What a Week

I'm sitting here at the table, with Isaac napping about 10 feet away.  He has been sick for the past 12 hours, throwing up formula every few hours, even though we have been feeding him very slowly (about an ounce an hour through his feeding tube).  Last night, I thought it was just that he was having reflux from needing to have his tummy vented, but after he did it a few more times, we decided it's more likely a stomach bug.  Damn.

Two days ago, my best friend's grandfather passed away.   It was a peaceful death, and one that had been looming for months.  Still, I was so grateful that Isaac slept comfortably that night, leaving me free to talk on the phone with my friend.  Usually he wakes 2-3 times during his first few hours of sleep, getting comfortably before settling in.  When I finally went to bed, I was pleasantly surprised to see that his oxygen saturation was 100%, and his heart rate in the 80s.  Here in Colorado, O2 saturation of 95% is considered great, and Isaac usually hovers right around there.  My first thought was 'Isaac, you are such a rockstar!'  My second thought was "I hope this isn't the calm before a storm."  Then I scolded myself for being pessimistic, certain that it stemmed from the news that another friend's daughter was sick with a fever (she also has SMA), and that yet another friend's little girl had just passed away at the age of 2 1/2, from complications due to SMA.  You hear about friends and family whose children are ill, and I know that when an otherwise strong and healthy child gets sick, it definitely puts a wrench in your day or week (or month), but you have no reason to worry that this could be the beginning of the end.  Jeremiah and I are confident that Isaac will feel better in a day or two, but we really never know.  We spent yesterday afternoon outside, Jeremiah painting the garage, me clearing out our shed, Natalie playing in the sandbox, and Isaac reading books with his nurse. I received the wonderful news that a friend had delivered a healthy baby girl.  Isaac's other nurse also delivered her baby last weekend, a healthy boy, four weeks early and just perfect.

Natalie was on spring break this week, and I wasn't needed at work, so we took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to the park, to the zoo, had some preschool friends over to play, and got a lot of spring cleaning done.  My dad arrived in town last night, and he has taken Natalie to run errands while Isaac gets some rest.  Jeremiah and I are so accustomed to running on fumes that our pieced together 2 hours of sleep last night hasn't hit us yet.  So we sit, we care for Isaac, we think about Holly, who passed away, and Magnolia who is just starting a beautiful life on the outside, we think about their parents, who are in such different places.

Please pray for Isaac, that he quickly recovers from this illness, and for Jeremiah and I, that we care for him well. Please pray for Nella,who has also been sick, and for her parents who must also be exhausted.  Please pray for Holly, who is home with God, and for her parents who are feeling everything so acutely.  Please pray for Magnolia, and her parents, as they start their new life, and for Isaac's nurse and her new family.  Please pray for the Bush family, as they lay Grandpa Bush to rest. And please pray for my friend's father, who will hear soon the results of a biopsy.  Pray for another friend's son, who is only two and may have fractured his leg and be stuck in a cast for a while.  And pray for my father, for his safe travels this week.

Thank you all, and God bless you this Easter season!