Family Update

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It’s been an interesting January so far, to say the least.

Within the first few days of the year, our hot water heater suddenly died. No warning, no trouble with it—just suddenly no hot water. Jim tried one quick fix that didn’t work. When he started pricing the purchase and installation of new ones, he ran into quotes from $3,600 to $4,200. Someone told us to go to Home Depot, and they’d install it for free. Not anymore. They referred us to a company that quoted us the $3,600 price.

When Jim remarked to one salesperson on the high price, he was told the water heaters run $1,000 to $1,200, they add a 100% mark-up, and the rest is labor.

So, for those prices, Jim researched how to do it himself. He’s pretty handy, but didn’t like to work with pipes.

Our water heater had to be ordered and was due within a week. But it took several days more to arrive.

Over the Christmas holidays, I had developed a large blister on my left calf. My doctor says I retain water that pools in my lower legs, which, for some reason, makes any little cut or nick more prone to infection from the bacteria that normally dwells on our skin. I get occasional small blisters that come and go. Though I’ve never heard anyone else mention this, my doctor says it’s pretty common. He says if I looked at the legs of people my age and older, I’d see a lot of people with the same problem. The legs I see are usually covered, though. 🙂

Once in a great while, a blister get larger. When that happened once before with a quarter-sized blister, the doctor told me to sterilize a needle, puncture and drain the blister, apply antibiotic cream, and keep it covered.

That all worked fine that time. This time, the blister grew to half-dollar size—partly because we were waiting til some Christmas outings were over before dealing with it.

One day, while pulling off the adhesive tape holding the nonstick pad, the tape pulled off a chunk of skin. Then a day or two later, pulling off the band-aid on that wound, a bigger chunk of skin came off.

So we put antibiotic cream on all the wounds, covered them with non-stick pads, then wrapped everything with gauze and taped it rather than my skin.

But the wounds got infected anyway. I saw the doctor and was given doxycycline (I’m allergic to penicillin and sulfa).

When the skin below them turned red (on a Sunday, of course), I planned to call my doctor the next morning. But by mid-afternoon, the redness wrapped around my ankle. So we decided we’d better go to the ER.

I had no idea the ER would be so busy. We were there five hours. I hadn’t thought about wearing a mask and forgot I had some in my purse. Many of the patients and staff had masks on. I asked one nurse if they were seeing an upsurge of Covid cases. She said yes, along with RSV and flu.

Because the ER was so full, they would call us to a curtained-off area to triage, give antibiotics, or whatever, and then send us back to the waiting room.

I was diagnosed with cellulitis and given IV antibiotics as well as an additional prescription to the one I was already on.

I was supposed to see my doctor again on Tuesday. Monday, I developed cold symptoms. I called to ask if they still wanted me to come in. They said yes, but to wear a mask.

Even though I was there mainly to have the cellulitis checked on, they checked out my upper respiratory symptoms as well. I tested negative for flu and strep but positive for Covid.

So far, I had escaped having Covid since it started. Since I was within two days of symptoms, they recommended antivirals. I couldn’t take the usual (Paxlovid) because it would interfere with one of my heart medications, so they gave me another.

My Covid symptoms were very mild—mainly like a cold, and not even the worst cold I’ve had. I don’t know if that’s due to the antivirals or if it was just a mild case.

However, unfortunately, Jim caught a bad cold as well. He tested negative for Covid at first and then positive a few days later. His symptoms were much worse than mine.

The worst part of all this for me is that all the antibiotics plus the antivirals have affected my digestive system. I should have started taking probiotics right away, but waited until I started having stomach trouble. But neither probtiotics or diarrhea medicine has seemed to have an impact. Jim read that the current strain of Covid is reported to have a greater affect on the bowels than previously noted.

I’ve tried to keep my diet very bland, eating mostly crackers, toast, and various kinds of chicken soup. I’ve lost about thirteen pounds.

On top of everything else, I had a day of atrial fibrillation. Thankfully it didn’t last any longer than that. My heart doctor says just to take an extra dose of the medicine I am on and rest, so I did that.

And this week, we received almost ten inches of snow. That’s unusual for eastern TN. But it’s even more unusual for it to stick around. Normally it melts within a day or so. This week, however, we’ve mostly had single-digit temperatures (even below freezing one night). The snow turned into blocks of ice. The main roads are okay, but neighborhood roads are not. Jim has been out several times (he grew up in northern CA and ID, so he’s used to snow and ice). Jason and Mittu can’t get out because their road is a steep incline.

As it stands now, I’ve finished the antibiotics. The two smallest wounds are almost gone. But the bigger two are still there and looking infected. I’m told to soak my leg in Epsom salts once a day and use antibiotic cream.

I had hoped the bowel issues would subside, but so far they have not. I’m still taking probiotics.

Jim is better but still coughing and a little congested.

Our hot water heater did finally arrive! But with all the snow and ice, Jim decided to wait to work on it. He knew he’d need to get parts at Home Depot at some point and would need to wait til he got into it to see what he needed. He didn’t want to get the water turned off, get right in the middle of everything, and then find out Home Depot was closed because of the roads.

But it finally got in yesterday. I’m thankful for the little camp shower we had, but it’s nothing like a regular shower!

So, all of that to say–January has seemed something like a black hole so far.

I’ve often wondered about God’s purpose in sickness. It seems like such a waste when you’re at limited capacity, sleeping a lot, with little energy, and unproductive. I suppose a lot of that just comes from living in a fallen world. Sickness is a part of living on earth and won’t be done away with until heaven.

