A lesson in trusting God

I have a new insight and compassion on people who experience health problems. God is good to use your current circumstances to humble you and help you see things in new ways. I am now in the group of people who experience health problems that are not so easy to diagnose. It is frustrating, it is scary, it is a faith-building experience.

My entire right side is numb. It began on Monday, Sept 13th when I woke up. I knew it was not a normal kind of phenomenon, but I took a few advil and hoped it would go away. By mid-afternoon, what started in my hand and forearm began to travel down my torso and right leg. Getting into my primary doctor was impossible. He was booked. I spent the afternoon talking back and forth to his nurse. By 4 pm, the consensus was I needed a CT scan and that would have to be done at the ER. Not what I wanted to hear. Four hours later and $150 poorer, the CT scan came back normal, they gave me a 5 day prescription for a steroid and sent me on my way.

Wednesday, I was not better. I am not sure if I was worse, but the numbness was still there and there was a sense of coldness that invaded the entire right side of my body. I called to see when I could get into my primary doctor. He had been on vacation for two weeks and just returned. He was swamped and he does not work on Thursdays. My best shot was to call first thing Friday morning for an appt. I had my alarm set so I would not let 8am become 8:10. At 7:59 am I began calling. God was good, because I was able to get in at 11:50. My numbness has not gotten worse, it has not gotten better, but in talking with my doctor I do have some peace.

I will go for an MRI on Monday morning. I am praying it will give the answers we need. I am praying there will not be a need for a specialist and more testing. I am praying these new steroids that he has prescribed that will increase my appetite and retention of water that I do not want to take, will reduce the swelling quickly so I do not have to take them long.

But above all else, I want to learn what God wants to teach me. I know if I allow Him, He will be glorified through all of this. I am praying it will be over quickly. But I know His Will will be done and I need to be okay if it is not quick and trust in Him. Such a hard lesson to learn at times. But it is in the hard lessons that our faith is strengthened.