Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Stomach Bug

Our 13-year-old daughter, Mattie, was hit with a horrible stomach virus Sunday night.  Tuesday night, I came down with it, and within the last 24 hours, almost everyone in our family has been hit with this fierce bug.  First Mattie, then Lorraine, then Parker, then Meribeth, then Ella, then Matt, then Asher.  Now Kiefer has diarrhea, but no vomiting yet, and Sawyer's stomach is hurting.  The only totally well people in our home are Naomi and Selah (the oldest and youngest kiddos), and I pray that those two will stay well!!!

Praise God that Mattie had enough strength today to serve her family with a joyful and capable spirit, just like she always does.  Meribeth had stepped in when Mattie was violently ill, taking over much of what Mattie does on a daily basis.  Now that Meribeth is sick, Mattie pulled herself out of bed and just took over...e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  Full-time baby care (Mom can't get out of bed), serving all of the sick ones by bringing them Pedialyte and Saltine crackers, laundry, dishes, you name it, Mattie's got it under control.  My heart and home are so blessed by all of the help our kiddos give on a regular basis, and it's times like these, when almost everyone is deathly ill, that we're even more grateful for the caring, selfless kiddos who God has blessed us with.

This virus is *B*A*D.  Matt and I both feel like we've been in a train wreck, very flu-like, body aching from head to toe.  The average number of violent vomiting episodes per person is 8-10.  So not fun.  It's not food poisoning because I came down with it Tuesday afternoon/evening, and I hadn't eaten anything that the rest of the family ate that day.  It's the kind of virus where one cannot open one's eyes or focus or think or move.  Yucky.

On a much more positive note, Selah had an exam with an ophthalmologist Tuesday morning.  The neuro docs had concerns that with her tiny brain at birth, the 3 pounds of fluid on her brain at birth, and all of the trauma the brain has endured that she was at high risk of ocular impairment/issues.  The BIG PRAISE is that EVERYTHING is completely NORMAL for Selah's vision and everything ocular!!!  To God be all the glory.  He is able, and He is bringing about a mighty testimony for this little bundle of joy.  The eye doctor spent about 2 hours with Selah, she dilated her pupils, viewed her optic nerve, etc., and every single thing she checked for was all NORMAL.  Praise Him!!!  I just love it when He shows off like that. :-)

Don't forget to support The Stewart Family, in memory of Chrissie, during the Boss Your Heart Memorial Blitz!!!  The Stewarts found Ian because of Chrissie, now let's help them bring him home in memory of Chrissie!

PS  Here's what happened last year on April 20, 2010.  Click to read:  Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Post 4. We weren't stuck in bed in our homes with a stomach bug; we were stuck in recliners overlooking our daughter's hospital bed, on prayer vigil, watching God's miracles from front-row seats. 

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