I encountered latex a few weeks ago. Uh oh! A week of head to toe hives resulting in spending the night in the ER due to anaphalaxis. A steroid shot there and another in the Dr. office a few days later got me fixed up. I now get to carry 2 epipens and 2 types of allergy meds with me all the time. Yay me! lol I'm completely fine but that is never fun. I'm scheduled for full battery allergy testing in a couple of weeks just to make sure that there is nothing else triggering these episodes and that is truly is unintentional latex exposure as opposed to a new allergy. Fun times. Happy Birthday to my husband. Wish I could have gotten scheduled sometime other than your birthday. :)
Back to my foot/ankle. I have gotten a second opinion with another surgeon and he doesn't give me hope of walking anytime soon either. He actually found another break. We are unsure if it is original and the other surgeon missed it or if it is the result of one of my falls. So, I have a shattered sesamoid (floating ball on bottom of foot), a toe that is broken where it connects to my foot, and a hunk of bone broken off and floating around on the outside of my foot. I also have torn ligaments on both sides of my ankle. This newly found break and the potential for serious damage if I fall again means that I am now in a hard fiberglass cast. I got a black one on Monday while my foot was very swollen and as the swelling went down, the cast became too big. I had to have it cut off and a new one put on this morning. This time I went with HOT PINK! I may as well have fun! We are hoping that when the cast comes off, I will be starting to heal. If not, we will have to consider CTs, more casting, and possibly surgery(s). At this rate, it seems like I'm never even going to make it to physical therapy. So far, I've had an MRI and 20 xrays. I probably glow in the dark. The original forecast of me walking in 9-12 (from May) still seems hopeful. Even the new doc couldn't give me anything more hopeful than that. I'm so thankful that my hope is in Christ, rather than in doctors. He is the only source of TRUE hope.
I share all of that to update you. Please don't feel sorry for me. I don't! Surprisingly, being in bed/wheelchair isn't bad at all. Of course there are things that I want to do and can't, BUT GOD! That is one of the most amazing phrases ever written! BUT GOD has seemingly placed me in a bubble of protection from all the self-pity, depression, anger, and all those other things you might expect from me. If you know me at all, you know that it is not of myself because all of my righteousness is as filthy rags. You know that it is not of me because I like things MY way. I like to be in control. The peace and acceptance that God has given me for the situation is something that I am just not capable of. That doesn't make it any less real. It just makes it more special because I know where it comes from. God is able. He is able! He IS ABLE!! He is able to heal my body so that I could walk today. So far he hasn't chosen to do that. That's ok! I don't understand, but I trust Him. As the hymn says, "How I've proved Him o'er and o'er". He is trustworthy and that truly has been proven over and over in my life. My accident surprised me, BUT GOD wasn't surprised at all. He is not in Heaven ringing His hands saying "Oh no! Oh no! Kara hurt her foot! What if she never walks again?!?! That would be the worst thing that could happen!" By His grace, neither will I! As another hymn says, "What have I to dread, What have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms; I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms." By His grace alone and for His glory alone, I will continue to live, and love, and serve the God who created me, knows me and loves me anyway, and most importantly paid the price for all of my sin...whatever comes.
You can trust Him, too, my friend. For whatever you are going through, He is able and He is trustworthy. Whatever circumstances are making your Road Rocky today, "BUT GOD" is where you have to place your trust and find your peace. You can't trust in the doctors, self-help books, or any other person or teaching. Whatever you are going through, trust in the God who created you and the finished work of Christ who died in your place. If you don't understand what that means, message me. I'll be happy to share with you from Scripture so that you can understand the TRUTH from God's word that brings me comfort and peace. I want you to have that, too, friend.
Because of Christ,
Kara
'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”
Refrain
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!
O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Refrain
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
Refrain
I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.
Refrain"
