Operation No-monia

We had another first yesterday. Our first time to get an x-ray. Well, not my first x-ray. I've had a shocking array of x-ray procedures done; my favorite involving a random technician injecting radioactive dye into you-know-where only to have some kind of malfunction while I watched on the screen next to me as the balloon burst and the dye leaked into my "abdominal cavity" leading said random technician to jump up and start yelling obscenities to the point where I was in a panic trying to grab my phone and call Scott to let him know my life would be ending in just a short time. No worries, I did call and complain to the director of the establishment about the technician's extremely inappropriate behavior and later that week received a $5 Starbuck's gift card in the mail. A venti decaf cinnamon dolce latte makes up for anything, right?

But yesterday marked Hudson's first x-ray and it was pleasantly less-invasive. I took Hudson and little miss tag-a-long into the doctor yesterday morning because Hudson just wasn't shaking his fever, cough, and miserableness that had plagued him the past few days. I was worried it was the flu, and was relieved when that test came back negative. But when listening to him breathe, our doctor said his left lung sounded bubbly and he was taking quick short breaths which lead her to think he may have pneumonia. Yikes! I immediately thought we would be admitting him into the hospital for the next month or something, but she told me it wouldn't be serious because his oxygen level was still high and antibiotics should do the trick. So off we all went to the radiology place to get the x-ray. 

On the way I was really trying to build up the coolness aspect of what was about to happen, and explaining to Hudson what would take place and why. After me saying, "and we get to take a picture of the inside of your chest" Hudson asked, "And we will see Jesus in my heart?" So sweet. 

After filling out ALL the paperwork and keeping my two 2-year-olds occupied in the waiting room for just long enough, we were taken back into the room with all the big scary equipment, intimidating table and strangers wearing big heavy weird aprons. Hudson did so great! He sat really still and followed directions very well. I had signed the waiver to stay in the room with him, but when the technicians discovered I had my tag-a-long too, I had to choose between leaving my sweet, sick little guy alone while all this crazy new stuff happening to him so I could take Harper out in the hallway OR send my extremely stranger-hesitant daughter back into the waiting room with someone I'd never met (who obviously might try to steal her or hurt her, right?) so I could stay with Hudson. I decided that Hudson was going to do fine and told him they didn't have a special apron for me to wear so I had to wait right outside the door. He obliged and off Harper and I went. It was supposed to just take a couple of seconds, but after five minutes or so, the guy stepped outside and told me they were having computer problems and would have to reboot the whole system and do it all again. Joy. Anyway, it all ended up going fine, except for the fact that he had to do the whole thing two times and I had to keep everyone entertained in a boring hallway for about 20 minutes during the reboot. 

He loved the hospital gown that had spaceships and planets on it! 

Miss Tag-a-long wanted a picture too. 

It was confirmed to be pneumonia so we are still fighting a fever, cough, not-eating, and all that fun stuff and waiting for the antibiotics to take over. I'm amazed at God's grace to me while having a sick-kiddo. It's extremely more high-maintenance and demanding when they are sick. I've been up way too many hours during the night holding cold rags on his head and trying to force him to drink. I've made every single thing to eat that I can think of only to throw it all away after he picked at one bite and decided he couldn't eat it. I haven't gotten anything done this week because he's begging me to sit on the couch with him and rub his tummy. But through it all, God's grace has left me face-to-face with the sweetest spirit I could encounter. Hudson has always had a really sweet heart, but when he's sick it's like he goes into some crazy supernatural loving place. He is constantly telling me "I love you, mama" in between hacking coughs. Last night while I was stroking his burning hot head trying to get him back to sleep he raised up and said "happy valentine's day, mama." (OK, I know its not v-day anymore...I didn't say he was brilliant.) More than once when I have brought him water or juice he has offered me a drink of it and has asked both Scott and I if we are feeling ok the past few days. I'm not trying to paint a picture that its always like this. It's not. He can make me crazy. He pushes me past my limits alot. But God has allowed me to experience this ultra-sweet side of him which makes the whole sickness much more bearable. I haven't at all felt overly-tired, overwhelmed, or bitter and frustrated about not getting to do "my life." 

In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul talks about how he had been given his "thorn in his flesh" and had begged God three times to take it from him. This is the Lord's response, "My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) I think God has really been showing Hudson and me what that looks like. We have been in really weak states--physically, mentally, emotionally. But God has kept us from wallowing in our states and has allowed us to experience the all-sufficient Grace he gives us to endure.