Lashed By Storms

After the Flood

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

  In the past, when challenges or problems presented themselves, the Schlegels had always been able to count on their church, and their church family. The flood in 2013 changed that.

            “Soon after flood waters hit our area,” Mike said, “we learned our church building had been on the receiving end of extensive damage. Initially, it was questionable whether or not the building could be saved. Samaritan’s Purse and other groups helped as many people as possible following the flood—each family and business had enough of its own challenges, and no one locally was in much of a position to try and help others. And even if they had wanted to help, too many families and businesses were isolated due to washed out roads.

            “Without the help of Samaritan’s Purse, I don’t know if we would have been able to stay in our Colorado home. We prayed for them, and for our new church family.

            “We hadn’t been in Colorado long, when our boys told us they wished to be baptized. We made the necessary arrangements with our church, and they were baptized on Sunday, August 25th, 2013. They were the last two members of the church to be baptized prior to the flood. Pastor Mickey dipped them into the cool water of the North St. Vrain River, and baptized each of them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It was a memorable day. Noah and Aaron had not only accepted the Lord, but they had publicly professed their faith.

            “Sadly, I was not in attendance. August was a particularly demanding time that year, and I had, at the last minute, agreed to fill in for a doctor who had a family emergency. So I was thankful, when I returned from work later in the week, that my sons were quick to share every detail with me.”

            The day also held special significance for Anne. Prior to her sons being baptized, she had given her testimony, sharing about her faith and her love for the Lord.

            That evening, Anne recalled when she had desired to be baptized and was told she was too young and wouldn’t understand. Fortunately, a few months later the pastor with whom her folks had spoken, had accepted a call to another church. The new pastor had visited with Anne, and recognized that she fully understood the significance of her request. He then had no hesitation about complying with her request.

Progress at School

            Noah and Aaron were making progress at Crossroads. It was a first, for both parents, to not have a call from a school saying they couldn’t meet the boys’ educational needs, especially Aaron’s. He required the individualized attention Crossroads was providing. Mike and Anne also appreciated that the school regularly communicated with them about the progress each of their sons was making.

            “Anne and I were relieved that this school was actually working for both boys. In addition to its classes, Crossroads had an arrangement with a local school district. This made it possible for students to attend classes Crossroads didn’t offer.

            “Crossroads was proving to be a Godsend. Noah seemed to quickly adjust to his new educational environment, and Aaron was climbing and thriving. Both our sons were Airsoft gurus, but at the time, that’s about the only interest they had in common.

            “Noah, a junior, exercised his critical thinking skills. He told his mom that history was his favorite class because he liked learning about the differences from years ago to today. His other interests were horseback riding, rock climbing, and white water rafting.

            “Aaron, a freshman, told Anne his favorite classes were science and math. Science held a particular fascination because he enjoyed learning how different properties react. He found the class both meaningful and fun!

            “Both of us felt a sense of gratitude when Aaron said the other quality he was enjoying about Crossroads was the fact he could speak openly about his faith.”

            Although there were days when Anne’s health required her to rest more than she wanted, she continued volunteering at Crossroads. Her feelings about the school were so strong, she told friends, “Even if my kids didn’t go there, I would support Crossroads.”

            Since the flood, Mike and Anne had kept busy with different projects at the house. Although they didn’t always agree about how to furnish a room, or even how a particular room might be used, the two moved forward, continuing to take advantage of the low-interest FEMA loan to make the house the way they wanted.

            Each month, Anne found her health less impacted by her environment. Work done by the Samaritan’s Purse team, along with her and Mike’s efforts, meant there was no mold in the house. But Anne continued to easily tire. She was keeping regular appointments with National Jewish Hospital, where she knew her oxygen levels would be checked at each appointment.

Volunteering at Crossroads

            “Each day, during our devotional time, Anne and I offered God our thanks for the gift He had given us in the form of Crossroads. It was nice to see our boys thriving, and I was so thankful that Anne was no longer struggling through home school lessons.

            “She had gotten a sense of how the Friend’s Dinner was set up each year, through her volunteer activities with the school during the 2013-2014 academic year. The next year’s dinner was scheduled for April 24th, 2015. I agreed with my wife, that we should serve as gold level sponsors for the evening. The theme for the dinner was 'Building a Better Future . . . Today.'"

            There were times Anne forced herself to attend committee and planning meetings, but she was determined to be as much help as she could. She continued to learn even more, was happy putting her organizational skills to use, and she especially enjoyed meeting new Crossroads parents and hearing their stories.

            The day of the dinner arrived, and there was still much to be done, since the school wasn’t given access to the venue until early afternoon. The four of them packed a change of clothes for the evening, and headed into Longmont.

            Anne was thankful for Mike’s help. They worked with others to set up individual tables, and placed the centerpieces that had been specially made by other volunteers.

            “There was a silent and a live auction, a dinner prepared by a trained chef who had connections to the school and donated his services, and a parent panel. Each member of the panel shared what Crossroads meant for their children and themselves. Connie and Barb closed the evening with prayer. It seemed everyone had a good time while helping raise funds to ensure the school would continue to operate.

