"Your story is a lot like Job."
"Yeah… I get that a lot."
It's not that we are as righteous as Job (obviously) but we certainly strive to maintain a Christlike attitude and a steadfast faith in the face of seemingly continual pain, grief, and suffering. It's not that we don't have many moments lightheartedness and enjoyment… a passion for life, but the amount of unexpected accidents and unrelated health issues far exceeds what you would expect. From autism with one child to the death of another… from a diving accident resulting in quadriplegia to marital infidelity…From T-bone car accidents to broken baclofen pumps… from double leg Achilles surgery to pressure sores resulting in three-month hospital stays… from excruciating weekly migraines to incorrectly set CPAP machines almost resulting in death. and now… Seizures.
In Shelly's early 20s, she developed a partial complex seizure disorder. It was completely unexpected, and the seizures looked like Shelly went to sleep. She stopped breathing and was unresponsive, but she came to after 90 seconds or so. After being correctly medicated, she didn't have seizures for five or six years.
In 2007, Shelly had to have her thyroid removed. After her thyroid levels were corrected, the endocrinologist suggested that she go off her anti-seizure medication because he had a hunch that her dysfunctional thyroid was the reason that she was having seizures. He was right, and from 2007 until one month ago she didn't have any seizures.
But as Shelly was getting into bed last month, she made a loud noise and fell into her pillow. She continued making the noise and was unresponsive. I was already in bed and was unable to call 911, so I yelled for Zoe and she called. By the time the paramedics got there, they confirmed our hunch that it was probably a seizure and they didn't take her in. From that time until now her seizures have been increasing in frequency and intensity. She has a doctors appointment tomorrow and hopefully they will be able to shed some light on the situation.
Epilepsy means a lot of things for our family, and probably the worst of them is that we have three school aged kids, tons of extra curricular activities, a thriving nonprofit ministry with lots of places to be, and two adults neither of which are able to drive.
Honestly, I don't know how we are going to make it. I know that we will move forward and make the best decisions we can, but my hunch is that the Bucks will be missing a lot of things that they want and need to be at. (although we have had multiple people help us with rides already)
Please be in prayer for us! Pray that the doctors will get good insights into what is going on in Shelly's brain, that they will be able to come up with an effective treatment plan, and that we will come up with a plan for our transportation catastrophe.
My hope is that the Bucks will continue to shrug their shoulders in wonder, hold out upturned hands ready to receive a blessing, and not shake their fists at God in anger or defiance.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
