Long overdue updates

It's been a hard couple of weeks. I've had a difficult time finding the motivation to write at all. I mean, wasn't I just here? This journey is all too familiar. GRIEF. A different road, but a parallel path.

I've spent lots of time with Crystal and her kids, and even more time thinking and praying for them. And in so many ways, it has taken me back to the raw emotions of our own loss last summer. But in other ways it seems so much harder than what I went through.

My heart longs for Crystal and her kids to be far enough down the road that the hurt has subsided and they've found a way to make it. I wish I could do that for them. I can't, and it hurts.

O Lord, be gracious to us, we long for you.

Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

Isaiah 33:2

A blogging friend that I've never met, sent me this verse on a 3 x 5 card in a package of wonderful homemade soaps I ordered from her. She had read my last post and had some encouragement for me. Actually, she sent me 9 incredible verses. She must have remembered that I like to write them out and put them around my house. Or maybe God just put that in her heart as a gift to me. Either way, these verses are now spread around my home and car, to literally bring me strength throughout the day.

And it reminded me why I needed to write. It's because of all the beautiful emails and comments I've received that have encouraged me in the last couple weeks. Many of you have been where I am. You are all too familiar with this journey. So I share in the hopes that maybe you can help me travel it just a little bit easier.

UPDATE # 1: Pregnancy, week 20.

About two weeks ago, I had a detailed ultrasound with a perinatologist. He was checking on the baby's health, the previa, the placental tear and most importantly - Gender! I have good news all around.

The baby looks great. No issues, no "markers" to indicate any problems. We're measuring exactly on track. And there is no sign of the previa. That has grown up and the placenta is now off my cervix, clearing the way for baby to make it out with no issues when the time comes.

The placental separation cannot be found! Praise God. 12 weeks of bedrest finally did its job and my body was able to heal. More importantly, this means my physcial restrictions were lifted. And God knew the exact timing. I needed to be able to be up and around so I could help my friend these last few weeks. I would not have been able to watch her kids, since I would not have been allowed to lift the baby. My stamina is not yet what I hoped, but I'm believing it will get there. The doctor advised me to ease back into things gently. That has been easy on some days, harder on others. But my body lets me know when I've overdone it, and I don't have much choice but to sit back down for a little bit.

And lastly, it appears with some degree of certainty that we are being blessed with another girl! I'm not sure what God had in mind giving my husband four girls to take care of in his house, except that he must be pretty good at it. It was not a surprise to me, as I noted the similarities with my first pregnancies. Just like last summer I was able to be confident we were pregnant with a boy because of the differences. We are grateful and excited!

I am also happy to announce, I had my first inquiry of pregnancy from a stranger. It may have had more to do with the awkward clutching of my belly after a too-long trip with the girls to the library but I have convinced myself it is because I am finally starting to get a belly.



UPDATE #2: Madeline

I am happy to report some improvement in her health, immune system and allergies. Without getting too detailed, it appears that the chemicals that have been so hard for her body to filter out have finally started to leave her system. This allows for her filtering organs, such as her liver, to actually begin healing and stop being overtaxed. We added 3 new foods into her diet in the last 2 weeks. Foods that she previously couldn't handle. It may not seem like much, but to us it is nothing short of a miracle.

On the other hand, if you've gleaned anything from previous posts, you will already know that she is a character. She is full of life, energy and has no fear. That being said, yesterday she was at her grandparents house for an overnight with her sister and cousins. Troy and I were looking forward to an evening that didn't include making dinner, baths or bedtime routines. We had just finished one of our goals for the evening, dinner out, when we got the dreaded call.

Something involving Madeline, her cousins, her sister and a swiveling office chair resulted in a fall requiring immediate attention. (Can I just admit to you at this point that my primary feeling was not overwhelming concern for the well-being of my daughter, but rather a selfish disappointment in the loss of a rare evening alone? Just keeping it real.) In spite of her protests over the phone that she had been "healed for a minute" when everyone prayed for her, we knew we had to get it checked. This IS the same girl that toughed it out for 6 weeks with half a toothpick lodged in the arch of her foot, and only complained twice - once when it happened and six weeks later when we realized she needed a doctor visit.

