Gifts in Abundance

Well I would say it’s about time for another update! Advent and Christmas have come and gone for most of the world, and we have plenty of news to update you all with (so bear with me if this is long! I promise I am leaving the lesser details out!!)

The week before Christmas, we had a phone appointment with our American doctor to go over anything new and discuss the results of the tests we sent away as the outcome of our last appointment.  For those of you who don’t remember, this past summer I was feeling quite discouraged about feeling so sick all the time that we decided to re-test for the major offenders, to see just how much progress I had made since last September, when this new treatment began. Since I had come from a doctor whom, after months of treatment (in 2011), finally figured out I was only getting worse under his care; we figured spending a “little” more money sending my blood off to Germany again was worth the cost for the peace of mind and understanding of how to best move forward.

In the weeks leading up to my appointment I had ample time to reflect on what had changed, and what had improved over this past year. People ask me all the time how I am doing, or how “it” is going. And day to day, week to week, even month to month, it is sometimes difficult to see lasting change. But over this past year...over this past year I was quite convinced of many changes, however slow and steady they may be taking.  And as I prepared my list of improvements, (no more seizures or hallucinations; my hormones balancing out; and most recently: stretches of feeling well between my herxes) I prayed that God would give me positive news during this appointment. It didn’t have to be positive to anyone but me; but my heart really  needed something it believed was good news.

And there it was, once again-- all too soon after waiting for far too long: the results. Well, Jack, as we have known for awhile, is in the clear. Matt, who was far more ill than anyone realised, is now 80-90% better! He is to remain on course for the next 3 months, at which point we will retest if there is any question that it remains. As for me? I got my positive news. My tests came back showing that I now have a functioning immune system! And as such, my Lyme scores came back higher, since my immune system is better at detecting it (which means my scores would have shown higher last fall, had my immune system been strong enough to notice how bad it was at the time.) The tests showed I have lower levels of bioflim (which shelters the spirochetes and keeps them in hiding); so now the Lyme is more easily accessed by the meds I am taking and killed. More great news: my body is finally absorbing and using nutrients from food again! Both doctors (US and Canadian) were pleased to see that I have gained weight as a result. And after being warned that this is still a “long road to China, Kate—a long road to China...” I was given my greatest news yet.  After only one year of treatment, two surgeries, and 10 months of IV therapy; and, well, we won’t count all those other years that weren’t helping anything; I am, overall (that is to say, parasite, co-infections, and all) -- 40% better! THAT IS ALMOST HALF!! I’m almost halfway there!!  And I can feel it. Praise the Lord!

Quite the difference, isn't there?

The following days were a testament to just how far I have come (and how good God is to me!) Last Friday I decided on a whim that I wanted to get Jack’s picture taken with Santa. I had plans with my sister-in-law to do some last minute gift shopping, etc, and thought that maybe—just maybe—I could bring Jack along on our first stop. He is always asking if I am coming along with him and Daddy places: heart-wrenchingly disappointed when I’m not; and equally as excited when I can. I figured we would get his photo taken, have a special lunch out together with Auntie and his baby cousin; pick up the one or two items we needed; and have him home in time for his nap (and us on our way to our next destination!)

 Well, our guesstimated one hour turned into three and a half. Jack has decided that he doesn’t like riding in a stroller anymore, so silly me, I didn’t even bring it along to help carry our bags! I’m clearly not used to taking a toddler out. Even a shopping cart would have done. But no—we entered the mall at the opposite end, loaded with my diaper bag, purse, and his winter coat; all the while overheating in my own; and trying to hold his hand as he pulled this direction and that, in the crowded mall of shoppers, wanting to touch and climb on everything he shouldn’t.  Even eating out, Jack played the usual game of “I only want to eat my carbs,” requiring all my best tricks to get him to eat (which worked in the end! One point for Mama!!)

 Santa was fantastic, and really knew what he was doing. He somehow got Jack peeled off my legs and onto his lap without any manual labour required! When asking Jack what presents he wanted Santa to bring him, Jack replied, “I don’t need your presents—I have LOTS [of] presents under my tree!” And when Santa wouldn’t stop making suggestions, Jack finally settled on, “Erm... [a] BIG present!!”  Despite his initial reluctance, and disinterest in Santa’s generosity, we not only managed to get a good picture, but Jack excitedly rushed back to yell, “HI SANTA!!” every time we passed by thereafter!

