Post Treatment Week 1: Of suffering, perseverance, character and hope ...
In the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans, we read:
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:1-5)
Well, my sisters and brothers: If you want to learn about suffering, perseverance, character and hope, I suggest you go to The Hepatitis C forum, which has become an international community of people who sometimes suffer, often persevere, find their character changed, and live in the light of hope.
I have found that what keeps me living in the light of hope is community, personal and corporate worship and prayer. I have also learned during the process -- particularly the 36 weeks I was on treatment, and what appears to be beyond -- that personal and corporate worship and prayer can fall victim to anemia, fever, ribi-rage (don't know if you coined that, Ron, but it is a great term!) and other side-effects.
You can, in essence, develop a general malise that keeps you from engaging in the spiritual disciplines that you know are beneficial to your healing. It's sort of like Joseph Heller's "Catch-22."
When that happens, what are you left with? The knowledge that even when you are not actively reaching out to God, he is there ... and oftentimes he shows himself in the presence of the community.
That's what happened to me today.
I was uplifted in worship this morning and when I returned home in the afternoon I found a note from Paul Wilcox. They were great words of encouragement and reminded me of how blessed I am to be part of the Body of Christ, as well as what God is doing in community around the world. World Communion Sunday is not too far down the road, and this might be part of that celebration.
On Monday, I go to the Wound Treatment Center at St. Mary's Hospital. Not sure what they can do, but I am nonetheless hopeful. Dr. Scott said if they do not come up with a definitive diagnosis, I am likely to be bound for an infectuous disease specialist. A doctor in my primary physician's practice noted the same.
In addition to the edema and cellulitis, the knots on my legs and thighs are becoming more numerous, and some are taking on a bruised appearance.
I'm beginning to call it the "mystery disease."
I pray God magnifies the healing gifts of the medical personnel who are now treating me, as well as those who will be treating me in the future.
Grace and peace ...
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:1-5)
Well, my sisters and brothers: If you want to learn about suffering, perseverance, character and hope, I suggest you go to The Hepatitis C forum, which has become an international community of people who sometimes suffer, often persevere, find their character changed, and live in the light of hope.
I have found that what keeps me living in the light of hope is community, personal and corporate worship and prayer. I have also learned during the process -- particularly the 36 weeks I was on treatment, and what appears to be beyond -- that personal and corporate worship and prayer can fall victim to anemia, fever, ribi-rage (don't know if you coined that, Ron, but it is a great term!) and other side-effects.
You can, in essence, develop a general malise that keeps you from engaging in the spiritual disciplines that you know are beneficial to your healing. It's sort of like Joseph Heller's "Catch-22."
When that happens, what are you left with? The knowledge that even when you are not actively reaching out to God, he is there ... and oftentimes he shows himself in the presence of the community.
That's what happened to me today.
I was uplifted in worship this morning and when I returned home in the afternoon I found a note from Paul Wilcox. They were great words of encouragement and reminded me of how blessed I am to be part of the Body of Christ, as well as what God is doing in community around the world. World Communion Sunday is not too far down the road, and this might be part of that celebration.
On Monday, I go to the Wound Treatment Center at St. Mary's Hospital. Not sure what they can do, but I am nonetheless hopeful. Dr. Scott said if they do not come up with a definitive diagnosis, I am likely to be bound for an infectuous disease specialist. A doctor in my primary physician's practice noted the same.
In addition to the edema and cellulitis, the knots on my legs and thighs are becoming more numerous, and some are taking on a bruised appearance.
I'm beginning to call it the "mystery disease."
I pray God magnifies the healing gifts of the medical personnel who are now treating me, as well as those who will be treating me in the future.
Grace and peace ...
posted by Pastor Buzz at 6:07 PM
3 Comments:
I replied to your questions regarding edema on the Hepatitis C Forum, that my husband had the exact same thing, now I see it has taken you off treatment. I am sorry to hear this. Your symptoms and descriptions sound exact. Even the bewildered medical professionals. The hepatolist, hemotologist, infectious disease doc and dermatologist all finally said it had to be bacterial, ONLY because of the fact that it was cured by 16 days IV vancomyacin and zosyn and then a steroid cream cured the scarred skin. If it quacks like a duck . . . If you are starting the testing, I would like to pass along that his "mystery disease" started with fever, which immediately broke and never returned; the redness spread from one leg to the other; the edema started about 5 days after the redness; no cultures ever grew; the skin biopsy was consistent with hives; an allergic reaction to ribavirin was suspected but a dermatologist's skin test ruled it out; it's not a Baker's cyst; an ultrasound revealed swelling only in the outer layer of skin and all of his vascular tests were fine, he even had a lymph test which was normal as it is rare, but possibile, that this could have been due to the lymph system throughout the legs not functioning properly.
His skin has recovered, but he is still taking a reduced dose of aldactone and lasix in combination to keep the edema at bay. All in all, no one ever could say for certain what it was, but my husband could tell you it hurt like crazy. The fluid went into other parts of his body making him just miserable.
I wish you luck and am very interested to hear what ID has to say. Feel free to pass along that a gentlemen in Cleveland, Ohio on combo went through the exact same thing.
I will be thinking of you as I have seen how miserable this 'mystery disease' is.
(ps I wouldn't wish IV zosyn on anyone as it is q 6hrs, so for 16 days I never got more than 4 hours sleep at a time - but it worked! so I'd do it again.
Kerry:
As you will notice from today's post, the diagnosis through the biopsy was determined to be Erythema Nodosum. I am resuming treatment and have been put on a regimen of Prednezone. The ID doc, who also had a series of blood tests and a chest X-ray ordered, turned up on evidence of atypical TB nor any of the other fungi. The biopsy was sent to pathology, as well as culture.
Hey, I just take it one day at a time ...
Grace and peace ...
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