The Power of Love

Tonight I'm feeling especially burdened to pray for some perking up. It was so heartbreaking to return from camp and discover that the results from Coleman Larson's MRI were not favorable. I guess the mazes of locating the right treatment and fitting protocols are pretty frustrating. They planned to head to New York this week to seek further treatment on his behalf, but he ended up in the hospital with a fever. Please keep Team Larson in your prayers. You can visit their care page at http://www.carepages.com/carepages/ColemanScott.

I'm also hoping that my YS will perk up tomorrow. MS caught a cold and pink eye just before we left camp. YS then caught the cold and began to sound a tad bit barky. On Friday morning, he woke and sounded bad. My husband had already left for work and both MS and ES were still asleep. I finally just decided to wake ES and tell him he needed to look after MS once he awoke and give him breakfast. I headed to the ER, fully knowing that it was croup and how they would probably treat it.

Sure enough, they administered an oral steroid and a breathing treatment, then ordered x-rays. This time they did x-rays on his neck as well. The doctor mentioned tracheomalacia (a term I had heard when MS was a newborn). When the x-ray results came back it was indeed croup. The doctor said he was surprised because YS is 19 months (not so little) and this isn't even croup season. This time, YS was given a 3 day dosage of the steroid.

He has been not himself these days. He is normally such a contented little guy and now he is lethargic and cranky. All he wants to do is lie on the floor pushing his Thomas trains and watching Thomas the Tank Engine. I was hoping he would perk up today, since he received no more steroid today, but he still seemed the same (we had to cancel a trip to the zoo - bummer).

Thankfully, I've been able to devote more cuddle time to YS since both of the bigger boys have been spending their time outside together (ES usually with a friend over, fishing in our creek - no trout or bass, but they still seem to have fun). MS could sit all day with a bucket of toads and catalpa worms. Today a worker came to check on ash bore beetles in our trees and MS talked her ear off about his love of toads and worms and SNAKES. He said he asked his Daddy to buy him a pet snake and Daddy said "Yes!"

Just before we left for camp, MS discovered something interesting in the bush right next to the garage door - a snake skin. The handyman who tore down our wall-paper and painted the walls (during our absence) told my husband that he saw a long snake on the stairs next to our retaining wall. For goodness sake, we don't need a pet snake. We already have snakes living right next to the house!

I should be thankful it is only a snake he is begging for. Knowing MS, he will one day assert his love for animals in a more aggressive way. I did have to show him this video I found on Dace's blog. Another tender reunion. Another testament to the power of love.