Jolly old St. Nicholas and my handsome boy <3

It was, needless to say, exhausting. At the end of it all, I could barely walk. I was overwhelmed by the amount of care a 2.5 year old requires, especially in a busy mall with the fear of losing track of him, let alone caring for his needs and getting the errands done! My respect for mothers (and Matt!!) who do(es) this all the time climbed even higher on the charts, let me tell you! My sister-in-law was kind enough to remind me that in the case of most mothers, there are baby steps, and time to ease into the chaos each new stage of development brings. The last time I took care of Jack on my own was over a year ago, for a day ; before that, it had been another 10 months prior when I had to go from taking care of my baby daily to giving in and asking for regular help. So as hard as our little excursion was: it was good. It was so good! To be a mother, out and about, caring for her son, getting things accomplished—sigh. It was Christmas gift #2.

Gift number three came the very next day. Many of you know that due to insomnia (one of my most prevalent and annoying symptoms—and apparently, one of the last to go) I sleep in until noon everyday, at which time I take half an hour to gain coherence so I can begin reading with Jack to get him ready for his nap. Well, this day (when I should have been plastered to the bed, recovering) Matt woke me up by saying, “this [potty training] thing isn’t working. Jack has gone through 5 pairs of underwear just this morning. I give up.”

“Did you read the book?” I responded. The book that, for months, has been sitting on my bedside table; the first half being read, and re-read, with so little retention that it was finally set down to collect dust. But the night before when Matt decided, as he was getting ready for bed, that he would begin potty training Jack the next morning, he asked for the synopsis. So, I cracked it open again, and (in between elbowing him awake) I read it aloud. When I realised he was asleep for the night, I turned to my highlighter and sticky tabs, and with a mind and a drive I haven’t had since my college days, I got to work gleaning all the most pertinent  information that I could (Christmas gift #4—my mind back... if just for a time).

“No. I didn’t have time to read the book” (was his response). “I can’t do this anymore today. It is his naptime, and I am exhausted from too little sleep and cleaning up pee. I’m putting a diaper back on him.”

 At this, I shot out of bed. (Did you catch that? I shot out of bed. Without coffee. After being awake for less than 5 minutes. Okay—just making sure you got that!) “No!” I said, “he can’t go to bed without having been successful! I’ll show you what to do, just please, don’t give up.” But Matt wasn’t exaggerating when he said he was tired and done, and so (get ready for this...) I sent him to nap while I, Kate, proceeded to carry out potty boot camp for the next hour and a half. (Christmas gift #5: being the one to potty train my own son!!) After both boys got up from their naps we all carried on with the training. The next day went fairly similar to the first, wherein I fully expected to be of no help out of my need to recuperate from the past two days...but somehow I did just fine.

Christmas came, and I was able to attend both Matt’s family’s celebration and my own. A month ago I would have told you I wasn’t sure if I would make it out for Christmas Eve with the in-laws out of anxiety over the crowd and fear of my own physical restrictions. Not only did I get to celebrate (with only a brief respite in bed); but I was up at 8:45am the next morning to open presents with Jack! Christmas presents number 6 and 7! The miracles just don’t stop. But my energy did. It finally ran out for good (meaning, I have been experiencing that hit-by-a-truck, sleeping 21 hours a day)starting two days ago.

Mama and Jack on Christmas Morning

One last Christmas miracle that I have to tell of: when we returned home on Christmas Eve from Matt’s parents’ home, as I was getting ready for bed there was a knock at our door. At first we almost didn’t hear it. But they knocked again, and Matt answered it. It was two friends that we had yet to meet (is anyone really a stranger?); they had come to deliver the “gift of time” in the form of homemade meals. Now, for the remainder of the time that Matt is home on Christmas break, he won’t be spending it thinking up or preparing dinner, because our nameless angels did that for him. I don’t know if they read this blog, or if this thank-you will ever get to them. But I hope they feel the blessings from the prayers we say for them each night.

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and look forward to a New Year full of new life in its many forms; happiness; and health for you and your loved ones! We plan on starting off the New Year right: by celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary (on January 3rd)! I could write another entire blog about how blessed I am to have my Matt; but I will save that for another time :) Please pray for us as we journey ahead into a new year of marriage and life! We are praying for you as well.

Blessings and love,

Kate

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

1 Corinthians 2:9