« Guess What We Did Tonight? | Main | What We Read During Three Weeks in the Hospital »
Reflections on a Daughter’s Illness
By Kendra | February 8, 2010
Sisters
I knew from the very moment things seemed to go awry that God was going to teach us something. Certainly, I haven’t learned it all yet, and I suspect I’ve just barely scratched the surface of this trial. But our daughter’s ruptured appendix and recovery from septic shock has been the biggest trial of my life.
The reasons are many, multi-layered, and very personal. I’m not sure I can even sort through them yet. I’m recovering from her recovery.
In the forefront of lessons learned or yet to be learned is this: I’m sorry. I can’t do that. Thanks, Elizabeth. You are a brave woman who has shown me exactly what I needed to see.
♥
A little addendum. I wrote this post a few days ago, but on Saturday night our two-year-old had a seizure. I know. It was out of the blue, the first seizure any of our kids have had to our knowledge, and completely unexpected. He spiked a 103 temp afterward, so we are relieved to know it was a common febrile seizure.
Now the phrase, “I’m sorry. I can’t do that” carries even more weight.
Topics: Musings and Miscellany, Nurturing Moms, Sweet Caroline's Story | 19 Comments »
February 8th, 2010 at 4:55 am
Very encouraging! Thank you for that. Hopefully your little guy is doing well, now? We’ll be praying for him! **hugs**
February 8th, 2010 at 4:56 am
Praise the Lord she’s home!!! Praying for a speedy & easy recovery…..for both of you
Love your first lesson learned. I’ve needed to learn that one myself over the past couple of years.
Kathy
February 8th, 2010 at 5:38 am
Kendra,
I want to express to you how glad I am that your sweet daughter is well again! And also, to empathize with you about your son’s seizure. Our littlest one, who was only 1 yr old at the time, had a seizure last Spring. It was the most awful thing I have seen. It turned out to be a febrile seizure and no harm was done, but it sure did scare Momma!
I’m glad everyone is okay. I will pray that life gets back to normal soon.
Julie
February 8th, 2010 at 5:47 am
One of the hardest lessons to learn, and ever so freeing once learned. I’m so glad that Caroline is home and you ALL are recovering! Still praying…..
February 8th, 2010 at 6:27 am
Thanks for this reminder!! Bless your heart, I hope things settle down for you guys!
February 8th, 2010 at 9:12 am
wow, what a challenging time. Thanks for sharing what God is teaching through the challenges.
Reminds me of the old hymn “leaning on the everlasting arms”
February 8th, 2010 at 9:22 am
First off, I am in a “sorry I can’t do that” stage right now. There are many things I’d like to do, many of them very beneficial. But. . . . I just can’t do it all and the big things aren’t getting done!!
Secondly, we are praying for Caroline’s complete recovery. And we will add your little boy too. .. is this “Mighty Joe”? Hoping that the fever doesn’t mean a house wide sickness for your family.
Thirdly, how do you do that little heart? I love it!
February 8th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Wow, you are just having some major trials in your life! We will be praying that things calm down in your life!!
Ou 1st son had a febrile seizure at age 2 also. It scared us to death! He spiked a temp. of 105.2 in the Ambluance. My husband had to do some major stimulation after the seizure to keep him breathing. His poor little body didn’t want to come out of it! But he did with the lords help and is a healthy happy 10 year old now!
February 8th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Praying for you, Kendra…
That God would continue to direct your reflections on the lessons He had for you in this trial, and that He would give you wisdom and grace to face them.
Love you, friend.
~Stacy
February 8th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Annie-
The little heart is in a bunch of symbols available to me on my WordPress template. Do you use WordPress?
February 8th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Kendra- I am so sorry for the MAJOR things you are going through right now…your family is going through. I have not experienced appendicitis or seizures yet (although I have a friend who’s family has had both). I am so glad Caroline is home now, and will continue to pray for your family!
February 8th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
This is why I come back reading your blog over and over again! You always seem to find the “good” even among the challenges! Praying for you and your family!
February 8th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Sooo happy to here your daughter is better!!! I have been praying for you, my two year old nephew nearly died from a ruptured appendix and I had one when I was 21. It can strike anyone at anytime…
Also, I read your blog all the time…big fan here : )
February 8th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Kendra –
Thank you so much for sharing! I have heard the Rock, Pebble, Sand bit and thought…Well that makes sense, but yet I somehow figured I just needed better time management. It just occured to me that in my stage of life, a young (33yo) mother of five who also takes care of three of my nieces, my big rocks are not on the computer, and that the computer may not be in my mayonnaise jar at all! I have been praying and asking God to help me figure out how I am gonna do it all and I believe I just got my answer.
So between you and a great friend of mine who is an excellent example of “looking well to the ways of her household,” I think this week is gonna be a good week, and I think I just might “do it well!” Thanks again for sharing!
Your Sister in Christ, Kara W
February 9th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Spot on.
February 9th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Praising the Lord with you and praying for you too. Recovery and reflection after life/death intense trials takes a while. Glad you are allowing yourself the time you need to walk through all the emotions that flood in. God will certainly sustain, strengthen, and use you for His glory not only in your family’s lives but in others, having been through these trials.
Three years ago as a 29 yo mother of 2 boys two and under and 6 weeks away from delivering our daughter, my husband unexpectedly went into a coma, was on life support for 3 days and was literally in the throws of death. God graciously spared him. 6 months after that he had to have brain surgery to remove the cyst on his pituitary gland that started it all. He has fully recovered, no side effects.
It took me a long time to reflect and recover. God is so good all the time! That was truly the best thing that could have ever happened to us. We have learned so much.
February 9th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
I do use wordpress, Kendra, and I found the symbols and heart on my thingamajiggy. Thanks! ♥ of course, copy and paste works nicely too.
February 9th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Yay! I would have called it a thingamajiggy, too
February 10th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Dear Kendra,
I am so happy to hear that you are all home again. I am sorry for the difficult time you have all had.
Praying for a full recovery for all of you.
Stacy