CindyFrench-stranger than fiction stories

about facing life with hope and confidence, no matter the diagnosis

Archive for the tag “chronic pain”

And it is really all about prayer

Ohmigoodness, did I get some lessons on Thursday this week! First I learned that sometimes, we just can’t pray right or enough for ourselves. It takes the power of two or more just like scripture says. And then once re-learning that lesson, I had to learn again, that my things, my people and my pets aren’t mine.

Let me start at the beginning. Last Thursday, I was trying hard to get out of my car and then retrieve my purse and Bible for the weekly Bible study group I go to (BSF) A woman nearby saw me struggling and asked if she could help me. I said yes, if you have some Remicade or some pain medication, kinda flippantly. But she came right over and looked at me and said you look like you are in terrible pain. I said I am. I don’t think there is a place I don’t hurt, cause even my lip still hurts at this point. She said, “Let me pray for you.” And then she sort of put her arms around me and she began to pray and I mean pray.  I knew this woman was no stranger to prayer and so my heart and mind and spirit joined with hers and agreed with her prayer for my healing. Then when she was done, she took my chin in her fingers, looked me in the eyes and said now you believe it! And then she walked right off into the building.

I gathered my things and took my first few steps and immediately knew that I had no pain, I stood up straight and walked faster-a normal gait-without pain.  I entered the building and signed in, got my lesson for the next week and went and sat down next to one of my friends. I was in a daze! She said, “what’s up with you?” I told her what had happened in the parking lot–we both got tears in our eyes and then it was time for the hymns. I usually try to skip this part, because I haven’t been able to sing since my stroke 6 yrs ago–generally I just hum along, but I was urged to open my mouth and sing and so I did and I sang! I don’t know how good I sounded, but let me tell you, to me going from a frog sounding voice to singing back to  more of a soprano or close to it was amazing! So now I am thinking wonder what else is healed? Cause I have lot’s of fallen apparts. I am 60. It happens. But I thought I had had everything fixed that could be fixed way before now. Turns out I was wrong. 

I was hurting so much I couldn’t do for myself-I needed that prayer for me. So we need to make it a purpose in our lives for those we know that are sick to go and pray for them-cause they can’t do it themselves, regardless of how strong a believer or prayer warrior they are. That was lesson number 1.

Today is Friday. My Catch-up day-stay home if at all possible day. Things are going well today. Both Dennis and I are getting a lot done. I am very happy because someone I have been recruiting has said yes and is now almost immediately scheduled for an interview. My other calls have gone ok–at least there are things to possibly follow-up on. The market is still so soft here. And when you feel personally involved with a candidate, it makes it tough when you can’t help them. I had just finished a call and my Yorkie who had been on his little bed to the left of my desk was now on my Book of Lists and I could hear the mess-I looked down and he wasn’t making a mess, he was having a seizure. I grabbed him really fast and ran outside to Dennis who had just started washing my car. I was screaming (I don’t do emergencies well, unless they are mine) put the water down and come get the dog! Literally he did throw it down and took Max from me, immediately trying to soothe him and stop the seizure. He walked into the house and I saw the water gushing straight up into the sky and ran to turn it off. Dennis loves that little dog just like I do. It took about 5 minutes for him to stop. This was the second one he’d had–6 or 7 months ago he’d had a short little one but we weren’t really sure that ‘s what it was and he was so fine after, we didn’t do anything. But this time, we rushed up to our vet.  Max checked out ok with his blood, etc. So we were told just to watch him. That if the seizures became more frequent or lasted longer, there was medication for him.  Best case, he might have a mild case of epilepsy, worst case  he’s growing a brain tumor; but it would take an MRI to rule that out-stupid right now and probably impossibly expensive if necessary later. So tonight we got to pray over our puppy whom we both love very much-but again is God’s and we accept that. I also had to pray over an ailing husband…who just hasn’t felt right all day. And when they are heart patients with new pacemakers, it makes it hard to trust and wait things out. But This IS What God has wanted of me. For me to see Him in every detail of my life. Everything that touches it–He has touched it first.  Lesson #2

 

