My life has been a bit crazy lately, it’s taken some crazy twist and turns. My faith has been rocked, my emotions have been all over the place and I felt like it was time to give you all a little peek into it. 🤪
In the end of June, I was sent to the ER with a kidney stone and infection. There wasn’t too much said at that visit, they discharged me with blood work results and told me to see my primary. I saw my primary doctor through a FaceTime visit that following Monday and got news I was NOT expecting. It turned out my kidney function was in trouble and did not look good at all. According to the blood work, I was in stage three kidney disease and needed to see a specialist immediately. My kidney function was 53%!! I was devastated to say the least. I’m pretty sure I cried that entire day.
Jon and I went to the nephrologist within a week. He said he doesn’t give anyone a “stage” unless they’ve been at the same level for 3 months straight. He advised me he is all about nutrition healing your kidney function and told me to eat meat only once a week. I said I will do anything to heal them, I do not want kidney issues. While in there I saw a chart in regards to kidney function, I said to Jon I will get my kidney function above 90% to make it normal by the time we come here again.
During all this, it requires lots of testing, lots of appointments and I’ve just been completely drained so I have been on medical leave to take care of my health. Jon was called to Tampa on business and since I was out of work, I was able to go with him. In reality, I know God was calling me to Be Still so that He could talk to me. One quiet night in the hotel, the Holy Spirit told me I needed to get my pacemaker checked. Honestly if you could see my crazy conversation in the shower with the Holy Spirit (who you cannot actually see or hear) you’d think I was a crazy person. I was like my pacemaker??? Why my pacemaker?? Lord, I’m dealing with my kidneys right now, why are you telling me to do something with my heart now?? He reminded me of how I’ve been drained and will feel from one second to another that all energy has been zapped from me. It was like an ‘ah ha’ moment but I was still confused. Being obedient, I called my cardiologist office and told them my symptoms, they spoke to the doctor, called me back and said I needed to come in the very next day to have the pacemaker checked then see the doctor.
The next day comes, I go into my cardiologist office get my pacemaker checked and to my surprise my pacemaker battery had dropped 11 months in a 3 month timing. It showed I had only 7 months of battery life left and it had just shown 1 year and 6 months just a few months before this. You know how God tells you something and you think He might be crazy or you think you’re crazy and hearing Him wrong but then He proves it to you. He proved once again, He knows what He is talking about. Yeah! This was one of those moments. I was crying, I was chuckling, I was shocked, I just couldn’t believe it.
Then I meet with the doctor, in his eyes yes, the battery is dropping fast, but in his words you still have time left on it, we can ride it out a little longer. Excuse me? Does this doctor know how crazy I am?? He said don’t worry, when it gets too low, the siren will start going off. Ummm...my chest will start alarming?! I said doctor, if my chest starts sounding off, I will have much more problems than just needing a new battery! I am crazy!! And I will flip out!! He then said we needed to do some other tests on my heart to make sure everything else was ok then he will bring me back in for another check on the pacemaker and discuss what to do from there.
In that same appointment he then went over how my iron was dangerously low and I needed iron IV infusions immediately. I was really shocked and bummed to hear this because I just got done hearing one praise report and then boom another setback.
It felt like I was on this roller coaster ride that was taking my body through ups and downs and taking my mind fully with it. I wanted time to be excited about my kidneys but then it turned into a new issue again. So, I cried it out again but once I did I realized I have SO much to be thankful for! No matter what God was still looking out for me. It was because of Him this was revealed so that I could get the treatment I needed to feel better and get healthy again. I started the IV treatments the next day, to be honest, they stink! They don’t make me feel the best and it taste awful! Yes, you taste it the entire time it’s going through the IV.
It had been 29 days since the cardiologist appointment, I had gone for all the testing he ordered. Now, I was back to get the pacemaker checked again and see the doctor. I find out the battery life dropped TWO more months in 29 days! The doctor came in and said are you ready? We need to get this done! So now I am scheduled for surgery on September 10 to get a new pacemaker.
Honestly, I cried the whole way home but after getting it all out and letting God speak to me. I was reminded He has me. It’s all thanks to Him for revealing this to me. How amazing is our God that a kidney issue which ended up being healed, led to me getting my iron corrected and ultimately led to revealing I needed a new pacemaker. The Lord knows if my chest started an alarming sound, I would probably meet Him in person A LOT sooner than planned and now I really know He has more plans for me here on earth. I’ve told Him I will always share of what He does for me in hopes that it gives someone else hope.
Does it bother me sometimes that I do have some health issues? YES. It definitely does but ultimately I’m thankful I’m here and I’m thankful to be used, even if it means another surgery. Ultimately, I TRUST God and I trust His plan. In the midst of all of this about a month or more ago, I heard the words to the song Available by Elevation Worship and that is when I chose to let go and trust Him fully. Those words in that song, are truly the cry of my heart and if I mean that, like truly mean that, then it’s that simple. I trust Him and I trust His plan for me. So, please keep me in prayer that God will use me during that time in the hospital and He will use me to witness to those around me. Most days I’m happy and jolly, acting like my crazy self but many days during the past three months I’ve cried more tears than I knew I had, eyes swollen, face all red but it’s in those moments where God meets me, speaks to me, comforts me and makes me realize HE HAS ME.
“Trust in the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
Love always,
Lynette
