Friday, December 7, our children were out of school for a teacher workday, so we loaded up our party of six and headed to one of our favorite places, the Big Easy. We played in the quarter, looked at Christmas lights, enjoyed a meal with friends, ate beignets, and all the other things we like to do when we visit. On the way home, David began complaining about his tooth hurting. He has a really high pain tolerance, so I knew it probably wasn't something to shrug off. We were thinking he probably had an abscessed tooth. With it being the weekend, we didn't really know what our options were, so we waited until Monday morning. By this point, he was in a lot of pain. Turns out, we were right about the abscessed tooth, and Monday he had a partial root canal. Monday night, we had the David Phelps' concert at church, so he didn't take any medicine until later that night. Tuesday, he woke up really swollen and not feeling very well. Our dentist changed his antibiotic thinking that may have been the cause. In the middle of the night Tuesday, we knew that something else was wrong, and that instead of getting better, David was getting much worse. Finally, once daybreak dawned, he drove himself to the ER, while I stayed home with our four littles trying to keep our routine and day as normal as I possibly could. Thankfully, David is usually gone to Rotary on Wednesday mornings, so the children did not question his absence. He was quickly taken back in the ER and quickly admitted to the hospital. This is when we learned he had Ludwig's Angina. You can read more about that here if you're really into all that medical stuff. In short, it is a potentially life-threatening infection. I know. Super scary.
There is so much that I want to remember about this chapter in our lives. I want to remember how awesome my Story girl was. She was my little shadow and helper. After taking the big three to school, she and I went to see David. I want to remember Mr. Ken, our senior adult pastor at church, meeting us at the hospital and showing us where to go. I want to remember how she sat and played quietly during the two hours we were there with David before we had to begin the car pool rounds once again. I want to remember how on Wednesday night at church, our Hardy Street family was so sweet and concerned for David and our family. I want to remember how Miss Tina and Meredith took my children home and got them ready for bed, so I could spend a little time at the hospital with David. I want to remember how our dentist came to the hospital to visit and prayed with us before he left.
I want to remember how Tilly got to wear her pajamas to school on Thursday and how after school we went to pick up her new glasses that she had been missing since Thanksgiving. I want to remember how concerned our children were for their daddy and how their teachers from school texted and called me to see how he was doing. I want to remember how I was unable to drive on Carter's school field trip and how he was such a big boy and showed little disappointment because he knew that I "needed to be with Daddy."
I want to remember how the children were so excited to go to the hospital to see their daddy on Thursday evening and how they insisted on having their picture taken with the angel in the hospital lobby.
I want to remember how excited they were to see him and hug him. I want to remember the sweet nurse who brought each of them some ice cream from the lounge while we were there. I want to remember how we thought he was going to be coming home the next morning because he was improving so much! I want to remember how two of our sweet college girls came over to the house later that night to watch the children, so I could buy last minute teacher's gifts and visit with David once more. I want to remember how the McDonald family had us over for a yummy supper that Thursday night.
I want to remember how Miss Meredith and Miss Tina patiently helped the children make gingerbread cookies. It was so much fun to watch them cut the cookies and later decorate them once they were done.
I want to remember how Miss Tina was in constant communication with me during David's sickness to check on him and see how she could be of help. I want to remember how she later sat with me Room 338 and waited until he got out of surgery and how she called Mr. Jesse at church to make sure our dog, Hundley, was okay. I want to remember how she later brought dog food over to our house for Hundley, just in case. Friday morning, early, David texted me to tell me that he was not going to be coming home because the swelling had returned, and he would have to go into surgery later that day.
I want to remember the precious Pilgrim family from our church who picked up Carter and Summer from school that Friday and let them play all afternoon. I want to remember that they had so much fun they are still talking about being with Miss Dana. I want to remember how Carter knew that something wasn't right and kept telling Dana so, our little perceptive one.
I want to remember how Story was once again a little rock star and sat and played quietly while we waited. I want to remember how I was only gone a few minutes to pick up Tilly from school when they came and took David to prep him for surgery. I want to remember Mr. Ken once again meeting us at the hospital to help me with Story and Tilly and help us to figure out a way to see David before surgery. I want to remember how he helped me feed the girls lunch in the cafeteria at the hospital. I want to remember barely being able to place an order for my food at Subway through the wave of tears and how sweet and patient the workers were with me. I want to remember how I called the school to make arrangements for the children and how one of our sweet church friends happened to be the one on the other end of the phone. I want to remember how sweet Miss Sandra was to me and listened as I fell apart on the phone and assuring me that she was praying for David. I want to remember Dr. Smithers and Mr. Rhett from the children's school coming to the hospital to check on David. I want to remember the head basketball coach from USM calling David's room to check on him, along with numerous others.
I want to remember Tilly being so understanding when I could not make it to her Christmas party, and I want to remember Ella's mother taking time to send me a text with a picture of our two girls, who just adore each other. I want to remember Katie coming to get Tilly and Story from the hospital and driving them home in my car. I want to remember her and Kelsey sitting with my two littlest ones while David was in surgery. I want to remember how thankful I was when I learned that reinforcements were indeed coming from the north, in the form of Papa and Gigi and how comforting it was to have them there. I want to remember so many friends who called, texted, came by the hospital and brought food to our family during this week of craziness. I want to remember how funny David was waking up from the surgery and the silly things he said. "Carter, get your gun! Come on, Carter!" "I have to get up and preach! Hebrews, I have to preach Hebrews. Don't you let anyone else preach for me on Sunday." I want to remember spending Friday and Saturday night with David in the hospital while his parents were at our home with our children.
I want to remember going to Carter's last football game of the season and how exciting it was that he got to play on a real football field. I want to remember that David was so very disappointed not to be there. I want to remember David texting his childhood friend, now a doctor several times throughout each day asking questions and updating him. I want to remember how Stephen was so diligent, busy as he must be, to check in regularly each day.
I want to remember how the children enjoyed free hot dogs and cotton candy after the game. They were so excited. I want to remember how my sweet grandmother called everyday to check on David because she "felt like she wanted to call." I want to remember how so many friends from so many walks of life let us know they were thinking of us and praying with us for David's healing, all the way around the world.
I want to remember how Papa and Gigi, along with the four children helped to decorate our home for Christmas, with a tree and everything! What a sweet surprise to come home to. I want to remember how Aunt Karen came on Sunday to tag in, so David's parents could go back home to work.
I want to remember how I tweeted one day about being thankful for diet cokes and how some sweet friend left this six pack on our front porch. I want to remember how relieved I was when David woke up from the surgery and began to be more like his old self. I want to remember the relief that came with knowing that he was going to get to go home on that Sunday after being in the hospital for five days. I want to remember being afraid. I want to remember being comforted. I want to remember being lonely. I told someone that David is the glue that holds our family together, and our home is just not right when he's not there. I want to remember being thankful. I want to remember feeling so loved by so many. I want to remember all of the delicious food brought to our home by our church family. I want to remember Mr. Ken preaching a wonderful Christmas sermon in David's absence. I want to remember feeling hope that morning in church. Hopeful of the savior's birth, hopeful of our family being together, hopeful that all was going to be well. All throughout the Bible, the Lord calls His people to remember, remember. I want to remember so much about this event. I want to remember how our church family was literally the hands and feet of Christ to us. I want to remember the love and support and encouragement and prayers that were offered by so many during this time. I want to remember how good He has been to us and how thankful I am for our little family. I want to remember, so I can share with others that He is good.
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