Thank you so much for praying for us. I think I have had one of the worst weeks of my life. Miriam has been really sick. I know what she is going through because I also had the same thing, but it is harder to watch your child go through it. Over the years we learn how to deal with illness and other issues, but kids don't have the same stamina.
It was a little scary, because one of the things they are worried about here is Dengue Fever, so if you have a fever for more that three days they say you should have a full-blood count done. After four days of fever, Miriam's White Blood cells were about half what they should be and her platelet count was very near the level where they hospitalize for Dengue Fever. In fact that is what the doctors at the clinic we went to assumed she had. After we asked you to pray, they went up a little. However the next day they were down in the danger level. We almost took her to the hospital, but because the white blood cells were improving and the fever was gone, they gave her 500 ml of saline and sent her home. Later that day we checked again and the platelets were increasing and the next day she was out of the danger level. So thank you for praying. This meant that I could complete the VBS program I started. We had our closing program tonight (Saturday) and I am very glad this week is over. It was nice that the clinic we went to was just up the road from the church, so each day as Miriam was getting her blood checked, I could run up (literally since Ron had the car) and be there when the doctor gave his opinion and advice. I think we will do one more test to see if it was Dengue or just a very strong virus. I know I had the same thing and I am pretty sure it is only a viral flu, although a terrible one. We have heard of others who are having the same symptoms as we have.
Keep praying for Miriam, although the fever is gone, she is still very uncomfortable. She still has headaches and stomach pain and the big problem right now is flushing redness, especially on her feet and it makes them itch a lot. She has had trouble sleeping at night because of this. I had the same thing, it was uncomfortable, but Miriam seems to have everything worse than I did. Nothing tastes good, even water tastes bad, so it is easy to get dehydrated. She will need to rest for at least one more week to be out of the woods. I still have stomach pains after three weeks and am only now getting my appetite back. She also feels bad that she missed VBS and camp. It would have been her last time to go.
Thanks so much for praying for us, We appreciate all of you who wrote and said you were praying or sent email prayers for us. It makes us feel confident of God's protection and love for us.
