The Other Kind of Day

From the last post about abundance to today where I'm at a point so overwhelmed my cheeks flush red and I cannot think straight, we just may have a study in opposites.
At one moment today, I dropped my head down on the nurse's desk just to try and take it all in.
We are going to survive.

"Jesus is here with me now, and NONE of this was a surprise." I reminded myself. I was sitting in the audiology department getting the news that Zeb hears nothing out of his right ear. And that it is most likely fixable, but we need to get him into a specialist NEXT WEEK. And that we are most likely looking at surgery. A tube. Nothing big.
But at that moment, it FELT big.
All the fundraising, the house changes, the details to bring Esty home...and then the fall that Toby took the night before was simply TOO MUCH in that moment.
I borrowed this sweet woman's desk space and dropped my head down for a brief prayer, "Jesus, help!"
I hadn't slept much last night. At all.
We'd been keeping the sweetest three girls while their mom and dad are out of the country working on bringing their brothers home from their orphanage. It was a crazy fun fest of NINE children last night. Dinner was over and everyone was engaged and it was, well, LOUD.
Then the screams.
"Mommy!! TOBY FELL!"
I ran to him.
I held him and he was indeed quite upset.  My eyes and hands investigating him for what in the past has proven to be a bloody mess…or a broken bone. I asked him where he hurt and he managed to say, "Arm!" Of course I suspected his arm that he had surgery on…but he used that arm and sweet crooked finger to point to the straight one.
The arm that is in a permanently straight position thanks to his Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. 
The arm that was now swelling furiously at the elbow and the arm that now bent.\
{grimace}
I think perhaps I have fluttered around ever since that moment…running off to the ER with him, going to bat for him as the physician on call told me "all his bones look great! nothing is broken!" KNOWING FULL WELL this was not right and the doctor was wrong.

Toby refusing to look at the camera because he hurt so badly. :(

I'd asked the doctor if he'd ever heard of Arthrogryposis. 
He hadn't.
(I hadn't either, remember. But now, I've lived with this blessing of a child for 8 months, and I know Arthrogryposis. And his arm IS broken.)
They decided to splint him "anyway."
Hmmm…Good!
This morning, after a very restless night of sleep, I called our local orthopedic office. Our doctor who had treated Toby before (for this SAME injury on this SAME arm) was in surgery. He would have a look at the X-rays and call me in between patients.
Later this morning I got a call that made my mouth drop open: "the doctor says there are no breaks, and he sees no reason for an appointment."
I was stunned.
Toby HURTS. And I know this kid…when his arm bends SOMETHING IS WRONG.
I told the nurse this. But I got no where. Mama bear rose up and I told her I'd be contacting our Arthrogryposis specialists at Shriner's.
Goodbye.
Red cheeks. Steam fuming. I was M-A-D. To not even see my child for an exam?!!??!?!
A few hours later I was on the phone with our AMC hand specialist, Dr. Zlotolow. He absolutely agreed that it was inexcusable for a doctor to refuse a patient who had sustained an injury like this. He said that Toby's elbows are mostly cartilage and scar-like tissue and that it will not show up on an Xray. But that if his arm was bending, something was DEFINITELY broken. (and oh the pain in my sweet boy who can withstand SO MUCH!!)
Dr. Z spent a good TWENTY MINUTES on the phone with me. We discussed all the possible doctors who might be able to give him a proper assessment (including a dye injected Xray to show the cartilage) so we can understand if his elbow needs pinned…or even if we might take advantage of this break to HELP Toby's hand position on the left side.
WHAT. A. DOCTOR!!!
He searched for our hometown and went through every possible doctor in a 5 hour driving radius that he knew personally and trusted to give him an accurate understanding of what Toby's situation. We finally decided on a particular doctor at Children's hospital in Cincinnati.
And he told me to get him there THIS WEEK.
I tried calling for an appointment on my way to Zeb's hearing appointment. The wait time was too long…I got started, but had to go as it was time to go in for the hearing assessment.
Then the news that Zeb doesn't hear and may need surgery ASAP.
Head drop to the desk.
"Help Jesus!"
And He has.
Miraculously, the very doctor that Dr. Z wanted us to see is available TOMORROW afternoon (giving us plenty of time to make the long trip) and he "happened" to be in the most northern located office of the ones he serves. 
Thank You, Jesus!
I was able to schedule Zeb for the specialist this coming MONDAY for his ear. Wow.
Thank You, Jesus!
We ARE gonna make it. 
And my guess? Jesus is gonna get some mo' glory!!
Till then, will you pray? I need sleep, safety traveling, wisdom for doctors and decisions for both boys, spiritual protection...and we need Esty home.
Thank you, friends.