I am glad for many things

I am thankful for the blessing of modern medicine. Sarah has a really intense and very resistant E. coli infection. I am so thankful for the lab techs who discovered the source of Sarah's intense pains. We made 4 trips to the doctor's office yesterday. I was home for less than one hour the entire day!


I'm thankful we already had a meal in the fridge so I didn't have to panic about dinner that night. 


I am thankful that our pediatrician's office has such bright and cheerful decorating in each room to make the children feel more at ease.


I am thankful for antibiotics, even though it's being a slow battle (even after getting a double injection of HUGE doses of medicine. I've never seen such large syringes used for injections before!)


I'm thankful for the colossal fort Nathan built with the kids this past Sunday, because Sarah couldn't walk up the stairs to her room since her legs were so swollen and sore from the injections. She's been living in the fort surrounded by pillows and books for two days.

I'm thankful for ice cubes (what a wonder it is to have ice whenever we need it! Could you imagine being a pioneer? How inconvenient!) that can help counteract a raging fever when Sarah can't keep down any oral fever reducers.


I'm thankful for the Little House on the Prairie books; we've been reading them aloud together to distract Sarah from her pain. I can't imagine trying to deal with this illness in 1840. I'm SO thankful for the opportunity we have to compare our blessings with daily life from the American frontier! It makes us thankful for all the little things- running water, soft beds, electricity, etc.


I am glad that she's been able to finally keep down the first food in 2 days- a vitamin-fortified Jamba Juice smoothie. I'm so thankful that Jamba juice can put an entire day's worth of nutrition in one smoothie.


I'm thankful for all the friends who have offered to run errands to pick up prescriptions or Popsicles- even though I didn't take anyone up on that. It seems like it's always at bad times that I needed something. I hate interrupting people's family time to ask them to do random things for me.

I am thankful for the primitive medical practices I've been learning for fun lately, so I could stay up with Sarah at night and help cool her fever when she couldn't keep down any fever reducers. We had some neat talks while I bathed her skin with water and rubbing alcohol.


I am thankful for Pollyanna's 'Glad Game'. Sarah and I wrote in her journal and listed everything we could think of to be glad about. She's thankful that grandparents are praying for her recovery, and for antibiotics, and for family, and that she can at least use her imagination to distract her mind. 

I am so especially thankful for my best friend, Mr. Kingsley. He knew I was up a lot last night. Even though he has a pressing deadline at work this week, he stayed home this morning to get the boys breakfasted and dressed. He drove Matthew to school and returned home to wash the dishes from last night. He made me breakfast and whistled cheerfully as he worked. I felt so taken care of. What would I do without my dearest friend? In order to make up for lost time this morning, he is working until 10:00 tonight. He is so selfless and I'm so thankful for the way he blessed me this morning!