Faith grows in the face of pain
Writing is so very therapeutic. I really should do it more often, but life as a mommy to a seven-year-old spunky, hyperactive and loving little girl, caring for our home, advocating at countless meetings with Katie with her educators at school takes up a great deal of time. Even though JUST try balancing being a wife, along with being publicity chairperson at our church keeps me very busy.
What I share here is my way of loving The Lord, creating awareness and understanding that there is a reason for pain in life. A thought occurred to me the other day after going to a medical appointment for my Interstitial Cystitis. (If you do not know what that is, here is a good link that explains it in English: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitial_cystitis). "Those with interstitial cystitis (IC/BPS) may have symptoms that overlap with other urinary bladder disorders such as: urinary tract infection (UTI), urethritis, overactive bladder, urethral syndrome and prostatitis. IC/BPS can result in a quality of life comparable to that of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic cancer pain, or a patient on kidney dialysis."
Have you ever experienced a UTI? This disease, when flaring, feels like a UTI 24/7. I do not write this to garner sympathy because I have so much support and many friends and prayer warriors.
I started seeing a naturopath and integrative medicine physician about two years ago, thanks to a sweet friend who has had great success from their stance. To make you understand what an integrative medicine physician is, here is a basic explanation from wikipedia: Practitioners claim that it treats the "whole person," focuses on wellness and health rather than on treating disease, and emphasizes the patient-physician relationship
Normally, I take the stairs and park the farthest from any store just to get in extra steps (thank you, Fitbit). Since my last posts about pain, I have been seeing an Integrative Medicine physician who has traded some of the medications with horrible side effects for natural supplements with less side effects. We have a wonderful church that loves on us without reservation. I have other friends who are moms who all help each other out...because I truly believe it does take a village to raise on child.
Over the past couple of years, my outlook on life has changed, due in large part to finding success with some treatments, but mainly because of counseling and our Lord, Jesus Christ and a very special group of friends. However, I once was ashamed to get counseling and thought it made me weak, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Seeking help is a good, positive thing to do for yourself and mainly your family. It actually takes a ton of courage to sit down and spill your guts about everything intimate in your life, but it helps so much with healing from the past and just the "mind," aspect of chronic illness and depression. After my experience in counseling, I think it is important to highlight of couple items that are often sterotypes of patients who seek counseling (AND THEY ARE WRONG):
1. It's healthy to seek the advise of wise counsel. Proverbs 19:20-21 states, Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
I also wanted to write that my misconception of viewing depression as something that just happens to weak people is wrong. It, like diabetes or other metabolic disorders, is a chemical imbalance. Like you would treat diabetes, getting those serotonin levels and the associated neurotransmitters back up to speed and working often will require anti-depressants. Anti-depressants get bad rap because most aren't weight neutral and will make you gain weight. However, the SNRI that I take IS weight neutral and I take a homeopathic supplement called 5 Htp, which acts as a precursor to serotonin in the brain. It is a way to get the same results from an SSRI and NOT have all the side effects.
With all that said, Winter is VERY tough on me and on a TON of people. I am from Alabama originally and snow, darkness and cold get old. I cannot wait for Spring and Summer. So, I decided to try an anti-depressant (the weight neutral one and I actually lost weight). I am less hungry and therefore do not eat as much. When not dealing with an IC flare, I do light exercise and it helps.
Getting back to how we handle pain in life, I have a story, I would like to share:
If you look at pain as "God has a purpose for that pain that I'm too short-sighted to understand," it'll do wonders. Over the past month, I've met several people with harder....much harder sufferings than mine. One woman I prayed with was in the elevator at one of my appointments. She had been crying and I stepped on and she was alone (I usually take the stairs, but wasn't feeling like it that day). I'm not usually bold about praying out loud, especially with a stranger but I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to pray with her. Afterward, she thanked me and told me that she was dealing with her tenth surgery for cancer and just had gotten diagnosed with it again, this time terminal. She said radiation was buying her some time and helping with pain. I asked if she had a church and she told me she did, but wasn't very active in it. I asked if there was anything I could do and she said no... That praying was what she needed. We were both in tears. That day made me realize that life can *always* be worse and understanding that the Lord has a purpose for your pain is paramount. You never know when He may be using you to reach someone else.
I loved this article from the other day in my email devotions. http://www.faithgateway.com/god-s-timing-embrace-your-place?utm_source=devosdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=devosdaily20160126&spMailingID=50545345&spUserID=NjY3MjI2ODg4NjMS1&spJobID=843363855&spReportId=ODQzMzYzODU1S0#.VqdCi0U8KnM.