So I packed my bag and made the 45 minute trip to my in-laws. My father-in-law graciously accompanied us to the ER, probably because he didn't know it was going to take over SIX hours. But thank God that he did. Madeline's arm was so hurt that she couldn't lay or sit or move without being in intense pain. I was in no condition to lift, carry and move her on my own, not to mention I wasn't allowed in the room for the X-rays.

After a second round of x-rays, the doctors could not find a fracture. That's not to say there isn't one, because apparently they hide in the growth plates of kids her age. And whether it was a fracture or a sprain, the poor kid did NOT want her arm moved. They stabilized it in a hard cast and she immediately perked up. She hasn't cried since unless you touch or move her, or she is trying to roll over in her sleep.

And yes, my two year old still has a pacifier. But seriously, at 7:30 she gets her blanket and pacifier out of her room and announces to us that she is ready for a rest. THEN, she goes to bed willingly. Who am I to mess with perfection? It's a summer goal to get rid of it. As is potty training and moving her into her sister's room. Any and all tips are welcomed.

Thank you for your notes and thoughts and prayers. I hope I get some time to get caught up with everyone in the next few weeks.

Just an Update

It's time for an update, as last week held some scary events for us and the baby. The beginning of last week I continued to be incredibly nauseous and unable to smell just about anything without getting sick. I stayed on bedrest like the doctor prescribed; too bad it wasn't helping ease the nausea. Two nights in a row I went to bed, sick, by 6 pm. Then on Wednesday evening, I had some incredibly sharp cramping and pains in my abdomen. I was hoping for the best, that it was something as simple as gas, even though though it didn't feel that way to me.

By Friday, I noticed my icky pregnancy symptoms had decreased dramatically. Things that were sore before were no longer sore, I wasn't nauseous and I no longer had aversions to smells. To test my theory completely, I sat with the family at dinner (I was fine) and I ate a hot dog to see what would happen (nothing). At this point I was convinced that something was terribly wrong and I started to get worried.

That's right, I started to feel better - and it made me upset! The backstory is, last summer we lost a baby right around this same week. And the series of events leading up to it were sharp abdominal pain and loss of nausea. I was also on bedrest for a separation of the placenta then too. I'm sure it didn't help matters that the baby's due date is coming up next week as well. And although the tests confirmed there was a chromosomal reason we lost that baby, there were too many similarities and a lot on my mind.

With all that history, and more than a few pregnancy emotions, I just began to believe that this baby was gone. I started to prepare myself for the worst and told my husband to do the same. My next ultrasound was still 4 days away, but I got in touch with the doctor's office Saturday morning and explained my symptoms to them. They asked me to drive down immediately.

This was no small task, but we managed to arrange instant childcare for the girls and then make the hour and a half trip down. I cried, knowing what to expect at this appointment. My mind alternating between whether I should take a look at one last picture of my baby, still and gone, or not watch and just save the last ultrasound image in my brain. My husband, on the other hand, stayed quiet during the drive because he said he wasn't sure about it all.

When we got in the room, I tearily told the nurse practioner about the pains and decrease in pregnancy symptoms. She said, "Oh that's good!" And I told her it wasn't a good sign for me, as I'm ALWAYS nauseous until week 14. She smiled and said pregnancy symptoms come and go. I just thought, This is my 4th time around, I know how things go. And then, without warning, the ultrasound picture came up. Even before the tech could locate the heartbeat, I saw the movement. The baby was kicking and waving and moving all around. My hands flew to my mouth and I gasped. The tears were pouring and the nurses were handing me kleenex. I was shocked!

I've never been so happy to be so wrong! And the good news kept coming. The heartbeat was fast and strong. The baby was growing exactly the right size to the day! This was important because one of the signs that the blood clot, or separation as they now refer to it as, is causing harm is that the baby's growth rate diminishes. The size of the separation (of the placenta from the uterus) did increase slightly from 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. But the size of the placenta has also increased, and there is still much attached. The doctors were not too concerned because I have not been bleeding and just reinforced that I stay on strict bedrest.

