Vacation!

We just got back from a very restful, relaxing week away. Our friend Paula's mom has a little cabin on a lake about 20 minutes from South Haven and she let us go and spend the week there. We didn't do much besides swim, eat ice cream and keep Alex from drowning relax all week- it was great! The boys love the water and crazy Mr. 2-year old was jumping off the end of the dock by the second day. The boys tried out fishing and all they caught was a pair of swim trunks (still attached to Cole's body, mind you) and Cooper's ear. Ouch. Thursday evening our BFF's Paula and Joel came and spent the night and we had a delightful time on Friday playing and swimming. Overall, a winner of a vacation!

Cute, but deadly, WATCH OUT!

 Maybe a future career in Olympic diving?

Thank the Lord for life jackets!!!

Our annual swing picture

Whose bright idea was Blue Moon ice cream??

We do like each other, don't know why we are feet apart in the only picture of the two of us. 

Stay tuned, a post about my super smart Dr. husband's graduation coming soon!!!

Thankful

I'm so thankful today....for something I am NEVER thankful for. I am thankful that I can take care of the kids all by myself this weekend when Eric is on call. A few months ago, the thought of doing many things (getting the kids ready in the morning, putting them in the car, cleaning the house, taking them to the grocery store) seemed like an impossibility. But just today, I took all 4 of these crazies to a parade and carnival all by myself!

(Look at Mr. Too Cool on the right)

I almost attempted the ridiculous last night and took them all to the grocery store but my awesome husband  was able to come home for a bit and save me from certain death  the craziness. So I escaped that... for now.

I've gotten to the point where there are days that I don't even think about the whole crazy experience of the past few months. God is so good. 

On Wednesday I got to take part in this little boy's kindergarten graduation!

 Wasn't he just born??

 His best pal, Levi. So thankful they were in the same class this year. He loves to say they've been friends since they were one!

 His teacher, Mrs. Plantinga. She was great! 

 These wacky brothers were proud too!

Wow, what will life be like in 2024, when Cole graduates high school??

On to first grade, but first, a fun filled summer! (If I can keep him from being "bored" all summer!)

And one more pic, just because they're cute. 

Wanna buy a kid?

Anyone want to buy a kid?

He's almost two and he's pretty naughty, I have to warn you!
He hits
He throws things
He poops in the tub on a regular basis
His favorite word is NO!
He spends a lot of time here:

He destroys a clean room in 10 seconds flat
He wakes up way too early
He rips books


BUT,
He also kisses my owies
He makes us laugh like crazy
He sings Jesus Loves Me
He says 'scuse me when he needs to pass by you or when he burps
He tells me "lub ew (love you) every night
He's pretty darn cute

Okay, I'll keep him.....

Normal?

Great news.  Erin had an appointment Monday and the infectious disease doctor said her CT scan was completely normal and all the infection was gone.  He told us to stop the IV antibiotics, took her PICC line out and said, "I don't want to see you anymore unless it is at Eric's graduation."  God is good.  The 2.5 weeks of inconvenience paid off and all signs point to Erin being totally healed.  Thank you all for the prayers, cards, cookies, emails, comments, posts, visits, food, cookies, flowers, and cookies.  (It is amazing how many plates of cookies and desserts people send you when you are in need.)

I've been back at the hospital full time for a while now, and earlier this week I was taking care of a patient on my service who has a pretty insulting injury.  She is in a state similar to what Erin was in two months ago and is battling with a lot of the same issues.  (Thanks to HIPA I have to be extremely vague on details.) I was glad to be the doctor this time, and glad to be a doctor that could now empathize.  One afternoon while I was doing a dressing change the patient made a comment to me that brought back memories and also allowed me to remember how far Erin has come in the healing process.  She told me that she was observing people in the hall who were walking around and was amazed at how easy they made it look and that they totally took it for granted.  Erin made that exact comment to me when she was moving slow and all the doctors tried to be encouraging to her by saying "You'll get there."  Now we have come full circle and are in the position to be the ones encouraging others.  I pray these memories will stay fresh enough to capitalize on opportunities to meet others needs when they arise.

Well, things must be back to normal now, because Erin is walking like a normal person, and is even taking it for granted.  There are a whole lot of other things we are doing now that reaffirm that we are back to normal.   Right now we're in Traverse City staying at Great Wolf Lodge...swimming, playing, and getting little sleep as seven of us are in one hotel room (Erin's mom is still with us until Sunday).  As I present some research at a conference, Erin and Chris are keeping the boys in order.  Besides the scar, you would never know that Erin ever got sick.  Her energy is back, her attitude is positive, and we are now just dealing with the fact that we have four boys.  As long as the fevers stay away, my prayer will have been answered...that Erin would have no long term sequelae except a scar and memories.

So, now that things are back to normal, we will again turn our energies toward the future and the planning that has been on hold for the past two months.  We are still on pace to go to Kenya as missionaries beginning in August of 2013, and look forward to posting about our journey.  For those of you who don't know, our family will be serving for two years at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya through World Medical Mission and their post residency program.  Our time will be a period of both training and service and will be full of learning, experiencing, teaching, and operating.  I will post more details as time allows.  However, as a teaser, here is a link to the WMM website. There are some great videos and testimonies available to watch that will give you a glimpse of our future.    http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Serving_Overseas/Post_Residency

For the near future, I'll be working here in Grand Rapids for one year as a general surgeon.  This time will allow me to take my board exam, pay off some of my loans, gain experience as an attending surgeon (an attending is a surgeon who has finished all his training and actually has residents working under him),  as well as learn a few other surgeries I will have to do in Africa.  (i.e. obstetrics, gynecology, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, urology, etc.)

