Hospital Adventures

Wow! This past week has been insane. After one week of being sick, 5 days of which were spent in the hospital, I am now back home in our apartment and almost back to my complete health. It’s been a whirlwind of a week, and I’m glad it’s over. Here’s the whole story…

One week ago, I woke up with a sore throat, achy body, and a headache…pretty much the symptoms of a little virus or the flu, right? After a few days of lying in bed trying my best to recover, my symptoms only increased and got worse. I now had a rash all over my body and was so weak I could barely lift myself out of bed. So, Naomi came over and she and Grace took me to the doctor. They drew some of my blood and when the results came back, my white blood cell count was extremely high, indicating a severe infection in my body. So I was admitted to the hospital where I stayed for 5 days. My symptoms definitely got worse before it got better so my first few days were not pleasant. It was discouraging and scary… to be on the other side of the world in a developing country in the hospital with nurses who don’t understand English injecting a bunch of unknown and unfamiliar medication into me. I had a few breakdowns of “I just want my mom” And, “Someone get me a plane ticket to America NOW” Yes, it was an experience that I never want to revisit and am so thankful that I am standing on the other side of it now.

On my third day in the hospital, I woke up feeling the worst I had ever felt. I could barely lift my head and when I finally did, it was to throw up. My body was so sick and so was my spirit. I was discouraged. I was scared. I missed my family. It was my lowest point. So I had Grace turn on some worship music for me so I could focus on something else. The minute she turned it on, tears began flowing from my eyes. I wish I could put into words what exactly God did in this moment but my words don’t even come close. But Jesus came. He came with his perfect and all sufficient love and comfort and He met me in my darkest hour. And as he held me there, He engulfed me with the praises of His name. These songs I have heard so many times, but this time it was as if I was hearing them for the first time. It was as if I really understood what these songs were saying. They became so much more powerful to me and the reality of what it meant so much more significant. I was completely awestruck with the beauty, majesty and goodness of God. It was as if Jesus came to sweep me away, to remind me of his extreme power and sovereignty over my circumstance, over my life, over this entire world. My mom told me once, “You just speak His name and He will be there. There is power in saying the name of Jesus.” It’s amazing what filling a depressing, hopeless hospital room with the praises and worship of Jesus will do. I know that in that moment, Jesus came and flooded that hospital room with his presence and restored my spirit with his peace. These are the moments that I fall so much more in love with my savior. These are the moments I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around how much He cares about me. These are the moments I am overwhelmed with how good He is.

I can now say that I am almost back to my full health. I am still a bit weak and don’t fully have my energy and strength back but my health is only improving by the day. Today, I went over to Victory home for about an hour and it felt so good to be back. It had been over a week since I had seen them all and I had especially been missing my little guy. I went into his room and he was all laughs today. The minute I greeted him he was laughing so hard, giving me those good belly laughs. I’ve decided that his laughter is the best medicine. 

Please continue to keep me in your prayers for complete healing and a full recovery. 

“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.” Psalm 73:26