Mr. Billy lives right down the road from us with his wife, Gay. Across the street from Billy and Gay live two of Gay's sisters: her twin sister Fay and their other sister, Robbie. Robbie had a daughter, Kim, who lost her eight year battle two cancer just a year after we moved in. These four senior citizens take such good care of us and truly are our country family. They attend church with Dad and Mom and we call upon each other often for help. We are blessed that our family was able to help them this past week.
On Thursday, the three older kids had a quick piano practice at their teacher's studio. This Tuesday is our recital, and Ms. Leslie wanted them to practice on her digital keyboard since it feels quite different than a piano. (Each of the kiddos is playing one song. Isaac is also playing a duet with me and his Grama Joni.)
Afterwards, JB and I had to drive about an hour away to check out some granite countertops. Our friends Nik and Erin offered to let the girls play at their house for the day. Grama volunteered to drive up to town and pick up the boys so that JB and I could actually a bit of a date!
We said a very enthusiastic YES PLEASE!
Mom picked up the boys and headed back home. She had the boys, and is always the case, she had Isaac's "breathing bag" with her as well. This bag includes a bunch of medicines for his allergy and asthma, and it includes two epi pens as well. (By the way, I wrote this post about the ridiculous price-gouging of epic-pens back in 2016. I am pleased to say that there is now a generic, and you can buy these pens without insurance for closer to $100 instead of the $600 it was previously costing people.)
We never take Isaac anywhere without his "breathing bag" unless it is just a major oversight on our end. In fact, now that I don't have a diaper bag anymore, Isaac usually grabs his breathing bag himself. You don't want to leave it in a vehicle because it can get too hot so we diligently bring it in and out of the house every time we go somewhere. We very rarely need to use it. But we always have it.
Isaac himself hasn't had to use an epic-pen since back in 2014 when we were preparing to leave the Azores. But we continue to carry them for any "just-in-case" reason.
As mom turned the corner to head to her house, Mr. Billy's wife and sister-in-law saw her and stopped her vehicle on the road desperately asking if JB happened to be at home. Billy had been stung by a bee or wasp (I'm not exactly sure what it was) while out working on the farm and was not doing well at all.
(This had happened a few months earlier and JB had been home to administer a pen to Billy. They were not aware this was a major allergy issue and thought it may have been a freak occurrence. But obviously, with the second episode, major precautions have to take place.)
JB was on a date with me, but Mom called him and John immediately talked her through administering 1, 2 and even a 3rd epi pen that mom stores at her own house to Billy. Mom was a rock star, and Billy went from doing very badly (throwing up, trouble breathing, hives) to doing totally fine. (Mom is amazing in high-pressure situations! I'd want her on my team any day!)
The next day, Billy went to his doctor, and the doctor said, "You do realize that you met Jesus yesterday, don't you?"
Billy joked that while he didn't actually see Jesus, but he did see Mary walking up to him With Isaac's bag of modern medicine miracles hanging from her arm.
Isaac said that while he didn't like seeing Mr. Billy struggling, it was comforting to know he wasn't alone in this world of anaphylaxis and allergies. We also told Isaac that had he not had an allergy, Mom wouldn't have been carrying those medicines and Billy's doctor thinks he very well may have died before he got a half hour to a hospital or an ambulance got all the way out to him.
I told Isaac that the Bible says God uses all things for the good of those who love Him. On Thursday, God used one of the most frustrating parts of Isaac's life to save the life of someone we love very dearly -- our Mr. Billy.
I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in God leading Mom to be on that road with my Isaac in the car at that exact moment.
Praise the Lord.
3 comments:
I LOVE this! There is beauty in the way the Lord provides in and through our suffering! I love how you told Isaac that if he didn't have the allergy this gentleman very well may not have lived. What an intensely hopeful and redemptive outlook that is for him to start understanding at such a young age! Embrace and even rejoice in the suffering, because the Lord is over all and sees all. Praise be to Him!
An anazing story of God's perfect provision!
Wow! As a mom of 2 young kids with severe food allergies (peanut, tree nut, egg and milk), this one hits me right between the eyes. Some days, it gets a little overwhelming and frustrating to deal with managing the allergies and keeping our boys safe. It never occurred to me that we might be able to use our allergy kits to help someone else! Something I hope we never need to do, but what a blessing that the kit was with them and they were able to help your neighbor (and 3 epi pens, yikes!).
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