A Little Update

Hi All,

 

This is just a little update to say that we're in the capital city of Jakarta for a little while. We made the decision to get away for a little break and also to hopefully get our boys checked out by a pediatrician and possibly an allergist as well. Both boys have still been showing some symptoms for quite a while and Jakarta is the best place in the country for them to get checked out.

 

We'll be here for at least a week and maybe up to two. Be praying that we can genuinely get some rest and relaxation and maybe get some answers on the boys heath.

 

We'll keep you updated as we're here,

 

Joel

 

Sunday

It's Sunday night here and we're heading to bed but before we do, I just wanted to ask you to keep praying for the boys and us as we enter the new week.  Owen finished his malaria medicine yesterday but is still showing signs of not feeling well.  We need to give it a day or two to see if it's just the medicine still in his body or if something else is wrong.  He's still on the antibiotic for his ears and throat.  Jack is on the medicine for parasites but is still having diarrhea pretty often so we're baffled. I know it takes time for the medicine to work but we had hoped to see some improvement.  I know this is all that we seem to be talking about but it weighs heavily on our hearts, so please keep praying for them.

 

We will be attempting to implement some changes into our daily routine starting tomorrow and would love to see some light at the end of the tunnel in that area.  So far, we feel like we're in a pinball machine bouncing from one thing to another without any clear plan.  We are not geared that way and so we are desperate for some sense of normalcy to set in.  Pray for us to have wisdom and clarity of thought as we attempt to live by a schedule in a place that is not so routine.

 

Also, Joel seems to be coming down with some sort of cold or something. He's sneezed like 1000 times today already and is leary of getting sick right now.  Not htat there is ever a good time for it but right now, especially it seems ill-timed (no pun intended J)!

 

Good night from this side of the world!

Bethany

Jack

Ok now for what's happening with Jack.  The dr. thought that even after the blood tests we had done in the states and here last year that perhaps it didn't show a parasite that is extra hearty.  So he's treating him again for it but this time for 2 weeks instead of one.  We'll see after that if he improves. The dr. thought that this could be what is the problem and said that maybe after all is said and done we can see if it wasn't a milk allergy at all but this pesky parasite.  We're hopeful with it but not certain.  Certainly confused by it all. 

 

We also have more info on Owen.  Turns out on top of the malaria he has swollen tonsils and a very red ear.  So we're adding one more medicine that will help with that and it also (by chance) will help with the malaria AND it's liquid so the malaria medicine that is tablet can be crushed and added to it so he'll take it better and not in his bottle which he wouldn't take with the medicine in it.  Did you follow that?  Yeah me neither.  Basically we still need to give him the malaria medicine but now this anitbiotic too and hopefully his appetite will improve and he'll start eating again. 

 

Please, keep praying for us.  This week has been the hardest of our lives and these months so trying.  To know that you are praying for us is such an encouragement.  Thanks for the notes too!

 

Bethany

Owen

This morning we are taking Owen back to the clinic here to see the doctor. I can't get him to take his medicine as he's not interested in eating or drinking.  Please pray for us right now as we are facing discouragement on many fronts.  I, as a mom, am at my whits end with this and am honestly a bit scared.  I still know Owen is in God's hands but on a human level I see him sick and my  heart hurts.  Please pray for his healing and if that's not what God wants right now, that the Dr would know how to help him.  Thank you!

 

Bethany

Owen

We got word last night that Owen still does have Malaria.  Apparently the first round of medicines didn't erradicate it completely so we are trying a second kind, which is more powerful and the nurse says she's never known it to not work.  So we are hopeful that he will be getting better soon.  The medicine he is taking has some potentially uncomfortable side effects so please pray that Owen is not affected by them.  He's already had a rough couple of weeks and we just want to see him get well. 

 

Jack is still having diahrreah and we are baffled by what is causing it.  We did find out that there are a couple of doctors here for a few days from the states and the nurse felt that Jack was in need of being examined by them.  We have an appt. for 4:30 this afternoon, our time (3:30am at home). Please pray that he is cooperative for them.  He's at a difficult age to be examined.  Please also pray that we can get some answers as to how to help Jack. 

 

Honestly these two little guys are weighing heavy on us right now. It's difficult to concentrate on other things knowing they are both sick.  Living here is hard enough without having your children sick too.  We desperately need your prayers right now to get through each day.  This job is so beyond us and our abilities.  We are begging God for supernatural strength every day.

 

Thanks for your prayers.

 

Bethany

Owen and other things

Just an update on Owen.  Thanks for praying for him. I'd say overall he is doing better but he's still throwing up every afternoon.  He is done with the medicine and didn't seem to have any side effects from it so we are thankful for that.  If he continues to throw up tomorrow, we'll call the nurse again and see what she says to do.  

 

Jack's eye cleared up quickly and his tummy issues seem to be leveling out.  The milk allergy seems to be our worst giant right now.  I forgot and fried an egg in margarine yesterday and today, he has diarrhea again.  It's so hard to remember little things like that! 

