Miracle

Miracles really do happen!! After trial and error and four medication changes, the doctor finally found the medication combination that works. David was given a new drug last Wednesday the 31st called Geodon. In just one day, the medicine had started to work. On Friday, the nurses commented on the dramatic difference they saw in him. I went to see him that day and I could tell he had improved. He has steadily improved since then. When I talked to his doctor yesterday, the doctor said David was ready to come home. So yes a miracle has happened and David is now home!!! I am so thankful that the doctor was able to find the right combination and I finally have my husband back. I am also very thankful for Heavenly Father. I truly know that His hand has been in all of this. I know He was with David as David struggled through his illness and his alternate reality. He was with the doctor as the doctor tried to find the right combination to bring David back to reality. And He was definitely with me and provided me the strength and comfort to survive this very difficult time. I also want to thank everyone in my ward and many of my friends for the help they gave to me during this time and for their prayers. I also want to thank both of our families for their words of encouragement. I know it was hard on both sets of parents that they could not be here to help during this time but their words of encouragement, prayers, and fasting was wonderful. I know David is still on the road to recovery but I am hoping and praying that we will have another good 7 years before another episode occurs.

Prayers Needed

I would love to say that David's bipolar is doing better. However, the medicine the Dr. prescribed in the hospital is not working. David is in full blown mania again and it is looking very likely that I will have to him admitted to a psych hospital again. His mania this time is much worse. He cycles between being very angry and aggressive to just having lots of energy and feeling like he is on top of the world. I am very concerned for David and have been praying for him constantly. I would appreciate all the prayers that I can get at this time for David. I hope the medicine change that his Dr. did will kick in soon but I am not seeing any signs of it yet. I know the Lord is with David and I right now. I have already seen him answer one of my prayers and know that he will continue too.

Count Your Blessings

Even though it has been a challenge these past two weeks with David in the hospital, we have had many blessings as well. I truly know that the Lord plans and provides for every challenge that comes into our lives. I don't think it was a coincidence that my mom stayed an extra week. I think the Lord intentionally planned on my mom being here to help me when David started to have his problems. I don't know what I would have done without her help and the help of my hometeachers those first two nights. It was an even bigger blessing that she stayed to help me this whole time and that my Dad drove down to give us his support as well. David's parents are just as much of a blessing. As soon as I called to tell them what was happening the packed their bags and drove all the way from Arizona to help me with the girls and give David their support. What a blessing they have been to me. Karen, David's mom, has been wonderful to do my laundry, clean my house, prepare dinner when I am too tired, watch the girls, and do the dishes. Gordon is just as awesome. I am going to have another post on just how much he has done for us while he was down here. I am grateful to the Lord for giving both David and I such wonderful parents who have been such a support to us right now and anytime we need them. Thank you both Moms and Dads.

Update on David

David came home on Tuesday. Although he is not up to full speed he is doing much better. The next few weeks are going to be an adjustment on David as his body gets used to the medication change and the increased dose of some of his medicine. I know we are not out of the woods yet but I know with the Lord's help, he will soon be 100% again. I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. It has meant more than I can say to realize how many friends David and I really have.

What Constitutes a Strong Woman?

A little over seven years ago, I met David. Shortly after we started dating I learned that David has bipolar. David is rare when it comes to individuals who have bipolar. Unlike most individuals with an illness like bipolar, David understands the importance of taking his meds everyday even when he is feeling good. Shortly after we became engaged David suffered a short set back and his levels got off. I can remember going somewhere with his mom and her talking with me and telling me that she and my father-in-law would understand if I decided that I wanted to cancel our engagement and not marry David. I can remember how upset I was inside. I loved my future husband illness and all. How dare anyone tell me not to marry David just because he has an illness. Fast forward to my wedding day... my dad gave me a blessing right before going to the temple. In my blessing, I was told that my life would have many bumps and would not be easy but it would be worth it in the end. I can remember thinking what young bride wants to hear that on her wedding day. I don't know if the Lord was trying to warn me or reassure me. But that blessing surely was an indication of the things that were to come. Our bumps started the day we got married. David and I postponed our honeymoon by a day or so because he got sick with what we thought was laryngitis. When we finally got to San Diego we were only there a day before we had to return because he had a very bad case of mono and the medicine he received before leaving was causing an allergic reaction and he had hives covering his whole body.

