Not Yet As Job

"You are like Job," someone told me.  

I scoffed.  "Far from it," I replied.  Maybe someday I will have Job's faith, courage, strength, and stamina, but that may take more than a lifetime for me.  

For one thing, I still have a home.  And family.  And I still have my health.  Job had lost all of those things (and more) and still stayed strong and faithful in his beliefs.  I relate more to Joseph Smith, who, when he felt things were just getting a little too hard in Liberty Jail, cried out to God pleading for relief.  Our loving Heavenly Father replied, "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment. . ." (Doctrine and Covenants 121:7)

For Job, one of his greatest trials was losing his friends.  Worse, his friends turned against him.  Joseph Smith was reminded of his blessings when told, "Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.  Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression as they did Job." (verses 9-10)

I have been extremely grateful for our wonderful friends.  You are so amazing!  You lift, you inspire, you help us through our difficulties.  Your "warm hearts and friendly hands" are truly a blessing from a loving Heavenly Father to us through you.  How thankful we are for you.  I can see how Job's trials would have been sore, when his friends were not there to love, encourage, and help.

Today we spent the morning (and into the afternoon) in the Emergency Department.  Brendan's 101.8 degree fever returned this morning.  We were told another round of antibiotics would be in order, more blood cultures needed to be taken, and then -- if nothing grew out -- we would assume it was a virus and be done with all of the Emergency Department visits.

We went into the Logan hospital with Brendan in terrible pain.  Everything hurt.  Getting in and out of the wheelchair and in and out of the car was excruciating to his hips and shoulder.  On the way, Brendan told me he didn't want to deal with the pain anymore.  It is so hard to see your kids in pain and not be able to take it all away. 

It took getting the fever down before Brendan was comfortable enough to get some sleep.

Slowly, Brendan began to feel better.  I could tell he was feeling better because he started to play with the respiration patterns on his monitors again.

It's like "Etch-A-Sketch" without hands!

It was finally determined to send Brendan home.  As we began preparations to go, the doctor reappeared to tell us that the strep culture from Monday night had just "grown out."  So calls were made to Primary's for further instructions.

A new antibiotic was prescribed, Brendan's port was de-accessed, and it was time to be on our way.

I was surprised to hear that Brendan's strep test grew out -- and so slowly.  But if treating it will  help take away these high fevers and achy muscles, and nausea, then I'm all for it!

Brendan hasn't been anywhere without his wheelchair for over a week now.  It is just too painful for him to stand.

 Brendan didn't want to go to the ED, but once he was settled there, he didn't want to go home.  It's the moving back and forth that is so hard and flares up the pain.

Brendan finally settled in comfortably at home and was feeling pretty good when Shanda came to rub his feet and keep him company for awhile.

Just what he needed. . .

Brendan thinks it's pretty lonely at home until everyone gets home from school.

By late afternoon, Brendan was feeling well enough to get out in the sun for a spin in the wheelchair.

He found it was a little tricky to shoot the basketball from the wheelchair.

Since Brendan left the hospital, he has missed the air hockey table there.  So Shaun found a used one for $35 and brought it home for Brendan and the kids to play with.  Brendan would love to donate a new one to Primary Children's -- especially now that the old one they have is out of order.

I am just so stunned by the extreme changes that happen day to day with Brendan.  For part of the day Brendan can't tolerate the excruciating pain in his legs and hips.  Then, when the pain is managed, Brendan has a great day and loves being out and enjoying the sunshine and his siblings.

Hopefully, the radiation next week will give him some longer term pain relief.  But for now, it is day by day, and sometimes, hour by hour.