Blessings Abound

Our Trip to the Mayo Clinic was well worth the effort. We are very grateful to all the people who prayed for us while we were gone. I know God answered those prayers in several ways.

1. When Trevor was diagnosed with hypercortisolism, Cushing's Disease, I knew that was a big problem. I had researched that one of the leading specialist in Cushing's is at the Mayo in Rochester. I called the Mayo on December 23rd to see if they would see Trevor at the pediatric clinic. They got him in on January 6th. Then I asked if they could see my other children to get 2nd opinions on them, too. I believe that God opened the door for us to take the kids to the Mayo. In less than two weeks we would have appointments for four children and be seen at the clinic.

2. The second obstacle was to get all the kids records there before our appointment. As you know, we had two holidays in the middle of the time allotted. The records got to the Mayo on Friday afternoon. We left the next day to head to Minnesota.

3. We had been out of town for Christmas and had to wash and repack. Russ had to take off a week from work. The kids had to get their books so that they could keep up missing a week of school. I had to find a sub and make a week's worth of lesson plans. We were able to accomplish all that by Friday. We didn't find a place for the dog until Saturday morning before we left. God does work everything out.

4. We were nervous about driving in the snow. All the roads were clear. Even with the snow coming down, the roads weren't icy or full of snow. Our car handled the weather well. We were able to park in covered parking for free for the week. Our car in Minnessota.

Our car where we live when it snowed for the first time.

5. We found a great hotel on Friday. Even though the temperatures were only in the teens, we remained toasty because it connected to the clinic. It is hard to find a hotel room that can accommodate 6 people. We were fortunate to find a room with two queens and a sleeper that could fit two large boys. The kids enjoyed using the indoor pool.

6. We were grateful that Trent's diagnosis was reversed and he was able to get off the diabetes medicine he has been on for over a year. He was declared a healthy guy.

7. We were thrilled that Taylor had her diagnosis of POS taken away and that she was able to get off the medicine she had been on for nearly a year. She is severely anemic and is taking a couple of pills to correct it. We will find out the reason for the anemia in a few months when she is retested.

8. Tatum doesn't have to endure any more medical tests because she is a normal, healthy little girl who will probably be the tallest in our family.

9. We are relieved beyond words that Trevor looks like he doesn't have Cushing's. He was on medicine for a few weeks that may have skewed the results. We know the reason God had us get to the Mayo so soon is because the medicine he was on was harmful to him. We are very thankful that the doctors took him off of it.

10. The machine Trevor needs at night to keep his oxygen level up and the carbon dioxide out is covered by insurance and doesn't cost us $3000+. Trevor doesn't seem to mind the machine and takes it all in stride. The first night he slept soundly and didn't complain about anything.

11. When we got lost we made the best of it. That is how we got to the Amish country.

12. Thursday night the weather report said it would be freezing rain and single digit temperatures all the way from Minnesota to Tennessee. When I started driving Saturday, I kept waiting for the bad roads and weather. It never came. God apparently had other plans that day for our driving experience. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day all the way to Memphis.

13. I was nervous about driving at night because I can't see well. Russ couldn't drive because he was exhausted from not having his sleep apnea machine all week. I felt God lighting the way for me when I realized that a full moon was right beside me. As the night wore on, it moved in front of me. I was very thankful for the reminder that God was with me.