And can I just tell you how much easier it is to be on bedrest when you are not nauseous and sick to your very core? I feel like a new woman. At least now I have the energy to do other things. I picked up some books and am able to read now. I downloaded some games to my iPhone to keep my brain working. The girls can come in and jump around on my bed, without it making me queasy. It's much more bearable. The nausea does seem to come and go, just as the Nurse Practioner said it would. Some days are better than others.

And so I ask you to continue to pray for our little one. We need the separation to heal and for any blood clots to absorb. I need to rest in God's peace, and stay off my feet as much as possible.

We've had lots of meals delivered to the house and offers to run errands. We still have help in the mornings for another week, until Emily returns to college. And I have a couple of good friends that call everyday to cheer me up and check up on me. We are SO thankful for all the support. And most of all for your prayers.

Thankfully,

Essential Oils Giveaway

(Artwork designed by Lori at I will take it Lord, all you have to give.)

When the girls had their MRSA ordeal this summer, I "stumbled upon" Jen and her amazing resource of essential oils. I had heard of oils before but was uncertain how to really use them in our everyday life.

The more we researched and begged God for direction during that scary time, the more I kept reading about the effectiveness of essential oils against MRSA (a potentially life-threatening antibiotic resistant staph infection) and other drug-resistant strains of infection.

Oils for Wellness happened to have a giveaway posted through CWO and I got in touch with her. She not only sent me samples to try (since Madeline is allergic to most everything), so I wouldn't have to buy something we couldn't use, but she sent emails everytime she found something that was useful for our situation. She became an excellent resource.

I credit those essential oils with clearing up the stubborn and resistant infections that invaded Madeline's system. She was too allergic to handle the antibiotics, so we ended up using the oils long term. Eventually, we didn't need them anymore.

Jen is having another giveaway on her site. This is for an aromatherapy sampler of 9 essential oils! I just ordered this set last month and it worked wonders on calming Olivia down before bed time and relieving pain my husband was having from his accident.

Simply leave a comment to be entered. Random drawing is on Jan 31. There are only a few comments today, so your chances are good. This is a wonderful, practical resource! Head on over....

Three Stranded Rope

"And if somebody overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

In this picture, from left to right, is Faith, Olivia Faith and Olivia. No, I didn't stutter. And they used to all refer to each other as "Two Wawa" (as in two Olivias).

We go to a large church. When I saw an announcement in the bulletin for twin girls just 3 months older than my baby, who were named Faith and Olivia, I knew I wanted to meet the mom who chose the same names I did for my daughter, Olivia Faith.

Never would I have guessed that when I finally did meet her, when our girls were 3 years old, that she would become a God-sent friend to us. Crystal (a.k.a. Dr. Crystal) was the one who eventually led us in the natural direction that helped us deal with our youngest daughter's medical issues, including her severe allergic reactions.

The three girls have become fast friends, not to mention their mothers. How could they not? It almost seemed "meant to be." I just love how God puts people in our paths.

For more inspiring Word Filled Wednesday, visit Amy

October 19-25th, 2008: National Infertility Awareness Week

Today I am recognizing National Infertility Awareness Week, a movement to raise awareness about the disease of infertility which affects 7.3 million Americans.

My "About Me" says after overcoming a few obstacles, I am blessed to be a mother. My husband and I dealt with infertility from the moment we thought about starting a family. I met with my family doctor for a check-up, explaining we were going to try to get pregnant soon, and after a month of tests, found myself with a brain tumor diagnosis (pituitary tumor). To top it off, I was assured that if I got pregnant, the hormones would cause the tumor to grow rapidly.

Months later, after an MRI confirmed that God had indeed healed me, (the doctors assured me this was completely impossible), we sought advice from an infertility doctor who specialized in patients with pituitary tumors. During our first appointment she advised me to undergo a round of chemotherapy drugs. Immediately after that statement, she took a phone call from the nurse advising her we were already pregnant! The pregnancy was not without it's trials (including 4 months of bedrest due to preterm labor), but no ill effects from the tumor. Olivia Faith was born full-term and healthy.

Our story continues with another couple years of what is called secondary infertility, usually defined as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children. Many diagnoses were given, including severe endometriosis. One surgery later, and once again a natural pregnancy was confirmed by an infertility doctor. Another eventful pregnancy ensued (with more bedrest). And Madeline Joy was born full-term as well.

