We had been working towards the winter school vacations as a mile marker, a check point, to see how ministry was going, how the kids were doing in school, etc. We had plans to see old friends, to get out, and to get some things done. Some ministries and church events were going to happen that first weekend, we talked about finding the snow, we had plans to meet with two or three families.

In fact, it started well, not too rushed, and the first weekend went by as planned. Monday we had immigration appointments, which went well, and Tuesday Chris left to spend the day working at the church, because one can’t get work done in a house with three kids on winter break.

That day at lunch, I started feeling unwell, and running a fever. I laid down, took some Tylenol and napped when Evangeline napped. Because I just had a fever, no sore throat, no stuffy nose, really nothing else, I was worried it was a UTI and went to urgent care when Chris got home. The test was negative, so I figured it was just a bug and had to wait it out.

The fever persisted through the night, but when the Tylenol was working, I was able to function a little. From there it’s a little blurry, but we had a lot going on, and the fevers would hit 101-102 whenever the Tylenol wore off, and all the while we kept thinking they would go away soon.

Finally, Saturday afternoon, our teammates kept our kids and Chris took me to the Maternity ER at the University Hospital in Toulouse. This is also the children’s hospital, and any baby in Toulouse needing to arrive before 32 weeks pregnancy comes here. I was around 28-29 weeks.

I was expecting a flu swab, some Tamiflu, maybe an overnight stay, and done. When they ran the monitoring as the Tylenol wore off and my fever went up, Baby Brock’s heart rate went pretty high. They swabbed my nose, took a lot of blood, another urine sample, and sent me off to my room. Chris went home to the kids.

We were originally told the Flu test would be back in a few hours. We got the results on Monday, up until which time they were treating me for the flu. Monday, I’m still spiking fevers between doses, but the monitoring of the little guy is going well. His heart rate is steady, they did an ultrasound and he’s doing well. I imagine because they aren’t letting those fevers last long before they dose me up with Tylenol again.

So Monday, still feeling like a truck hit me, three infectious disease doctors come in, thoroughly perplexed at the fact my flu test is negative, asking me where I’ve traveled recently, who do I know that’s sick (no one), have I eaten the raw cured ham around here, etc.

The only change in my symptoms is I’ve gained a cough since arriving. Consistent with the flu I don’t have.

So they decide to throw some IV antibiotics at me. I’m okay with it.

Two more times, the days run together, an infectious doctor came in to see me, to listen to my lungs, take another nose swab, ask me what pets we had, etc. Then leave.

At one point my Potassium dropped, causing them to find a little heart arrhythmia (on a trouvé une petite chose au monitoring.) So they gave me an IV of potassium and did some more heart monitoring. The arrhythmia went away, but, sigh, one more thing.

Being mildly coherent between Tylenol doses, Chris came to see me Tuesday afternoon. Day four in the hospital. We were pretty spent, and at our wits end. We’ve had our teammates and a few others praying for us, but he left and sent out an update, asking for prayer. Tuesday night my fever never came back. At 4am, my usual wake up time for chills then sweating, nothing. I think I called the nurse in a happy panic. She was a little more cautiously optimistic, but I could tell I was feeling better.

Wednesday went well, more monitoring of me and the little guy, but no fever. They kept on with the potassium and the antibiotics and were continuing to take vials and bottles and what felt like gallons of blood.

Still no source for the infection, but I needed to be fever free for 24 to 48 hours. Thursday they did another throat swab, kept on with the monitoring, and switched me to oral antibiotics and potassium. They took down all the infection prep from around the room, gave the okay for visitors without face masks, and said I could walk the hall if I’d like.

They took my IV out at the end of the day and told me I could go home tomorrow.

Friday I washed my hair for the first time in two weeks, we did another round of monitoring little man*, and I prepared for the doctor.

He came in saying they couldn’t let me go because they were waiting for the throat swab and to be honest, we had some words. I think the fact that they couldn’t find the source of the infection was very unsettling for them, but as we all know, there are things in this world that can’t be explained, the antibiotics were working, and it was time to let me go. Especially since it took three days to get the flu results back over the weekend, I wasn’t about to wait three more days for a negative test. He left to get the throat swab himself, it was unsurprisingly negative, and he said I could go home. That was an emotional exchange.

So, finally, I’m home. I have a prescription for antibiotics and am resting still.

I kept asking the Lord what I was supposed to learning from this. What did want me to know? My friend sent me this verse on the first day, and I tried to stay focused on it.

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:5b-7 (ESV)

I think the lesson for me is always the same. Lean on him. He’s in charge. Normally, I’m the kind of person that needs all the answers, but I just couldn’t help but feel this was not the flu, this was something else, some mystery we weren’t supposed to know the answer to. That doctors, nurses, tests and medicines are all beautiful gifts from God, but ultimately He’s in charge, and some things aren’t for us to know or fix.

The school break is spent, Chris is upstairs finishing his sermon far later than he ever lets it go, but we are here, home, and so very, very thankful.

Just some photos to share the cross cultural hospital experience, most things were pretty similar, and I was so happy to see the kiddos!

* The little guy is in there like a hammock. I think he hid as far back as he could every time they came for monitoring. It always took forever to find his little heartbeat and exasperated the nurses every single time. He was known for being the most difficult baby to monitor on the floor, apparently even the twins they had were easier.