The Young Inmate With The Chest Pain

"When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice."  ~William James

“I’m having chest pain!” “If I don’t get my meds, it gets worse. I can also have a seizure!” complained a very young, newly booked inmate this morning in front of me. He was so restless and so anxious. Despite the big, glass partition window in-between us, I could hear him so clear. I could see clearly what the problem was. I knew all the things he told me like chest pain and seizure were not true. I didn’t listen to his complaints. I listened to his heart.

“What medications are you taking prior to being arrested because it seems you’re so anxious?”

“Ahhh….Valium and Oxycodone.”

“I’m assuming you are using them so much?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have this kind of chest pain before and if you did, was it the same kind you’re having now?”

He looked at me as if he wanted to dodge my queries. He became uncomfortable and unsure where my questions would lead to. But he remained insisting that he felt he was in serious condition and that in a slightly threatening tone of voice, he demanded for me to give him the same medications.

“Sir. You don’t understand…Even before you coming down here to the Clinic complaining of chest pain to your deputy, I knew that you were just having anxiety attack because that was the condition you had told the Intake Nurse. Remember talking with a nurse when you first got here?”

“Yeah…you’re right,” he replied.

“I’m going to take your blood pressure and pulse. But I must warn you now. I can’t give you any medications because like other inmates who just got here, you must patiently wait for the Psych Doctor to see you. He is the one who can order those medications you need for your anxiety. I can’t help you except the only one who can help you is yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Relax…Take a lot of deep breaths. You can try to. I can’t do that for you. Your long time use of those medications are also adding to your feeling of doom. Your body craves for it now because you’ve been using them for so long and I don’t know if you’re using a lot of dose.”

He sat quietly on the chair and stopped whining. He knew he lost his demand to get the meds his way. He looked up but remained with sealed mouth as he looked at the deputy standing just right behind me. He knew he couldn’t say anything further.

We all are in this mess at one point or even now in our lives’ journey. We make wrong decisions. We choose so many things that we think will give us satisfaction. I know what his heart was saying because I had been there before. I heard his heart’s wishes out loud because now, I know the simple truth that He always reminded me of with His Word:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –(Matthew 6:21, ESV)

11 comments:

  1. cute video that hits the message right on.

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  2. You continue to encourage me my sweet sister...

    You continue to inspire me my sweet sister...

    You continue to show all of us the way my sweet sister...

    You continue to shine His never-ending light through you my sweet sister...

    You continue to love and pray for all of us my sweet sister...

    You continue to show your strong faith, belief, love, trust, honor, praise and so very much more in Him and for Him my sweet sister...

    You continue on as a blessed one that He put here on this earth to open wider our eyes, our hearts, our minds, our souls and yes...our arms and hands wide...always UP to Him.

    I love you my precious precious sister and friend...so very very much.

    {{{Hugs & Many Prayers}}}
    Alleluiabelle

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  3. Thank you for your encouragement and the love of God you show.

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  4. The video makes a great point! I continue to pray for victory and believe it is coming!!!

    Love you,
    Mary

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  5. Hi there..I really enjoyed your story and like that quote- so true! I remember reading Tortured for Christ just after getting saved! I put it on pause so I could watch it together with someone who's attention is being diverted at the moment(smile). The other video..it's like a line we walk..where we just have to submit..man are we difficult!
    Anyway, you header is a neat too..thanks-
    Regards,
    Regina-

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  6. Hi Rcubes, thanks for visiting my blog. I've always remembered you sister, for your strength, the challenge you face, and your sharings and encouragements. In your situation sister, yes, nothing can happen to a child of God without God's knowledge, trust in Him with unwavering faith sister. Follow Him no matter what. God bless you.

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  7. Dropping by to read your wonderful posts and to wish you a happy week.

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  8. Thank you Rosel for sharing. Blessings.

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  9. The video you shared drives the truth home - if we knew the generosity of Jesus, we would ask Him to give us a drink... and He would give us eternal water from the well that never runs dry.

    Praying for God's blessings on you as you continue to serve Him in the prison ministry you're in - I pray Isaiah 61:1-3 for you, dear Rosel.

    1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
    because the LORD has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
    He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
    2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
    to comfort all who mourn,
    3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
    to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
    the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
    and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
    They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the LORD
    for the display of his splendor.

    Love
    Lidj

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  10. Good on you Rose.Your a great nurse!!!
    Don't they use a small brown paper bag for the pt to breath in and out of over there..? This helps with the hyperventilation. I used to have my daughter carry one in case of anxiety. In the E.R. we simply applied an O2 mask without the O2 and told them to breath in and out. This repaces the lost Co2.. I am sure you know this, but for any lay person reading, its a good helper. XX

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  11. @Crystal Mary: Thanks for the advise/info. Even brown bags are hard to have as the environment is different. Inmates are smart to use common, ordinary things and make them into shank. Another obvious thing...this inmate was faking his hyperventilation. So, he just needed to calm down like a child and stop whining because he won't be able to get the meds he wanted. :)

    God bless. Thank you all.

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"Faith is taking the first step even if you don't see the whole staircase..."
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