Protected: Well That Was Last Week…

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

More Reflections Isaiah 55:6-8 and Romans 8:37-39

As I read the notes from many blogs that come my way, one overwhelming theme is there for all of us. We don’t have to know  the future, because we know the One who holds it. After the year that 2011 has been what sane person is not ” seeking the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked (anyone who is not perfect) forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and will have mercy on him and to our God, for he will freely pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways, declares the Lord.”       They are higher and deeper than anything we can imagine about us. What  I am/have discovered this year is this incredible love of God the Father for me–as He has told me over and over how He loves me and then as we began to talk together what I should do, not do, how I wasn’t trusting Him (I am now) And as I face the uncertainty of 2012 as far as my health is concerned–I know without a doubt that HE has a purpose in this new, added on systemic disease too. At the least, it forced me to go to a new doctor who was able to tell me exactly how sick I really am. For that I am truly grateful. I was headed down the dead man walking path and somehow, I do think God still has things for me to do and people to talk to.  But please pray for me that there is something that can be done for the RA pain. To move around is terrible! I feel like an old woman.

I close with one of my favorite passages: …in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Come quickly Lord Jesus!

More Answers!

I saw my wonderful primary  care doc last week and filled her in on my life the last month or so. She had to keep the lights low, I thought I might have pink eye or that maybe the candida infection had gotten into my eyes. They hurt, were very gritty, like stuff was in them. She was very concerned that I could not get into my ophthalmologist until this week and when I told her of the trouble I was having getting in to see the infectious diseases doc-she said, “stay right here, I’ll take care of it”.  And take care of it she did! I had an appointment with the eye doctor the next morning (most important) and then an appointment with infectious diseases the next Tuesday, early morning. Wow! what having a doc on your side does! She also changed the oral med I was taking for the mouth and lip sores since I had had no healing there at all and she told me to be sure that she got feedback from the docs on my visits.

Between then and now (the 29th) these are the scriptures the Lord has given to me–and how I have needed them!  Grace-Filled Waiting- 2 Cor 4:4-18 We do not lose heart and Yet Will I Rejoice- Habakkuk 3:11-19 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  So here is what happened at the doctors-

I saw the ophthalmologist the next morning and truthfully, I don’t think I have ever had such a thorough exam! The first thing he said was-the good news is you don’t have an infection. The bad news is you have the dryest eyes I have ever seen since I have been practicing. This is why you hurt. I couldn’t believe that dry eyes would do that-and I had even had the surgery to help with dry eyes, so how could this be? He said is was all because of my rheumatoid arthritis. I couldn’t believe it-how could it affect my eyes? but he said it was and went on to say there were probably other areas of my body that were being attacked as well. I needed to see my Rheumatoidologist. I told him about the candida and that I was seeing an infectious diseases specialist on the next Tues and he said he’d get all the info on what he had done and ordered to her. In the meantime, he gave me 2 prescriptions for eyedrops-each 4 times/day and in between those times I was to use over the counter tears. AND then he gave me a prescription for several blood tests!  I was shocked! I have never had that happen either.

Needless to say by the time we finally saw the doc on that Tues, she had a lot of information about me. What was amazing was that she had already  read it. Then the second amazing thing happened. She said my major problem is that I have no immunity and that will get me killed. Right now, that is her first concern-to build me up. So she began to ask me what I did, what’s my stress level (ha), extra curricular activities, etc. I was downplaying it, but remember my sister was with me and spoke right up! The hardest thing for me to give up and what I can’t understand the Lord’s way in this is GriefShare. I also have to stop working at night, rest during the day-in fact rest as much as I can any place, any where, any time that I can. She said I really need to be aware of my surroundings at all times because that’s when triggers can strike and right now my goal should be NO ATTACKS–that way, no presnesdone or solu-medrol gets into my body. So I am really praying that I am attack free.

I have no idea how long I need to be so careful, but I am going to have to take the 3 drugs probably for the rest of my life and even if/when I get my immunity built up-no one is going to want to mess with it by giving me asthma drugs unless it is life and death again. Oh what a place to be in! Well I do trust the team I have now. I believe they can and will work together. So my part will be to pray and to rest and to rely on my God-no stress, remember?

