Four girls had their heads bathed in oil, wrapped in plastic wrap for three hours, washed in dish soap, washed in vinegar and then checked. Poor Rebekah, this time it was three live ones I found so she got oiled and plastic wrapped and bagged and put to bed that way and in the morning they were all dead. This morning I picked nits off three girls because I just can't find a single one on Moriah's head. I didn't before the oil and I didn't after or today but she sleeps with Rebekah sometimes so I thought we better take precautions. I'll keep checking and picking until they are all gone. We are taking some other measures by drying in a hot dryer all bedding each day. I didn't find any in the boys' hair or Kevin's or mine. I feel I have them but three times someone has checked me and can't find a one. I'm thinking of oiling tomorrow to just feel better.

There always seems to be some drama around here. Yesterday, Kevin was bummed because he lost a hubcap, Isaac came down with the fever and headache some other kids had, and we found we had lice. I was trying to get my garden produce put away but had to divert my attention to checking heads. Do you know how long it takes to check a girl's head whose hair goes way down to there :) A long, long time! The first day I did it more than once. Yesterday felt impossible and stressful but today was more manageable. I feel we got them and if we didn't we have a plan to keep on top of them. Please pray we did get them all eradicated. Life goes on!

Praise that Isaac is feeling much better today. His fever is gone. He's still gaining weight! Praise that God has given me the strength this week to handle all that's happened.

A New Focus...

We were able to have great weekend camping and visiting with all kinds of people we love to be around. On Friday, I met a family who are missionaries in Brazil for the last 32 years. I visited with the mother some and she gave me some verses to help me focus on what God would have for me (us) during this time of challenges. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. I shared some of my fears and how can I keep it together to go through this and again she is very wise and said it isn't about you and what you can do to heal him or find the right diet but all about if the way I am acting and being fearful pleases the Lord. His Word repeatedly tells us to "Fear not" (Psalm 37) and "trust"). 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. (Thanks Sharon for this one) I actually memorized this one Friday night. I use so may excuses why I can't memorize scripture so am going to try a little harder to put some good words in my brain. The missionary helped with that a little since she gave me verse after verse after verse without needing a Bible or any help. Another woman who went through some health issues gave me a booklet that helped her through and so far it is real good (entitled "God's Medicine").

Isaac continues to improve and to do fine on his meds. The hospital called today for an update and he's following a good pattern of improvement. She helped me to understand what's next with the meds and what to expect.

Isaac loves it...

I have let Isaac go off the GAPS diet and he loves it of course. I'm having panic attacks about it every now and then. He ate a HOT DOG yesterday!!!! It was at the AWANA dinner and I hadn't planned for the eventuality that there would be hot dogs at the dinner. You know the verse about if you know what to do and you do not do it then it is sin. I feel like it is a sin to let him eat this way. I went online today looking up information on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet which follows the GAPS diet pretty closely and after reading the stories of success healing his exact disease I feel I need to regroup here and make a plan. While he is on the highest dose of prednisone we are letting him have a little fun. He really loves food, who doesn't really and it is nice for him to be so happy but if it is making hamburger of his intestines then I can't in good conscience keep it up. I need some time (don't have any) to make a plan and work out some menus that are high fat and high calorie on the diet. He is gaining weight and we need to keep that up.

Please pray for direction on the food issue. If God would heal him completely before I start the diet I would be so thankful and praising Him but I know that may not be His plan yet so I need help deciding what exactly is the very best for Isaac. I tend to get it all mixed up with what I think the very best for me is and of course that is healed completely so I don't have to change my life too much. We are all born thinking of ourselves. If anyone knows of someone who was healed naturally from Ulcerative Colitis send them my way. I'd love to talk to someone else who had this (past tense had).

Trying to stay on top...

I have several calls to make to organize follow-up visits for Isaac, get Moriah's stitches out, and other things and I decided not today. Although school got a late start due to a very late bedtime we did get through it all and have our sanity in tact. I need to correct some math lessons though. I did send the boys outside for some air. I sometimes get annoyed at being asked the same question too many times. Isaac wants to call Grandpa and ask when he can go out to pizza with him. Kevin and I haven't quite said yes but while he's on the full strength of the drugs we are considering letting him just once because once he starts to taper off the one drug we will want to watch what he eats for flare-ups. I don't have him on such a strict diet as before because the drugs are supposed to help him with reactions but one week ago his colon was extremely flared and oozing pus (their words to describe it). I have such trouble believing he can eat anything (their idea also). I'd rather err on the side of caution.

Good to be home???

Is it good to be home? I'm trying to sort that out. I came home exhausted from not much sleep to being responsible for 10 people again and not just a few. Meals at the hospital were fairly easy and I had about 1 load of laundry a day. Life is a little different here. I was feeling overwhelmed by it all on Saturday night. Thankfully, Jana brought us a meal so I didn't have to prepare that. Thank you! Today we are trying to achieve some sort of routine but still haven't gotten to school work. I am determined not to do anything else until each child has most of their list done.

Isaac is doing great! He is continuing to gain weight and feels fine. He feels really the same as when he went in with some minor things that are different. He is getting the "moon" face that you get from one of his drugs. Please continue praying for his healing and for the drugs to work well for him so that he doesn't have to switch. Pray for his body to absorb the nutrients from the foods he eats so that his body can be built up again with the things he has been missing. Pray for Kev and I as we feed him as healthy as we can.

God is so good. He keeps showing me others who have had ulcerative colitis and have not had a flare-up in over 20 years. Yesterday, in church the man behind us told me about his friend from college who has been free of it for 35 years and in the hospital we met a man who at the age of 20 had ulcerative colitis and dealt with it about 2 years and now has been 22 years free of it. Hope! God gives it to you when you least expect it :) I have to live day by day with what we have now though and pray that someday those stories will be Isaac's and he will be able to give hope to someone else.

Coming Home...

We are coming home today. We have to go over the meds and supplements and we will be off!