I was walking down the street and suddenly something jumped out and hit me with a 2 by 4, knocking me down and out. Well…not exactly, but the mental impact of the events of this past weekend are not dissimilar.

Last Thursday, February 4, Randy and I drove to Charlotte, NC, so I could fly out from the airport there to California for my cancer follow up appointments. We came down Thursday, a day early, to beat bad weather coming in on Friday. It was a good plan.

Things took a turn for the nightmarish after we ate microwave dinners. I didn’t feel good and went to bed but that was short-lived as I started running to the bathroom for the next few hours. I went into severe chills at which time Randy took me to a nearby hospital ER (Presbyterian Hospital) around 1 AM Friday. Three and a half hours later I was admitted and climbed into a bed (oh bliss) and given an anti-nausea IV. By then I was beginning to feel better but was exhausted. I had all kinds of tests run, including a blood test for bacterial infection, the results of which, coming in daily have been negative, however, they have a 4-5 day wait period for final results. We and the doctors still do not know if this was food poisoning (which we initially suspected) or a virus. Whatever it was knocked me for a loop…down and out.

I was badly dehydrated so was pumped full of fluids to try to replenish those I lost. My blood pressure was not stable but later in the afternoon Friday things seemed to smooth out and there was talk of releasing me from ER to go home (or back to the hotel, in our case). Then my blood pressure tanked. As I recall it was something around 76/55, or some such unreal number. The doctor said I was going into shock and they had to keep me in the hospital. I was transferred to ICU later that day. I did a lot of dozing and sleeping that day and the next, and more and more tubes and wires ran from my body. The doctors and nurses were excellent and we are very grateful for the good care I received.

Randy was with me the whole time. He hadn’t slept all night either, of course. Friday morning 2 friends from the Charlotte area came to visit me in ER (I was in their ER ICU unit most of Friday until moved to regular ICU later that day). The parents of Bob Hammond, our neighbor and co-worker at Mustard Seeds, came in to see me, along with their daughter who also works at the hospital. It was so kind of them to come by and offer their prayers as well as hospitality if we needed it. None of us knew then that later that weekend Mr. Hammond, Sr., would himself be going to the hospital as a patient. Do hold him up in prayer as the doctors determine what is wrong and find a treatment to help him.

Shortly after the Hammond’s left, our friend of many years, Lynn, came in to see us. Her husband, Jerry, was out of town (arriving back Sunday and visiting briefly with us even though I am sure he was tired!) but she and her son, Joel, offered Randy their guest room when he needed it, which he gratefully accepted Saturday night. Lynn went above and beyond in her commitment to care for us: Randy got sick that Saturday night and ended up in ER Sunday morning! Lynn spent time between the 2 of us and made special trips on our behalf. We owe her a debt of gratitude. Maybe we can take her up on her offer to visit them sometime and see other, more pleasant, sights of Charlotte!

Randy received IV fluids and was released from ER in a few hours, joining me in my ICU room. Earlier I had called one of my sons in California (Randy had been keeping them and others updated on my situation) and told them about Dad being sick now and in ER. I had been holding it together until the phone began to ring and I just couldn’t keep from getting choked up as Jeremy came on the phone. I felt so bad not being able to be with Randy now when he was sick. I could pray… and I had to leave things in God’s hands. And of course, he has very strong, capable hands, often demonstrated through other people. Jeremy was ready to fly out here from CA but I told him we’d be ok. Others had also been praying and offering assistance in various ways. As it was my brother Daniel, in Atlanta, called shortly after and said he and his wife Michele and my Mom, who lives with them, were packing and would be on the road to Charlotte very soon. They wanted to be there for us in this trying time. What a blessing it was to be with them and also know so many others were standing with us all the time as well. We are deeply grateful. They all are visible manifestations of the Good Hand of God.

As a result of being sick and hospitalized it was necessary to cancel at least 2 of my doctor’s appointments and cancel my plane ticket to CA. Thankfully, my doctor visits have been rescheduled for the time I will be in CA and I should get a refund of the flight cost or some of it, through flight insurance (do pray that goes through!). Randy was already scheduled to fly out to CA the week after me (Feb 14th) so I was able, once home again Tuesday afternoon, to book my flight to CA on the plane Randy will be traveling on! I am so happy about that. There were about 3 or 4 seats left on the 2 legs of the flight needed. All I needed was one.

So where did that “2X4” come from? Oh, isn’t it tempting to ask that? Lord, what is going on? As you can see, getting a case of food poisoning or the flu (whatever it was), can really throw me for a loop. But as Randy and I thought about it, we realized there is much to be thankful for, even in the midst of this very unpleasant situation.

First of all, I am grateful for the good hospital, doctors and nurses we had. Presbyterian Hospital is apparently one of the best around…and we were directed there. Next, I thought that if this had hit me even 2 years ago I would not have been strong enough to go through it as well as I did this week end. The stress of throwing up (to put it nicely) would have severely affected my strength and made it very easy to aspirate or choke…to death. I’ve almost done that one. I had to be intubated (so I could breathe) on the spot, one of the scariest and unpleasant experiences around (this was back in CA in the 1980’s). As it is I was strong, and though I became very ill, I was able to go through this ordeal and come out just as strong…and did not have to be put on life support. To Randy and me, this is a miracle. It is the first time in my life since being diagnosed with MG that this has ever happened. Even in the midst of trial, there is that for which we can praise God, and I aim to do that!

We also see this as an attack, along with some other kinds of attacks on our staff, by the evil one. We just concluded a week of intensive prayer, 12 hours a day for 7 days, each staff person taking several 4 hour shifts. Like Randy says, perhaps we ended too soon; we’ve just kicked the hornet’s nest and made them mad. We must keep the spirit of prayer in the work, take time for focused prayer and move ahead with the work God is calling us to do…alongside Him.

Of course, I don’t pretend to know and understand all the spiritual dynamics of what is going on behind the scenes. But I know there is a behind the scenes which is very real, with real good guys and real bad guys. Even our prayers can assist the good guys as they tend to the business of obeying God as He listens to our prayers and sends His messengers, the good guys, to carry out His answers, His will. Our lives do have meaning and purpose. I should never take life lightly, that is, how I live my life, because it has great impact on others.

So whatever comes my way, or yours, is no mistake, no happenstance. It is for the purpose of bringing glory to God, even though our enemy means it for evil in our lives. I hope I can rightly do so today.

Thank you for your prayers!

Jacque