Saturday, August 25, 2007

Putting the pieces together

I have a hypothesis about Annie's nausea & gaggyness. I know you were wondering. It seems to have largely resolved as her blood pressure has come down. And when her blood pressure starts climbing, she gets gaggy. Ah-ha! Nausea is a symptom of high blood pressure. So there you have it. And, besides the four times a day I check her blood pressure, (okay, today it was more like 40 times), I will check it when she shows any signs of being nauseated.

She did have an episode of higher blood pressure readings today, so I called the on call renal doc & they gave the go ahead for giving Annie the emergency medicine. It took effect within an hour, and here this evening, her blood pressure is still within reasonable limits.

Changing the subject--(a little)--I was thinking while we were in the hospital, watching my nurse friends do their marathon 12-hour shifts, that taking care of Annie and her health issues is not unlike what any healthcare worker does every day. Now, of course, my pay is somewhat lower than that of an RN, but the nuts and bolts of it is not an unreasonable way of life for a human being. Doctors and nurses do this all the time. And, frankly, with Bill and the kids around doing things for Annie, I might even get more time off. Okay, not really. And, I know we're not the first family living with complicated health needs. Like I've said before, there's thousands of families who are regulars down at Children's dealing with similarly consuming health problems. And I imagine some of you reading this can totally relate too. Just a reminder to all of us to thank God for good health when we have it. And don't despair if you feel like your whole life is managing your medicines.

However, there is something to be said for broadening your horizons, looking up once in awhile, and not becoming too tunnel-visioned with all this medical stuff. So I garden. And sometimes Annie comes out and "helps" me. And then there's all the other people who live at my house who help me remain somewhat in tune with the world around us.

But while I'm rambling, let me ask you to pray for her "adynamia," or lack of initiation. Back at the end of April, Annie was beginning to roll around, scoot around, and initiate activity. Then we started a seizure medicine that I believe interrupted her progress in both speech and initiation. We are now in the process of changing that medicine. So please pray that Annie begin to INITIATE activity again, start TALKING again, and not have any seizures while we change medicines. This is a slow process, and will take a couple of months (yes, MONTHS) to complete the change. But I really would appreciate your prayers for her to initiate more.

Thanks for listening.

Jean

PS. One more thing--Annie sat up yesterday, looked at me and smiled a great big smile. And she smiled when we put her in bed last night. Those little signs of her personality really keep me going.


Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Lord's Day morning Annie, Jean, and all the Sullivan clan!

Thanks for sharing your heart, Jean. It's a blessing to all of us to have you put our lives in perspective.

God is good....

All the time.

Praying for initiative,
Marilyn

Gretchen said...

Lord,

Thank you for helping Jean put the pieces together for Annie. What a blessing her quiet demeanor is, so that she can observe. Never would I have caught a correlation like that. I'm too busy talking...:)
I pray cont'd stamina for Jean and Bill and Annie and Taylor, Peter, Andy, David, Jack, and Olivia. I pray continually for a sense of calm and normalcy to pervade the family and I pray with all my heart that this baby would be healed in Your name. Please help her to initiate more, Lord, and thank You for the snippets of personality that we continue to see. Smiles are so good, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Anonymous said...

Jean -
I am so glad to hear you are home, and that Annie is now able to rest in her own bed, being cared for by the best nurse/therapist/nutritionist/chaplain/social worker/etc etc... that anyone could ask for!
You are such an inspiration and encouragement to me. Thank you so much for providing such a strong picture of a faithful and godly woman.
Love, Kathy

Anonymous said...

Dear Annie,
Thank you for smiling!

Dear God,
Thank you for working.

Dear Sullivans,
Thank you for your reliance on God, your faithfulness, your stamina, your love and support for one another,your willingness to communicate, your labor..............I love you all.
Every part of me wishes I could just fix this for you.
Watching and waiting on God; praying continually,
Terri Whitman

Jean Sullivan said...

And thank YOU all for your encouragement! When I get up in the morning, I tell God--I can't do this without Your strength. And through the day, I can feel Him answering your prayers.

Love, Jean

Anonymous said...

:)

uncle jeff

Anonymous said...

Jean, thanks so much for your posts. I pray for you every day, and share the updates with others who are praying.

You are so right about thanking God for our health, even though it may not be as "robust" as when we were younger (for some of us). Your comments came at a good time for ME to be reminded that something I am going through is really SO small because it involves "things."

Yes, you are not getting "paid" -- but I am glad you are getting some rewards with Annie's smiles! And I will definitely pray for the initiation of actions, talking, etc. Thanks for sharing that need.

Love to all of you
Sue Powell

Anonymous said...

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Jean Sullivan said...

Don't MAKE me get the Kleenex.

:)

Anonymous said...

I'll pick up some kleenex for you at Costco next time we go...

Love you all, and wish life didn't pull so many different directions, so we could all focus on the really important stuff...

T

Anonymous said...

I'm lovin' that new ballerina picture...Hey, Jean, why don't you put on YOUR toe shoes and show Annie how YOU do it?

Send more pictures!

Jean Sullivan said...

What a card.

:)