In our seven years of marriage, David has gone through numerous jobs (laid off and forced resignations) and we have had many other challenges and bumps. At times I have felt like I think at last we are on our feet, only to be knocked flat down on my face again. But nothing has prepared me for what I had to do this past weekend. Early Saturday morning, I had to admit David to a psychiatric hospital. Back in August, his doctor had decreased one of his pills and one of his levels was slightly low. Usually this would not be a problem but with all of the stress we have had these past few months it was enough to send David into a manic episode. As of right now, he is still in the hospital and probably will not get out until this coming Tuesday. Both sets of parents have come into town to help. What a blessing it is to me to have such great parents!!!

This now leads me to the title of my blog post. What constitutes a strong woman? One of my friends this week has told me that I am a strong woman. I was shocked when she told me this because I don't feel very strong. It is a struggle everyday to show a positive attitude to my girls and others. (I have taken to crying in the shower so no one can see my tears.) It takes all I have everyday to get dressed and go to work and try to impart my knowledge to the students that I need to teach. Sometimes I barely have enough energy to come home and cook a decent meal for my family. I have so many jobs that I am trying to fill (wife, mother, homemaker, teacher, and cub scout leader) and I feel like I am doing a poor job at all of them. Yet my friend thinks I am a strong woman. Am I a strong woman? Or am I just a good pretender! I feel like there are so many other women that are stronger than I. Oh well, that is not the point. Right now I am going to take it one day at a time and hopefully soon I can smile and really mean it.

After the trial of your faith

On December 2nd, David was pulled into a meeting at his work and was told that if he did not find another position in the hospital he was out of job December 31st. That day was fill the temple for our ward. Even though I felt rotten, we decided that we really needed to go to the temple. The next day he went in for his personal human resources appointment and was told his last day was actually December 19th. This is not the news that you want to hear any time but especially not right before Christmas. David was pretty upbeat about it and started applying for jobs immediately. He applied for 7 jobs that had just opened up at his hospital, a job at MHMRA and a job at Apex Hospital. Two hours after faxing his application to MHMRA, they called him up asking him to interview. He interviewed with his hospital last week and this past Tuesday he interviewed with MHMRA. For me personally, I was struggling with my faith.

Then this past Sunday, I was informed that there was a drip in the upstairs bathroom. During work on Monday, I called the home warranty company and not knowing how bad the drip was said it was not an emergency. When I got home, I went to check in the bathroom and the sheetrock was coming down. Not a good sign. I called the warranty company back and changed the problem to an emergency. I was told that I really needed to turn the water off because the warranty company will not pay for any secondary damage. But by the time I went to be I had not heard from a plumber yet. The next morning, I called the warranty company back up and found out that my work order was picked up and I was given the name of the company. When I called the plumber however they said they could not come out till the following day, Wednesday. I told them that I really needed someone to come out that day because we really needed running water. They suggested I call the warranty company back and try to get another plumber. I called the warranty company back and was told that if I had my job redispatched it might take even longer for a company to come out and I might as well keep the appointment that I had. One of my students overheard my arguing with the company and said that her dad was a plumber and he might be able to help me. Her dad came over later that night and said he couldn't help us our pipes were bascially rotted (we have galvanized pipes). So we went another night without water. The next day the plumber came to take a look at the problem. I was at work so I called home to find out what was going on and I called just as the plumber was telling my dad the bad news. Our claim was denied because our house was not grounded properly. Therefore instead of spending only $55 to fix the problem we had to pay for the whole thing which was $400.00 plus the $55 service call fee. By this point my faith was being really tested. I had a few moments of self pity. At one point my dad said at least I was not Job from the Bible. I still had my family.

David and I spent a good deal of time on our knees and reading our scriptures. We especially focused on Ether 12. If you have not read that chapter in a while, go back and read it. The common theme in there was that the individuals mentioned received their blessings after the trial of their faith. Our faith was definitely being tried.

Our blessing did come. Friday morning, I got a text message from David. MHMRA had called him and he received a job offer. The job pays a lot better than his current job and he will only have to work M-F, no weekends. We have been truly blessed by the Lord. And as Ether 12 says we received this blessing AFTER THE TRIAL OF OUR FAITH. I know that the Lord is ever mindful of David and I and our family. And I am truly thankful for this new door he has opened for us. In fact, if everything goes like we plan it will be a smooth transition from his old job to MHMRA. Now we have to get on our knees and thank the Lord for his blessings.