A God thing

I was feeling pretty sheepish on Wednesday. Earlier this month, I had urged Susan’s infectious disease doctor we should try to discontinue the anti-fungal Fluconazole since she’d been on the drug for a year and a half, and meningitis didn’t appear to be a problem anymore. The doctor agreed and told me to watch her closely for fever, stiff neck and other symptoms, and get to the ER without delay if these develop. Her last dose was January 13. Then Sunday’s flu became Tuesday’s meningitis. We found ourselves in UCLA’s ER with meningitis symptoms, a spinal tap, a chest x-ray, a CT scan, and the whole infectious disease dog & pony show. Nice going, Mike. I sort of wondered whether someone would scold me and make us pay cash. Or put me in UCLA hospital jail. I wondered if a hospital jail looked like a mall jail – not that I would know.

Then sometime in the wee hours of Thursday morning as I waited with Susan in ICU with her newly discovered brain bleed, I discovered a God thing. She probably doesn't have meningitis, but something more menacing. What if God prompted me to get her off Fluconazole so we’d be extra vigilant and not miss finding the hematoma and getting it treated? To me this is so typical of Him. He loves to leave his fingerprints on the circumstances of our lives so we can recognize His presence once we have a little perspective. I’m thrilled and thankful He’d work it out this way.

Meanwhile, Susan and I have been feeding off of generous portions of peace. I recall answering the oncology nurse who had sent us off to the ER the day before when she commented on how shocking it was to learn of Susan’s bleed. I said we’re all in the Lord’s hands and said something like everything will be ok. She remarked about our faith and said she’s observed that people of faith tend to do well with cancer crises and complications. I said it’s peace, and it’s a gift. She said, “yeah that’s it isn’t it? It’s peace.”