I’m
sorry I haven’t been on here much lately.
I’ve had a rough time health-wise.
Most of you know that I have an autoimmune disease. It limits me at times. I have good days and bad days. My health is up and down. It is very unpredictable and extremely
frustrating to say the least. The
disease is not necessarily life-threatening, but life-altering. It is called Myasthenia Gravis. I have a worst case scenario of it according
to my neurologist. To sum it up it
weakens all of my muscles… affecting my vision, ability to swallow, talk, walk,
stand, lift my arms, etc…. Some times I
am ok and other times I have flare-ups where everything is weak. I was bed-ridden for three months at the
beginning before I was diagnosed. I am
on medicine to help make things more stable and normal for me, but the meds I
take to feel better all have side-effects that make things worse.
My
doctor is amazing and has done everything possible to try to get me into
remission. He has even consulted other
specialists for alternate options to get me healthy. We have tried most everything. Currently I am having a special treatment
that could throw me into remission for one to three years. There are risks involved, but the possible
benefits far outweigh those risks. I
have to go to the Indy IU Medical Hospital one day a week for four weeks to
have these IV treatments. I will not
feel the full effects of the treatments until about six weeks after the last
one (which is tomorrow) putting it around Christmas time. That would mean by the first of the year I
could have a new me… YAY!!!
As
I have been reflecting lately about all of this and how long I have been sick,
something interesting came to mind. My
boys were talking recently about something and I heard one of them say to the
other… “Didn’t you know God’s favorite number is seven?” I thought about that for a minute and
realized. The first of the year will
mark seven years having been sick.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to experience God’s healing touch this Christmas
and begin a new year symptom-free? I
believe God can use doctors to heal.
Lord let it be. You might be
surprised the next time you see me in 2013… I might be a lot perkier than you
remember. One thing I have missed the
most being sick is the “energy” to do whatever I want whenever I want. I definitely took that for granted in the
past. My boys drive me crazy with all of
their energy at times. I wish I could
just have a portion of it to ration out each day for myself to use and save in
reserve. It could make all the
difference some days.
This
sickness has wreaked havoc on my life, but it has not won. I chose from the very beginning to give it
all to God…. the good days and the bad.
I can’t say that it has been easy, but with God’s help daily I have
continued to move forward. I have held
onto the scripture found in Genesis 50:20…
“You intended to harm
me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could
save the lives of many people.” (NLT)
I
believe God can turn any bad situation around for good if we let Him. I can’t believe all of the people I have been
able to encourage and pray for as a result of my experiences being sick. I just want to be a tool in God’s hands through
all seasons of my life… the good and the bad.
For some reason it seems God touches others most during our seemingly
darkest and lowest times.
Since
being sick more people have opened up their lives to me. They share openly and I have heard more than
once recently… “I have never told anyone this before.” Why me?
I don’t know. They must feel bad
for me or something or they are drawn to God in me and the faith I draw from
within. No matter what the reason, I am
ready and available to be a vessel for God to use. If this sickness can be a tool to minister to
others so be it. I never want to waste a
moment I can be using for God.
We
are each given one life to live. I want
to make mine count for something. I want
to leave behind a legacy… a trail of faith to believe God for the impossible. Seven… I am already excited about 2013. I am filled with hope for the future. How about you? What will you do with your one life? I encourage you to make it count for
something today.
Living
to leave a legacy,
Julie