For the past 8 months, there has been a dark “medical” cloud hanging over our house. At times, it has felt like a curse. It all started in August, when our son’s pitching arm began to hurt.
This type of pain is worrisome for anyone, but even more so for a freshman attending college on a baseball scholarship. We went to our family doctor, who ordered x-rays and prescribed ibuprofen to reduce the swelling. The months went by, and the pain continued.
God’s waiting Room
By Christmas time he had been scheduled for an MRI, and an appointment with Dr. Dean, the best shoulder guy in our area. The MRI came back normal, and Dr. Dean determined that our son had bicep tendonitis. He received physical therapy for two weeks, and was sent back to college with a plethora of daily stretching and strengthening exercises, along with a bottle of ibuprofen. We are praying that his arm will be healed, and that he will get an opportunity to pitch this season. For now, he is in God’s Waiting Room.
Likewise our daughter, who is a sophomore in high school, suffered a right-arm injury in softball this year. One minute she was bunting, the next minute she was flat on her back with a broken collar bone.
There was such promise at the beginning of the season! She loved her varsity coaches, and since my husband was coaching the JV, she had a whole season of fellowship and fun with her father to anticipate. Alas, it was not to be. It happened on Monday, February 20th. During her second-at-bat of the first scrimmage of the year, she flipped over the first baseman and became, along with her brother, a patient of Dr. Dean AND another member of God’s Waiting Room.
two more weeks in the sling
My Own Health Issues
In the midst of all the shoulder injuries, I had some unusual health situations myself. After Thanksgiving, my sides and back began to hurt A LOT at night. Just before Christmas, I went to our family doctor. He ordered a chest x-ray, to rule out any major problems, and prescribed ibuprofen. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? I tried to stop bending and lifting, and I stopped drinking Coke Zero, just in case it was acid reflux-related. Nothing seemed to help.
In early February, a routine mammogram revealed a solid lump in my breast. A needle biopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, February 21st, the day after our daughter broke her collar bone. Two days before her surgery, the doctor’s office called with a benign result. Thank You, Lord!
During my breast lump scare, My GYN doctor called to make sure that my problems were being addressed regarding the lump. During our conversation, I told her about my side and back pain. I had already scheduled a pap smear for March 8th, so she said that we could rule out any gynecological causes at that time.
At my GYN appointment, she examined me, and said, “What do we have going on HERE Krista?” I actually go by Kristie, but since my birth name is Krista, I don’t always bother to correct people when they call me that. After all, it is my name. Something, a mass, seemed to be coming out of my uterus.
Wow, I thought. At my second routine appointment of the year, there is another tumor. I listened like a person having an out-of-body experience as she told me that we would be doing a hysteroscopic myomectomy to remove it. A what?
During the next few weeks, I had a transvaginal ultrasound (not very much fun), frantically searched the internet (typical), and worried a whole lot. However, I did follow Philippians 4 as I remembered to make my requests known to God, while thanking Him for the trial.
On March 24th I was put under general anesthesia to remove what turned out to be a polyp. Before the operation, I was so nervous, I kept having to go to the bathroom. My husband, like so many other people along our medical journey this year, made me laugh. He took selfies with his very frightened wife in the background.
The operation was quick. General anesthesia was amazing, so much better than the spinal I had when my appendix was removed in 1994. I arrived at Coastal Carolina Hospital at 7 am, and by 11 am it was all over, and I was ordering a butter pecan coffee and a chocolate donut at Dunkin Donuts.
Last night, the day after my surgery, my sides began to hurt like crazy. We went to the ER. They did a sonogram, a CAT scan, and checked my pee and blood. Six hours later, they released us and said they couldn’t find anything wrong. I am grateful to know that my liver, gallbladder, and kidneys are all ok.
I’m going to work hard to protect the muscles in my back and sides, and continue abstaining from reflux- inducing foods. I am also thankful that all of those tests will not cost us anything, since we have already reached our family deductible, and our out-of-pocket max as well. There is always a silver lining.
I have learned a lot during all of these trials. I have learned to be more open about things regarding my health, and my fears. In years past, I would have NEVER let anyone see a picture of my uterine polyp. I have also allowed people to help us more than I ever would have before. I accepted financial help from a family member that offered to help us after they learned that we had to pay 40% of our part of my operation, up front. Awesome friends of ours watched our younger children, brought a great fried chicken dinner, and listened with sympathy as I told my stories.
While I am generally somber during difficult times, I learned how to smile when times are tough. I accepted comic relief from my daughter’s trainer, her coaches, my surgical nurse, my husband, and my GYN doctor. All of them had jokes, and for once, I laughed.
Right now, I am looking forward to healing, for all of us. Hopefully the warm winds of spring will blow that dark, winter cloud away from our little cottage. I don’t know why we have been through so much recently, but I am clinging to God’s word.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
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