Update on Jacob

Jacob has been pretty sick this past month.  I have been keeping a journal and in the past month he has had fever and been sick every day but 6.  He had bronchitis, then unexplained fevers, and now croup.  I asked the doctor why he is always sick, but she just said it's his immune system.  She also said that if he keeps having fevers without other symptoms we may have to look into it.  That is why it's so important to keep a medical journal.  Had I been keeping one for the past few months we would already be looking into it, because he always has unexplained fevers.  Tonight, he still has croup and just threw up all over his daddy.  I found it humorous, but Cret was pretty grossed out.  Poor guy.  Please say a prayer for little Jakey and for answers from the doctors.  Tomorrow, we go to the allergist to see if he is having any allergy problems.  Hopefully, I can get him to be still for the test. 

One of Jacob's therapists asked that we get him a chair for his therapy so they can work on getting him to sit and possibly obey simple commands like NO, GO GET, SIT, etc.  Sounds simple enough, right?  Not for a family with an autistic child.  I couldn't get him the typical child's chair because he arches his back and throws his head back and would get hurt in a regular chair.  So I started researching and finally decided to go to Toys R Us.  There I found 2 choices that were reasonably priced.  Both low to the ground with a back and arms and made of foam, but one covered with a soft plush and one with a spandex type material.  I must have stood there looking at the two of them for ten minutes.  See, Jacob stims on velvet material.  Stimming is repetitive body movement that self-stimulates like hand flapping, spinning, hitting their head on things.  Jacob is a hand flapper and he arches his back and throws his head backwards, even in a situation where it will hurt him.  He totally loves velvet so I was wondering if it would be good to get him the chair he loves or to get him the one he doesn't like.  I called both therapists that didn't answer and then my friend Tiffany who has an autistic child.  She told me that they stim to fill a need so she would get the one he likes even though we have both heard that they aren't learning when they are constantly stimming.  Then I called my sister who said, "Allison, what if they only had one?  You would just get that one."  Hahaha I really need to chill out.  IT IS JUST A CHAIR!  So I bought the plush one and the therapist said he did great today and only flapped his hands on it for a minute and then stopped.  I was thankful for that. 

We finally got to go to Texas Children's to get the blood work done last week!  The day before we went I had a friend/mentor from church over and after talking she asked me if there was anything specific we could pray for.  I asked her to pray that the nurse would be able to find a vein right away.  Throughout Jacobs life we have done numerous blood draws for surgeries, illnesses, thyroid tests, putting IV in, etc.  Never once have they found a vein on the first try.  Actually, they usually put the needle in then move it in and out and all around to try a vein, burst it, then move on to the next arm.  After his MRI he had 3 different bandages from terrible attempts.  Who knows how much they wiggled that needle in each arm before moving to his hand.  We use little heat pads to get the veins out and everything.  I don't know whats going on with his veins, but its just one more thing that just makes me crazy.  Its a horrible experience every time.  He is in major discomfort, screaming and crying and sometimes it makes me cry.  So with all that said she prayed with me.  She asked God to help the nurse be steady and find a vein on the first try.  She said God please show Allison that you are in control and let Allison just know and thank you right then and there when they do it.  Its funny, but I remember thinking about her faith in that moment.  She said that prayer with total assurance that God would follow through.  Well, we got into the room and the nurse said that we had to take one tube of blood, then take the tourniquet off, leaving the needle in the vein for two minutes, then draw the second tube of blood.  She said that the tourniquet can make a false positive.  I got very nervous for a second and told them that this would be difficult because he hates being strapped down and his veins are tiny, but for some reason I just chose to trust God in that moment instead of panicking.  They put heat pads on him because they couldn't feel a vein for a few minutes and then the nurse put the needle in and found a vein! There were 2 nurses with me in the room and we all stood there super silent as she got the first tube, then she took off the tourniquet and he started to freak out.  I began singing patty cake and the nurses chimed in with me.  We all sang to him for 2 minutes and then she got the second tube.  It was amazing!!! Immediately I shouted out, "PRAISE THE LORD! Thank you Jesus!"  One of the nurses said God is so good and the other agreed.  It was awesome.  God was in that room with us, watching my precious Jacob and telling me "Allison, I love you.  I'm in control.  Trust in me."  Later my friend told me, "Isn't it humbling to experience our Father's concern even in the little things?"  Its so true.  He really loves us and he really cares about us.  God is genuinely concerned with YOU.   I'm in total awe of how God has been showing me His love and grace and power lately.