We again experienced secondary infertility, including one early miscarriage, due to the endometriosis. This time our infertility doctor gave us less than 0.5% chance of conceiving on our own. I was in need of another surgery. The next month he was dumbfounded, confirming that once again we were pregnant. Unfortunately, this time we lost our baby boy at 3 months.

Once again, we find ourselves in a season of secondary infertility. It's a tough place to be. The tug of war between my overwhelming desire to add to our family and the guilt I feel in appearing ungrateful for the children I have often keeps me from sharing anything at all.

This week seemed like a safe time to share my story, and a few facts I've learned along the way. From what I've read, Secondary infertility is often unrecognized as a problem, and many couples find it hard to receive support from their family and friends. Some couples are even criticized as seeming ungrateful for the child or children they already have.

The emotional impact of infertility is profound. Unless you have had a close encounter with it, you probably wouldn't begin to guess the ramifications. RESOLVE published an article, "Coping with Infertility" that had this to say:

From the shocking diagnosis and demanding treatment to the disruptive day-to-day experiences, this emotional assault can leave an infertile individual depressed, angry and guilt ridden. Of the eight types of loss researchers have identified which can lead to depression in the average man or woman, the infertile individual may experience them all: loss of self-esteem, status, important relationships, health or an acceptable body image, control, security, important fantasies and someone or something of symbolic value. The cumulative effect is profound, creating a life crisis that impacts a person's ability to cope and has no immediate or foreseeable resolution.

It goes on to say: Ultimately, many infertile women....feel the wound of infertility in every part of their being, and there are no simple remedies to ease such deep pain and extensive loss.

I agree that infertility is that intense. I've often said it is like grieving the death of a dream every month. But it's here that I would have to agree to disagree with the article. There is a simple remedy to ease my deep pain and my continued loss. It is my continued relationship with God. He is able to take my questions, my fears, my grief, my disappointments. In Matthew 11, Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

That doesn't mean I am not sad. I grieve the babies I've lost. And many months I grieve the lost dream of having another child. But even in my sadness, there is a promise that eases my pain and loss, Psalms 34, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." God has never been closer to our family than these last few months since we lost our baby boy. We are overwhelmed by His goodness towards us.

For those have journeyed the road of infertility, though our paths may never cross, this traveler holds you close in her heart. My prayers extend toward you this week.

For those who have never carried the burden of infertility, my hope is that you can reach out with understanding and compassion, and help carry the burden of a tired friend. You can't fix it, but you can lift her spirits.

A good report

We're back and we come bearing good news! We arrived home from our vacation and took the girls to the doctor Thursday. They had the results from the Oregon culture and Madeline does not have MRSA or anything else; her culture grew absolutely nothing! Praise God!

The doctors in Oregon told us Madeline would have MRSA for life. I learned a little more about antibiotic resistant staph (MRSA) at this appointment. Apparently that only happens once it gets in your bloodstream, and then it is potentially fatal. Madeline's infection was superficial, so she will not have it for the rest of her life. There was a risk of it getting in her blood because she had open, bleeding sores. Thank God, this did not happen. And there would have been a greater risk if this medication didn't work and she had to have IV drugs in the hospital, because she would have had a direct opening in her skin to her bloodstream. Again, thanking God for His protection.

Olivia needed a second culture to be certain her infection was gone. There was nothing on the skin to culture, so they just cultured in her nose even though her last nose culture came back negative. We will continue to keep the girls away from the public until we get her results back, but we believe there is a good chance we will get a call saying she is good to go sometime this week.

Troy is the last to finish his antibiotics and then he will need a new culture. It's still important for him to not spread it, because we also learned the type of staph he has can mutate when it's spread to someone else. So it could be minimal for him, but mutate into MRSA for Madeline.

The doctor said there is no more risk for future infection for us than anyone else. Some of her suggestions for not getting infected again were clean shopping carts off before using, continue using special soap and remove our shoes before walking in our house.

