Day 24 - Health

Today wasn't exactly a healthy day for our family. Actually, the last week has been the complete opposite of healthy for us! However, today I am thankful for the health that we DO have. A stomach bug is nothing compared to what some families are dealing with right now and I was reminded of that today on the way home from the Pediatric ER.

Last night, Aiden came down with the stomach bug that we have all had. I was really hoping he wouldn't get it, but he did. There's not much else I could have done to prevent it, but I still feel bad that he's dealing with it.

This morning, I found that he had thrown up in the middle of the night at some point, then he threw up 3 more times before I could get the kids ready and out the door to get him to see a doctor. The military clinic on post was completely full so the advice nurse instructed me to take him to the ER because of his age.

5 hours, blood work, a catheter, an x-ray, and an hour of IV fluids later and we were walking out the door of the hospital with instructions to return if he got worse. On my way to Paula's house to get the older kids, the radio station that the radio was tuned to was raising money for research on pediatric tumors. It made me think of all the families out there that will be spending Thanksgiving in the hospital with their sick kids. The families that will still be there spending Christmas in the hospital as well.

So, while I do feel so very sorry for my sweet Aiden, I am thankful that it is only the stomach bug. I'm thankful that we won't be spending our holidays in the hospital worried about what is going to happen next. I have 3 wonderfully healthy kids (you know, when they're not sick with the stomach bug) and I thank God for that every night.