We will also use this time to raise prayer and financial support, and organize all the logistics of moving a family to another continent.  (Yes, we are taking the boys!!  I am surprised at the number of people who ask me, "Are you taking your family with you?")
If you want more information on how to support our ministry to Kenya you can email me at ericjmitchell@hotmail.com or visit the World Medical Mission website at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/giving/wmm_doctors/

More to come.  God is good...all the time.

Perspectives

Last night Eric and I were talking about pessimism vs optimism. In our family, Eric is the optimist and I am what I like to call the realist (I realize some might call this a pessimist...) I don't think I have always played this role, maybe something about the last 5 years has made me this way. Anyways, my default is often to first see the bad and the difficult in a situation, and only after processing for a while can I start to see the good. I had a break down moment today. In this crazy health journey I have been taking the past 2 months, it seems if there is a complication possible, I get it. I have gotten not one, but 2 absesses, had IV's go bad, developed infections from my meds, etc. So when I got a call today saying they had to change my IV antibiotic again, from a once a day 1/2 hour drip to a twice a day 1 hour drip, I wanted to lose it. This means now I am forced to be at home every morning and evening to get my medicine. Now in this panicked state I am visualizing how bad I have it, how I will never go anywhere again my life, I am now a home-bound prisoner, how all the bad things happen to me. Once I calmed down, I remembered that I will only be on these IV antibiotics for 1-2 more weeks. (Lord willing) This is not for the rest of my life. (well, at least Eric tells me it's not) But isn't it hard to change perspectives sometimes?? Yet the Bible tells me in I Thess. 5 16-18 "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". I would like to say that is an optional passage for me, but I don't think the Bible works that way ;) Apparently, Jesus doesn't think dwelling in my pity party is the best way to spend my day. So I am going to take these negative thoughts that I've had today and change them around.... 

*It is raining and I have errands to run--> I am able to be up and about now instead of stuck in the hospital

*I am so tired because all 4 of my children wake me up in the night, not just the newborn--> I am blessed to have 4 healthy beautiful children that I get to care for

*We are still in survival mode, which means nothing gets done the way it used to--> My sacrificial, gracious mom has been here for 2 months helping us survive

*I still have a PICC line in my arm and keep having set-backs at every turn--> I am able to be home, not in the hospital, and have doctors working hard to solve the mystery that is my body 

* I have a fussy baby who never wants to be put down -->It forces me to hold him and spend time with him (even if he is screaming in my ear) 

*I am forced to sit for 2 hours a day getting meds-->Maybe this gets me out of doing the dishes?? ;)

Please pray that I can keep perspective...and toss this IV pole in the trash next Monday! 

Update

Update on what's going on....I came home from the hospital last night around 9 pm. They inserted a PICC line around 7:00, after trying in my left arm unsuccessfully, they finally got it into my right arm. It is in a bad place, right in the crook of my elbow, so it is very painful, but at least it is in. They decided not to do the drain because they said the fluid collection did not fit the criteria for a drain (it didn't have clear boarders, it wasn't big enough, it wasn't in a good place) So....that is both good and bad news to me. Good because I will not have a drain hanging out of me, but bad because we will not get a sample of the bacteria that caused this (if it was even the cause). They have decided to treat me with IV antibiotics at home. I had the visiting nurse come today for the first time and give me my antibiotic. It is a much more involved process at home than in the hospital. But at least I am home! Here are some things you can pray for: PICC lines run the risk of infection and bloodclots. I seem to be prone to complications, so please pray that these don't occur. Also pray that this antibiotic will take care of the problem once and for all and I don't have to run to the hospital once a month for the rest of my life. On a lighter note, here are some observations I have made from my experiences:
Ways to know you have been in the hospital too long:
1) You have a favorite room on a certain floor and know what the bad rooms are just by hearing the room numbers
2) You immediately notice changes to the hospital menu upon first glance
3) Nurses, secretaries and techs say "Oh, you're back" upon seeing you
4) You are on a first name basis with your doctors and consider inviting them to your next birthday party
5) You know which elevators to take and which to avoid because they make scary creaking noises
6) Your friends pencil "visit Erin at Butterworth Hospital" into their weekly plans
7) You change your mailing address to Michigan Ave., Grand Rapids.

Setback

As many of you know Erin had a setback yesterday.  As evidenced by her last post she has been doing great, but then out of the blue she spiked another fever and felt crappy.  We went to the hospital and after all the tests were done she got readmitted...again.  The CT scan shows that she has another abscess in her abdomen which is the most likely cause of the fever.  We've met with the infectious disease specialist (whom I very much respect and trust) and he is recommending another drain as well as at least a two week course of IV antibiotics.  The antibiotics can be done at home, but would be a step in the wrong direction as far as we are concerned.  So, a few procedures need to be done today and the home antibiotics need arranged.  Then...we can go home.  Hopefully tonight, but realistically tomorrow.  The endpoint?  Eradication of the infection...seen on CT scan and on her labs.  Please pray that this healing comes sooner rather than later.  Also, please pray for Erin and her emotional strength.  Frustration is a good word.

While I was on my way home from the hospital last night I was listening to the radio and a song struck a cord in my heart.  It was by Laura Story called "Blessings."  Pay attention to the chorus.  We are praying for God's blessings.

God is good...even when we're frustrated.
Eric

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home