Plus another “lesson” is that healing takes time. You can help it along, but you can’t rush it. And healing takes priority, no matter what else we’d like to get done.

Our pastor is preaching through Job on Sunday mornings. Though what we’re going through doesn’t hold a candle to Job’s sufferings, it was encouraging to hear that trials don’t mean that God doesn’t care or that you’ve done something wrong. As far as we know, Job was never told the reason behind all his troubles. God didn’t answer his questions. But He showed Job Himself. And that was enough for him.

I don’t know why God allowed all these things to pile up at once. But we’re trusting His grace day by day and pleading for healing for the infected wounds and digestive system.

Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength.

27 thoughts on “Family Update”

  1. Dear Barbara,

    I’m so sorry you guys are going through all this. I listened to last Sunday’s sermon again today and am looking forward to tomorrow. I will join you in watching on line and will be praying for healing and strength for both you guys.

    Margie Whitaker

    >

  2. What a challenging few weeks! I’m sorry. It does seem as if trials come in groups–I’m praying for healing as well as confidence in God as you trust in His steadfast (even when unseen) love and care for you.

  3. It makes me tired just reading through all this; I am so sorry you’re having to live it! I was hoping by now things were getting back to normal. I will continue praying. Our pastor always says we should “suffer well while we must” and although no one likes suffering, I like that thought — so opposite to the current thought some have that being a Christian means we won’t face hardships. Definitely not so! I’m really sorry all those things are hitting at once. Thanks for keeping us updated so we can pray specifically.

  6. Oh my goodness that is a lot to have. happened and January isn’t even over yet! I’m glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better and that you can enjoy a nice hot shower once again. I hope February will be better!

  7. You have had a rough January. WOW. I am going to keep praying for you. Trials….i just wrote about those on my blog, after church!

    I am praying you don’t have C Diff from all the antibiotics. C Diff is gastrointestinal issues/bowel issues and I”ve known 2 people to get that because of doxycycline. Thankfully I didn’t get it when i was on that for lyme disease back in 2001/2002. Ask your doc to test your stools for C diff. Meanwhile, let’s pray for HEALING.

    I’m also praying your end of the month is better than the beginning. Prayers going up from NYS. keep us posted.

  8. Dear Barbara,
    I read this yesterday and prayed for you and Jim. I will continue to keep you both in my prayers. What a month you have had for sure, and for sure, the Lord has been with you. Covid hits us all differently. Here we also managed not to get it until December. Then my mom, my dad, me, and then my husband all came down with it 2 1/2 days apart from one another. It has been a battle my dad is still struggling to overcome.

    I don’t know why but one thing I am certain for you as well as myself – Thus far the Lord has helped us! And He will continue to help us, strengthen us, be with us, and get us through.

    May the Lord bring you and Jim complete healing and better days ahead
    {{hugs, sweet friend}}

  9. So sorry to read about all the things you have encountered in January. I pray for your healing. Faith in our Faithful God sustains. I love the verse you have chosen, Psalm 46:1

  10. Barbara, it’s been quite the month for you and Jim! I’m so sorry about the infections on your leg not being completely healed yet. I will continue to pray. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before when we were “chatting”, but the diahrea could definitely be a side effect from having COVID. My digestive system wasn’t affected at all when I had COVID, but Carroll did for quite a while. He would have days, sometimes weeks, in a row when everything would be fine and then he’d have several days of diahrea. That’s a hard way to lose 13 pounds. Does your doctor recommend anything for it other than probiotics? One thing that did help Carroll was drinking Kombucha…are you familiar with it? The fermented drink will put the good bacteria back in your digestive system. Praying for you, friend. Thankful that you have your hot water back again!

    • I’ve heard of Kombucha but never tried it. It didn’t sound very appealing. 🙂 The doctor didn’t recommend anything else, but I read online about keeping the diet very simple–nothing spicy, oily, avoiding sugar and processed foods, the old BRAT diet–bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. I’m just this week eating meat other than chicken. My digestive system is getting better, though not normal yet. The wounds on my leg are healing slowly, but I can see some progress. Thanks so much for your prayers!

  11. What an amazing tale. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that your pastor has been teaching on Job!

    Glad the cold-like symptoms were mild but praying for your digestive system. Antibiotics are so hard on them, but you clearly needed them badly. So many hurdles all at once. Praying that the Lord will sustain you through this troublesome valley.

  12. I’m so sorry for the difficult start to a new year! I’ve been in Job for my own Bible Study this month ( I’m doing the Bible Recap) and it definitely raises lots of questions on the topic of suffering. I’m confident better days are ahead for you and yours! I’ll remember you in prayer, trusting in God’s provision and presence❤️ Linda Eades

  13. Sending you a big hug, Barbara. Praying for God to bring healing, and for grace in the midst of all your weather/water heater issues.

  14. I’m so sorry you’ve had such a difficult start to the year, Barbara! That’s a lot to deal with all at once. Praying for continued healing and that things get better soon.

  15. It’s interesting, God has kept you on my heart in the last month … and now I know why. I’m sorry for all you’ve had to go through, Barbara. May the road ahead bring grace upon grace as you head toward healing. And may your writing be a wonderful tonic for your soul.

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  17. Wow! What a month, especially all the physical stuff you went through. I’m so sorry. But I love your perspective on it and what you had to say about Job. Some people illness brings you closer to God. I always felt it had the opposite effect on me cause I’m too sick, tired, or discouraged to pray or read the word. So yes, I often wonder why God allows sickness too, but I to know it’s all part of a living in a fallen world. Visiting from SSPS.

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