Sometimes I get in a rut and wonder "what has God done for me lately?!". Things get so crazy and stressful and I feel like I'm talking to the wall instead of praying to God.
Then He gives me a huge slap in the face and reminds me of everything that He has done for me and my family.
I was looking at some videos on YouTube and came across a video that I had made for Kerri a while back. When I think back to that period in our lives I am always astonished at how that situation turned out.
(for new readers, here is a little background. or you can read my past posts) Kerri had gone through a couple difficult years. Pretty much from 18 months to about 3 years old. I was convinced she was autistic, I thought she had high functioning autism. I approached the situation as if we had gotten that diagnosis. I did everything I could to get her the help she needed (what I could get without a diagnosis).
About a year ago I was at a breaking point. I KNEW Kerri needed more than what I was getting from the doctors. It felt like no one believed me, like they were giving me the run around. One night after the kids were in bed asleep and Zack was at work, I sat and prayed harder than I ever had before. I told God that whatever His plan was, wherever this situation was headed, to PLEASE show me! I turned Kerri over to Him. I prayed for Him to take control and do His will. Whatever it was, I was ready to deal with it. I could not watch her suffer anymore, and she was suffering.
Fast forward a year, and God answered that prayer. Not only did He open doors to get Kerri help, but He started working in her heart. She tells everyone she can about her God. She's the first person to let you know if you are doing something that God doesn't approve of. She no longer has "issues" like she did before.
Now here is my theory on what caused it and what "resolved" it........
When Kerri was about 18 months she started getting unexplained high fevers. After several different doctors we still didn't have a diagnosis or reason for the fevers. Her temperature would spike to sometimes 106. At about 18 months or 2 years old she had a febrile seizure in the waiting room of the ER in my arms. She then started having "staring seizures". She seen a neurologist among the list of doctors and nothing was found to be "wrong". Then February 22nd, 2010 she had her last fever. I was very happy that the fevers were gone but still nervous everyday that they would return. I also wished I had known what caused them. But I guess we will never know. I believe the fevers and/or the seizures had something to do with her other "issues". Now I am obviously not a Dr but she was completely perfect before the fevers started. Once the fevers and seizures started her behavior and whole personality changed.
I have no clue what stopped the fevers. I do believe the reason the seizures stopped was because the fevers stopped. But even after the fevers were gone the personality and behavior changes just worsened. So (I believe) the fevers caused the seizures and the seizures and/or fevers caused the personality and behavior issues.
What resolved the behavior issues?? I truly believe that had we let it go and not intervened that Kerri would have definitely at some point soon there after been diagnosed with autism. But I never let it go. We struggled through people talking behind our backs, people thinking we were crazy, teachers and doctors telling us to basically just "wait and see". I got her in speech therapy as soon as it was available to her. I made sure her teachers knew what was going on and even though they resisted to believing any thing was wrong they did do what I asked as far as helping her. I got her into counseling. We all helped her at home. She slowly started getting better. Now I know we made a big difference in the outcome by never giving up on her. But I truly believe that God answered my prayers, stepped in and helped her more than any doctor ever could have. Jesus not only saved her when he died on the cross but He saved her from this situation. With out Him I have no idea where she would be right now. But I'm so thankful we don't have to think about it!
We now have a daughter who is not a perfect child, but who is perfect at being Kerri.
