Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Stethoscope

Anyone else might have thought the question was quite random, but I knew it was the Lord at work in the details once again.

My son Seth and his wife Rebecca were being trained on the ins and outs of the nasal port (feeding tube) their son Ephraim was now requiring. A “kidney baby”, he was now losing weight and quite rapidly, so this was necessary if he was to remain on track for the kidney transplant. In the training it was brought to their attention that a stethoscope would be needed to make sure placement was accurate and to lessen injury with insertion and removal of the tube. It would be expensive to purchase, and at the time, insurance was not covering all the extras. The disposable one used by the home health nurse was only for training purposes; they would have to have their own.

When Seth replied, “I have one,” the questioning look on the face of the home health nurse was obvious and somewhat humorous. After all, not just everyone had a stethoscope lying around for no reason, especially a counseling major working at a bank.

But that’s where the Sovereign God of details comes in. At one time Seth had considered medicine as a career choice and was accepted into Marshall University’s pre-med program. The Christmas of his senior year in high school his grandmother gave him a stethoscope. This stethoscope had a history behind it, having belonged to a co-worker of hers. Living and working in a rural county in Virginia, she was surprised to learn that her co-worker had also attended Marshall University in West Virginia. But developments after a stint oversees practicing medicine stirred him in another direction after returning to the states. He had given her the stethoscope and told her to pass it on to her grandson in the hopes that it would still be found useful and perhaps be an encouragement to him during any challenging days he might encounter. Little did he know!

After Seth’s first year he also began sensing a change in the direction he should take and determined that medicine was not it. When sharing this with me and his dad I immediately thought of the stethoscope. Once again it seemed its fate would be to land in a drawer somewhere unused. But we wanted nothing more than to support him in his decision, knowing he had made it a matter of prayer. His grandmother would also be a bit disappointed at first but would also encourage him to follow what he knew in his heart was the right choice.

So, enter the present situation…Seth’s son was in need of a stethoscope. And he knew he had one. I know, coincidence, right? Perhaps. But when I answered the phone and he said, “Mom, I know this is kind of random, but do you still have my stethoscope?” I was able to tell him it was still hanging in his room just where it was when he left. He then went on to explain why it was needed. As he talked I couldn’t help but think that years earlier God knew Seth would be in need of a stethoscope and had provided it. It had not been used by him to this point, but it would be now, and in caring for his own son!

With all the challenges they had already faced with Ephraim, and all the miracles God had performed on this child, all the prayers answered, yet He had chosen not to provide a complete healing. Rather, along the way as each need surfaced, including while still in his mother’s womb, God had intervened. With the Lord’s hand on him, Ephraim had survived the pregnancy against all odds, survived a dry birth without any of the infections or complications normally associated with it, avoided dialysis, and for over a year his little abnormal, barely functioning kidney had sustained him. When the weight loss started and it was determined that his kidneys were now failing, once again God intervened. Problems developed with the feeding tube early on when the regulator kept malfunctioning. A chest port surgery had been scheduled but was 3 weeks away. When they were told nothing more could be done until the upcoming surgery they decided to join the rest of the family on vacation at the beach. It was hard to watch Ephraim become more frail each day, but at least we would all be able to face it together.

So, there at our special beach retreat on the Outer Banks, where so many wonderful times had already been spent together (including Seth and Rebecca’s wedding), the brothers and their families, along with Rog and myself and Seth’s paternal grandmother, gathered together and prayed over Ephraim shortly after they arrived. What a precious time. And then I remembered… the stethoscope! I had brought it with me and wanted to make sure I gave it to them. While everyone continued sharing and encouraging and just enjoying the moment, Rebecca’s phone rang. It was her home health nurse…also on vacation! The on-call nurse had called her and explained what was happening, asking for any suggestions. She had one last idea for them to try to get this regulator functioning properly. If that didn’t work, she didn’t know what else to tell them.

Well, not only did it work and Ephraim started getting a full feeding each night, but he started eating again through the day…everything in sight!! By the end of the week he had gained a pound and a half!

I knew there would likely be more challenges for them to face in the coming months if a transplant was in God’s plan. I also knew I had to let “my boys” and their beautiful wives and children…(my grandchildren!)...go back to their own homes, their own ministries, some hundreds, some thousands of miles away until the next time, whenever that might be. But it was ok. We had shared a precious time together, and God was in it all, every detail.

And Seth had his stethoscope.