It's been almost a month since I have found some time to sit down and write. What a month it has been too. It's been a month filled with God's love,His grace, His protection, His blessed saints serving us and His sovereign hand made very clear to us. I have felt like that child born pre mature who could be cradled in His large hand. It's been a great experience, one I wouldn't trade and one that I have been thinking on how this should change me to be more like Christ. Caleb, this post will be for you, may you never forget His hand in your life and how He is working in you through all these things! Never doubt His love for you and His guidance in your life (as He clearly has been directing you).
So, Caleb went off to Placerita Baptists Church youth winter camp on January 29th. Coby had to stay home as he was still recovering from his surgery but he was feeling so much better by that weekend. We had kind of joked around with our friend, who was going up for the first time as the church nurse, to watch out for Caleb and please see that he gets home uninjured. Man, did Vonna get more then she bargained for! So, Saturday Tom and I were exhausted from a weekend of moving rooms with my brother and his wife so that they could have a larger room for their baby and 2 children plus I decided to paint my new room at the same time. It seriously felt like we all moved a house and then that night Tom and I were up with my daughter and her boyfriend until midnight talking. So, Sunday morning, I slept in and Tom just went to first service and came home and as soon as he got home Vonna called to say we had better come up to camp and pick up Caleb. Saturday night he was in a skit and told his best friend to tackle him as part of this skit. His best friend did this with all his might and Caleb went flying and came down slamming the back of his head on the concrete in this room. Now, what his best friend didn't know was that Caleb was unconscious and neither did anyone else as it was for only about 10 seconds. Caleb was dragged off as part of the skit and had come too, shook it off not feeling as if anything was too serious. He had a headache and was starting to feel sick that night but did not associate it with his head. So, Sunday morning, Caleb felt feverish and just was feeling awful and went to see the nurse. She laid him on the bed took his temp which was high and gave him some Motrin, when she came back Caleb couldn't breathe and was acting as if he was having a seizure. His limbs went numb, he was in severe pain, he couldn't breathe. So, Tom is on his way up to camp when he sees an the L.A paramedics drive past him, he drives a little further and now sees the San Bernadino paramedics drive past and he just knew Caleb was in that one. We were very thankful to have the staff lovingly care for Caleb, give him oxygen and make the call to 911. Caleb probably took a couple years off their life. By this time Tom calls to tell me where they are going and I had finished getting dressed thinking I'd meet them at our doctor's or maybe the ER. When he called I knew I was not sitting put and my brother offered to drive Coby and I to the hospital. The paramedics were kind enough to call both Tom and I on our cell phones and tell us he was going to go to Loma Linda University Hospital instead of the San Bernadino Hospital due to this being a trauma and that Caleb was stable.Loma Linda had been listening to the conversation over the radio and redirected Caleb to them. I was so thankful for the paramedics kindness to call us and let us know that Caleb was stable. I held onto those words as we made our long drive to Loma Linda.
You know it was during this time driving that I felt God's peace and no fear of anxiousness. Sure I wanted to get there fast but I also prayed " Lord, I know today where Caleb stands and that he has committed his life to You. I've seen the change so dramatic and I know he is Yours. If I do not get to see him again, I love you for loving him and saving him and I know you will get us through." That was it, His grace and His peace. I think it is so different when you know your child has committed their life to Him. You just trust in His plan and for Him to get you through what may lay ahead.
So, we were so thankful for the hospital they took Caleb too. We had 3 teams of doctors working with him. The trauma team, the neuro team and the internist. Initially, they were having a hard time diagnosing what was going on because he was having all these other symptoms like flu symptoms but they were saying he did not have the flu. They checked for spinal meningitis, strep, lots of xrays. They could not control his pain. He was given a lot of morphine and developed an allergic reaction to that. It was like starting with the major things and ruling them out one at a time, which I was thankful for. They did however find that night that he had a small skull fracture and was bleeding from this which was serious enough to admit him for observance and run more tests on his spine. We had some wonderful friends, The Richardson's, The Ardavanis's, Batman Dan, and Tom's parents come be with Caleb and us that night. At midnight we were checked into our room and Tom and I took the fold out chair and a regular chair and attempted to help Caleb get through the night without being able to move. I also noticed Caleb struggling at this point to breathe and he had a gurgle in his throat. I was up all night long and at 8am, the neuro doctor came in to say everything looked clear with Caleb's spine and neck and we could possibly be sent home soon. So, Caleb is just feeling awful and his vitasl had not shown a fever but I was worried about his chest now and I looked at his body which had turned red and he was burning up. So, I called his nurse and she said oh my goodness this is not good and took his temperature, which was almost 105. Immediately she called outside yelling something and a sign went up on the door, a special cart with gloves, and gowns and masks came out and ice packs, lots of ice packs came in. The trauma doctor came in and they were sure the trauma to the head brought out what they say was the Swine flu in a bad way and his heart rate was so fast you could see it pulsating through his neck and he couldn't breathe so he went on oxygen and it was a whole new ballgame. What followed through Wednesday was each team coming in to evaluate him and to see him through this virus with fluids, pain meds and such. It was very much an up and down ride but by Wednesday he seemed so much better and we were given the green light to go home. They said the county would contact us if it was for sure the Swine flu and as I type this I have a letter from the county wanting to speak to us or Caleb, supposedly they would only contact us if it was positive. I am waiting a call back from them. Thursday morning at midnight we arrived home and fell fast asleep. The next few days were hard for Caleb with his fever not being too bad but remaining and his cough getting worse. He was not due to see our general physician until Wednesday but I sensed it was not good and called to have him seen on Monday. Thank you Lord because he had pneumonia. The antibiotics helped tremendously and Caleb went back to school for part days on Thursday and Friday.
Part 2 is coming, I had to take a break to cook dinner ;)
