Covid and Then Some
April was not so fun in this house, but thankfully we have all recovered. Most importantly to us, Sam is okay and we kept him out of the hospital.
It started with me not feeling too great. I already tested negative for Covid earlier in the week because we knew we had been exposed. When I started feeling cruddy, I tested again. Negative. Whew.
I had several rough days. Thank you Lord for home care nursing! On a normal day with Sam, we are incredibly thankful for our home care nurses. When he gets sick, even more grateful. Add me getting sick on top of all that. Home care nurses. No words.
Sam tested negative too, but then started getting sick a few days after I was feeling cruddy. Oh shoot. He was really sick for a good six days. He was on oxygen for four days and all the home therapies we could do that aren’t legal in most homes. We did get very close to having to bring him to the hospital, but we were able to keep him home. Again, home care nurses. Priceless.
About a week later, after I had started feeling better, I couldn’t smell or taste anything. Wait a minute!?!? I went and tested again. As I suspected...positive for Covid. What?! Those of you who have experienced these symptoms of Covid can understand how annoying it is! I’m happy to say it didn’t last too long.
Sam’s pulmonologist sent a nurse to the house to test Sam. Positive. Bummer. There was a lot of praying on my part, that he would be okay and we would be able to keep him out of the hospital.
Sean tested positive. The next day he started feeling cruddy. He was all excited to be able to get some things done around the house, but he was down for the count for almost ten days.
Will and Abby both tested negative, but had to do distance learning until their quarantine was up. Have I ever mentioned how much I love distance learning? Oh yeah, cause I don’t, not even a little. Because Abby ended up testing positive, she was able to go back to school a few days before Will. I’ve stopped trying to make sense of all the Covid rules.
During all this hoopla, I found out my grandma passed away. She was ninety-five, went peacefully, and although she was dealt a hard hand of cards in life, she lived a good life. Her legacy? She loved Jesus, taught us to pray, read our Bible, and have a relationship with Jesus.
Towards the end of her life, she could barely speak. I know she recognized us when my sister and I saw her for the first time in a long time. She clearly said two of my four children’s names. It wasn’t by chance she squeezed the two names out I have fought for on my knees in prayer countless times the past four plus years. I believe it was her heart that said those two names that day.
We didn’t get to go to her funeral, but this is where technology is a blessing. Thank you to my brother-in-law who held his phone up the entire funeral service so I could “be there”.
Me, and how I remember, my sweet Grandma.
While Sam was sick, he was scheduled to have an upper endoscopy to check on his esophagus. As we suspected, surgery needed to be rescheduled.
To recap, Sam’s last dilation was in January. His surgeon told us, when Sam can go for six months without a dilation, he’ll give us the “a-okay” to go to Cincinnati.
Tomorrow, Sam will have his rescheduled procedure. It’s been almost exactly four months since Sam’s last dilation. We are hoping and praying, he will not need to be dilated.
Sam Strong.
Faith Over Fear.
Just Another Surgery
Tomorrow, Sam will have his forty somethingth surgery. I thought this string of texts between Sam's teacher and I was kind funny and also shows our perspective on surgery.
Me: Hello! I just wanted to let you know Sam will not be at school this Thursday (10/3) or next Wednesday (10/9). He has a pre-op and then surgery next week. He usually recovers very quickly so hopefully he will be able to be back at school the next day!
Sam's Teacher: Wow. Ok.
Me: Lol. After sending that...I realized not everyone thinks surgery is no big deal. My world is a bit skewed. 😂
Sam's Teacher: Perspective is everything.
Me: It sure is. 😊
Me: And attitude. 😃
Sam's Teacher: Amen.
When Sam was in the hospital a few weeks ago, his GI doc thought it would be a good idea to scope him after he was feeling better. They will look to see if his esophagus is stricturing again. Let's just say, based off Sam's symptoms, all of us will be a little surprised if Sam does not need another esophageal dilation.
Once GI is done with their part, Urology will step in and do theirs. This is the 2nd of Sam's new diagnoses I was talking about that would need surgery. The doctors assumption was correct, Sam would be having surgery in the near future. We did what Urology said, and asked to have them scheduled as well. Quickly, the surgery with both docs was scheduled, which meant we would need a pre-op exam before then. How many times does one have to have surgery in order to get a free pass on pre-op's?! Just kidding. Thankfully, Sam's pediatrician almost always finds time for him in her busy schedule and we got the pre-op done.
Even though surgery doesn't seem like a big deal to us, it doesn't mean we don't get nervous. The easy part comes from knowing how to prepare and what to expect before and during. We know how many hours before to stop Sam's formula and when to start and stop the Pedialyte, exactly where to park, where to go, where the bathrooms are, what the doctors, nurses, surgeons, and anesthesiologists will do and ask, and where to get something to eat. Although a little nervous, we will leave the outcome to Him.
Don't forget to say an extra prayer for Sam tonight and tomorrow!
Sam Strong!
Faith Over Fear!
