Very long story short, two year old George has been hospitalized with bacterial meningitis since November 7th. We started at Urgent Care, were sent to the ER, admitted to Intensive Care, and then to a regular hospital room. He was a really, really sick little guy. After two weeks, he has recovered from the infection, but is still physically weak, and can’t sit or stand on his own. Today we were transferred to another hospital that has inpatient pediatric physical therapy. We expect to be here 1-3 weeks.
So here we go, beginning our third week and second location of George’s hospitalization. I’m grateful for so much that’s happened over these days, and especially for all the people who have supported us with prayers and our other needs, practical and medical.
As if having a two year old hospitalized with meningitis wasn’t exciting enough, while George has been sick we also lost our entire flock of thirteen chickens to coyotes, had car trouble, our only house phone quit working so we couldn’t call home, all of our first floor toilets backed up and spewed blue plaster all over the floors during our long-scheduled pool re-plastering, and our kid thought he had broken his arm and got an X-ray (but it turned out he just had a case of his friend Charlie having a cast).
There has been logistical craziness, and a decided lack of Dr. Pepper (so many doctors, none of them Pepper), but we’ve had beautiful moments, and have found help and work arounds for almost everything, from homeschooling, to getting to the school play, to celebrating a family birthday, nameday, and baptism day all in the hospital courtyard. But, of course, none of it is *exactly* how I would want it.
It’s been a real lesson in the virtues of humility and acceptance and detachment. The humility to request and accept help. The acceptance of my life as it is at this moment. Detachment from even good things. I had to laugh at myself and my Advent-of-waiting-loving-heart when we walked through the new hospital entryway today and it is a full-blown, amusement park-level Christmas wonderland in here on November 21st. 😦🤷♀️😆
I get to admit to myself that the internet keeps spinning even without me having time to write blog posts about my five favorite nursing dresses, and our St. Nicholas book stack (and these St. Nicholas chocolate coins!), and our new Advent family traditions.
Those will have to get written up some other time, along with a recap of how this all went down with George. And maybe I’ll come up with some hospital living tips. But probably not. I’m not feeling very expert at this.
I can't thank you all enough for your prayers for our family!