A Rough Summer

Boy has this been a difficult week. My back muscles have been very weak and spasming since Tuesday and I have spent most of the time in bed. Lying on the foam mattress causes its own sets of problems—my skin itches and burns until I don’t want anything touching me, etc. If I don’t keep my skin cool the redness breaks out into a rash. So I have spent several hours lying under the ceiling fan… I know it’s caused by yeast/fungal overgrowth. 

It all started Tuesday when I reached up to hang a towel on the shower door. My back suddenly had a familiar twinge in my left side, and I headed for the bed. I felt frozen in pain. Within minutes I was shaking convulsively with a feeling of cold and needed a heat pack to stop. (Is that shock? It’s happened to me before; I think it may be an adrenalin reaction.) There I lay, face down on the mattress, unable to move. At least I had dried myself off. The Lord has been gracious to provide my husband within calling range two of the three times this has happened since Memorial Day. I don’t know how I would have managed without the help of my family on hand. Alexa has been very helpful with making meals and bringing my meds to me, etc. John brought me a horn to honk in the bedroom. 

I have had lots of time to read; I read "Waiting for a Miracle" and "Trapped in Hitler’s Hell"  by Jan Markell. The second book about a Jew-turned-Christian in WWII helps keep my state in perspective. I live in such luxury here in our beautiful home with people who love and serve me. No one is forcing me to get up at 4 am to work in the wind or heat for 10 hours a day. I have all the medical help known to man available to me. The fact that I’m sitting up and able to type for now is good. John never complains when I need prescriptions picked up, or a back rub for the knotted muscles, or just his presence for comfort. He and the children are running the household quite well without me. I also have been sleeping better since doubling the dose of my sleeping pills, but the sleep has not been sufficiently restorative. I can’t help but think the Hawaii trip will not be possible, but I’m trying to take one day at a time. I am more and more aware of God’s presence around, in and about me, sustaining my every breath. He doesn’t just know me, he permeates me with his Spirit. As long as I keep that in mind, I can hand over to Him every discouraging thought with the rejoinder, “Jesus is here and He saves now!” I have much to be thankful for.

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