More New Meds!

We went back to the GI Dot today for follow up after my endoscopy last week. He told us that in all his years of practice, he had never seen such a bad, overwhelming case of this systemic candida.  I saw pictures and compared with what it is supposed to look like vs what it does look like is amazing. It’s like one of those powdered donuts you buy instead being a glazed donut. Yeah, pretty awful comparison, isn’t it?

Well, at least I know I am not crazy. There are physical reasons for all that I have been through and am going through now. I think the fatigue is the hardest thing, because it is so overwhelming. So I got a bottle of ProBiotics. I am to take a double dose every day for 2 months. I am already on the antifungal double dose for 3 weeks with the warning I may have to stay on it longer too. I am not sure how they will determine if the stuff is gone.

All I know is Greater Is He That Is Within Me Than He That Is In The World. I know He has a purpose to all of this. But I have to say honestly tonight, it is hard. The sores on my mouth are not healing, but seemingly worse and larger–I would assume because of the infection. But I don’t know who to see, or what to do about it-other than to pray.

A New Pacemaker/Defibulator

Over the last three months or so, I had noticed that my husband seemed more and more fatigued and short of breath. These were symptoms of his previous heart problems –although I hadn’t known them at the time. He is supposed to see the cardiologist every six months, but now he had just gotten bumped for the second time which would make it twelve months. I SAID NO TO THIS!

Sometimes, well most of the time these days you have to advocate for yourself or you need someone to do it for you. I called and got the doc’s nurse- he’s my cardiologist too- explained what I was seeing and requested they see him sooner than later. The first time they called the appt was a wk away, then suddenly we were going the very next day! And I say thank you Jesus, because I was right. His ventricles are all on a different electrical pace not in sync, which if we don’t quickly fix it, his heart will wear out or just kinda tear apart.

Well what man do you know that just says ” sure doc, take care of the problem?”
No, my husband has to start talking about timing and money and he’s not sure he wants to go thru that surgery again!

So my request is for prayer for him. For God to calm his fears and his heart. For God to supply the money needed above and beyond what medicare and his supplemental ins cover. For God’s timing with the surgery. And of course for God ‘s guidance of the surgeon and his hands.
For me, that I will keep it together and live my faith in front of (and even behind closed doors) all that I come in contact with. That this time would be for God’s glory because someone somewhere will come to know Him because of our witness.

A New Nodule To Get Over

It’s been a month since that scary asthma attack in May, but I have had a laryngitis voice ever since. Too long, I thought, so to protect those precious cords that don’t work right anyway, I scheduled an appt with my Voice/ENT. I thought maybe I had a virus, but no, of course not, it’s a rheumatoid nodule on the cord, the most fragile cord, my left one.  I was surprised, but why? I think God is just taking my body through the medical journals and hitting on all the hot spots. This way I understand how anyone I meet truly feels cause I’ve been there. So now, between the RA making the asthma flare and it putting a nodule on my vocal cord, I think I might have to take this disease more seriously! I have been so fortunate to have found Remicade a drug that really takes care of my pain, so that I forget I have RA. But apparently my body hasn’t forgotten and the inflammatory kind that I have is doing a number on me internally where I can’t see it-but the blood tests show it and now the nodule does. So where do I go for my comfort in this “one more thing”? Back to my Lord Jesus, for has He not suffered more than I and yet He gave it all for me.

He will be my road map. He is the WAY. I can’t worry about tomorrow or the next day, but this day that He has given me to live and to bear witness. So I have a voice of sorts but so much better than the time of no voice at all.  I have much to be thankful for.

