Succumbed

I finally fell victim to the Campylobacter overnight. It is exactly 7 days since my dear son baptized me in his river of vomit, and the incubation period for the bacteria is 2-10 days. So that's about right. I've been racking my brain to find a time in the past 3 weeks that would have been better, because this timing is really awful - I have three papers due in the next 4 days, one due tomorrow. Writing has been nearly impossible today. But, as angry as I felt at the timing as the initial tremors of the illness began to sweep over me, I wasn't able to come up with an option that would have been better (during my presentation in Kansas City? While I was tending Aaron and Caleb in the hospital? Right when I had two funerals to attend??).

Here I am, on my knees asking for divine strength again. That is, after all, the point of all this suffering He has allowed. Please, God, help me write these papers and stay upright long enough to accomplish my work. Please God, heal my son's pancreas, so he is not diabetic or unable to digest food without help.

Caleb's lipase (pancreas digestive enzyme) continues to be persistently high in the 350's (normal for his age is less than 50). He developed a large hematoma (blood clot under the skin) and phlebitis (pain and inflammation in the walls of a vein) after his last blood draw, which was attempted even though he is one solid bruise from elbow to wrist at the moment from all the pokes in the hospital. Poor sweet boy - screaming, "NO POKE CALEB!" as loudly as possible while he held still to allow them to draw blood. It breaks my heart to think of holding him through that again on Monday and every few days afterward. Please keep praying for that silly old pancreas! Who ever thought the things we take so totally for granted could cause us so much pain?