This rope is made out of lots of things. A husband who becomes the nurturer and caretaker for his pitiful family... Soup and bread from my mom, dropped off while at the pediatrician's office for a triple sick visit... a respite from the headache that had me ready to weep... there's a common thread though, which is God's great mercy.
Rowan and Jude got sick last week, gradually seemed better, and then worse. By Saturday night, I had been hit by the same 18-wheeler. Dan worked on Saturday, but came home just in time. I had been ok, but that was wearing off fast. He came home and got right to work. He got Rowan up and got her to eat some substantial amounts of food. He got soup and cold medicine, and sent me to bed at 8pm. On Sunday he sent me back to bed to get the only solid sleep I had gotten since the day before. He took Genevieve out to the store on a little date, as she was still feeling good at that point. He came home and oversaw the eating of food by all. He even made me eat enough soup to meet his stringent standards.
Monday, he stayed home from work (since he had worked Sat) and drove us all to our wonderful pediatrician, who checked out he kids very thoroughly, perscribed some antibiotics for all three (by now Viv had woken up feverish and coughing), and a steroid for Jude, who's cough had begun to sound suspiciously croupy. Daddy dropped us off at home, put Jude to bed, and went back out for tissues, OJ, vitamins, and filled prescriptions.
Oh, and did I mention that he washed dishes and cleaned up the house? Yeah.
By this morning, I was feeling good enough to handle the 3 sick ones, while Dan left for work. Except that the Dr. was right about Jude. He slept well, but woke up with croup in full swing. He couldn't stop coughing for more than a few seconds, and was unfortunately using all his spare breath to say, "Mommy, Mommy!" between coughs, even though I was holding him. I gave him his steroid, fluids, honey, warm steam in the bathroom, but nothing was giving him relief. At this point the girls were awake and whining for my attention. I put my hand on his chest and prayed, because, once again, end of my rope. He made a funny noise in his throat and immediately the coughing stopped. He had some moments of total peace, and got very relaxed. Since then he's been a lot better, coughing more infrequently and eating, and napping periodically, cause that constant coughing had him worn out. The rope has been extended. I would like to learn how to live in this grace all the time.
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