Decisions

We had to make some big decisions today and we want to let everyone know that I am bringing Ivey back to the U.S. to receive treatment for her eczema and staff infection.  We have been having issues for months now and are having a really hard time treating it ourselves.  We have been through several rounds of a very strong antibiotic for the staff infection and were advised by our pediatrician to seek medical help since it wasn't clearing up.  Today we went to the best hospital in Sierra Leone and the doctor told us that he could not help because her condition is chronic instead of acute. He advised us to seek a skin specialist and when we asked him if he could recommend one he said he didn't know any.  So we left and called Osseh to see if he knew anyone(his wife is a nurse) and the said he knew one guy and that he would call.  We got a call back a few minutes later and he said that guy had died.  So we went to the second hospital option and the receptionist said that the pediatrician was not there and that she didn't know when he would be coming back.  We asked if they had a skin specialist or dermatologist and the answer was no.  So, since we have no other option but to come back to the U.S. we decided to do just that to get some kind of antibiotic that will kill this terrible infection that we have been battling on and off since we have been here.   I intend to go to our allergist to get a prick test done to see if there are any new allergies that Ivey has developed that are causing the sever eczema she is experiencing.  Also, I am armed with every package I could find of foods that she has eaten that may lead to an answer as to what she may be allergic to.  While this is very expensive move to make we need to do it to get Ivey back to normal.  Staff infections just aren't something to mess around with and we have exhausted all of our options here.  If we don't get the eczema cleared up then we will just keep getting infections.  

Decision number two was what to do with our other four kids.  We have decided that in order for Andrew to continue the mission here that he will go to work for 1/2 days and take our three Sierra Leonian kids with him to the center to play.  They will all come home for lunch and he will work from home in the afternoons.  If he has to go to any meetings TRS said it would be fine for them to stay at the center whenever needed.  That leaves Levi.  He would not do well with that plan and it would be very overwhelming to him to be at the center without one of us there so I am going to bring him back with me and Ivey.  Also, that divides the responsibility  a little more evenly so that the work load will be a little less extreme for Andrew while I am gone.
We are flying out Friday night and should arrive in the U.S. Saturday afternoon.   We will be returning to Sierra Leone Sept. 3rd with Andrew's parents and sister.  They were already planning to visit and so we will just fly in with them. 

I do look forward to seeing people we love dearly but I am really going to miss four others that I am used to being with daily.  Five weeks is a long time to be away from your husband and three of your kids.  Please pray for our family during this time as it will be difficult.