It wasn't all good news for Madeline. The other rash that had appeared on her leg, calf and cheeks is apparently eczema - and a bad case of it. After a few days of treatments, the eczema rash has stopped spreading and seems to be starting to go away. The eczema is a good indication that she has developed an allergy to some food she wasn't previously allergic to -- and is a new allergic symptom for Madeline. We were told to have her tested again for all food allergies. Madeline has a short list of about only 25 foods that she can eat, so it's discouraging to hear that she night have to lose one of those few foods.

Although this might seem like another set back, we are praising God for the first miracle and praying for another. We will be going in Monday night to have allergy testing, for those of you who will continue to pray for her. We are so grateful for the kind words of encouragement you've sent our way. We are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I realized as I wrote tonight that many of you have never even met Madeline and might enjoy a recent picture. Here is one from our vacation in Oregon.

A couple weeks ago, I found this verse and have daily prayed it over Madeline.

"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

~ Zephaniah 3:17

At the same time, I was visiting LauraLee's blog and she had posted this song with the same verse. It has been resonating in my heart ever since. I knew exactly when I would share it with you - it was when we got the good report. So here it is - enjoy!

For more songs that inspire, visit Amy.

Thanks for the prayers!

I wasn't sure how to update everyone on our MRSA ordeal, because the situation seems to change everyday, if not many times a day. I decided to just share what has happened so far.

Madeline finished her MRSA antibiotics Sunday. Upon completing them, her bottom broke out in a nasty rash that bleeds when wiped. She also had a new rash spreading up her leg and eventually her torso and face. Our original plan was to wait until we got back from vacation to get her second culture done, but we decided to get it done at the recommended 14 days (Thursday) because of the intensity of the rash. So we left our campground and headed to an Urgent Care in town. That culture will come back next week.

The doctor in Oregon told us once Madeline has MRSA, she will always have it. This is a new piece of information to us and is an example of what has frustrated us all along. We don't feel that we've gotten all the facts, and the ones we do get seem to come in bits and pieces. Then we are left on our own to figure out what is fact and what is not, since different doctors are telling us different things.

We did not get to go on our houseboat vacation. Instead, we decided last minute to pack up the RV and head to the sand dunes in Oregon. We are pretty self-contained and won't risk spreading the infection here. We also have access to a washing machine to keep things sterilized. The fact that a major part broke on the RV, only serves to extend our family vacation, as it won't arrive until next Tuesday.

Olivia's culture came back as regular staph, not MRSA. This was a huge answer to prayer. They told us to stop antibiotics, which we did that night. The next morning, her bottom broke out with huge sores and a rash. We decided to continue the antibiotics through the rest of the course and she finished up yesterday. She has had no other mysterious rashes or breakouts since. She even ran into a wall and opened up the skin above, around and below her eye. This healed up and did not get infected! We will have her new culture done in a few days to see if she is clear.

Two days ago, we found out Troy's culture came back positive as a "carrier" for staph. His parents also had cultures done, since they had been around the girls, and Oma came back positive as well. Apparently, approximately 1/3 of the population is a staph carrier (it lives in their nose and under fingernails). This is not usually an issue, unless someone in the household is fighting MRSA. So we picked up some antibiotics for Troy while we were in town yesterday as well. And Oma has already been on them a few days. This means Troy cannot help change Madeline's diapers or administer ointments or creams until he finishes his medication, as he could reinfect her. He's secretly enjoying this, but doesn't dare say it out loud. ;) Ideally, they would have recommended the culture earlier, so he could have been finished with his medications close to the same time Madeline was done.

Somehow, I ended up being the only one not infected with something. Which doesn't make sense, since I am the one touching and cleaning everything. We praise God that I haven't been infected yet!

We are still keeping ourselves away from people, as the doctors have recommended, so this nasty infection won't spread any further. But we have been blessed to visit with some good friends this week, Cassie and Gunnar, who live in Oregon. They are even heading out this weekend to ride and visit with us (and probably encourage us more than they realize). They will be staying in their cozy 2 person tent, as opposed to our infected RV. The girls couldn't be more excited to have them as company -- we are on a daily countdown.

