Through the smoke....

I absolutely love love love our country of bulgaria. I absolutely love the work we are here to do and the people God has called us to. I love the people we have met along the way and who have shared their love with us. However, the medical situation here is sometimes part of the journey I wish we could skip. Without the wonderful, professional, and intelligent services of Dr.И, I'm not sure what I would do, because he helps guide us through the smoke of bulgaria's medical care.

Our most recent experience surrounds Cameron and Micah's medical journey. It's amazing how both of their medical issues are intertwined and without one, the other wouldn't have received the help they needed. Let me explain. Since Micah was slated to start national school, we had to gather documents to submit to the director for his enrollment. One of those documents was a statement from the doctor showing he is free from TB. Cameron and I scheduled Micah's appointment for his TB injection. While we were there, the topic of yearly TB check ups came up and I mentioned that I had tested negative this summer but Cameron had not been checked. The doctor said that he could inject Cameron as well since we were there. Three days later Cameron's red swollen lump showed a physical positive for TB. Cameron's blood test then also came back positive. The day before the TB appointment Micah had fallen during a flip in gymnastics. (We visited a gymnastics place with a friend and after the fall decided flipping would not be in our future) Cameron took him to the hospital and the doctor stated that the x-ray showed no fracture and to go home and put gel on it. The last 10 days Micah has continued to have pain in the arm. Today Cameron had x-rays on his chest for the TB and while at the same hospital we decided to get a copy of Micah's x-rays. On the first page it said "FRACTURE" of the radio head. Our doctor was visibly confused as to why they said there was no fracture and said that he would go home and look at the x-rays and would figure out what needs to be done for Micah but more than likely physical therapy would need to start. So amazingly Micah and Cameron's medical needs were intertwined and without one the other would not have received the medical help they needed. Without Micah, Cameron would not have taken a TB test anytime soon and maybe not until late next year when we needed to head back to the states. And without Cameron going to the hospital we would not have picked up Micah's x-rays anytime soon and he would have continued to have pain in his "unbroken" arm. So in the midst of the smoke of medical confusion and frustration, God again made sure that our family was taken care of. And to be fair, my mom had her radio head fracturemissed by a local hospital in the states.

How you can pray: 1: Cameron will need more testing to make sure the correct medicines are administered. The treatment is a minimum of 6 months and can take up to a year and a half to cure. With any long term treatment there is a risk of side effects. Please pray that his body will endure the treatment without side effects. 2: Benjamin is the only one in our family that has not been tested for TB. He will be tested next week and it is our prayer that he will be free from exposure like Jennifer and Micah are. 3: Micah will need to have his arm taken care of and he starts school this monday. Please pray that his arm will not take away from any of the excitement and learning that will fill his days.