As I head to the hospital this morning for an outpatient surgery, I leave you with that article. Let it resonate and really meditate and realize that the Lord uses our sufferings to help other people. After all, he suffered SO greatly to die on the cross for all mankind and our sins.
What I share here is my way of loving The Lord, creating awareness and understanding that there is a reason for pain in life. A thought occurred to me the other day after going to a medical appointment for my Interstitial Cystitis. (If you do not know what that is, here is a good link that explains it in English: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitial_cystitis). "Those with interstitial cystitis (IC/BPS) may have symptoms that overlap with other urinary bladder disorders such as: urinary tract infection (UTI), urethritis, overactive bladder, urethral syndrome and prostatitis. IC/BPS can result in a quality of life comparable to that of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic cancer pain, or a patient on kidney dialysis."
Have you ever experienced a UTI? This disease, when flaring, feels like a UTI 24/7. I do not write this to garner sympathy because I have so much support and many friends and prayer warriors.
I started seeing a naturopath and integrative medicine physician about two years ago, thanks to a sweet friend who has had great success from their stance. To make you understand what an integrative medicine physician is, here is a basic explanation from wikipedia: Practitioners claim that it treats the "whole person," focuses on wellness and health rather than on treating disease, and emphasizes the patient-physician relationship
Normally, I take the stairs and park the farthest from any store just to get in extra steps (thank you, Fitbit). Since my last posts about pain, I have been seeing an Integrative Medicine physician who has traded some of the medications with horrible side effects for natural supplements with less side effects. We have a wonderful church that loves on us without reservation. I have other friends who are moms who all help each other out...because I truly believe it does take a village to raise on child.
Over the past couple of years, my outlook on life has changed, due in large part to finding success with some treatments, but mainly because of counseling and our Lord, Jesus Christ and a very special group of friends. However, I once was ashamed to get counseling and thought it made me weak, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Seeking help is a good, positive thing to do for yourself and mainly your family. It actually takes a ton of courage to sit down and spill your guts about everything intimate in your life, but it helps so much with healing from the past and just the "mind," aspect of chronic illness and depression. After my experience in counseling, I think it is important to highlight of couple items that are often sterotypes of patients who seek counseling (AND THEY ARE WRONG):
1. It's healthy to seek the advise of wise counsel. Proverbs 19:20-21 states, Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
I also wanted to write that my misconception of viewing depression as something that just happens to weak people is wrong. It, like diabetes or other metabolic disorders, is a chemical imbalance. Like you would treat diabetes, getting those serotonin levels and the associated neurotransmitters back up to speed and working often will require anti-depressants. Anti-depressants get bad rap because most aren't weight neutral and will make you gain weight. However, the SNRI that I take IS weight neutral and I take a homeopathic supplement called 5 Htp, which acts as a precursor to serotonin in the brain. It is a way to get the same results from an SSRI and NOT have all the side effects.
With all that said, Winter is VERY tough on me and on a TON of people. I am from Alabama originally and snow, darkness and cold get old. I cannot wait for Spring and Summer. So, I decided to try an anti-depressant (the weight neutral one and I actually lost weight). I am less hungry and therefore do not eat as much. When not dealing with an IC flare, I do light exercise and it helps.
Getting back to how we handle pain in life, I have a story, I would like to share:
If you look at pain as "God has a purpose for that pain that I'm too short-sighted to understand," it'll do wonders. Over the past month, I've met several people with harder....much harder sufferings than mine. One woman I prayed with was in the elevator at one of my appointments. She had been crying and I stepped on and she was alone (I usually take the stairs, but wasn't feeling like it that day). I'm not usually bold about praying out loud, especially with a stranger but I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to pray with her. Afterward, she thanked me and told me that she was dealing with her tenth surgery for cancer and just had gotten diagnosed with it again, this time terminal. She said radiation was buying her some time and helping with pain. I asked if she had a church and she told me she did, but wasn't very active in it. I asked if there was anything I could do and she said no... That praying was what she needed. We were both in tears. That day made me realize that life can *always* be worse and understanding that the Lord has a purpose for your pain is paramount. You never know when He may be using you to reach someone else.
I loved this article from the other day in my email devotions. http://www.faithgateway.com/god-s-timing-embrace-your-place?utm_source=devosdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=devosdaily20160126&spMailingID=50545345&spUserID=NjY3MjI2ODg4NjMS1&spJobID=843363855&spReportId=ODQzMzYzODU1S0#.VqdCi0U8KnM.
As I head to the hospital this morning for an outpatient surgery, I leave you with that article. Let it resonate and really meditate and realize that the Lord uses our sufferings to help other people. After all, he suffered SO greatly to die on the cross for all mankind and our sins.
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