Many of you have asked how the girls are doing...if you could have seen them this morning throwing themselves down the side of a sand dune, rolling to the bottom, you would never have known anything was wrong. You don't realize there's a problem until it's time for a diaper change. The dirty diapers and wiping are very painful. Other than that, they are full of energy and generally happy. This is a HUGE blessing for Troy and I.

That's the scoop so far. We continue to be humbled and amazed by the stories of people who have committed to cover our family in prayer. Specifically, we still need prayer:
that we won't reinfect each other,
that Troy and Olivia's second cultures come back clean,
that Madeline's culture comes back as something besides MRSA, or better yet - clean!
that we stay encouraged until we can join back in with the rest of the world,
and for continued guidance for us as parents to know what to do, when to do it and who to seek medical advice from.

MRSA update

We continue to be blessed, humbled and overwhelmed by your prayers and notes of encouragement! So many have asked how Madeline is doing and I was purposefully waiting until after today's doctor visit to share. It was not necessarily happy news, and so it has taken me most of the day to figure out how to write this. I don't want to give details for shock value, but only so you can pray more specifically.

Sunday we noticed our 4 year old had the same sores as her sister, on her thigh and on her face. Olivia said Madeline scratched her while trying to get a toy. This is consistent with how MRSA is spread, since it tends to live inside the nose and under fingernails and the skin has to be broken for the infection to get in. I took them both to the doctor first thing this morning. They took a culture of Olivia's sores and immediately put her on the same antibiotic as Madeline. The doctor was as sure as she could be without a culture, that Olivia has contracted the MRSA infection as well.

Madeline's rash had begun to clear up, but a new rash began to form yesterday. The doctor believes it is a yeast infection, in response to the antibiotics she is on. She prescribed an additional medication for the yeast. Then we noticed a new set of MRSA sores forming outside of her diaper area, traveling down her thigh. This is not a good development because now the sores are spreading in spite of the antibiotic and now they are in an area that is much more exposed. We were prescribed an additional topical version of the antibiotic to apply to the infection. As well as a medicated soap for all of us to cleanse with.

Our sitter also came with us, as she has an unexplained rash forming on her elbow and had to have a culture done as well. The results for the cultures will not come back for 6 days. The doctor also cultured myself, Olivia and later my husband, (through the nose) to see if we are carriers of MRSA. Apparently, you can carry the virus and never have symptoms, but you can spread infection to others and inadvertently be re-infecting the girls.

It is hard for me to get all the details on this type of infection and exactly how it works. It seems there are many variables. Basically, it's a strain of staph that's resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. There is a little more info here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735. I do know I have heard from 3 different doctors over the weekend, that it is not something to be messed with. They told us to take it very seriously, as MRSA is very difficult to beat and can be fatal. Not the most encouraging words for a mom or dad to hear. We were already aware that the next step if the antibiotics were not successful, was hospitalization for IV drugs.

To fight the MRSA, I was told to sanitize the girls sheets after every use (nap and night). Also every piece of clothing, towel and washcloth they touch. To bathe them daily in the medicated soap. Administer antibiotics 3 times a day. Apply alternating creams up to 6 times a day. Use strong cleaners under their fingernails a couple times a day. On top of that, I have to dress them in pants to try to keep the sores covered (it's 100 degrees here). I was told to cut out sugar from their diet, to inhibit the growth of the infection. This effectively cuts Madeline's available non-allergy food list in half. Then I have the natural solutions I am adding to our care plan, applying more ointments, essential oils, taking multiple supplements and vitamins 3-5 times a day to boost their immune system. I am just trying to fit it all in during the day.

On a more frivolous note, we had a week long houseboat vacation scheduled and are supposed to leave this Saturday. The doctor said if Madeline's infection does not improve, there is no way we can go. Even if it does, there are many details to work out, such as getting her re-cultured at the end of her 10 days of antibiotics (which is Sunday) while we are out of state. We just don't know if it's possible and it only adds to the uncertainty of this week. Also, the doctor was pretty certain her MRSA and the very rare Group C Beta-strep infections were probably acquired from a recent lake trip, through a fresh diaper rash. This would limit her ability to be in the water, which is the point of a houseboat trip. We need a clear answer as to what we are supposed to do.

