The Reason I’m Not Dead…

 

…is because God is full of mercy. I will try to keep this short. If you want further details, ask and I will share.

 

I went into the hospital last Thursday with excruciating kidney pain. I went through kidney stuff 8 years ago, but this was even worse. I was in very bad shape when we went to the ER in Chico. They triaged me fairly quickly, but it was still a 40 minute wait to get into an exam room. When I got to the room they were very quick with the pain meds. A CT scan showed I had severe kidney infection from a huge stone, also a UTI. And VERY LOW BLOOD PRESSURE. I later found out I was in sepsis.

 

They tried to get my blood pressure up, but it wasn’t as fast as they’d like. I was waiting for a room to become open in ICU. In the meantime they did what they could. I knew it was getting close when the doctor came over to me and asked me what my wishes were. I said I had an Advance Directive, but the doctor said he needed to hear me say what my wishes were. He asked what I wanted done if my heart stopped. I told him to do whatever he could, I just didn’t want to be left in a vegetative state.

 

There was more stuff that went on that you probably don’t want to know about. I ended up getting a tube put directly into my left kidney. This was through my back. I now have a little bag that I have to empty. They were filling me with IV antibiotics. Once I was able to get onto oral meds I went home on Sunday. The kidney drain will remain until I have the follow-up with the urologist in 2-3 weeks.

 

This was a truly awful experience. But God’s mercy was evident in everything. It could have been worse. I could have died. But I always was aware of whose hands I was in. Jesus was with me the entire time. As He always is.

 

It may not sound like it, but His blessings abounded through everything. I have so many things to be thankful for.

 

Soli Deo Gloria.