It's January 30th and this morning I wake up and the pain is unbearable. I can't sit down, I can only lay on my side and my pain is managed by ibuprofen, and still it wakes me up out of dead sleep. What I know for sure is that there is a lump that hurts like crazy under my skin, in a very tender part of my body. I have no idea how it got there and I don't know how to make it go away, and all I can think about is that I have today and tomorrow to take care of this before my health insurance expires. To say I am freaked out would be an understatement. I said a prayer before I called Kaiser to see if I could see a doctor - and hoping one that actually knew me would be in.
YES! A doctor I have seen previously is in today and I'll be able to see her. That is of some comfort to me and tears erupt because I feel hopeful that she will have a solution to this pain.
I went to work, trying to make things seem as normal as possible. I am surprised that no one notice my slow methodical pace of walking. And grateful to not have questions. I sat in whatever position I could manage and waited until it was time for me to see the doctor. Honestly, I am sure time could not have gone any slower. Were it not for a good friend who constantly made me laugh at the craziness of the situation, I think I would have gone insane.
I finally get to Kaiser and am pacing in the waiting room - sitting is not working for me at the moment. I am shown inside, all vitals are good, and I realize I have gained a few pounds not being able to exercise lately. And today, I don't give a rats tail !
Grateful to have a female doctor for this visit, she takes a look at what is happening. Red, painful, raised...an abscess. But because of the tenderness of it , she can't explain what is going on, because it is positioned in an odd place. ( Of course it is! My body often has a mind of its own!) She has 2 courses of action: 1) take antibiotics and pray that is goes away on its own and 2) connect me with a surgeon to lance it, clear out the infection and
send me on my merry way.
Because Cobra will have not yet kicked in to continue my healthcare coverage and the word surgeon has me FREAKED OUT, we decide on antibiotics. 10 day of Augmentin. I can cope with that. And back to work I go.
I get through my final day at my job, antibiotics have started and I feel that I should ask for a Priesthood blessing. For those of you that are not familiar with what that is, let me explain. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that men are given the power to act in God's name for the benefit of others. One way is to give a blessing of healing, which is accomplished by 2 Priesthood brothers working together. One is putting consecrated oil on the individual's head and pronouncing a prayer of anointing. Then they both place their hands on the persons head and the other one gives the blessing, which is like a prayer. I have had several of these over my lifetime and have a testimony that God works through his sons, on my behalf.
Here is more on that subject: http://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood-blessing?lang=eng
It's now Sunday morning. I have been on antibiotics for 2 1/2 days and am going to try to go to Church. I have no idea how I am going to sit for 3 hours, but I have enough faith to know that I am in the right place and God will take care of the pain. I find a seat and in the middle of the Sacrament, I realize that I am in no pain. None. Zero. And the image of the Savior taking upon himself all of our infirmities comes to my mind. Jesus Christ gave his life so that I could be free of pain in this life, if I would seek him and emulate his life. In that moment, I understood that like I had not previously. The tears would not stop. I was deeply overcome with emotion and sent my friend a message saying " I am not in pain. I am blown away! "
Fortunately, that comfort continued and I was able to connect with my Home Teacher. He and another brother sat with me and wanted to know what was going on. And out it came: I am now unemployed, have a abscess that needs healing, am on medication and am without health insurance until Cobra kicks in. And I am seeking the Lord's counsel as to what is happening in my life and a blessing of healing, if it is His will.
Those good brethren gave me that blessing, counseling me about work, about my health and about relying on the help of others and especially the priesthood leaders in my area. It was extremely personal and I knew the words that Bro. Johnson spoke were not his, they were from my Heavenly Father, sent and meant to comfort his daughter.
I felt tremendous gratitude and hopefulness as I left that meeting. And I had every hope that the medicine would work, saving me from surgery. Besides how I am going to get my benefits reinstated so quickly ? This blessing had to work. I know my mother had been praying for healing to come and these brothers were doing the same. Was that God's will or was there more to come and this was the calm before the storm ?
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