It's a lot to take in and we are trying our best to do everything we can to fight this Superbug. We cherish your prayers and are believing God to continue to guide us every step of the way. I have read the opinions of some who have battled MRSA with their kids, who recommend seeking out an infectious disease pediatrician - we need wisdom to know if that's what we should do. Please agree with us that the girls' immune systems will continue to get strong enough to fight off this infection. And pray that we would not be distracted by discouragement.

Thankful

This is a perfect post for Thankful Thursday. I could even say for me it's a thankful, grateful, indebted, appreciative Thursday. I am still a little in awe of what God did today for Madeline. It really is a miracle, that exceeds my wildest thoughts. I didn't dare to hope it would turn out this well.

Basically, yesterday I spoke with a nurse who told me I had no option but to give Madeline the medicine we were pretty certain she would be allergic to and just go to the ER when she started to have reaction. I searched and searched online last night for an alternative, but found nothing useful. Troy and I felt so ill-equipped and lost. We felt our only option was to drive first thing in the morning to a reputable ER and give her first dose of medicine near by.

We prayed for wisdom and that God would direct our steps and keep His hand over Madeline and went to bed. I believed He would, even though my mind wondered what He would possibly do in the middle of the night to change our circumstances.

This morning I was checking my email and must have searched Google with some combination of words I hadn't tried last night. The first website I opened described multiple antibiotic allergies. It said what I had felt all along: "Multiple antibiotic allergies can be scary. If you are allergic to one antibiotic, you have 10 times the risk of an allergic reaction to another antibiotic." It also described drug challenge testing, in which case a minute amount of the antibiotic is given under a physician's supervision and the amount is gradually increased. After a certain point is reached, if there is no reaction, it may be safely assumed that the patient can take the antibiotic. The physician must be present during the test to treat any life-threatening reaction that might occur.

This seemed much more reasonable to me. So I called the emergency number for her Dr., to be sure I wouldn't be transferred to a nurse again, and asked him about this procedure. He said he didn't think they would be able to accommodate us in the office, but we might be able to do it in the ER. He said to just meet him in the office at 9 since he was on his way there (I think he's only in the office 1 day a week). This was exactly when we should have been driving to the other hospital.

I took this as a sign that God was "directing our steps." When he met with Madeline, he said he could only do this if the one compound pharmacy in town would create the right dosages of antibiotic, but he didn't think they would. After a phone call - you guessed it! - he said they had agreed to and we would begin the 1 1/2 hour process in his office as soon as I picked up the prescription.

At this point, I started to believe that God was going to do something really special for Madeline today! The Dr. was ready to start the antibiotic desensitization, as he called it. As best as I can understand, it means by starting with extremely small doses of the antibiotic and slowly increasing the dose, the "allergy" systems of the body develop a sort of tolerance to the drug and do not react to it. The goal being that Madeline would eventually be able to take a full dose without further reaction. I had never even heard of this before this morning, but was really excited that it might work.

I purchased 5 doses of different strengths of the medication. Madeline and I sat in his office, as each dose was administered, with 15 minutes between each dose. She was quite content with all the attention, a dvd and some snacks. She was monitored by the Dr. and nurse throughout the procedure and had NO reaction!!!! Unbelievable.

We were sent home with our original prescription, she is able to take a normal dose now. (We also have a prescription for 3 epi-pens, which we have desired to have on hand for quite some time.) But apparently if she stops taking the drug, the desensitization does not last, and we cannot just start it up again at any time. We will return in 2 weeks for another culture of the infection. This is an incredible answer to one of our prayers (that she would not be allergic to the antibiotic)!

What we need to continue to pray is that THIS antibiotic effectively kills THIS particular strain of bacteria. The Dr. did tell us that if this one does not work, the only next option for a child her age is hospitalization (in-patient care and IV drugs), which lasts days.

God has provided a miracle today, and we believe He will provide another. We won't know for about 3 weeks (2 weeks + 6 days for the culture results), so we have all that time to pray for her healing and ask God to do another miracle.

Thank you for all of you who have forwarded our request on to other friends and left me encouraging messages today. I feel like an army got together on Madeline's behalf and I am so blessed.

Lots of love,