            “On the drive home that evening, Anne told me she couldn’t wait to be involved with the planning for the 2016 dinner. It was the best way to offer her organizational skills and meet the requirements for parent volunteer hours.”

            “Anne also had something else on her mind. She told me she was fairly happy with the progress we were making with the inside of the Timber Frame House, and asked me to give some thought to having some landscaping done. And, there was one more thing. She knew the boys and I liked to spend time in the shop, working with wood.”

            “'I think it would be neat to have flower boxes under the windows,'she said. 'Would you and the boys make some? I’d like one for under each window,”she told me."

A Huge Blessing

            Among the blessings for the Schlegels, after they had moved to Colorado, was the referral Anne was given to National Jewish Hospital. Her energy levels continued to fluctuate, and her allergist continued to monitor both her oxygen levels and the condition of her lungs.

            “In late fall of 2015, Anne was hospitalized with what tests indicated was pneumonia. My wife hated hospitals and doctors, and insisted on coming home soon, telling anyone who would listen that she would rest better there.

            “It wasn’t long before she was back in the hospital, with what again appeared to be pneumonia. Her oxygen levels were low, and her energy levels even lower. This wasn’t pneumonia. Something else was going on.

            “By the time we could schedule an appointment at National Jewish, her entire immune system was revved up. We thought we were dealing with another case of pneumonia, and we wondered why each time the situation seemed more critical than before. Then tests revealed that in addition to mold, Anne was even more allergic to bees and wasps. The allergist to whom she had been referred, began a series of allergy shots for bee stings. After she regained some energy, she was sent home, with a schedule for shots to be administered every two to three weeks.

            “The diagnosis of allergies to bee and wasp stings was particularly hard for us to accept, given that Anne loved the outdoors, and we certainly had plenty of bees and wasps in our area. Before, the four of us worried about her exposure to mold, anytime she chose to dig in the dirt and set out plants. Now, we would be greatly concerned about her being outside for any length of time.

            “Each trip for allergy shots just beat Anne up. It would take her several days to recuperate, not just from the drive, but even more from the shots themselves. Then, her lung issues would be calm for a while—we never knew how long that feel good time would last. As we made the mental transition from concerns about mold to concerns about bee stings, I made sure the place was well stocked with Epi-Pens and epinephrine kits, and that the boys knew how to use them. Anne didn’t dare leave the house without taking both Epi-Pens and kits with her. People who knew about her combined allergies didn’t understand how sensitive her immune system was.”

            Her family begged Anne to wear protective clothing when she went outside, so as to keep from being stung. On occasion she would, but she hated every minute of having to wear the same type of protection bee keepers wear. She also disliked having to use oxygen on occasion.

            “I was at work the morning Anne decided she was going to tackle a project outside. She grabbed a sweatshirt draped over a kitchen chair, and put it on. Next thing she knew, she was stung by a bee hiding inside the shirt. Thankfully, Noah was home, and had his driver’s license. It would be quicker to drive to a hospital than to call for an ambulance. Anne’s reaction to the sting was so severe, that on the way to the emergency room, she had to give herself seven shots of epinephrine. Upon arrival, her blood pressure was dangerously low. Doctors didn’t believe Anne when she told them about the shots, telling her that was impossible. Their reaction triggered my wife’s intense dislike of being treated as though she was making up stories for attention. It wasn’t until she mentioned National Jewish, and the names of her allergist and pulmonologist there, that ER doctors began treating her with respect, and took her seriously.

            “Our anxiety levels about Anne being outside increased tremendously. And I remember that the blister from the bee sting was on my wife’s back for a month.”

            Then, another attack of what everyone again thought was pneumonia hit. Like all the other attacks, this one was worse than the one before. Anne and her family wondered why. This time, a bronchoscopy was ordered. Anne didn’t have pneumonia. The test revealed there was blood in her lungs—the air sacs in each lung were hemorrhaging. She was given steroids to knock back the symptoms. She and Mike were also told it would be too dangerous for her to have another bronchoscopy in the future. Once her condition stabilized, and her low oxygen levels returned to near normal, Anne was discharged. She didn’t like the fact she now required oxygen at all times, and referred to the plastic hose connected to the oxygen concentrator as her ‘leash.’

            “We had dealt with so much since the 2013 flood. I decided to visit with Anne—maybe we could plan a trip after Noah’s graduation. When I mentioned my idea to her, she was in agreement. We would need to give consideration to where we might travel, since our last vacation had proved to be the tipping point for her health.”

***
Anne and Mike were grateful for the manner in which their boys were thriving in their new educational setting. I first heard the story when I met with her to interview Noah and Aaron for the school newsletter. The Anne I met that day was full of life, and quick to laugh. That didn’t change when her lung issues worsened. Her love for the Lord, and her trust in Him, never wavered. She knew He loved her and would see her through whatever challenge came next.

Return to Chapter 30

Continue to The Final Chapter

Chapter Thirty-one

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,

Chapter Thirty-one