Navigating Life's Detours
Finding the right path for a teen with special needs
Dealing with unforseen problems, part 2
The old saying, “One step forward, two steps back,” is so true in the lives of J.P., Paige and I.
We have become so excited about the prospect of bringing home our skilled companion dog over the past week, but what happened Saturday night has put a wrench in those plans.
It all began Thursday night when J.P. vomited after we brought the dog back to our room for the first time.
As a parent of a special-needs child, I can tell you a single vomit is more of a warning sign than anything. It happened again Friday, and we believed it was more of a positional issue — not a medical problem.
But after class on Saturday night, J.P. began vomiting every few minutes, and we knew it was time to put our canine quest on hold and head to the hospital.
Luckily, we were able to find a Canine Companions staff member who took our dog to the kennel, and we took J.P. to Florida Hospital for Children’s emergency department.
J.P. was promptly admitted, and tests on Sunday determined his shunt is OK, and his lungs are clear. His temperature is also normal, and his bowels are moving. Those are all good signs, but J.P. began vomiting again Sunday evening, and we’ll talk to the neurosurgeon on Monday to determine the best course of action.
Once again, my family is left to navigate life’s detours. We were on the fast track to getting something very special and working hard to be the best facilitators possible for our dog, and now we’re stuck sitting on pit row, trying to find our way back to the track.
I told our story to a Florida Hospital chaplain Sunday morning. She reminded me that God’s ways are not always our ways, and that God allowed this hospitalization to happen for a reason. She encouraged me to find hope in his promise to hold us closest at our most desperate moments. We prayed for a quick recovery and no complications.
I don’t know how this will resolve at this moment. We’ve been in contact with Canine Companions for Independence, and staff have vowed to work with us through this complication.
J.P. looks a lot better than yesterday, and Paige and I hope nothing else develops that could slow him down on the road to recovery.
One Comment on “Dealing with unforseen problems, part 2”
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Navigating Life's Detours 
So sorry to hear of your “detour”. I know you have been so excited abut this new adventure! May you fell Gods presence and his sustaining love as you navigate again through some thick weed to find your way back.