Though bacteria meningitis can be treated, it can also have terrible consequences. Unfortunately, she had thought she had the flu and didn't go in until she was delirious. They treated her for over a week, sent her home and it came back within 6 days. Searching for the reason, she finally had one doctor who listened to some of her symptoms. One was a continual drain from one side of her nose. The liquid was tested and found to be cerebral fluid, not sinus mucus. Further research discovered a small "crack," caused by a car accident 18 months earlier, to exist between her sinuses and her brain. When she got a sinus infection before Christmas, it traveled to her brain and caused the meningitis...and then caused it to return. The doctors had to go through her nose and repair the damage. It did not work. They decided that there was enough scar tissue at the base of her brain caused by the meningitis that the brain liquid was not draining properly and caused the repair to remain too moist to heal. As a result she had a drain installed. This means that a hole at the top side of her head was opened, a tube was run down the inside of her skin to behind her ear, down around her neck to the side of her chest down to her stomach. The drain has an adjustment plate on her head so that they can adjust the rate of drain. Too much drain and the brain shrinks. Too little drain and she has extreme headaches and brain damage. We were heartsick that she had to have this drain, but it was better than the alternative. Though I really wonder if she truly needed it as they had to adjust it down many times. Finally, after about 3 months, she was on her way to healing. It would take time, however, because she was on intense antibiotics during all this time. Her body needs to be cleansed and have time to heal. Her energy is slowly returning and she looks amazing! More importantly, she is normal.
Fortunately, she had a blessing when she was 5 and again at the beginning of this new ordeal. They promised her full recovery. We saw the hand of the Lord with her and us through those next 3 months....and it continues today. We are so grateful to have her with us still. We are so grateful that she can still think, talk, walk, see, hear.....any number of so many things that could have happened. The medical professionals at the hospital kept telling her how "lucky" she was. We know better. It had nothing to do with luck. We know how blessed she was!
How blessed we are! We could have lost this child twice, but for the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father, we are most grateful. Thank you, Father! We are also very thankful to the many people from so many places who prayed for her and for us. Thank you!
Jason and Larry administered the IVs at home. I think I did it once--medicine is not my area! I was doing well to take this picture. Luckily, we do have modern medicines and technology that made the miracle possible.
During the time that we were helping our daughter, my father, 99 1/2 years old, passed away. I knew how much he wanted to leave here and the handicaps that were keeping him from full life, so I thought that having him gone would be easy. Actually, having a parent around for so long really spoils a person. It makes it so much harder when they are gone. I miss my father greatly! I am happy for him, however. I could just imagine the great reunion he had. He had served so many, but especially my mother during her Alzeheimers years. Dad never held a worldly "important" position that made him a celebrity or famous person. Yet, I imagine that there are thousands of people who would consider my father someone of import.
He touched so many lives as a game warden, a scout master and leader and as a member of his church. Especially he touched the lives of his posterity, which numbers in the 100s. I have never taken the time to figure it all out, because it is growing so quickly that we can't keep up with the count any more. The chapel was filled when he passed away--that is something when one considers that all of his friends and most of his family had proceeded him. So with the loss, comes also the gratitude. Thank you, Dad, for such a great example.
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