31 July, 2011

Well... yesterday was my last day of Mission Year! I can't believe it! I'm in Asheville, NC for a few days, resting, getting a break from the city, and trying to begin processing through what's happened this past year. I have so many thoughts and emotions that it's impossible to put any of them into words! I'll be posting some of my thoughts once I get back to Atlanta. In the meantime:

11 July, 2011

07 July, 2011

I will exalt you, O Lord,
for You lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help
and you have healed me.
O Lord, you brought up my soul from the grave,
restored me to life
from among those going down to the pit.
Sing praises to the Lord,
O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to His holy name.
For His anger lasts only a moment,
but His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I shall never be moved."
By Your favor, O Lord,
You had established me as a strong mountain;
but when You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
To You, O Lord, I cried,
and to the Lord I made my supplication:
"What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!"
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
You have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may sing to You
and not be silent.
O Lord my God,
I will give thanks to you forever!

- Psalm 30


Well, I had another few crazy weeks! Two weeks ago, I started feeling sick. I had a stomach ache, was nauseous, and thought I had the flu. So, the next day I stayed home and rested. All I ate was a piece of toast because I didn't want to make things worse. But, that night I passed out, most likely because I hadn't eaten anything. I called my mom (because mom always knows what to do) and she told me to go to the emergency room, just in case. So, my roommate Emily drove me to the hospital and we spent the night in the ER. The doctor focused on the fact that I passed out and wasn't at all concerned with the intense stomach pain I had. She practically yelled at me for not eating more and asked me if I was anorexic. She gave me two different pain medications and neither of them helped. After about eight hours, I was discharged. Among the instructions on my discharge sheet was "You must eat more than a piece of bread." I was frustrated, to say the least, because I still had bad stomach pain.

Luckily, I had been given a referral to see a gastroenterologist. I met with him two days later and after about five minutes of talking with me and poking my stomach, he knew I had acute appendicitis. I went and had a CT scan for confirmation, then went back to the hospital for surgery that same night! When we got there, the doctor and nurses were all waiting for me. The took me in, drugged me up, then took out my appendix. I remember waking up from the surgery feeling awful and shaking uncontrollably. They gave me some pain meds and after about an hour, I was feeling much better. I spent that night in the hospital and was sent home the next afternoon. I mostly just remember being extremely tired. The hospital had surprisingly good food and it was a treat to watch a little TV. I spent the next week at home, mostly napping and reading. Today, after being gone for thirteen days, is my first day back at work. I feel much better, though still a little tired and sore where my incisions are.

Thank you so much to everyone for your prayers, cards, phone calls, flowers, and love! It truly means a lot to me to know you care!