Update #2
Tuesday, Sep 5, 2006
Thank you for asking about our two-year-old daughter. To recap, we brought her to the hospital last week with a 105.4 fever, excessive vomiting, hallucinations, and dehydration.
All her labs came back normal. The short answer is that we probably will never know what was wrong. We still don’t think it was viral, as everyone got a good dose of her germs. Nobody is even sneezing sideways. The doctor believes the bacteria were moderate and not strong enough to get into her blood. The other possibility is the initial general antibiotic took care of it before we got a good culture from her. With a 105 temperature, we aren’t anxious to see what “severe” looks like.
The other night, my husband asked the kids what they learned from this experience. Their answers ranged from “God always takes care of us” to “Even if He took her Home, then He still takes care of us.” One of the children mentioned that she is still here because she has work to do for God. For this, I am glad.
Each of our children has a hymn. My husband sings one verse to each of them at bedtime. Our now-fully-recovered daughter’s song is This Is My Father’s World:
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!
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It’s wonderful to hear that she’s recovering well. Praise Him! The responses from your children are what brought tears of joy to my eyes, though.
I love the idea of each child having their “own” hymn. How are they chosen?
Comment by Laurel (September 5, 2006 @ 6:47 pm )
I’m so glad she is doing well! I’m sorry to hear that the labs weren’t conclusive, I know how frustrating that can be. The response of your children to all of this is truly beautiful and a huge encouragement to me, as one whose children are still quite young.
I too am quite interested in hearing more about the special hymns your children have. What a wonderful idea!
Once, again, just so glad that your daughter is well. Praise be to God.
Comment by Tiffany (September 5, 2006 @ 7:07 pm )
Tiffany,
I think we posted at the same time. I hope I answered your question about their hymns, but if you have any more, feel free to ask.
Comment by Amy Scott (September 5, 2006 @ 7:10 pm )
When my oldest son was little, instead of running a low-grade fever with a cold or virus, he would run a full-blown 102 to 104 degree fever and scare us all half to death. After a few of these and one trip to the emergency room, the Dr. just told us that he runs a higher temp. than most kids….weird. This is also the child that when his siblings get a cold virus and sneeze, cough, and sniffle for a week, he breaks out in hives instead. The Drs. say his body just works differently.
Comment by Mrs. Huckabay (September 5, 2006 @ 7:29 pm )
Okay, I have to say I’m completely and totally stealing the ‘hymn’ idea. I remember singing hymns with my dad in the kitchen when my mom was out for a meal here and there. He’d harmonize with me while we put away dishes. It is a special memory for me. I’d like to start creating memories like this at bed-time.
Beautiful.
So glad to hear your little one is back home and healed.
Praise the Lord our God!
Comment by Heather Sanders (September 5, 2006 @ 7:38 pm )
That’s a wonderful idea, I wish I’d thought of that when my children were small. My daughter reads your blog, (hint…hint…hint)for the grandchildren. Those are all favorite songs, too.
I’m so glad she is doing better. I was praying for her like so many others.
Comment by Brenda (September 5, 2006 @ 8:20 pm )
Yes, Amy we did post at the same time. Thanks for sharing. Baby Charles not have a song to call his own yet?
Comment by Tiffany (September 5, 2006 @ 8:32 pm )
I am so glad to hear she is well and singing!
Thank you for the update.
Comment by Andrea (September 5, 2006 @ 9:12 pm )
I’m so glad she is home.
Your children’s responses to your husband’s question and the words of the hymn have me all teary.
~Stacy
Comment by reforming mama (September 5, 2006 @ 9:37 pm )
Oh I am teary too, Amy. Thank you for giving the update. I praise God for protecting her little body (of course He protects us everyday
and also the beautiful testimony shown through your family.
I love the idea of each child having a hymn. Thank you for sharing this.
Comment by kat (September 5, 2006 @ 10:18 pm )
I’m so glad that Rebekah is feeling better! I wonder if she’ll have future fevers like that. Some of my children have run fevers up to 105.6 and they’re bodies just seem to function that way. One son hallucinates with them also, but that normally happens when his fever is breaking.
We have hymns for our children too! My special needs daughter (who I mentioned in a previous comment that got lost) has been in critical condition over 50 times in her life so far. Her hymn is “It is Well with My Soul.” She and I have sung it together in many an ER!
Your children’s comments warmed my heart. There are many lessons to be learned during a loved one’s illness. So thankful that sweet Rebekah is recovering well!
Comment by Laura in KY (September 5, 2006 @ 10:37 pm )
Laura, I’m sorry that you have so much hospital time. It is Well seems appropriate.
Tiffany, All the babies start out with Jesus Loves Me until they grow into a hymn. Charles will most likely have a strong hymn, like Immortal, Invisable. (Incidently, my oldest says that that’s his favorite right now.) This usually happens around 18 months. Squeezie Pie, Charles, just turned six months and sported his first tooth. Six months already and I still keep telling people that I just had a baby…
Comment by Amy Scott (September 5, 2006 @ 11:18 pm )
I too am totally stealing the hymn idea. My children would ablsolutely love this. I was just talking to my mom about the beautiful rhythm of family life that has developed in our house. I love to read about daily life in other families.
