Ben is in the hospital again

After getting recharged from my trip in Kuala Lumpur, life has become a roller coaster ride of sorts again. I had to work double time on some unfinished businesses. Then Ben complained of dizziness. When I got home, I found out he missed school because he wasn't feeling well. I brought him to his pedia the day after I arrived and she ordered a new x-ray on Ben. We found out his Primary Koch has not yet completely healed. It means he has been having asymptomatic pneumonia for the past two years of his life. His pedia, a pulmonologist, said she found it quite strange. Even though Ben was born premature and had pneumonia at birth, he should have already been well enough by this time considering all the medicines he had taken. Dra. Mendoza, who heads St. Luke's pulmonary department, said she might have to do bronchoscopy on Ben soon to find out what's inside his lungs and why his pneumonia just wouldn't go. Aside from pneumonia, his allergic rhinitis is getting worse, so he was given two weeks worth of anti-biotics. We've been convincing him to take wheatgrass to boost his immune system. But sometimes it's just so difficult to convince kids to try something new. =(

After more than a week of taking antibiotics, Ben felt a little better only to get fever last Sunday. Like last year prior to his hospitalization, he wouldn't respond to paracetamol. When the fever persisted and even went up to 40.5C despite round-the-clock medication, we decided to bring him to St. Lukes. We stayed at the ER from midnight to 7am and went home when his fever subsided. But by mid-morning, he had high fever again so we went back to see his pedia. Upon seeing him red and all, Dra. Mendoza told us not to go home anymore.

Thankfully, his CBC shows high platelet count. But Dra. Mendoza said we should pray he doesn't have dengue although she highly suspects because of his physical appearance (red).
Today is Ben's second day in the hospital. Thank God, he is better. At least, there was a little window today when his fever was gone. Tomorrow, they will get his blood sample for CBC again.

Well, everything happens for a reason. Maybe, God wants to slow me down a bit to remind me where priorities should be. I'm sure He's telling Ben and each one of us other things as well.

I thank God that He is faithful in all of His ways. Times like these makes me appreciate Him more. Not that I like being in difficult situations. But truly when you're under fire, it makes you appreciate more the things that God has given but you sometimes take for granted -- like relationships with family and friends.

I praise God for the support of all our families (blood and spiritual) as well as friends. They are indeed God's great channels of blessings.

Please continue to pray for Ben's fast and complete recovery.