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| Perfection: Atomic Clock, Paul McDonald's Teeth & Submariner Rolex |
When last I wrote, I had recently seen a neurologist about the lesions on my brain & my ability to continue in my physician’s practice was up in the air. The weekend of May 1st, Dr. Jakacki attended some conference somewhere. The only way I know that he went to a conference over that weekend is because late that Sunday evening I got a call from him. He was all excited about the things they covered at the conference, especially because it gave him some insights into my crazy health. He told me to call his office 1st thing in the morning to get an appointment so that he could go over what he learned. Being the obedient, submissive person I am (*loud throat-clearing can be heard across the land*), I called & got an appointment on the books.
Bob went with me to my appointment because he was eager to hear whatever Pete was so excited about. It turns out that Pete learned a LOT about Lyme Disease from that conference. He got out one of the booklets that were handed out to all in attendance & page after page showed me the signs & symptoms of Lyme Disease. After we had looked through the whole book, Bob & I looked at each other in wonder. I told Pete that it was as if he took my chart with him & gave them to the speaker, who used my chart as notes for his complete talk! Almost every malady I have can be connected to Lyme. It’s like Lyme is the grenade that blew up my health, & all of my other illnesses are the shrapnel that spread out & did damage throughout my body. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthritis, muscular abnormalities, migraines, diabetes, insomnia, low magnesium, even Panhypopituitarism! Lyme can also cause multiple sclerosis! Every diagnosis I have from the past 20 years or so can be connected to Lyme Disease! Some of you may wonder how a person gets Lyme Disease. Well, it really ticked me off to learn that Lyme is spread through deer ticks. You also may wonder how I would have been exposed to deer ticks. I must tell you that my father was a farm boy at heart, & as a child, I frequently went with him to my grandpa’s farm. I enjoy being outside. Before I got sick I liked to walk through the woods & grassy fields. After Colson was born (& before Josiah), Bob & I took a group of students to Beattyville, Kentucky to minister to the many malnourished, needy children of Appalachia. We were in the hills for sure! The mission that we stayed at was directly on the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest. I think you would be correct to say that we were “in the Boone-ies”!
Because Dr. Jakacki was so psyched about finding this connection with my health, he wanted me to begin an IV antibiotic therapy, which is the only proven way to lessen the hold of Lyme. It never goes away, but you can get it somewhat under control. There are very few reliable diagnostic tests that can be used with Lyme. But Lyme is primarily diagnosed through symptoms. However, I will be doing a lab that Pete thinks has a good reputation for being accurate, just to see if it can be confirmed. In the mean time, I have begun a new schedule. On Monday, Tuesday & Wednesdays I am to go to the Outpatient Clinic @ Dupont Hospital, where I will be given IV Doxycycline, Rocephin, Magnesium & Zofran, as well as a bag of lactated ringers. The drugs can’t be given together, so this process lasts about 3 hours. Then in the evenings of those days, I have to drive to Dr. Jakacki’s office to get a Rocephin shot (actually two, because of the large dose I am getting). At home I also take Doxycycline & Flagyl orally. Gratefully I will get 4 days of rest & recovery before starting the cycle all over again the following Monday. In speaking with the Outpatient nurses who I am beginning to know & love, I was told that this regimen is chemotherapy. All IV therapies that use powerful drugs to kill an unwanted illness are technically “chemo” therapies (chemo stands for chemical). I was also told that like cancer chemo, my meds will make me feel terrible & very sick. I will be greatly weakened & have heard over & over again - sleep is the best way to heal. I’m not usually a napper, but I think that will change. Pete hopes that giving me 4 days in between drug therapy will allow me to recover my strength before having my body trounced by antibiotics again. I for one hope he is correct!
Since Pete is the topic of discussion, I have to address my fears about losing him as my physician. Pete told me that BMA, now being joined with Lutheran Medical Group (LMG), would never allow a patient to remain within their group after filling bankruptcy. Even so, he told me that he would write a letter, & told me to write one as well. After I gave Pete my letter, I didn’t ask any questions about the situation because I didn’t want to hear bad news. Yeah, such amazing faith! About a week & a half later, I received a letter from BMA. I prayed before I opened it, & then slowly tore the envelope & took the letter out. I carefully unfolded the letter & began reading: “Dr. Jakacki has shared with me that he wishes to retain your family as patients in spite of your bankruptcy. Since joining a larger corporation, Dr. Jakacki will not in the future have the latitude to retain you or other families in your situation.”
Here’s the kicker! “However, after your balance is discharged & you have a ‘clean slate’ with us for dates of service prior to your bankruptcy filing, you absolutely must make any copayments or otherwise pay for services not covered by any insurance. We are all looking forward to a continued relationship as Dr. Jakacki continues to care for your medical needs.”
The magnitude of this miracle is to me like the parting of the Red Sea. We have collectors following in hot pursuit, wanting to enslave us to their high interest rates & penalties. We feel trapped because it seems we have lost the one thing that we desperately need. Suddenly, BMA billing stands in front of the Red Sea & spreads their arms above their heads. In one hand is the letter from Pete. In the other hand, the letter from us. God has shown favor to us & allows us to walk through the Red Sea of our life, safely to the other side. The key to this will be to remember our deliverance & to purpose to never get in this situation again.
God’s timing is more perfect than Paul McDonald’s teeth! If you haven’t been watching American Idol, scroll to the top of this update & his picture is there. God’s timing is more perfect than a Rolex. His timing is more perfect than the atomic clock. His timing is ALWAYS PERFECT! Why don’t I remember that more often? So God heard all of the prayers which were offered up regarding this situation, & when God’s people pray, He hears & acts. Thank you so much for praying on our behalf!
There are a few things that we need God’s direction in, & we would like to ask you to pray with us about these. Please pray that during this stressful, unpredictable time, Bob & I would grow stronger & closer to each other than ever before. Even with 25 years under out belts, we are still fallible people with sin natures that find the worst times to rear their ugly heads.
Please pray for our children. Jess is married & loves it. We really are thankful for the man of God her husband Jeff is striving to become. Rachel has not yet decided what she wants to do with her life. Until that is decided, she is working at a gym & also at a warehouse. Isaac is working with Paragon Landscaping & has already lost a lot of weight in the process. Pray that things will work out so that he can get his transcripts sent from USI to Grace College for classes this fall. Colson is SO CLOSE to graduation! He can’t wait! He is just beginning a job at Phil’s One Stop in Grabill, so stop in & say hi sometime. Josiah is finishing up 7th grade but struggles to stay focused on the boring task of learning. He is experiencing a little twinge of separation anxiety with me. He wants to be with me at all times, or to know where I am, why I am there & how long I will be there. He is afraid that I will die & he won’t be with me to say goodbye. It’s sad that he even thinks of his mom dying!
Please pray for Bob & me. Since Bob is PRN, his hours at work fluctuate based upon the patient census. It’s been low recently & this has greatly affected his pay check. He is very discouraged about this, because he wants to do what every man wants to do - provide for his family. Bob is considering finding a 2nd job to supplement his income. Pray that God would turn him to the direction He wants & that Bob will become at peace with his best efforts. God can & will make up the difference. As for my prayer needs, you could probably guess. Pray that no matter where I am, what I’m doing, who I’m talking to, that I will be a woman of integrity & a beacon of the hope I have within me. Pray for me as I am unable to help clean the house because the chemo is too much for me. I feel guilty about that. And pray that the Lyme protocol that Pete has put in place for me will work as God intends & that my body will cooperate with the medications.
Thank you for your concern, thoughts & prayers. You have an impact on our lives! God bless!
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