Unexpected Life Events

Last Sunday my husband (Mr. T) left for a big techie conference, VM World. He flew out Sunday, and I began the “traveling Daddy” routine. It usually involves a lot more planning, more discipline, and more junk/convenience food than a normal week in our house. As I watched him pull out of the drive Sunday a.m. I knew this trip would be different, I just didn’t know how.

I should mention I am a woman of faith, Christian faith, and I generally choose the “non-denomination” label whenever asked. My faith is very real, very personal, and an integral part of who I am. I believe the Bible is truth and full of lessons to be learned and that I should continutally study it because I will never learn all of what it has to offer. So when I say I knew this trip would be different, I believe it’s because God gave me a ‘heads up’ several weeks ago. I listened to what some would call the “still small voice” and made some changes to my routines and world. Standing on this side of those choices, I’m glad I listened. It has made this process a bit less traumatic.

Mr. T is in the hospital at this moment. He called Wednesday morning and simply said, “I’m scared.” Truthfully, he called 20 minutes after a service man called to say he was on his way, 15 minutes after my 3 yr old had a “pee pee accident” on the carpet, and 30 seconds after I entered the bathroom for a quick pee before the doorbell rang. I had a bad attitude, almost didn’t answer the phone; I was busy. In the hours that followed, Mr. T googled his symptom, drank lots of water, and tried to attend his conference classes. He called me about 4 p.m. our time saying he needed to come home. I looked up flights and found one he could make. He left at 4:30 his time, and landed here after midnight. My brother-in-law agreed to pick him up at the airport and drove him straight to the ER.

Mr. T has been in the hospital for more than 36+ hours at this point, and we still know no more about what caused his symptoms than when he called me Wednesday morning. His official diagnosis is rhabdomylosis, which is really just the official name of the symptom. All the usual suspects that cause this don’t apply to Mr. T and specialists are being consulted. The docs even asked numerous times if he had done illegal drugs because the levels that monitor this condition are so abnormally high. (He didn’t, that’s not who he is.)

I’m including this in my blog because I’ve chosen to have a transparent life online. The past 2 days of my life have been filled with tweets, status updates, text messages and e-mails about Mr. T. I have a peace about the medical part of the issue. Yes, I’m exhausted, tired and stressed due to the whole process. I’m not a fan of being the switchboard operator and receptionist, but that’s what comes with this type of thing.

I am absolutely amazed and overwhelmed by love. Three years ago I knew no one at our “mega” church that we attend. I’ve worked hard to make friends and to be friendly. I’ve been drenched in the love and care of those we’ve grown to know over the last year and a half. And that’s not even counting our families doing what they do best. I’ve even ’stumbled’ across blog posts, music and random stuff online that were reassurances, like little kisses from God.

I have a whole list of scriptures I’m meditating on to renew my mind and take my thoughts captive as Paul commanded. The one I want to share with you right now is one of my favorites from Genesis. Joseph was beat up and sold by his brothers, had countless “bad days”, eventually he became a leader in his nation. In the end, when it came time to forgive his brothers, he said, “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen 50:20) It doesn’t matter whether this issue came from genetics, a germ, or something preventable. Things happen, this world isn’t perfect. I will not say, “why us?”, I choose not to blame God. I choose to look at the good that is coming from these days in the hospital. Relationships rekindled and strengthened, family visits, and meeting new people just for starters.

I know this process isn’t finished, we are still walking through a lot of things. I am confident in God, in his plans for my family (Jeremiah 29:11), and in the promises he gave us in the Bible. Things will work out for good (in time) because we love God. (Romans 8:28)