Oh, my goodness, what do I know?!

My daughter sent me a blog address to look at weeks ago. It was one she had been following for quite a long time. She had been deeply touched by the story told by an adoring young husband and my daughter wanted to share it with me. I intended to look at it the very first night.

Really, I did.

But I didn't. I did, however, place the address in my favorites so I could look into it - soon. But I got caught up in the business of life each and every day. But last night I was forced to slow the pace. I had been diagnosed with shingles at a morning doctor visit following an invisible fire ant attack throughout the night! We don't have fire ants in Michigan but no one could have convinced me of that fact around 4:00 AM. Not a particularly severe case of shingles from the doctors point of view, but any case at all of shingles appears to be worth a whine or two - not fun. I was feeling especially sorry for myself last night by 8:00 or 9:00. Actually, I had been feeling a poor pitiful me party coming on for some time and the shingles just pushed me over the edge! Two and one half years ago I was diagnosed with a genetic blood disease which creates a mixed plate of ailments, including a compromised immune system. In order to maintain any sense of normal health I need IV blood treatments every three weeks to give me white blood cells I don't make. The treatments alone are not risk free, nor might I add, fun. My veins are terrible so it sometimes takes 10 or 12 tries before an IV is in. The treatments take about six hours at a hospital chemo center, occasionally over night, and in themselves have their own set of risk factors. In January I had a TIA, or a mini stroke, following a treatment administered incorrectly (for full sympathetic impact perhaps I should add that this incident occurred four days after my husband had a 99% coronary artery blockage and exactly one year following his diagnosis of thyroid cancer). Now, I don't like to consider myself a whiner or a sick person and I definitely don't like anyone else to, but I want you to understand the position I was taking last night and my reasoning for it. I've been forced to give up 20 hour days and decorating 5 rooms at a time! I felt up to my neck fed up with this ridiculous career of being sick. After all, I have grandbabies to jiggle and walls to paint and places to be, things to do! Dog gone it, enough is enough! After getting myself into a full pout, I got online and into my blog about 10:00 and promptly noticed the site my daughter had directed me to weeks ago right there in my favorites. God surely directed me to dive into "Confessions of a CF Husband" because goodness knows, I didn't want to feel sorrier for anyone else than I did for myself.

Oh, my goodness, what do I know about suffering? I was immediately drawn in by the love and warmth the young husband with the sweet face exuded in the real life story he shared about his very sick wife and their tiny baby also in precarious condition. Nate's wife Tricia has cystic fibrosis. She had been waiting for a double lung transplant when they discovered unexpectedly she was pregnant. Against doctors advice the young couple with old faith only considered trusting God to deliver them a healthy child. Gwyneth was born via emergency c section 15+ weeks early. From that day on, the fight to save Tricia and Gwyneth became urgent, the young family placing all their faith once again in God's unwavering grace and power as she was placed back on the transplant waiting list. There have been several close calls...possible lungs for Tricia, but a no go in the end, meanwhile Tricia can no longer breath on her own.

If this incredible story of faith and courage leaves you with a desire to hear the ending - as it has me, you will have to visit Nate's blog, Confessions of a CF husband@ cfhusband.blogspot.com. today.

You see, tonight Tricia was wheeled into the operating room to receive two healthy new lungs!

I don't know whether Tricia will survive the surgery or recover from the most severe effects of CF. Even the most faithful know that sometimes our prayers for healing are not always answered as we want them to be within our limited human vision. Or maybe Tricia will live to tell her grandchildren the story of her survival. I DO know that those sweet kids rest on their faith in Christ and have blessed assurance of His perfect love and will for them - just as we all can.

As for me, what the heck do I know about suffering? God has granted me a treatment for my disease and He has blessed us with the insurance to pay for it. He has gifted me with an enviable husband and family to keep me going and to make me want to keep going! Most importantly, God has freely offered the gift of His salvation and His word to provide comfort and guidance at any given moment. I am not a sick woman who has the right to be guest of honor at her own pity party, I am an incredibly blessed woman, fire ants and all! I am so thankful that God directed me to Nate's and Tricia 's story just when I needed to be reminded!

Look into Nate's blog today to learn more about Tricia's lung transplants. And if you really need a good cry, go to Nate's three part Valentine's Day 2008 posting and slide shows. Drag out the Kleenex.