My Sister In Law (SIL)

I don't talk a lot about my extended family on here, mostly I guess because they're not in my day to day life. We live/stationed in Germany and they live in Kansas (and Chad's family in Ohio). Growing up I can't say I really liked my brother all that much. I'm 1 yr 2 weeks older than him and we fought like CRAZY. I mean, physical fighting. We beat the tar out of each other, often on a daily basis. I really did NOT like him. When we became teenagers things got better, weren't that close, but got a long for the most part. He beat up a guy I was dating who'd shoved me (my brother's over 6 feet tall and was in very good shape...well I was 5'9 and good shape, but that boyfriend was only about an inch shorter than my brother and in shape as well....lets just say I could hold my own for the most part, but when you're literally cornered by a jealous soon to be ex, not good). Any ways, as we became adults we grew closer and appreciated each other. Now as siblings who are married to people we both really like, no love, and both parents, and each adore the others children, we're much closer.
My brother (P) and his wife (M) are great. They love each other so much, respect each other and have built a beautiful family, my 2 beautiful, wonderful, fabulous nieces!! (B.E. & B.A.). Ok so there's the back story you could say. In Feb. on my brother's birthday he got his notice that he was being laid off from his job. He was also going to college full time (as is/was M). My brother was in the Army for 3 years, so he had the GI Bill. He unfortunately is at the point that time has ran out on the GI Bill (in case you don't know, there's a time limit that you have to use the GI Bill). So this fall semester is it for him, then no more money to go towards his college. He has a few more months left of unemployment, which he was hoping could help them get through until he was done with classes this semester, so that he could then get his degree and find a job as a Life Flight Nurse or ER Nurse. With his GI Bill running out though, things changed and then he also found out that there was about 0 hope of him getting his old job back, since those positions have been filled by illegals who don't get paid even 1/4 what he was getting paid and of course no health insurance, etc. So although he didn't want to go back to work there forever, getting paid almost $30.00 an hour, getting about 50-60 hours a week, and health insurance was something he wanted as he finished his degree.
Since my brother is a Veteran, he has medical through them. The girls have medical, my "M" does not and she is the one who's ended up sick, very sick. It all started as a UTI, she wasn't 100% it was a UTI so she didn't go to the dr, since she didn't have insurance and didn't want to add extra expense if she didn't have to. She ended up getting VERY sick last Tuesday night and my brother took her into the ER in our hometown. What had started as a UTI had turned into a Kidney infection. They gave her antibiotics and told my brother to watch her closely, and get her back in if she got sicker. By 11 AM she was sicker. She wasn't sure where she was, vomitting, and high fever. The hospital admitted her, she was now septic. (The infection had spread to her blood). Stronger antibiotics, they couldn't give her any pain medication for the kidney infection because her blood pressure was so low it was too dangerous. She was in the hospital for a couple of days and they sent her home. They left the iv in her and she went in every day for intravenous antibiotic.
Yesterday she called me and said she was still hurting from the kidney infection, although it wasn't as bad as it had been, but that something was going on with her throat. She felt horrible and her tongue had white spots on it, and that she had a huge lump (or something) in her throat. They were concerned it was possibly mumps, strep, or much less worrisome thrush. She went in yesterday at 2:45 and they diagnosed her with the FLU. Seriously.

So with that, please be in prayer for her. The infection is now gone, but she's now dealing with the flu. Tonight my brother said she was feeling a lot better, but still hurting and weak. Pray for strength, physically and emotionally. Pray for healing that there's no kidney damage (this is a big concern), she's concerned over this. (Her brother has already had a kidney transplant and has not taken care of his body the way he should have and is on the transplant list again...which is such an aggrevating thing...if you're a transplant recipient PLEASE take care of your body and please bean organ donor if you are healthy and have no physical reason not to!). We're all very concerned over M's health right now. Please also pray for my brother who's been getting up every 2 hours to take M's blood pressure and tempature. So not a lot of sleep.

I love them all so much and just want M healthy and that my brother doesn't get sick from exhaustion either. Prayers for my nieces as well, as they see their Momma so sick and I think we can all know how confusing and scary it can be to see your Momma sick.

Thank you for the prayers and I'll keep you updated when/if things change.