Flashback Friday

In response to Storing Up Treasures post, here is my "flashback."

It was January 2007 when we realized that Hannah had more than just a lazy eye. Up until that time, we had heard from the nurse practitioner (whom I will never trust again) that she just had lazy eye muscles and would outgrow her problem. We were finally convinced it was not going to clear up on it's own and I asked her doctor about it. He sent her to an opthamologist who immediately sent her for an MRI. The MRI was quite traumatic enough, since 2 year old must be put under general anesthesia for such a test. It was discovered that Hannah had a large tumor growing quite rapidly behind her left eye.

We were sent to a top-notch hospital with a top-notch eye surgeon to have it removed. When I was told that they would have to cut the bone away from between her eye and temple and then screw it back into place, I felt like I would be sick! My poor sweet baby girl!

But God's grace and peace were abundant and she came through surgery just fine. Recovery was quick and the tumor was benign! Praise God for his protection and the strengthening of our faith through it all.

God's protection

Last night was my first mommy experience with a breathing emergency. It was so scary! I woke up to some faint sounds coming from the girls' room, and went to check on them. Hannah was rolling around on her bed and desperately struggling to take a breath. She was in a panic and trying to cry or talk, but couldn't get in enough air to do either. I rushed her into the bathroom and sat on the side of the tub with the hot shower running. Trying to get her to calm down required both myself and my husband. Finally, after about 1/2 hour, she was breathing normally (though croupy) again. Tom spent the night holding her upright on the couch since she couldn't lay down without problems. The doctor diagnosed her with croup today and put her on steroids to avoid another such episode tonight.

I am so thankful for my restless sleep last night. If I had been sleeping soundly, I really don't know what would have become of my sweet girl. It is so scary to think of what could have happened. I know that God was keeping me awake last night so that I would hear her and rescue her in time. He had His hand of protection upon her. I am so humbled and thankful!

What a week!

We were on our way to church on Sunday when Hannah started complaining that she didn't feel well. Before church even started, she'd thrown up twice! We waited on a couch in the back room while Tom finished out worship on the drums. Then, we headed for home. By that time, Hannah had spiked a fever and thrown up a few more times. We spent the day as a family laying around in the living room and watching TV. I spent all night trying desperately to keep her fever below 103. On Monday, I took her to the doctor to find out that she had Strep Throat, and then that she was covered with a rash and actually had Scarlet Fever!

Maia made it to VBS on Monday night, but because Hannah was sick we couldn't get her there on Tuesday, which just broke her heart! Maia has been asking for a long time..."How many more weeks until VBS?" and then "How many more days until VBS?" and then finally "I'm going to bed now so that tomorrow gets here sooner because I can't wait till VBS!"

Finally, Hannah was well and had been on antibiotics long enough that we were able to go to VBS. About an hour into it I passed Maia working on a craft. She looked terrible! She said "Mommy, I have a headache!" and I knew that we needed to leave right away! Thankfully, the doctor called in a prescription right away and she didn't get nearly as sick as Hannah ever got! So we raced out to pick up her prescription before the pharmacy closed and got home to find that Tom's and my bikes were STOLEN!!!

Of course for the years that the bikes sat unused, no one was interested. But now that Maia can ride along and we got a trailer for Hannah for our birthdays so we could all go together on longer trips...now someone wanted them! Tom took the day off of work yesterday to go looking for them, and found his in a tree across town. Mine is still missing in action. At least, Tom's was the expensive Trek bike and mine was just the WalMart special bike. Soooo, now we must lock up all of our belongings...in what we thought was a quiet, nice little town. Oh well. I've been trying to remember that all that we have isn't really ours, but belongs to the Lord anyway. That has been somewhat helpful in keeping me from being too angry that someone would come up into my yard and take what doesn't belong to them.

So, I'm glad that it's Friday and I'm excited about the VBS finale that the kids will put on tonight for the parents. Both kids are well enough to go and also well enough to get out of the house this weekend! Yay...we get to leave the house! I'm thankful for the upcoming weekend, and that Tom found his bike, and that nothing else was stolen. I'm very thankful that my girls are finally well and for God's protection during that night of very high fever. And I'm even thankful for this week that we spent mostly in the living room with sickies...I would have never had the time to start this blog if it weren't for the sickies.