God has spoken to me and I’m not kidding

Anyone who has read my blog of the last year and a half knows of my journey. So please bear with me while I recount the last 2 wks. Two weeks ago, our pastor gave a sermon on stories and used my life verse, ll Cor 1:4 as the text.  The jist of it was that really our life is not about getting there–the destination, it is about the journey. It’s about our experiences, our sphere of people we interact with (whether we want to or not), just everything that touches us. The Bible says that EVERYTHING that comes to us is filtered through His fingers. So for all my life I have asked, Why did you give my this body Lord?  Why did I have to have this happen to me? Why can I not stay well? Why do I have to live with constant pain, Why, Why, Why? So how could my loving, gracious all powerful holy Father let this all happen to me? First I believe you really have to go to the Word of God for answers, for comfort, for knowledge, even for help in my believing, but unbelief too. This isn’t something that you get from self help books or even counselors–this is between you and holy God. So as I was studying in Isaiah in my weekly lesson, in one chapter it kept saying “in the womb I formed you” over and over and at first I grumbled but then I remembered in Psalms where God said He knit my innermost parts together and in Jeremiah He says that he has a plan to care for and prosper me. Then I went back to my life verse and as I began to read it, God began to tell me why. I never expected an answer!  Afterall, He is God of all and doesn’t have to explain anything he does. But this is what he told me.

Cindy, I love you. I have loved forever and will always love you. Nothing will separate you from my love. My child your life has been a series of stories, sometimes miracles that I have done, so that whenever you meet someone  there will almost be instant rapport because you and  that person or their loved one has gone through  the same physical trial you have and you know exactly how they feel and so can offer comfort. Physical issues and pain bring people together along with other things you’ve experienced. I know that you have been going through the trial of affliction and that you have had to come through a lot of losses in the past 3 years but my child, now you are truly dependant on me. My child, you must trust me for my promises. and then He said it again, Trust me.

So now I wait for Him to act on those promises. But I will never again complain about my body-all I will do is look about in anticipation of who the Lord is going to bring to me to share and comfort with!

Prayer

We are studying the Guardians at our church on Sunday mornings. This morning the passage was from I Timothy 2:1-6. This is a letter written to Timothy by Paul, the apostle, for instruction. He says ” I urge you, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. (This is Jew and Gentile and Heathen alike)…This is good and pleases God our Saviour who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (wants means intense desire). For there is one God and One mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all men…

I was struck that our first part of worship should be prayer. It should be a priority in our lives and a natural reflex…but is it really? Do I go immediately to HIM when I have lost a deal, a candidate, a client? When I have a bill I haven’t expected? When I don’t feel well? I think I do some of the time-when I am really desperate, but over and over as my day unfolds? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I think that a lot of how my prayer life goes-and life in general-depends on if I meet Jesus in the morning at our regular meeting time. How often I have skipped that time-more sleep, too busy, not enough time-lots of excuses. But you know, I always show up when I have a business meeting scheduled. I thought this morning, is Jesus not more important than any CEO I might meet? The scripture says that God has an intense desire to see us “saved” and to come to the knowledge of the truth. It also says that the very truth will set me (us) free.  And isn’t that what the world is searching for–freedom of expression, to do what they want? But what if that very truth says live this way and I will fill your life up and overflowing. That’s the kind of result  of freedom that I want.

Summer 2010 Has Flown…

I can’t believe that fall is soon here. We start a new GriefShare Group this Thursday. For those of you who follow, please be in prayer for those who will be coming!

I spent a lot of last week, preparing for a presentation to an organization called “Ladies in the Biz”.  This is a group of ladies involved in all areas of commercial retail real estate. They had a big “to do” last night and I had the privilege of speaking to them about Human Resource issues ( I am a recruiter). I loved being back out among my clients and potential clients trading cards-it was like I had come out of hibernation. I guess it really was hibernation, because except for a meeting  at night 2 weeks ago, I haven’t done anything except work, eat, sleep, GriefShare, and church for a year since I had the tumors on my head. (see previous posts).  The success of that meeting has spurred me to plan speaking engagements with other groups within my specialty practice. I’m excited!

The Lord continues to be gracious with my work and collections. I am so learning not to do a thing for a search until I pray. Still, the Lord gives and He takes away. Other things in daily life continue to be hard:  expensive appliances breaking, one more thing to worry about health wise, my husband’s job-he sells too and isn’t! But I know who controls the universe and He’s my Father. I bow to Him and what He sends my way as I know He is refining me.

Post Navigation

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 142 other followers