This week has been a wild ride. At the beginning of the week, I had a CT angiography scan. I have had countless CT scans in the past, but I was unprepared for what this scan entailed. A large amount of very toxic contrast material is forced through your vein at a very high rate of speed. If you have had a regular CT scan with contrast, you know about the warm, "I think I peed in my pants", feeling you get following the injection of the contrast material. Your chest tightens up a bit, breathing becomes a bit labored, you feel a bit nauseas and you may feel a bit light-headed or confused. Well, now multiply this experience by a factor of ten and that would be a CT angiography scan. The thought, "I think I am going to die," ran through my head as the toxic contrast material wreaked havoc on my body. I had a bad reaction and was given oxygen because I was struggling to breathe. The tech wanted me to seek further medical attention, but I, in my hazy stupor, assured her I was ok. (Really, I needed to leave the place ASAP because I had to get to a pulmonology appointment.) The toxic effects of the contrast material--flu-like symptoms, severe muscle pain/muscle weakness, nausea, etc.,--lingered on for a couple days. Praise be to God, I had some powerful vitamin C gel infusion (which God reminded me about 24 hours after the procedure), and it worked wonders to quickly detox my body.
At my pulmonology appointment, I was disappointed. The doctor wanted some lung function tests done at my last appointment, but they were not completed. He did little to address my worsening respiratory symptoms and seemed to want to push off everything until my next appointment in a month. When I went to schedule my next appointment, I was informed his next available appointment was in two months! I nearly burst into tears because my respiratory muscles are very weak. I am so tired from constantly using my abdominal muscles to breathe and getting little sleep because my breathing rate is too fast. Waiting two more months for another appointment seemed like an eternity.
In my distress, I cried out to God over and over. "Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto You. Hide not Your face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline Your ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily" (Psalm 102:1-2). I kept seeking various options, but each door I tried to open, God made it abundantly clear, these doors were bolted shut. Today seemed like a day of hope. Today, God had mercy on me and made my mountainous path a level walkway.
This afternoon, I decided to call my pulmonologist's office to see if I could change my appointment. I inquired if he had any sooner appointments. No, the next appointment he had available was two days later than my current appointment. (About once every two months, the doctor practices at another location, which is about an hour closer to my house.) I asked if the doctor had any appointments at the other location. The receptionist said he was going to be in that office the week after Easter, but that he was doubled and tripled booked. She told me to call the other location to check the doctor's appointment schedule.
I called the second location. The receptionist told me, "I have a 2 o'clock appointment on Friday, April 21, available." What!? Really!? I was praising the LORD and nearly shrieking "hallelujah!" As calmly as possible, I made the appointment. I am overwhelmed with joy! Not only am I able to see the doctor a month sooner, I also am able to see him at a clinic closer to my house! Wow!!! "Thank you LORD for opening up this door and allowing your abundant mercies to pour forth. 'O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms' (Psalm 95:1-2). Amen."
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