Be Joyful Parents: Deo Gratias!

Well...2012 ended with Jordan and I contracting the flu within hours of each other. I thought it was still part of my morning sickness with Philomena, but when Jordan started to get sick we knew it was something more. We have never really had to deal with sick children until 2013 hit. Oh wow....we have learned that we are definitely not in control. Coughs, colds, IV fluids...oh my! And yet through it all, we thank God for all He has given us. Why would we thank God when we are sick? God is all-knowing and all-loving. Thank you dear Lord for our times of trial this year. We may not know the reason for these trials, but we do thank you for giving us the fortitude to endure them.

Tobias has had to endure more medical interventions than our other children. He was placed in the NICU as a baby, and this past week, we had to rush him to the hospital. He has been wheezing on and off the past week.. He was checked out and seemed to have been improving. Over the weekend, his wheezing came back. He woke up in the middle of the night, and we had to rush him to the hospital. Jordan drove, Magdalene was chattering like usual (keep in mind this is 5 in the morning), Philomena is sleeping (Thank you, Jesus!), and I was holding Tobias while he had a difficult time breathing. We didn't follow the precautions of car seats on this drive. We thought he would be able to breathe better if I held him.

We were scared. This was Tobias' third wheezing episode within a few months, and now he is struggling to breathe. Jordan got us safely and quickly to the hospital, and they started an IV and ran a chest x-ray. The hospital felt that Convenant would be a better fit for Tobias.

Jordan was laying next to Tobias on his bed helping him while I tended to the other two. When we heard that Tobias would need to transfer to Covenant, we resigned to God's holy will. Tobias is only 21 months old, and he has been on now two ambulance rides. We were not allowed to ride in the back with him so I started to panic in my mind. Oh no....he's going to cry and it's going to make him labor in his breathing. I caught sight of some Thomas the Train engine stickers in the room, and placed them on his car seat. The ambulance crew strapped his car seat on the stretcher (whatever it is), and then Jordan and I said to Tobias, "Oh Tobias, you are going on a train ride. It's so exciting." He seemed to be excited. "Look! Now we're going through the tunnel. Yeah!" He seemed to be so distracted by this "train ride" that we took off immediately to meet up with him. The crew said he was so delightful, and he seemed to be pretty excited during the ride. Thank you, Jesus!

When we arrived at the hospital, the nurse was wearing a Dora and Boots shirt. Oh wow, that made his day. They were so kind to Tobias. We weren't sure how long he would have to stay, but the doctor said be prepared for a week. We knew we didn't have any options as to who would stay with Tobias during the night. I had to tend to Philomena, and I couldn't meet both Tobias' needs and Philomena's by myself. Jordan was the primary caretaker of Tobias, and he did a wonderful job. He truly is my hero!

I would visit with Jordan most of the day, and then head back to provide normalcy for Magdalene. Deo Gratias! Now Tobias is home with us. The doctor explained to us that it was some kind of virus. Virus. You know what....I really, really dislike that word.

One thing does trouble us. One of the respiratory therapists mentioned that her daughter has been suffering from wheezing bouts for two years now. Is that Tobias' future? He has already had three wheezing episodes. We do not know, but we will place our trust in God and He will help us tend to Tobias' needs.

Let's just say...it was so good to cuddle with my little man. Oh, how I missed him. And it was nice to hug my husband, my hero.

Here is a trip down memory lane with Tobias: