He Loves Us No Matter What

I couldn’t wait until this day comes that I am writing about my son’s healing. The waiting period was long and often times, painful but I’m so glad, it’s all over!


His doctor gave him this whole week to just rest and regain his strength back. He doesn’t have any more headaches. The dizziness was gone. He started eating with what seemed to be his normal appetite yesterday. Bad for me! Because I’m eating with him! I didn’t even realize I had lost weight because when he was in pain, I forgot to eat.


When it comes to our children, it is always hard to see them suffer. I told him if there was a way I could take that pain away, I would. But sometimes, we all go through that trial, because that’s when we realize that we are truly in need of God. And that, when he is healed, even better for him not to forget God especially during the good times.


My son had gone through so much with all the pain and the medical tests but he remained patient and learned to endure. He never complained nor whined. I feel so blessed to see him prayed at times, which gave me comfort in return. And which reminded me, that no matter what happened at that time, the Lord was always just a “prayer” away.


And this trial made us, three, even more close to each other. Even if we are aware that our lives are like flickering candles, the more we value each day that the Lord gives…Don’t forget to hug your children, give them a kiss, and say “I love you” over and over. Same with your spouses. Live each day as if it’s your last…because that will help you focus on what matters the most….


So, this post is to thank you all who prayed for us as we met this bump on this road. We appreciate your love and friendships. And most of all, all the thanks and praise to our Father Who hurts Himself when His children are suffering. He knows…He’s been there before. His suffering that none of us had experienced…And He submitted Himself to be nailed on the cross out of love for us….Thank You Jesus…


May we remain prayerful, not only when we have hurdles to overcome…but in all occasions. Let's keep those who are also in need of prayers because when we agree together, He is surely in the midst of us...God bless you all and love to you all.

WWJD?

It was 12:30 a.m….“It better be not him,” my co-worker and I uttered at the same time to each other as we ran toward the hallway that leads to units 5-8. It was a long walk and seemed like forever. We were running against time, after a radio call that there was a man down in that hallway.

What Would Jail Do?

There he was laying on the floor, surrounded by 3-4 deputies, as one deputy had a broken and pink-stained ammonia being whipped under his nostrils. The Sergeant stood nearby, wondering what was going on, looking a bit concerned. The inmate’s eyes were blinking, aware of the strong odor that pierced his nostrils. He appeared like he just lost consciousness, but with that immediate response of trying to have that odor be taken away, suggested otherwise.

What Would Jail Do?

I pulled the Sergeant to a corner, where our conversation would not be heard. I told him that the inmate just returned from the hospital. After being a man down in PM shift and I just sent him back after I treated him at the Clinic and gave him 3 Graham crackers to aid with a little hunger he complained about, upon returning from the hospital. I made him aware that this man was claiming he started passing out after being beaten up. By whom? No one knew… Where at? It was a mystery…For he never reported any incident in the first place.

The Sergeant nodded the whole time. He got the point that this man was potentially just faking all of his man downs because he wanted something. At that point, I hadn’t fully reviewed his chart.

What Would Jail Do?

Borrowing a guerney from a nearby unit, we put the man on it and brought him back to the clinic to be observed. I gave him a mattress and a blanket so he could rest while being monitored. In the meantime, he was thinking that we believed he had some medical condition that warranted an immediate attention.

Glancing at the back part of his chart, where the mental health personnel usually write their notes, the person who interviewed him one day was told by him that he was forcing his family to bail him out by posting the bond required. He didn’t think that he did anything wrong, so why should he stay in the jail? I searched for his charges. There were many times of arrests for the same offense: robbery/theft.

What Would Jail Do?

“Excuse me, Ma’am…I have a bad headache! Why do you want me to wait for the doctor here? That will take forever. Why can’t you send me to the hospital?” he asked as he came close to the big, glass partition window.

“Sir, you just came back from the hospital. Everything they did there had a normal result so why would I send you back? Rest over there and be patient!” I stated in a firm voice.

When he thought that no one was looking around, he was calmly watching tv up on the wall. But when he sensed there was a staff member near by the window, he would act like he was sick or had a headache. He didn’t know, we were all aware now of his games. He thought he could get away with it. He didn’t know, if proven that there was no problem, he would be put on a discipline later. Meaning, some of the privileges would be taken away…

That’s what jail rules would do…


We are all familiar with the phrase, “What would Jesus do?” or simply known as “WWJD”…Having this in mind helps us make the right choices. It simply means to follow Jesus as an example in our lives. It will help us to make that choice of doing something that Jesus would approve of. We don’t really want to wait and make a wrong choice and like that man, think that we have done nothing wrong…To really know how Jesus would react to a particular situation, I think it all starts from another WWJD ~ Walk With Jesus Daily…

If we think we can get away with everything, think again! Yeah! That includes you, even if you don’t believe in Jesus! For Jesus said, “And the Father leaves all judgment to His Son, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor the Son, then you are certainly not honoring the Father Who sent him.” - John 5:22-23



“But is it God Who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” -Psalm 75:7 [The Message]


“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” -Galatians 6:7 [NIV]

Leave [If You Can...]

It felt like a massive storm had hit our household since my son got sick this past, whole week. I am not complaining as I am aware that there are many others who are also facing trials in different degrees. I could feel my exhaustion now, but still, can not fully rest as I attend to my son's needs, who hasn't fully gotten his strength back. Not 100% yet but at least, by the grace of God, he hasn't been having those awful headaches now. He is able to eat more and drink more fluids. The doctor told him that it would take a few days before he could fully recover and it was expected that he would be tired for a few more days.

So, at least, my husband, my son and I are able to breathe a little better since yesterday...

Since sometimes we can't do anything to change whatever circumstances we are all facing, I just find comfort that knowing the Lord's promises, those are the ones we can cling to, that saves us from sinking more from this deluge of worries, anxieties, even sadness, doubts, depression, fears and other ill feelings or emotions that we know are not His will for His children. Sometimes, I wish it's easier to just leave away from all these troubles. But unfortunately, it's not...

Same thing with the Lord's love. As we walk with Him, sometimes, we think we are better without Him. But we are wrong to think that way. The more helpless we become when we become astray. You can try to leave...that is if you can...Because it's not your hold on God that saves you...But His hold on you...

For this Spiritual Sunday, I would love to remind you that this is His will for His children:

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [NIV]

It doesn't matter how far you've gone away from the Lord. He is always there, waiting for you to return to Him, to leave all your cares to Him. There is nothing you can do that will make Him love you more or even less.

19We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. ~ 1 John 4:19 [The Message]




For more encouraging posts, please visit Spiritual Sundays. God bless you all.

Have Faith and Believe

25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" [Matthew 14:25-31; NIV].

My son had a follow-up appointment with his primary doctor yesterday. The headaches continued. He was so good about the way the doctor made him perform different neurological tests, despite the pain and dizziness. He passed them all…

His doctor got concerned with what was causing his headaches so he wanted us to go back to ER to have a lumbar puncture done. This is where they insert a huge needle to the back to get some sample of the CSF [cerebro-spinal fluid] to determine if he had any bacterial meningitis.

His headache throbbed more, with the intensity going up after his doctor’s visit. My husband and I took him home first to rest a little bit. When he was still not ready, off we went to our 2nd trip to ER.

As a nurse, since my son was little, if there was any procedure to be done, I always was honest to tell him if it would hurt or not, so that he was aware of what was going to happen. I had learned that it made him more prepared and less anxious. I told him I would ask the doctor there to give him an IV fluid because he hasn’t eaten nor drunk much fluids yesterday. That the lumbar puncture would feel like a pinch on his back when they put a numbing medicine, before they would insert a needle. [Except I didn’t tell him how long the needle was at that time!]. And I reminded him: “Pray…Lift about your fears, your concerns to our Lord. As daddy and I would do that with you…”

He was calm. He patiently waited because he now knew it would take forever to be called. But he sat there, rubbing the top of his head…No words…Soft cries at times…No whine. No complaint.

Finally, he was called and he was given immediately something for pain. It helped just a little but he got more calm. When the nurse put him in a recumbent position, he was aware that they were about to do the lumbar puncture at that time. I saw my son’s lips moving up and down. He was praying.

“Lord, please guide the doctor’s hands. Let there be no complications after this procedure Lord. May the tests be okay and even if they are not, may they find the right intervention to help my son’s condition.”

Have faith and believe…

The lumbar puncture was done in less than 5 minutes. My son didn’t even feel anything he said. I heard him utter, “Thank You, Lord.” They wheeled him back to his bed to rest and wait for the results of his blood draw, chest x-ray and the nasal swab. Tired as he was from having all these procedures and doctors’ visits all day, he softly uttered, “I love you Mom. I love you Dad”…

After a long time of waiting, the whole time while he was still having a mild headache and nauseous [perhaps from the IV pain meds that they gave], everything came back negative for any bacterial infection. The doctor said that it was more viral but he would just suspect a mild case of meningitis [though he was only assuming as all my son’s vital signs were stable and all the other test results were normal], because of his headaches. That there was no treatment but rest and fluids and that it would go away on its own after several days.

My husband and I had our own diagnosis: MIRACLE!

Have faith and believe…
　
My son crashed to his bed as soon as we got home. As I watched him all night long, that was the longest sleep he ever had.

“Thank You Lord for all of Your blessings. For constantly reminding me that this will come to pass. For reminding me that You are holding our hands as we cross the deepest, wild rivers or if we walk on fires. Lord, thank You for Your love and grace.”

Have faith and believe…

When my son woke up this morning, there was no more headaches. He was able to eat breakfast and had some hot tea. He washed up. He’s not 100% strong but I’m so glad to see his smiles again, get his hugs and his soft kisses as he whispers “I love you and thank you to me and my husband”…

We’re about to go to his primary doctor again in an hour but I wanted to take this quick opportunity to thank all of you who have walked with us in this part of our life’s journey. Who immediately held us up through prayers, who kept us feeling warm with your sincere love.

Thank You is not even enough to express our gratitude. I pray the Lord will bless all of you richly and may He grant your hearts’ desires. This is what friendship in Him means - it is to edify each other. And through this special friendship we all share, let the unity that comes from His love binds us all.

Have faith and believe…