Wednesday, May 30, 2012

baby maximus: so grateful

Today I walked through the hospital and realized that I was starting to know my way around. That is something no one really wants to know.  Unless they work there, I guess.  No one wants to really get used to a hospital, do they?

My friend teases me that I am a math wiz.  I'll admit it, I do know my arithmetic.  When I was little I remember liking math because there was always a definite answer.  I want that with this situation.  But the way the body works, we don't get a definite answer.  We have to see what happens and the doctors try and fix it.  The story keeps changing.  Someone will say that Maximus needs to be here a few days, then they put him under, take a look and realize it will be at least a couple of weeks.  And after that, it will be months of follow up and therapy. And I live on one island, we are on another island, and the rest of my family is on the mainland.  And we have two other kids, and airline tickets, and insurance, and a house, and a job to worry about.  It's getting complicated.

Right after this happened my friend called me and asked what she can do.  I knew I needed help.  So much so that I needed help knowing how I needed help.  And listen to this.  I got help.  They did everything.  

I just found out that my house is spotless.  I just said spotless and my house in the same sentence.  It makes me want to cry.  It means that someone else did it.  It means that lots of someone elses went into my house and scrubbed.  Not only that but my friend, who also has three little ones, knew that I would be horrified at the mess and she actually went in and precleaned all the embarrassing stuff.  

My friend is watching Eva and Samuel.  Not only that, knowing how much work it is to take in two extra kids, people are making dinners for her while she watches my kids.  Not only that, she walked through my house and packed all the things I didn't bring because I didn't realize I would be here so long.  Then she dropped it off at another friend's house so she could bring it to us in Oahu.  And as I type all the things that people have done for us, I realize that I can't even list all the things that people have done for us because I don't even know the extent of it.  I know that so many people have offered to help.  I am just so grateful.  So sososososo grateful. Seriously.  If you are reading, thank you.  Thank you for making such a crappy situation into one that makes me feel so grateful.

Here is our latest family photo.  We got to do facetime with Eva and Samuel.  And as Karl's grandma (who has an iphone and know how to use it) said, "We are grateful for these computerized gadgets that help you keep us posted."  You should have seen Maximus light up when he saw Eva and Samuel on the screen.  When he first saw Eva, he whimpered and then cheered up.  When he first saw Samuel, he started blowing kisses and yelling, "Go!"  It was so sweet.  I am feeling so grateful for all my kids and that they are healthy and happy and most of all that they love each other.
Our friends told us that Maximus' little pancake was in the fire.  He dropped his little pancake and was reaching in to get it.  If that isn't the saddest image ever, we realized this morning that Maximus has tiny little blisters on his tongue.  And it evoked even heartbreaking images of him crying and getting burned.  But then I am grateful that his face didn't get burned any worse.  It is hard to bandage a face, and eyes are so sensitive and vital.  So grateful.
Last night was his first night off of morphine on onto Toradol.  The couple of hours before his next dose, he would be writhing in pain.  You never want to see your kid writhing in pain.  And Maximus has hardly ever been the kind of kid to make unreasonable requests, but this was something I couldn't fix.  It broke my heart.  But then, in the morning, things got better and he finally got some rest and cheered up.  So then I was even more grateful for the times that he wasn't in pain.
The day after we got here, the adrenaline wore off and Karl and I had huge headaches, it hurst so bad I felt nauseous.  It was almost unbearable.  But here's the thing, it went away after a nap.  And now, I am grateful that I can be healthy while I try and help Maximus heal.  No really, I was walking back from getting dinner thinking to myself, "I am so glad that my head doesn't hurt right now."  

Here is Maximus in his rendition of Itsy Bitsy Spider, with his muffin hands and all.
Every once in a while Karl will look at my texts and remind me there are people that I haven't responded to.  There are phone calls and e-mails and messages, too.  I am received everyone of them and am so grateful for everyone.  Please know that I am grateful.  In a time like this when we need so much help, I am so grateful that people are so good to us. 

Thank you.

8 comments:

pamela said...

i am so happy your head doesn't hurt! i am so happy you have a host of people caring for you! i hope more miracles will be worked on your behalf in the coming weeks.

Unknown said...

thank you for taking time to keep us posted. i'm only sorry we are so far away to help, but we are grateful to hear and know that you have a wonderful founded family there helping out. we continue to keep little max and all of you in our thoughts.

Courtney said...

We are still loving all the updates. They continue to make us smile and cry at the same time. The "itsy bitsy spider" with the muffin hands is priceless, it will be more so when this is all over and the muffin hands are a memory. We send love and prayers.

Janine said...

So sorry he's having such a hard time and so glad he and you guys are handling it with such grace. And people can be really awesome. I'm so glad you life is full of awesome people.

Amy said...

I just saw your posts and I am so sorry about baby Maximus!!! I wish there was something I could do to help you right now. But, our family just prayed for your family. We will keep you in our thoughts and hope that you will be comforted and Maximus will heal quickly.

TheMom said...

Christina, Peggy Reed here, just want to say that along with everyone else we are keeping Max and all the rest of the Iraelsons in our prayers as well. We love you and miss you and we can't wait to see ALL your smiling faces again. Max is really a miracle baby and he really, REALLY does bring peace, joy and happiness to all of us he touches. Kenji cried when he saw your blog and pictures, right along with me; he said don't tell, but Max is his favorite of all the kids he watches during hula... I had to tell. No need to respond, I know you are buried, I just wanted you to know we all love you and your family and we know you are grateful, but you would do
no less for us!

Cydnee said...

Pook, I'm still mad you didn't make it into a'capella. You sing a mean itsy bitsy spider.

onolua said...

We continue to pray for baby Max to get well. We love you all. I know it is so hard to have the children you love to be hurt or sick. We pray for your family to be together again and hugs to all your children and to baby Max. Singing helps to heal the pain. And that is Auntie Nani's favorite song itsy bitsy spider. We sing it all the time. Now we can sing it for Max... we love you kids.. Auntie & Uncle

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