October, Glad You're Over

Heads up, if you haven't read the post before this. Do it now. 

You read it yet? Good, that's the fun part.  Carrie usually writes all of the blog posts in our family blog. But I imagine I'll be taking over for a while. I've noticed I'm a little more verbose in my posts than she is. Just fair warning to everyone. 

 Now, This is the not so fun part. 

Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear; 

On September 28th my 101 year old Grandma Rowe passed away. 

But with joy, wend your way 

She had a long and faithful life, and like the spirits of all men and women who die, was taken straight home to God who gave her life. I was able to fly out to Utah and attend the funeral, work gave me some time off. Heavenly Father's presence and that of his angels and of our ancestors could be felt all throughout. I was able to spend some time with my brothers and sister, one of the rare times we had been together since before Trever left on his mission in 1999. Unfortunately Carrie didn't feel well enough to go.

Though hard to you, this journey may appear

Carrie had morning sickness, bad enough she couldn't even take care of Tyler after I left. Some wonderful angels from our church congregation came to help her and took care of him.

Grace shall be as your day,

I got back on Sunday, Oct 4th. Carrie was pale, she was throwing up. She couldn't keep anything down. On Monday Oct 5th while Tyler stayed with one of our angels, I took Carrie to Acute Care. The first of many trips to get medical treatment. They gave her some medication and IVs and off we went.

'Tis better far for us to strive

The Friday of that week, I took her again, this time to triage. Carrie felt like dying, and there was nothing I could do but hold her hand as they poked her for another IV. Work was great, they let me go but I needed to get back that night to produce the 10PM news. We were already short staffed. Carrie spent the night in the hospital, so dehydrated because she wouldn't drink and if she did, she'd just throw it right up. That's when we found out, Carrie has what is called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. 

Our useless cares from us to drive;

In brief, it is the most extreme of morning sickness and potentially fatal. She was just in so much pain, wasting away. That weekend my mother-in-law flew in to the rescue. That weekend, Tyler got sick.

Why should we morn or think our lot is hard?

We would find out later that week he had H1N1, but only after Laurie and I had both gotten sick. The pediatrician told me anyone who lives in the house and has symptoms has it too. Between Tyler, Carrie, and my own physical therapy and nerve tests I averaged about 5 visits to a medical facility a week for two weeks.

'Tis not so, all is right

A couple of days later I again took Carrie to the hospital.

Why should we think to earn a great reward?

I started making calls, it was obvious this was going to be a routine thing.

If we now shun the fight?

It took days to get a hold of a doctor, still I never talked to one. Just receptionists and nurses. I wanted a way so Carrie could more routinely get the fluids and electrolytes her body needs.

Gird up your loins; fresh courage take;

Finally, they said they'd set her up with a PICC line so she could more regularly get fluids. Now, every other day, through a 6 to 10 hour process I give her two liters of IV fluid.

Our God will never us forsake,

She seems to be doing better, but still she can't take care of Tyler, she can't really take care of herself completely. She no longer throws up 7+ times a day, and can generally keep things down. Still, we have about 13 more weeks of this at the least, possibly several more months.

And should we die before our journey's through,

My mother-in-law stayed most of the month of October with us. Now my sister-in-law Lisa is here, soon my mom will get here to help take care of Tyler and Carrie. What's ahead? I don't know. Gratefully we're all over the H1N1. At least that's one trial out of the way.

Happy day! All is well!

I was able to give Carrie a blessing with the help of our Elder's Quorum Presidency. Sometimes God takes away the hardship and miraculously heals us, but ofttimes He strengthens our shoulders so we can bear the burdens placed upon them. The blessing promised Carrie and baby will be okay in the long run, that she would be comforted, but that this trial will not go away. Still, what comfort to know that my princess and our new baby will live and will one day be healthy.

We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;

I share with you my witness of God's love for us. He knows us. He hears us. We are never alone. We may climb our own personal hill of Calvary on our knees but God will never leave us comfortless. There have been times when I felt prompted to check on Tyler, to check on Carrie, to call a doctor, to ask a question. I know that I have been guided by His hand and that through that small and simple guiding, at the very least Carrie's life has been saved.

With the just we shall dwell!

Our trial is not over, not even half way over and even though Heavenly Father in His wisdom wants us to go through this, I know He has not left us without comfort, guidance, and a way to overcome.

But if our lives are spared again

Some people say that religion is a crutch. They have it all wrong, my faith is a set of wings, a telescope, an iron rod. Wings, that lift us above our worldly trials, that allows us to be in the world but not of it. Telescope, that allows us to see the bigger picture, see past the trials that may seem like mountains. And an iron rod, long and stretched like the rail of a stair leading back Home.

To see the saints their rest obtain,

How can we follow Him, travel His path, and not expect to experience even in the smallest degree some of what Our Savior experienced?

O how we'll make this chorus swell, 

All is well! All is well!