Comment by Canaan (September 5, 2006 @ 11:34 pm )
Glad she’s doing okay!!
Comment by Kristy (September 6, 2006 @ 12:48 am )
i love choosing a hymn for each child. we didn’t do that. (i never tho’t of it!) i do love hymns tho’. i learned numerous hymns (just by singing them often) as a child and teenager–my high school had daily chapels and we always sang at least one hymn (all verses) a few yrs. ago i had a flare up of seizures and with medication changes, etc. had difficulty remembering much of anything. the one thing i was able to remember was hymns and scripture that i had memorized (just couldn’t remember the references!) those 2 things were such a comfort when my brain would not work according to my plan.
one thing i miss at the church where we now work is the trinity hymnal–they don’t have it. i had gotten used to it and really loved the songs. i read the other day that while we are here on earth it is the time to be changing not relaxing. i guess that is one of the changes that i have to make for now. martha
Comment by martha (September 6, 2006 @ 7:41 am )
AMy - I’m so glad that Rebekah is feeling better. She and my Brenna are very close to the same age so I can only imagine the time y’all had.
I, too, keep saying that I *just* had a baby and Jack is 7 months old already:) But it sure still feels like *just*!
Comment by Shannon Miller (September 6, 2006 @ 9:21 am )
AWESOME!!! Praise Him!!
I am so happy that she is ok again.
Also–love the hymn idea for each kid. I’ll have to think on that for my two….
Comment by Lisa (September 6, 2006 @ 9:50 am )
We have songs for our youngest 4. My oldest was born before I was a Christian but I always sing “You are my Sunshine” to her when she was little. To this day I get teary eyed when I sing it. The other 4 has Christian songs. I didn’t plan it either. I just sang the same song to them as babies and it stuck after the first two. My Abigail has I Love You LORD, Jubilee has Amazing Grace, Joseph has Offerings by Third Day (long story about the covenant between our family and God) and baby Isabella has Presence, although I don’t sing it to her very much. She prefers Amazing Grace like her big sister.
I wish I knew where to find more hymns. I have looked but I can’t read music for a lick and everyone HAS to have thier take on how a hymn is sung. I am slowly switching over from current Christian songs to more traditional hymns. It just takes time trying to figure out where the words go on Cyber Hymnal. You are giving your children a big blessing by giving them the good old fashioned hymns instead modern “Christian” music. Something that I am starting to regret, for the most part.
Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Mrs. DMG (September 6, 2006 @ 12:27 pm )
“God is the ruler yet.” Amen and amen. May Rebecca grow well and strong according to God’s purpose for her, and may the words of her song take deep root in her heart.
Comment by rosemary (September 6, 2006 @ 1:55 pm )
So glad your Rebekah appears to be okay after her mysterious illness. May God allow her little body to thrive and flourish!
Comment by Ruthanne (September 6, 2006 @ 5:23 pm )
I’m so glad she’s doing well and the tests came back negative. I hope she never gets that sick again–it must have been so scary for you. My youngest had seizures when he was 16 months old. Not febrile ones–there was no fever–but he did have an intestinal bug. Point of my story is that he is 16 years old now and never was sick like that again. So I’d bet your little 2-year-old sweetie will stay healthy, too!
Comment by Mom2fur (September 7, 2006 @ 9:36 am )
I don’t have the access to my computer I once had, but I’d read earlier about your daughter and said a prayer for her. I’m glad to see she is well. And that is a wonderful hymn. One of my favorites.
Comment by Leslie (September 10, 2006 @ 7:29 am )
Glad to hear Rebekah is OK .
We’re going through the same thing only with repetitions- my 23 month old had a ten day session with fever in July followed three weeks later by spiking temps over three days and febrile convulsions, followed two weeks later (last tuesday) with one other convulsion and topping at 105 fever. Finally we got a urinalysis that came back positive- and a reminder that at 23 months I had surgery to correct the orientation of the tubes that were backing up into my kidneys, giving me fevers and infections with fevers. If you get recurrence this might help…
I have to second the “every body responds to fevers differently” This is my ninth child and only second to spike any such high temps…
Meanwhile I continue to be blessed whenever I manage to visit your blog! Have you discovered Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening online? Or was it you who pointed me there at first? It’s worth a mention to your devoted readers every now and agin’
May God bless your family!
Comment by Carrie (September 17, 2006 @ 4:28 pm )
Carrie,
Thanks for the tip on Spurgeon. Regarding the kidney, I appreciate your mentioning it. We actually had her tested the first time this happened for urinary reflux. She had an ultrasound, a VCUG, and a few other tests. They were negative. All these tests were after ruling out menengitis with an unmedicated spinal tap. (Argh! I still get sick in my stomach thinking of her getting that.) But anyway, yes, our doctor’s first thought was also reflux.
God’s blessing on your family, as that is a trying thing,
Amy Scott
Comment by Amy Scott (September 17, 2006 @ 10:48 pm )