I got to see a little bit of harvest this year, but it mostly happened while I was gone all day.
Because Phillip ended up back in the hospital two weeks after the first pancreatic attack. He had another one here at the house, and the kids and I were here for that one. It's kind of horrendous to watch. At least with labor pains you know your body is doing what it's supposed to and a joyful blessing will come at the end of it. This sounded as painful as a woman in labor, only you know the body is doing something it shouldn't be doing. And there are no breaks between contractions. So Phillip had another ambulance ride to Hannibal Regional.
This time they found his pancreas had had another flareup and he had a pseudo cyst on it. This is a familiar, though not super common complication of pancreatitis. The doctor said at one point that Phillip was a unicorn of complications ~ things kept happening that don't usually happen to pancreatitis patients.
Beautiful .... maple? tree at Hannibal Regional.
I found this pond in back of the hospital with a walking path around it.
So we were two weeks in Hannibal Regional with various things happening. He was in ICU and then moved to the regular floor (Med/Surg) and then moved to ICU Step-down because of another flareup in which they determined the pseudo cyst was growing and there were perhaps other fluid buildups around other organs (now that we're on the other end, I think they determined it was just fluid from the pseudo cyst). We were on the waiting list to get into Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis (or any other hospital around that could take us). There was nothing. The doctors and nurses called around and used their connections, but we just had to wait. I think we waited 7 or 8 days and then the nurse came in with the phone to her ear and said, "Put your pulse ox on!" We thought she was telling him to put his socks on and just stared at her dumbly. "Put your pulse ox on! They've got a bed!"
So he was transferred around 10 pm on a Monday night. Another hospital ride, but much less painful than the other two.
Harrison preached his new sermon at the nursing home. Kind friends took pictures and videoed it since we couldn't be there. He had been telling me that "none of the preacher boys have spoken up about preaching at the nursing home. I think I'm gonna have to because I'm the only one with a new sermon ready." :-) His friend Noah helped lead the singing. I'm so proud of all of those boys.
I want to take an intermission and thank so many people (at the very real risk of leaving some out ~ so sorry!).
Silas and family for keeping Harrison several days a week for the 4 weeks of hospital stay.
Noah and family for doing the same.
Marvin for changing our truck headlight (I googled it ~ it's a lot more time consuming than it sounds for this truck).
Russell for seeing a flat tire on Phoebe's car and taking care of it.
Jennifer, Christy, and Jeannie for the meals they brought over.
Jim for making a house call and fixing the under-engine cover of my car at no charge.
David for his car advice and recommendations. (Why did so many automotive things happen during this time???)
The countless offers for help (and I did keep a list so I knew who to contact! That calmed my anxiety knowing there were people I could call on.)
The prayers and cards.
The texts and FB messages and stories from others that showed us this has happened before.
The calls from family.
The backpack full of snacks that Christy sent over with Jamie.
The backpack came in handy because it was just right for holding my books and knitting and folder of paperwork and snacks.
Jamie came over another time or two to visit for 10 minutes and pray.
Paul and Elayne came over several times as well, and Phillip was comforted by their presence.
And I want to say a special thank you to the young folk who so sweetly were there.
One of Jon's friends, Andrew, was at the Dairy Queen when I pulled in to pick up Harrison and parked too far forward over the parking bumper so that the under-engine cover got ripped off. He had pliers and I had wire, and he got it held together so I could drive home.
And Phoebe's friend Gabry, who lives in Hannibal, had been offering to come visit us in the hospital and bring me anything I might need. She came over one afternoon with a hot autumn latte, and we walked outside in the sunshine and talked.
And last of all my kids. Wow. When your kids show up and help you in your distress, that is almost too wonderful to put into words. Phoebe took care of all the errands and shopping and cooking (aside from friend meals). She did extra cleaning when she saw it needed done. She so thoughtfully pulled down the bed so it was ready when we got home from the hospital. She and Harrison drove over several times to visit Dad.
Harrison did not like us being gone, but he manfully dealt with it and kept up his schoolwork even though we weren't there to watch him. He also had extra chores to see to.
Jonathan so sweetly called and checked in on us.
Lanaya Elizabeth did the same. And we got home from St. Louis to find she and Amos had sent us Hello Fresh meals! So sweet. And Phoebe had cooked the ones that were the most fatty knowing Dad would have to be on a low-fat diet when we got home.
