Expectant Prayers ®

My boys watch a lot of NASCAR and Indy.   I've learned simply by their interest that there are certain colored flags racing officials show the drivers in order to communicate with them about the race: 

Boy, I think those flags could preach a message to us today!  (I especially find the black flag intriguing).

In this "race" Mom has been on, I think we may see the WHITE  flag today. We're on the final lap, but we still have to work toward the finish! Over the weekend, we discovered (Saturday) that she had contracted a highly contagious bacterial infection called C Diff (Clostridium difficile). 

It would seem that she more than likely had this bacteria at work in her system all along... before the first colonoscopy perhaps,  since she has had symptoms for 5-6 weeks now.
She was given a round of antibiotics following a bad round of "flu" and as a result of the work of the antibiotics, she was open to contracting C Diff.  Of course, there were several factors at work that effected Mom, but this one was left undetected until Saturday.  Dr. S came in and was a bit upset that she was still there.  He thought she should have been better and home by then!  After testing, sure enough there was a reason for her tummy aches and well, you know.. the runs.

Here are the symptoms I found online:

• significant diarrhea
• exposure to antibiotics
• abdominal pain
• foul stool odor

Sharon and Dad had to contact everyone that had come to visit and inform them that they might be at risk.  I worry about the both of them - especially since they've had such close contact with her for 2 weeks now.  

It is said in the stuff I read that almost 50% of hospital and nursing home patients contract this and it's nothing to mess around with.  It's strong and lives on everything you can imagine. 
Diarrhea itself can lead to lots of complications that we don't want Mom to suffer or anyone else that may have visited her! 

She has been on antibiotics now for 24 hours and it'll take another 24 before she is no longer contagious.   We will have to make sure everything is super cleaned with bleach and the like, plus take high precautions so that she doesn't get it again, but on the bright side of things... this may be the piece of the puzzle that seemed to be "missing".  Now things make more sense and seem a bit clearer to us.  It explains a lot and we are thankful that she is being treated for it and may actually be completely well now. 

When Mom told me about the news on Saturday afternoon, she said "Well, someone must be praying for complete and total healing for me because now they found out I have C Diff"- but her words are definitely a divine testimony.  We ARE praying for complete and total healing!  From her own mouth she is declaring the works of the LORD!

It's just like the devil to try every trick in the book and to try to discourage, but God has been faithful and we are trusting that He will complete the work.  

We know the race isn't done, but today we feel like the white flag has been waved - waving us on to the final lap of the race... and the devil is waving his in surrender... admitting his defeat!!!!!

Please keep praying for us this week.  We are praying:

-Mom will respond well to the antibiotics with no side effects. 

-That the C Diff will be completely eradicated from her system and won't reappear

- All who went to visit Mom will be kept from contracting the C Diff

-All harmful bacteria will be removed (by cleaning and divine intervention) from Mom and Dad's home

- That God will give wisdom about my going out to help them.  Mom is worried that if I come to help them that  my 2 kids and I will get it too.  They need help, however,  and we need direction and discernment in how to proceed.  If I go out, I have to leave in a few days in order to hitch a ride with my bro-in-law - so we need to be in prayer because I need an immediate answer.

- For future decisions about Mom and Dad.  We all live so far apart and we are asking God for wisdom and direction for our families.  It's obvious to us that Mom and Dad need more help than what they have been getting - plus they haven't been telling us some things that they should have.   We have the desire to care for our parents and we believe it is a godly desire.   We want to be in a better position to where we CAN help.  God must have a plan and we are asking for Him to reveal it to us and that those plans would go forth!!!!


We appreciate all who are praying and standing with us during this time of trial.  We can't thank you enough.

For more reading on Mom, go to Sharon's blog.  She posted  "The Days of Our Lives at General Hospital" this morning  (the title is so funny!).    http://www.hoosierfamily06.blogspot.com/