 

The power was out almost all day today – from 9 am to 5 pm.  We ended up at the guest house where the generator was on for most of the day. We are so thankful there is a generator there!  Joel worked at our house, hooking up a generator that we are borrowing, for the majority of the day.  It was a hard day for him as the wiring in our house is pretty screwed up and so it melted the original switch he hooked it up to. It seems that it takes two times to get things to work right.  So far, with anything we've tried, we can't get things to work the first time.  By the time 5pm rolled around, he got it all figured out and we had power for about 15 minutes before the power came back on.  We'll take 15 minutes over none!

 

An NTM family that has just returned  to Papua from their furlough is staying at the guest house this month.  They and their partners are relocating villages in the tribe they work in so the mom and four boys will be here while the dad goes out to build their house in the new village.  Jack is loving having the boys here – ages 9-3.  Today they played with lincoln logs for like 3 hours!  Jack was in his element!

 

My days lately have been full of baking, cooking, and grocery shopping twice  a week.  I make Jack's bread each week since the bread we can buy here has milk in it, then Owen's baby food, French bread for the guest house meals, granola, yogurt, salsa, etc.  Well as you can see, I'm keeping busy. 

 

We sure miss home this holiday time.  The wallpaper on our computer is fall leaves and we have a pumpkin on the table to make it feel like it's not 100* outside and 85* inside! We can imagine, right?

 

Ok that's all for now!  Thanks for keeping up with us!

 

bethany

 

 

Lilli

Thanks for praying for Lilli.  We got word today that she does have a 3 cm growth on her brain at the base on the right side (behind her ear).  They don't know yet if it is a tumor or a cyst or just what it is.  The family is from Germany and so they are making the decision about where to seek treatment for Lilli, either there in Australia, where she is now or back home in Germany. There are so many things to consider right now for their family. Please pray for them as they seek God in this.  It is surely quite scary to have your 6 year old facing such trying medical issues.  They are all doing well despite this and God is enabling them each step of  the way.  Their names are Ortwin and Regina and the kids are Valentina, Tim, Jasmin, and Lilli.  They and we appreciate your prayers.  It's been an emotional week for them.

 

Bethany

success!

Ok the small things as a parent can sometimes be big things.  Today Jack went to bed without his pacifier and without a fit for the first time!  Yahoo!  We have had a hard time taking it away with all the changes the poor kid has had in his life. It seemed there just wasn’t a good time till now. He is finally settled in to life here and so last night was the first try.  He did go to sleep eventually but not before letting us know he didn’t like it!  Then today at nap time, it took a good hour and a half for him to stop talking long enough to fall asleep. I suppose since he didn’t have his “plug” to silence his chatter, he felt the need to get it out!  Finally at 2pm he dozed off to sleep.  Then tonight, Joel put him to bed, he asked for it once and then not a peep!  Yahoo!  We were so pleasantly surprised after expecting another battle.  Whew that was easier than we thought!  Now for potty training….  I dread this!  Again for the same reason, we’ve put it off but I believe the time is approaching and my goal is to have this poor kid on track before he turns 3! I know this seems silly to post on the blog, but really with the life he’s had for these 2 ½ years, these tasks aren’t easy.  We need prayer, even for something as silly as potty training!  So thanks for doing that!  Good night from a quiet Potter house!

 

Bethany

answers

Well, we have an answer as to why Owen isn't feeling like himself these days.  He has Tropical Malaria.  Now don't freak out,  I did that already and trust me, it doesn't help.  He will be fine, I am assured by our very capable medical personnel here.  We have caught it early and so with some medication and time, he'll be back to himself.  It's been a tough few days as we waited to find out for sure, but 3 blood slides later, we have our answer.  A less than ideal answer is better than no answer at all, so we will thank the Lord that He has showed us what is wrong and now we know how to treat it.  Please pray for Owen that he'll respond well to the medicines and that he'll continue to be a trooper through it all.   Pray for Mama too. It's so hard to see my little guy not feeling well and to know that despite our strong efforts to avoid this, he still contracted this yucky sickness.  What is reassuring though is that Owen is in God's capable hands and I trust Him with my little boy.  Thanks for praying!

 

Bethany

Prayer Request

One of our families that works interior is out in town for a few weeks.  They have four children and this morning, the youngest (Lilly) began having seizures.  She has had them one time earlier this year but today seems to be much more severe so that she became unconscious.  They aren't sure why she is having these seizures. Please pray for their family to have wisdom, peace and that God would heal Lilly.  She is 6 or 7 years old.

 

Bethany 

Owen and Jack

Well, we haven't heard for sure what is causing Owen to be sick.  Hopefully we'll know something tomorrow.  In the meantime, your prayers are certainly being heard and we are doing well.  He seems to improve in the mornings and then not so good in the afternoons.  We have a few suspicions but won't post those just yet.  Thanks for praying. 

 

Jack is already doing better on all counts.  As we find out more about milk allergies, we are more baffled as to how to keep him away from milk – it's in EVERYTHING!!!  We have been able to get him soy milk that is pure soy milk so that is helpful.  The medicine for both the giardia and pink eye are working so that is good too!

 

Keep praying and we'll keep trusting!

 

bethany