Since Annie’s exit from hospital we’ve enjoyed a better week through the Christmas period. It hasn’t been absent of pain but it hasn’t robbed Annie of opportunity to enjoy the time with family and friends.

However, yesterday was a tougher day by comparison and she experienced a day of sickness and vomiting. By around 8pm in the evening circumstances started to look almost identical to the way things were just over a week ago and so I decided to call the nurses out again. In between that time, Annie’s temperature soared. The nurse came out and gave Annie a morphine jab suspecting that she had not absorbed any morphine through the day due to vomiting. The emergency doctor was also called to give Annie a more thorough check.

I had a bag packed ready and kept a record of when I gave Annie pills, also recording her temperature every 10-20 minutes. It was still very high fluctuating between 37.4 and 39.4 degrees. As you can imagine, the doctor on call was very busy this time of the year and didn’t get to us until around 2:30am.

The doctor really didn’t know what to do describing the situation as tricky. She erred on the side of keeping Annie out of hospital for now observing that Annie looked settled and could do with the sleep. Her best guess was that the infection had either built up again or not really left. More antibiotics have been prescribed and she suggested we get oxygen delivered here for a term. Oxygen, antibiotics and rest are the three things that probably helped Annie most when in hospital and so this seems like a good way forward.

The doctor also supported the idea of us calling the hospice and re-establishing some contact with them because that would be a better place if Annie needed a little 24/7 respite and care – certainly better than the hospital.

I woke up again at 5am and 8am to take Annie’s temperature. Still high but dropping. At 8am it was about 36.4. However, this morning she was still very sick – even saying “I think this is it now, I can’t last any longer.” which as you can imagine, after a long night, is very discouraging to hear.

It’s currently 8:30am and we’re going to attempt to get another couple of hours sleep – perhaps more-so for me so that I can make some clear decisions. Later on I plan to call the hospice to let them know and see if Annie might be lined up for a place there. If this is another infection then an isolated ward in the hospice would be a great aid.

Just as those angels foretold over 2,000 years ago, God is with us.

His specific word has come to us today through three different sources. Yesterday morning we were reading together from the eleventh chapter of John’s gospel – Jesus heals Lazarus. The verse that stood out to us most was something that Jesus said in response to His disciples who were fearful about the trip back in Judea – the place where an attempt on His life was only recently made.

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” – John 11:9,10

Later on in the evening we received a text from one of our friends whose message of encouragement to us was:

“We are praying for you. John 1 verse 5: ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’.”

And then again, this morning this verse was given to us via Annie’s mom:

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright.” – Psalm 112:4

The night has been another very long one for us. This verse comes to mind:

The LORD is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid? – Psalm 27:1

Let Your light shine, Lord Jesus!

R&A