What's going on with Isaac? [Part 7]

All these posts about Isaac have been taking over the blog.  I'm sorry.

It's sort of taken over our lives, too.  We haven't done any homeschooling all week, and I can't remember the last time Isaac completed a full school day.  I'm trying not to worry about getting several weeks behind and having to go later into the summer.  (We likely won't.  I'll just end up slashing some stuff and doubling up on other things and we'll make do.)

For now, school is just not doable.  We are trying to keep up with chores.  (Except Isaac's, which I've taken on or delegated out to either Ella or Isaias.)

And with no school, the kids are having a lot of free time.

Audra wrote, illustrated and bound a book this week.  She also made some costumes from paper and markers (a kangaroo and ET) and then hopped or waddled around the house.  She's constantly drawing and crafting and chatting.  She's so funny and creative.

Adelia and Isaias have been making up games, jumping on the trampoline, and playing board/card games, and generally running through the house and up and down the stairs very loudly until I send them outside.  They are so physical and noisy and I love them.  And I love it that they've been getting along these days.  That is such a gift.  Isaias has also taken to writing a book.

Ella has been writing letters, baking, painting (watercolors), and also working on a book that she's been writing for several months.  She's often playing with the younger girls, too.  Or helping me with the extra chores.

Isaac is resting a lot, working on puzzles, reading and drawing.  Playing LEGO.

We are treasuring family meal times, and when Mark reads aloud to us in the evenings.  Those have remained anchors in our otherwise chaotic days.

* * *

So...  Isaac.  He was SO sick and miserable Tuesday night.  I was worried about him, and wasn't sure if we'd hear him if he was sick and needed us, so I decided to set my alarm every couple hours to go check on him.  Every single time I checked in on him, and the one time Mark did- he was sleeping peacefully.  I was so tearfully thankful to God for this reprieve.

Wednesday morning he was still very nauseous.  Mark and I took turns sitting beside his bed.  He doesn't like to be touched while he's throwing up, but he does want someone there, near, and praying for him.  ;)  He kept feeling like he was going to throw up, so we'd gear up for it, but he never did.  He was miserable.

Finally, right around noon, he felt like he could take a drink, so he took a sip of apple juice, we waited five minutes, then repeated that.  He held it down.  A couple of hours later he felt strong enough to sit up, then get dressed (with help), then come upstairs.  The rest of the day was good.  He was holding down liquids and a little food, and his appetite appeared to be returning.

On Wednesday evening he described some of his symptoms to me, which was instantly alarming to me because on the discharge papers we'd received from the hospital there was a list of problematic symptoms beneath the heading "When should I call the GI doctor?" and Isaac had just named two of them from the list that he was experiencing.  Great.  So I dutifully called down to Seattle Children's to speak with the on-call GI doctor, after hours.  I thought he would just say, "Okay... why don't you just watch that for another day or two and call back if you think it's getting worse."  He asked me some questions, listened to me tell about Isaac's symptoms, and then told me I needed to take him to the ER or Urgent Care to get his blood work done.  As in, that very evening.    

I didn't know if I should be concerned or not.  I had been feeling encouraged as the day went on, because he was holding down fluids; he wasn't experiencing pain, etc... but the on-call doctor just wanted to be cautious and make sure his blood work was good; get his levels checked to make sure all was well... so off we went.  

Isaac in the ER last night, looking at National Geographic Kids.

Mark stayed home with the other kids and Isaac and I headed to our local ER, where they checked his vitals, put in an IV, and drew blood.  Then they gave him some fluids to hydrate him.  The ER doctor came in and assured me that his levels were good, that his white blood cell counts weren't elevated; and ultimately that he wasn't concerned about his blood loss or that any perforation had occurred during the colonoscopy.  He communicated these results to the on-call doctor in Seattle and we were finally able to go home.  (This paragraph all sounds so nice and quick but we were there for a couple of hours.)

That brings us today, Thursday.  Isaac has been resting well today.  His joint pain is pretty much gone.  His hives have disappeared for the time being.  He hasn't complained of a sore throat and I'm not asking about it.  He is still making lots of trips to the bathroom so his stomach is still having issues, obviously.  His main complaint is that his stomach feels "hot"; which I don't exactly understand.  And he has battled nausea today.

I'm constantly trying to puzzle through what's going on.  Why the sudden disappearance of his joint pain-- which was his primary symptom for the past couple of weeks?  Maybe he did indeed just have a really bad viral infection that caused reactive arthritis (joint pain).  Could that have also been responsible for the hives and sore throat?  But now the viral infection is suddenly gone?   But if it was a viral infection, why did none of the rest of us get it?  And that still wouldn't explain the stomach issues- that have been going on for nearly two months.  They ruled out a bacterial infection in his stomach (through looking at his blood work), so it must be food-related then.  (Right?)  The only thing I can figure is that something he was eating caused inflammation inside his intestines and then extended into his joints.  But then when his appetite dropped, it eased off significantly and thus didn't show inflammation on the colonoscopy?  What will we do if the biopsies show nothing?  It's all so convoluted.  Any theories or ideas welcome, fellow mamas.  What do you think?

I continue to thank God for sustaining us through this trial with Isaac.  In the midst of not knowing what is going on, we trust so much in the one who DOES know; who holds us in His hands. 

In the wee hours of the morning I opened the Psalms and was comforted by so many of God's words:

He will have no fear of bad news; 
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear. ~Psalm 112: 7-8a

The LORD is gracious and righteous; 
our God is full of compassion.
The LORD protects the simplehearted, 
when I was in great need, he saved me.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, 
for the LORD has been good to you. ~Psalm 116: 5-7

How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me? 
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD. ~Psalm 116: 12-13

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man. ~Psalm 118:6-7a, 8.

I am so thankful that our refuge is in the LORD; that He is with us; that we need not fear; that He is worthy of our trust.  I am so thankful that He is gracious and full of compassion.  He is our protector.  He is good and worthy of our praise.  May I continue to rest in Him, may I continue to have a steadfast heart, trusting in Him.

Love to you all.  Thank you for being family to me through your kind comments, your prayers, your emails, your texts, and for your concern for our boy.  I truly thank God for each of you.

~Stacy