And Phoebe was brave and got up on the roof to open the attic door so that a trapped kitten would perhaps find its way to the attic and get out. Somehow, after about 24 hours of hearing that thing meowing in our walls, with its little voice getting hoarse and squeaky and sounding more like a baby bird, it found its way out! Whether through the attic or some other way, it got out.
Back to the hospital stay.
Barnes-Jewish Christian (BJC) is in St. Louis. They have the doctors who could deal with the pseudo cyst where Hannibal could not. Hannibal Regional was a wonderful place to stay ~ easy to get to and park; friendly, helpful staff and nurses; small and manageable and newer; good, inexpensive food; I could drive home at night and be home and with the kids....
Phillip's first text to me when he saw I had arrived at BJC tells you a little of the culture shock of this hospital:
"It's gonna be a little overwhelming. You won't like a few things you see. But this is a good move. It's gonna be OK. I love you."
After driving in the traffic, trying to figure out the parking garage, trying to find his room, trying to find a bathroom!, I was finally at my wit's end with it all. I had a total breakdown when I finally found him. This time he was the one comforting me. And boy did I need comfort. He calmed me down, and we went on to solve whatever little problems needing tending to.
I couldn't stay in his room because he had a roommate and there was no place for me to sleep, and I found out later that they wouldn't have allowed it anyway. So we found a Holiday Inn Express which was only .7 miles away. I could leave my car there and not have to park in the hospital's crazy parking garage (I had unknowingly chosen the garage that was being worked on and so none of the signs matched reality, and I drove in circles when I arrived, and I drove in circles when I tried to leave).
I was able to walk to and from the hospital and also walk to lots of eating places for meals. It was actually a nice area ~ kind of historical and some of the walk was on a college campus. I ate at Panera Bread, Chik-fil-A, Little Saigon, and Whole Foods. Not bad for a hospital stay.
This had to be some silly horticulture prank?
One morning I noticed a hole in this landscape of mums. I thought, "Why would someone steal one mum?"
But I walked a few more feet and found the yellow mum planted firmly amidst these pink flowers. So silly. But I guess it made the time interesting.
And this was set up next to another parking garage (highly recommend this one ~ Euclid parking garage). There is a table and chairs set up inside, and I wondered what it was about until I noticed the branches on top. Is this for Sukkot? (Jewish Feast of Booths) I never saw people inside....
Well, anyway, they did the ERCP procedure where they go down your throat with a tube and little tools and put stents in to drain the pseudo cyst. They put two stents in, one draining to the stomach and one draining to the small intestines. They said it was large! 21 cm, which is larger than a grapefruit. And very unusual to have one that large. Phillip immediately felt better when he came out of the anesthesia. He could tell a difference. He hadn't been able to eat, so they had him on IV nutrition (TPN), and they were reluctant to take him off of it until he could prove that he would eat and hold down solid foods. So we were in BJC for 7 or 8 days while they monitored him.
We are home now. So far this ordeal has been 6 weeks long. So unexpected and surreal. I really feel for people who live with chronic illness. We see a way out (at least I do; Phillip's still feeling nauseous and gross and not himself yet). I can't imagine this being our life.
Home is healing. The country landscape is healing. Being together as a family is healing.
The kindness of strangers is an unexpected grace. Strangers on the phone when you're dealing with insurance and disability and what-not. Strangers in the cafe who give you discounts. Strangers who are so helpful at the hospital. They don't have to be kind and yet they are.
I am so grateful for this man, my husband. He leads even while sick. He comforts and helps keep me sane. He is especially tender toward family right now and wants to be near them. We've prayed together and taken communion together and have had several "spiritual" conversations with others in the hospital. People are a little leery about saying they'll pray for you, but when they find out we're Christian, they freely tell us they're praying for us.
God is who He is whether things are going great for us or not. He is a sure Foundation. He is Faithful. I often waver and wonder ~ why doesn't he answer prayer the minute we pray for it? And yet, he has answered every prayer, but maybe several hours or several days later. And then we forget how hard we had wanted that thing and what a wonderful thing it is that we got that thing. There is a lot to ponder about God during all of this. But we remember that "God is our rock, the Most High God, our redeemer." (Ps 78:35)
