Friday, October 3, 2008

Keep digging

So...

Instead of four days of nothing but the sound of the wind and the waves, I ended up listening to the cries of my son getting needles five times a day.

Instead of listening for the voice of GOD, I ended up doing all the talking. I don’t think GOD could have gotten a word in edgewise this week.

Just before I was to head off with my kayak and camping stuff, our doctor called to tell us to get David down to Sick Kids Hospital – he’s diabetic.

Have you ever tried eating a cow all at once? Y’know hoofs and horns and tail and all? Getting such news is pretty hard to swallow. Four days later we’re still chewing and swallowing, chewing and swallowing, chewing and swallowing...

It’s so big, so final, so forever. For the rest of his life, David will need insulin to get the sugar out of his food. The cells in his Pancreas that used to do that have been destroyed.

Some of you must have been praying for us. The days have been full of blessings. The way that the blood tests came through so quickly and Carol didn’t end of going through this without me. The way that - upon entering Sick Kids - we met a friend from Fenelon Falls. She was there with her child who is much more severely disabled than David. Her presence there was a reminder that as bad as our situation was – so many others are suffering worse.

The staff was great. There happened to be an examining room in a very busy Emergency department. There happened to be a room free on the Diabetes Ward. There were supportive phone calls. The doctor was surprised that except for the lack of insulin – all of David’s other health indicators were very good. We got David home the next day (instead of the usual three day stay) and went to establish a home base with the Peterborough Diabetes Clinic.

The best part is that we have our son back. Since our trip to Florida David was steadily losing energy and weight. He lost his appetite and his smile and we were really worried. Now David is eating again – nonstop after having lost so much weight. On Tuesday morning he gave me a smile. Yesterday afternoon he started spinning around and around in his chair – what used to drive us crazy – we are now so happy to see.

So, you might ask how we feel about the fact that our son has been diagnosed with a new incurable condition in addition to his other four incurable conditions - instead of being healed like we’ve all been praying for? Good question.

GOD – would You like to respond now?

“Shit happens.”

That’s a paraphrase of GOD’s response by the way. A summary of the Fall story in Genesis. What we have instead of the garden - is struggle and suffering and an adversary trying to trip us up every step of the way. It’s not GOD who’s squatting and dumping on us. GOD is guiding and helping and encouraging us – “DEPEND ON ME!”

Day by day we’re getting used to this new odour in our house. We haven’t given up on GOD’s promises of healing and our hopes for miracles. Every new day is full of opportunities for GOD to turn shit into fertilizer and grow beautiful possibilities. We have music and humour and hope as tools for the digging and friends to dig with.

As fall sets in, we let go of the adventures of summer. We gather together stories and songs of hope and prepare for winter’s blanket. The roots of David’s new tree on the front lawn have taken hold. We’ll wait on the LORD with service and joy.

2 comments:

corrie said...

Dear Allan and Carol,

What a blow, I am glad you both were there to take this in, and what a blessing for David that he is smiling again and playing as well. Why? It will be revealed, but not now. Just being positive and keep that faith that holds us together is already a start in this stage of growing. Glad you used that tree as an example, God has great plans for us, also David, hang in there, you see fruits coming out of this situation as well through David, he is such a lovely and loved child. Your family is constantly in my prayers, enjoy and love each other. Corrie

Rumsby Family said...

What an awesome piece of writing. This is like a single malt whisky over ice. It is intense in flavour. It has kick and yet it warms you as you take it in.