The Burkes' do epilepsy

Hey peeps! Do you remember little Izzy?

We think she's awesome. She was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. I want to tell you the whole story but in order to do so, I need to start awhile back. So stay with me if you can. 

I also need to tell you that this isn't really our story. It's what we lovingly refer to as A GOD STORY in our home. In case you don't believe me, those are really the best kind of stories. And they ALWAYS have a happy ending because they glorify His name. 

In February 2012, I was teaching Sunday School for Kindergarteners. Seriously the most awesome job. 

One day I came prepared with a lesson about John the Baptist. When I told the kiddos, little JM looked at me and said, "I know about John the Baptist. He baptized people in the Jordan River while wearing a camel hair belt."

Yes, he stole my thunder. 

But I recovered. 

And then I realized I was dealing with an extremely intelligent 5-year-old. So after class, I took the liberty of quizzing his parents. I'm cool like that. 

They spoke so highly of Hope Lutheran Christian School. But they really didn't even need to because I was already blown away. I wanted what they had for us. Not not in a scary stalker way but in a fun community kind of way. 

There is a lot more to this story but I'm going to jump a little. I don't want you to be here all night. But Izzy (& Cam Cam) started this last year at Hope. We have loved every minute. 

Over the last few weeks (maybe starting in December/Januaryish), I thought to myself, "Wow, my six-year-old DOES NOT LISTEN."

And at random times. Like when I told her we were going somewhere fun for dinner. Or when she was walking into school. She would just stop and stare, even though, I thought, she had to realize she was standing in the middle of a parking lot. 

It seemed bizarre. But she's six and extremely precocious. So life went on. 

But now I look back at those moments with additional clarity and I feel bad. I just didn't realize this was a "thing."

Then her awesome teacher pulled Chase aside one day when he went to pick her up. She seemed to think that this was more than not listening. She had experience with Absence Seizures and she thought that Izzy had a lot of similar qualities. 

The light bulb went on. For Chase and myself and lots of other people too. 

So we got her into our family doctor, who scheduled her for a 24-hour EEG. 

In order to do this test, Izzy had to stay up all night. This was not easy. When the doctor explained it to us, Izzy looked him right in the eye and said, "I can do it but she can't." Obviously, pointing at me.

Luckily, it worked out that Chasey was home. So he planned a whole night and I went to bed as usual.

11 p.m.- Denny's Restaurant for dessert
1 a.m.- Walmart trip. Izzy knows what she wants for the next ten years of birthdays and Christmases.
2:30 a.m.- Wreck It Ralph
4:00 a.m.- The dog park
6:00 a.m.- Bath

At about 6:30, Izzy had a melt down and said she couldn't do it anymore. She was hysterical. But since we couldn't go to the hospital until 8, she had to keep going. And she did.

When we got there, the machine was broken. I can't even begin to tell you the consequences of this. We were all traumatized. But the Lord provides. A nurse was able to do some "rearranging" and they got us in. She was verbally reprimanded something fierce by a doctor, right in front of me, but I was so grateful for her.

When we arrived at the hospital, we figured we were dealing with epilepsy based on office visits with a couple of different doctors. The hosptial told us it would take a few days for the results to be read. 

And yet, the VERY NEXT DAY, we got a call at 7 a.m. The neurologist who read the EEG called our doctor at home that morning. Her results were so abnormal that it couldn't wait. We went into to meet with him. 

The news was not so good. She is definitely epileptic but they are concerned that it's more than Absence Seizures. Suddenly, what had been worse case scenario (Absence Seizures) became best case scenario. It was sad for us. Izzy most likely suffers from Complex Partial Seizures. Sometimes confused with Absence Seizures but one of the main difference is that you don't outgrow this type. Plus they had a tendency to become more complex over time. 

This is as far as I understand it. I'm VERY new to this and I've read just enough to be dangerous. 

Our next step is to go back to the hospital for another test so they can see if there is a tumor or cyst pushing on her brain. This time, she will be placed under anesthesia and injected with brain enhancing drugs. If she does have something pressing against her brain, they would operate and hopefully this would allow the seizures to go away. 

But as most parents out there can probably relate, brain surgery on a six-year-old is not a pleasant thought. 

So will you keep her in your prayers? We know this will work out because we know who's in control. And He is good all of the time. 

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. -Psalm 100:5

We are so incredibly GRATEFUL for Isabelle's teacher. This is the God Story I spoke of. She could have easily turned the other way as she has twenty kids to monitor. No joke, EVERY DOCTOR we have spoken to has reminded us how fortunate we are and has asked us where our child goes to school and what teacher could be in tune enough to point this out. They have told us of how some may have been inclined to write her off as ADD or ADHD but not our teacher. She took the time to start what could have been a difficult conversation and now we are early enough into this that there is HOPE. We are so grateful. 

You don't get this lucky everyday. Luckily, we don't believe in luck. 

I saw God today

I miss my mom with everything I have but I’m so grateful for her. So many things pop to mind but what I’m going to write about today is the fact that I’m so unbelievably thankful that she laid a foundation in me that allows me to see the fingerprints of God at every turn. Even when I keep trying to snap the blinders back on.

Let me lay this out for you.

Last week Izzy and I attended a Big Daddy Weave concert that was sponsored by WorshipIF (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Worshipifcom/227398384062423). The lead singer made a statement that people of Africa have no problem believing in Christ and His Goodness because they see it everyday when people ½ way around the world send money to help them irrigate their fields which in turn produces an unprecedented amount food. Like they have never seen before.

In my broken human state, I questioned this. Why hadn’t God ever exposed himself TO ME like this? What can I say? I am so broken. {but so thankfully redeemed}

There is no other way to put it other than I was immediately humbled.

Immediately. Like couldn’t speak for the rest of the night.  Humbled in a way that had divine intervention written all over it.

And the very next day, He showed Himself to me. Clearly.

My co-worked stopped by and asked me to lunch for my birthday. So sweet. But she had to stop by the mall first. As we walked in, she turned to me and said that she knew this was a hard time of year for me and she wanted to be my mom for a day and buy me a new outfit.

I lost it in the middle of Macy’s. Like hysterically bawling. Not only was the gesture so kind and so much more than I deserved, but I was literally in shock.

So many times I have cried out to the Lord that I needed my mom back for just one more day. So I could say thank you and I love you and so many more other things. But to hear my co-worker {and dear friend} say the same words to me, verbatim, was certainly not an accident. I can’t explain the peace that surrounded me immediately.

And I knew.  God showed Himself to ME. Exactly like The Bible says.

Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. ~Romans 1:20 (GNT)

And my sweet friend bought me two new outfits. I tried them on for her just like I used to for my mom.

{Side note. We had been planning on painting our conference room that day so I was in my scrubs. Literally. I’m sure the sales clerk at Macy’s who saw me come undone assumed I had never been inside a nice store. No joke.}

And to make sure I was decisively back in my place, Jesus put a message in the heart of our pastor at church. The very next Sunday.

About how GRATEFULNESS is the number one tool in our arsenal against the enemy.

Wowza. So true.

A lesson I will never forget.  

P.S. During the message, our pastor also rhetorically asked if anyone would be willing to stand up and show their Internet search history. Awarkwardsauce because the last thing I Googled was “What to do if you accidentally cook a goldfish.”

Just in case you’re wondering, I saved him. The goldfish. You just have to start cupping out the too hot water and replacing it with ice cold water. Our wonderfully made creature of God lives to see another day.