Some "Excitement"

Tuesday night Dustin and I went to bed and were trying to get to sleep, but Dustin was feeling some pain in his side. He would get up go to the bathroom and come back to bed. Then do it again, and each time he came back to bed he was in more pain. He was becoming more vocal about the pain he was in. Finally I got up to be with him and I found him hugging the toilet. Then he started vomiting. But the vomiting brought no relief from the pain. I was starting to get more and more worried. After throwing up he started pacing the length of the house faster and faster. And then he said that he thought I should take him to the doctor, and I asked, "Now?" And he said yes. I was ready to panic at this point, but I remained as calm as I could be for his sake. I called a home teacher but he didn't answer, (it was 11:30 at night), so I texted him so he would know it was me trying to call. But I was still trying to hurry, so I called the other home teacher. He answered his phone and said he could come in a few minutes. I don't know how far away he lives, but he came 30 minutes later (a very long 30 minutes later). Dustin was getting light headed, he could be still. His pain was awful. The first home teacher called me back and asked what was going on and as I told him my emotions got the better of me and I began crying. He offered any help we needed, but there was nothing else at the moment. As soon as our home teacher arrived Dustin and I got in the van and I drove him to the emergency room. Just before arriving at the hospital I had the impression that Dustin had a kidney stone. Up to this point I had no idea what was going on and I was very scared. But as soon as I had that impression, my fears settled down. But poor Dustin was hurting so badly. When he got admitted into the Emergency Room, the nurses immediately told him he would have to calm down his breathing. Dustin was hyperventilating so badly. The doctor came in and after a quick examination told us that Dustin had a kidney stone. So as soon as Dustin calmed his breathing a little the nurses were able to give him an IV and get his pain medications started. It still took nearly an hour for Dustin to be without severe pain. During which his hyperventilating reached a high when he could no longer feel his hand and his fingers were cramped and purple. Dustin was so pale too. The worst was over after about an hour and a half. But the nurse came back and told us that Dustin's potassium levels were alarmingly low and that he would need some potassium supplements.  The early morning hours were slipping away and after more pain meds and a cat scan the doctor decided to admit Dustin into the general hospital for monitoring. Dustin really was ready to go home when his pain was gone, but he reluctantly stayed. And then he stayed all the next day until a little after 3 they said he could go home. Thankfully, Dustin had a quick recovery and is back to life as normal. I am so grateful for the help we received from our church family, especially our home teachers and visiting teachers. We hardly know them, really, but they came to our rescue and helped out so much. And then we had many offers of help from other ward members. I feel so blessed to have a ward family that is willing and able to help us in our time of need. Our home teacher came to our home and stayed with the girls during the night. He left his wife and infant son at home to come and "watch" our girls. Another friend came and took Aurora on Wednesday morning for a couple of hours so I could get a nap. My visiting teacher brought us dinner and took my load of towels home to wash for me. Tonight she brought them back so nicely folded. My other visiting teacher took Aurora for me this afternoon so I could get the rest of my laundry washed at the laundromat (we don't have a w/d or hookups in our house). That was very nice because I was still tired and I could get the laundry done more efficiently. I've received emails and notices and a few phone calls and I'm so grateful to have the prayers and positive thoughts on Dustin's behalf. I feel so blessed.

Something I needed today

I subscribe to a blog called "The Red Headed Hostess." I admit that when I receive her daily emails, I rarely read them. But today I was emotionally distressed by the news that our van needed a lot of repairs and would cost a lot of money. With our already stringent budget, this brought on me a wave of emotion and I retired to my bed to cry out my concerns. My mouth uttered no prayer, nor did I address God as I cried out in my heart for my family's needs. I just cried into my pillow. But then I heard the all too familiar "ding" of my email notification. My immediate thought was to ignore the email and read it later. But I didn't. I opened my email and saw this: Daily Bread Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:16 PM PST I used this story in Gospel Doctrine a few weeks ago, and I just keep thinking about it. It is by Elder Christofferson, and I can’t tell you how applicable this quote has been in my life lately and I am so grateful I found it. So I thought to share it with you. Some of you may need it now, and others may need it in the future. Here you go: Trust in the Lord—Solutions May Come over Time Some time before I was called as a General Authority, I faced a personal economic challenge that persisted for several years. It did not come about as a consequence of anyone’s wrongdoing or ill will; it was just one of those things that sometimes come into our lives. It ebbed and flowed in seriousness and urgency, but it never went away completely. At times this challenge threatened the welfare of my family and me, and I thought we might be facing financial ruin. I prayed for some miraculous intervention to deliver us. Although I offered that prayer many times with great sincerity and earnest desire, the answer in the end was “No.” Finally I learned to pray as the Savior did: “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). I sought the Lord’s help with each tiny step along the way to a final resolution. There were times when I had exhausted all my resources, when I had nowhere or no one to turn to at that moment, when there was simply no other human being I could call on to help meet the exigency before me. With no other recourse, more than once I fell down before my Heavenly Father begging in tears for His help. And He did help. Sometimes it was nothing more than a sense of peace, a feeling of assurance that things would work out. I might not see how or what the path would be, but He gave me to know that, directly or indirectly, He would open a way. Circumstances might change, a new and helpful idea might come to mind, some unanticipated income or other resource might appear at just the right time. Somehow there was a resolution. Though I suffered then, as I look back now, I am grateful that there was not a quick solution to my problem. The fact that I was forced to turn to God for help almost daily over an extended period of years taught me truly how to pray and get answers to prayer and taught me in a very practical way to have faith in God. I came to know my Savior and my Heavenly Father in a way and to a degree that might not have happened otherwise or that might have taken me much longer to achieve. I learned that daily bread is a precious commodity. I learned that manna today can be as real as the physical manna of biblical history. I learned to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I learned to walk with Him day by day. -Elder D. Todd Christofferson CES Fireside, Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread, January 9, 2011 I read in complete amazement. I cried more tears, but this time tears of comfort and relief. God heard my cries. He heard my unasked prayer, He heard the words of my heart. And he sent relief, immediate relief. My money problems aren't solved, but I have been given a reminder to have faith and endure my trials. I am so grateful for the peace and comfort I received this morning.