"New Normal" Lessons

It's been an interesting month - laughable really (who has an ear infection for three weeks she thought was caused by an imaginary spider and then messes up her ankle stepping off her own patio? Here's me bashfully raising her hand). Then Eric got sick with croup.  And instead of resolving, it turns into pneumonia.

Yesterday was a tough lesson wrestling with seeking and applying Truth.  We had a follow up with the doctor after Eric's stay in the hospital this past weekend.  We left the office with Eric on liquid steroids, antibiotics, and two different nebulizer treatments to be taken 3-4 hours in the day and 4-6 hours at night for a week.

The tough part of this is since Eric was born prematurely his lungs are more susceptible to irritations and infections of his lungs.  The doctor called it Reactive Airway Disease.  So since many of the factors that trigger this are found in the fall and winter, Eric will be on a twice daily regiment of nebulizer treatments until May.  Yes, you read that right.  I have no idea how we are going to get our 15 month old to take this for 7 months.

Then we found out how much they cost.  "And how did you find out?" you may ask.  Well, for some reason Eric's insurance is no longer working.  Without insurance the cost of these treatments will blow you away (no pun intended). Thankfully we had a back up to pay for this month's.  But we just got out of the hospital and I have no idea if that stay was covered.

Yesterday Eric was also given the last shot of a series of shots.  Friday, he will see a specialist to see if the issue being treated has been resolved.  If it hasn't, then Eric will be scheduled for a minor surgery.  But to a momma's ears, surgery on her baby is SURGERY.

The Lord has blessed us so greatly in so many ways, I become surprised when these type of issues keep coming up.  I really don't know what I was thinking. Eric has Down's Syndrome.  Sometimes, I forget he even has special needs. But there will be a "new normal".  We will encounter things (behavior, delays, medical issues) we haven't with our other children.

So when I am once again surprised by unexpected issues, I must wrestle with my fears and turn to Truth.  The Lord has and continues to lavish us with grace (unmerited favor) and mercy (compassion).  And although the situation could always be worse, I must choose joy.  The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

How does one exercise the joy muscle?  Thankfulness.  And I will be thankful for who Eric is (extra chromosome and all that brings) and who my God is.  It's a bigger workout sometimes more than others, but soon it will be a new normal as I continue to wrestle and take those fears captive and choose joy.