Advocate

     I've never thought of myself as an advocate; never really had a cause to be loud about.
     That statement begs the question... Does an advocate need to be loud? Can you take a stand for something/someone quietly, and still be considered an advocate? I mean, in my faith,  I want my life to be loud, but I don't want to personally be obnoxious about Jesus.
   
     This week Jesus has shown me that this time in my life just might be the season to pull up my "big girl panties" and get my loud on.

     For starters, Matt has ongoing GI issues. He had another episode on Thursday where he was doubled over, crying at times from the pain. The pain then subsided, he seemed fine so I went on to work. Within an hour of being there Matt called me to come home because the pain was coming back. He had also called our primary doctor but couldn't get an appointment until Friday. Well, that sent me into tears b/c this stomach stuff is not new. He needs to be seen and we would rather have that not be in the ER. So I called the doc's office to see if I could have them reconsider an appointment for that day. No go.
     My next move was to call the GI doc; I left a message for the nurse. Two hours past and I hadn't heard anything so I called back. The receptionist told me "you know she does have to see patients". To which I replied, "yes, I understand that but I need to know if his stomach flares up again if I need the ER or your office." She transferred me. When I told Matt I answered her back he was shocked. "YOU said that?" I'm telling y'all, I am not direct naturally. I don't like when people are annoyed with me.
     On Friday we went to his appointment where he had a lot of blood drawn to test an assortment of things, from food sensitivities to pancreas problems. As well, we are being referred to a GI doc within the CMC community.

     The next item on the list is our sweet Maggie. She has been stuttering. Not the normal stutter that many her age have, where they are thinking faster than they can speak. She can't even sound the word out. Trying to say 'what' she will say "Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...breath...whhhhhhhhaaaa". Not normal.
     Her neurosurgeon doesn't think it sounds like a shunt malfunction and told us to go through the pediatrician first. I was a little annoyed but LOVE our pediatrician so we saw her yesterday. And I am SO GLAD I did. She is an advocate! She was able to hear Maggie 'stutter' and agreed with me - something is not right. She suggested that I call the neuro surgeon again and tell him that she suggests that Maggie be seen sooner than later. They gave me an appointment for April 8 and put her on the cancellation list. Really? Really!!!???? That is not going to work b/c she is scheduled to have surgery on April 1st and I am not allowing her to be put under without knowing all is functioning well in her brain! (She is having her tonsils and adenoids taken out & turbonites reduced).
     So, I called the pediatrician back and told her about the neurosurgeon (who, by the way, is fabulous; one of the top rated in the country). She agreed with me that Maggie needs to have an MRI, before her surgery. She then faxed the neurosurgeons office with her concerns. Come next week we should hear.
     Whew! I just wrote a book!
     Oh! And tonight Maggie has a sleep study to see if all the congestion is due to her hydrocephalus or just obstruction. Her ENT (also fabulous) says that it makes a difference in how her surgery is done.

We covet your prayers and remain thankful that Jesus is the true advocate for all of us (Romans 8:34).