Jun 19, 2019
9:29:52am
9:29:52am
My oldest daughter leaves for Russia tonight. As a parent, I'm just a little nervous.
Warning! Facebook-style post ahead. Proceed at your own risk!
Over the past 8 years, I've been sharing the struggles my oldest daughter (H) has had. Cougarboard has really been there for our family many, many times. Many of you have been very kind, have supported me/her with kind words and prayers, and even behind-the-scenes help. One of the reasons I keep coming back to CB is because of the good people here.
If you're interested, here's kind of the start of things:
TL;DR - CB and BYU really came through for my daughter when she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Here's one of my favorite photos from the experience:
Many of you also know the last year plus has been additionally hard for H. She had some pretty strong promptings that she needed to go on a mission. She prepared, and had some miracles happen (some that I posted here about) that enabled her to get there. Then, 2 weeks before she was to report, I found her having seizures. As I was on the phone with 911, she stopped breathing, and I thought she had died right while I was trying to get help. She started breathing again, EMTs came, ambulance ride, and she spent time in the hospital. Her mission was delayed. She told us in the hospital then, if she wasn't allowed to go on a mission, she was GOING to go to Europe somehow next year.
They eventually figured out the cause of the seizures, and got that under control, but after several months of trying to get back on her mission, her doctor told her that a mission was just not a wise idea for her. That was a hard thing to take, but she received an answer to prayer that God had accepted her sacrifice, and was pleased with her.
As a BYU student, she returned to school in the fall of 2018. Then on Jan. 31st of this year, she again had to go to the hospital. There were complications from diabetes, due to her brand new pump failing, but there was also a brand new challenge that required extensive surgery. She spent 5 days in the ICU because she was in pretty bad shape. Then she spent another 3 weeks after that not able to go back to school because of the recovery. She considered withdrawing, but due to commitments to the Model UN competition team, possible scholarship loss, and because of being accepted to study abroad in Russia for the summer, she decided to stick it out. Most of her professors were awesome to work with her (one unnamed professor, not so much).
She did well at Model UN in NYC, with her delegation taking top honors. She did well (mostly) on her Winter Semester grades.
She's now mostly recovered from the surgery issues, mostly healthy, and tonight she leaves for a 2-month BYU Study abroad in St. Petersburg. I'd be nervous just with it being Russia alone, but with all she's been through healthwise, it's a little extra frightening. However, she reached that goal she set in the hospital just about a year ago--she is going to Europe. She's living her life, and just dealing with the challenges that come.
If you read this far, thanks. Also, I wouldn't say "no" to anybody who wants to add her to your prayers. For the record, she will be repping BYU with some gear while she's in St. Petersburg.
Over the past 8 years, I've been sharing the struggles my oldest daughter (H) has had. Cougarboard has really been there for our family many, many times. Many of you have been very kind, have supported me/her with kind words and prayers, and even behind-the-scenes help. One of the reasons I keep coming back to CB is because of the good people here.
If you're interested, here's kind of the start of things:
TL;DR - CB and BYU really came through for my daughter when she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Here's one of my favorite photos from the experience:
Many of you also know the last year plus has been additionally hard for H. She had some pretty strong promptings that she needed to go on a mission. She prepared, and had some miracles happen (some that I posted here about) that enabled her to get there. Then, 2 weeks before she was to report, I found her having seizures. As I was on the phone with 911, she stopped breathing, and I thought she had died right while I was trying to get help. She started breathing again, EMTs came, ambulance ride, and she spent time in the hospital. Her mission was delayed. She told us in the hospital then, if she wasn't allowed to go on a mission, she was GOING to go to Europe somehow next year.
They eventually figured out the cause of the seizures, and got that under control, but after several months of trying to get back on her mission, her doctor told her that a mission was just not a wise idea for her. That was a hard thing to take, but she received an answer to prayer that God had accepted her sacrifice, and was pleased with her.
As a BYU student, she returned to school in the fall of 2018. Then on Jan. 31st of this year, she again had to go to the hospital. There were complications from diabetes, due to her brand new pump failing, but there was also a brand new challenge that required extensive surgery. She spent 5 days in the ICU because she was in pretty bad shape. Then she spent another 3 weeks after that not able to go back to school because of the recovery. She considered withdrawing, but due to commitments to the Model UN competition team, possible scholarship loss, and because of being accepted to study abroad in Russia for the summer, she decided to stick it out. Most of her professors were awesome to work with her (one unnamed professor, not so much).
She did well at Model UN in NYC, with her delegation taking top honors. She did well (mostly) on her Winter Semester grades.
She's now mostly recovered from the surgery issues, mostly healthy, and tonight she leaves for a 2-month BYU Study abroad in St. Petersburg. I'd be nervous just with it being Russia alone, but with all she's been through healthwise, it's a little extra frightening. However, she reached that goal she set in the hospital just about a year ago--she is going to Europe. She's living her life, and just dealing with the challenges that come.
If you read this far, thanks. Also, I wouldn't say "no" to anybody who wants to add her to your prayers. For the record, she will be repping BYU with some gear while she's in St. Petersburg.
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- jdub
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