Hello, all~
We've been on an up and down roller coaster ride over the last couple weeks...some really good days; and some really bad ones which culminated in a trip to the ER.
I know things are not good when I text the hubby after work to remind him it's my exercise day so I'll be home late and he replies with a text telling me he's having some weird unexplained pain. I change plans and head straight home to assess the situation. Blood pressure was good, no temp, however, complaints of pain in left chest, shoulder, neck, arm and back set off alarms. So I suggest we make a trip to the ER which he agrees is a good idea...now that really screams RED ALERT! I grab our hospital back and other necessities and off we go to Presby.
As I'm driving I comment we're about to come to the exit for HEB, and if he's in a lot of pain we could go there instead and then, if needed, be transported to Presby; which he agrees would be a good idea! Lord, have mercy! Let me tell you, the fastest way to be seen by a doctor in an ER is to go in complaining of pain in upper left chest, shoulder, neck, back and arm!!!! He was headed to the designated trauma room before I even had a chance to park and get inside!
He was immediately hooked up for an EKG and bloodwork was drawn. EKG looked okay so they did a chest xray, which also looked fine and showed PICC continues to have good placement. Because of his complicated history, they ordered a CT to check out the arteries leading to his heart and lungs...which looked fine and labs returned as unremarkable. After 5 hours of testing and waiting, the doctor's best guess was that it is something musculoskeletal and discharged us with pain meds and instructions to come back if it gets worse.
His pain continued to remain awful, however, the discouragement was even worse. Why the continued medical issues, God; can't we just get one little break here???
He had similar issues with this sort of pain (not quite as intense) in mid-November when manufacturers decided to stop making one of the components needed to formulate TPN for his particular needs. His pH balance and other levels got all out of whack which caused his body to try to meet his nutritional needs by drawing from his muscles and joints leading to severe, random pain. So, we begin to think maybe this is all TPN related again. ER faxed labs and all other test results to doctor covering for Dr. A, who is out of town, to compare with results from his normal weekly labs which were drawn on Tuesday. Unfortunately(?), there was no marked difference to account for what's going on so we're still at a loss.
Side note here: That morning I read from my perpetual calendar "The peace of God will guard your hearts" I felt led to claim that verse for us for that day; little knowing I was praying that God would literally/physically guard Ron's heart from damage! Once again, He always goes before us!
As I was driving the next day, I passed a sign on a church that I pass every day, that read "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) As I read it I thought, we typically don't think on this verse much, unless it's Christmas or Easter; those times when we are more focused on the life story of Christ. We think more on Christ's birth, John the Baptist declaring Jesus as the Son of God, we think about His arrest, trial, death, burial & resurrection. Then this quiet voice whispered, 'but what does it mean to you today?' Well, let's see - to look at; gaze upon. I was being reminded that despite this last little bump in the road, no matter what my life circumstance, I am to keep my eyes on Christ.
When I looked up the definition of behold I read:
to observe, look at, see.
synonyms: regard, gaze upon, view; watch; discern
Word origin: "give regard to, hold in view," also "to keep hold of, to belong to,"
Father, as I "behold the Lamb", may I do so with faith, as I put my hope and trust in You.
Please pray for my sweet guy. Pray pain will subside, his spirit will be encouraged and somehow, we will be able to figure out what's causing these recurring bouts of pain.
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