What a challenging start to 2011! My Great Aunt, Gladys Meyer, passed away on Monday, January 3. The family visitation was in Hope, Kansas, on Friday, January 7, followed by the funeral in Herington, Kansas, on Saturday, January 8. While the time was filled with good memories from days past, it was also filled with mourning of her passing.

On Friday night, I received a call from Tiffany. She was enroute to Children's Mercy South Hospital, as Ethan had developed some redness, swelling, and bruising around his right ankle. THe doctors diagnosed it as a possible ankle sprain, sent a boot home with Tiffany for Ethan to wear on Saturday and Sunday, and encouraged us to keep him off his leg as much as possible.

I returned home Saturday evening, and his leg appeared to be doing better. All signs of redness and swelling were gone on Sunday, and we thought he was in good shape.

Monday was a snow day, and after sledding, Ethan mentioned he was experiencing pain in areas away from the ankle. Redness began to develop in various places, as did swelling. We returned to CMSH Monday night, where he was diagnosed with a virus of some sort. We began an antibiotic Monday night, and once again thought we were on our way. We were asked to return if red dots or soreness developed in other areas (upper legs and trunk).

Tuesday, the medicine seemed to be working. At about 7pm, we noticed a couple of dots in the areas mentioned above. By 8pm, he had a great deal of redness, swelling, and dots over much of his body. A friend and neighbor (Deb Foster) came to the house to sit with Tirin (who was asleep as it was about 9pm by this point), and Tiffany and I returned to CMSH with Ethan. It was determined by the doctors that he could have HSP. Because it was after 5pm, the staff to run the necessary tests were gone for the day, and we were diverted to Children's Mercy Hospital in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. We arrived there at midnight or so, and the following was determined.

Ethan has HSP (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura). HSP affects the small vessels called capillaries in the skin and frequently the kidneys. It occurs in boys between the ages of 2 to 11. It results in a skin rash associated with joint inflammation (arthritis), and at times severe cramping in the abdomen. It has no known cause, and no known treatment. The symptoms can last from one to six weeks, and can reoccur for up to a year. It is not contagious, and is an abnormal immune response by the body. In the most serious cases, the kidneys or bowels can have complications, but again we were that is very rare.

We are grateful to those of you who have prayed for our family, in particular for Ethan, over the past few days, and ask for continued prayer for God's healing for Ethan in the days ahead. We are leaning on the promise: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Darrin, Tiffany, Tirin, and Ethan