Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

“See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.

• Deuteronomy 32:39

“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord.

• 2 Kings 20:25

Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.

• Psalm 30:2

“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

• Luke 10:8-9

I hinted in yesterday’s post and in the initial Bible Study of Psalms this morning that I had a doctor visit today, as of writing this, and I had mixed emotions regarding what the results might be.

After four procedures in two and a half months, the doctor ordered bloodwork, a 24 hour collection of urine, and an ultrasound.  When I returned to the doctor six weeks after the procedures were completed, the nurse practitioner was prepared to do our 6-month thing, which is now a one-year thing (which is praiseworthy in itself – clear fluid and no growth in the cyst).  But he was also up-to-date on all the bloodwork, etc.

We have a patient portal.  I got to read the results ahead of time.  Some of the test results were empty, probably a link to a file that was inaccessible.  But some of the test results would normally point toward cancer.  But those results, just a few months ago were less than half of what they were recently.

The person prone to panic would think fast-acting and spreading cancer since the number doubled in less than two months.  Okay, I thought of that and rejected it.  For one, the doctor did not call me.  And two, if it was my time to go, I would have time to say good-bye, unlike a massive stroke or heart attack.

But the nurse practitioner said that the procedures that I endured, and the catheterizations afterwards could have caused an infection that mimics the same result.  Thus, I am on massive doses of antibiotics.  The bloodwork will be redone in another month.  If the dreaded numbers have come down, even a tiny fraction, then I will be out of the danger zone.  Is there a chance that this might be bad news, just delayed?  Sure, but I put my hope and my trust in the Lord.

And as for the reason that my body is making kidney stone material faster than what is normally humanly possible, the doctor had bloodwork and the results of the urinalysis that point to the parathyroid glands.  For some reason, these four tiny glands on top of the thyroid want to take calcium from the body and dump it into the bloodstream.  The kidneys then see the excess calcium and remove it, creating stones.  I think they said that if this is the case (more bloodwork in another month) they might add another medication to calm down those four feisty glands at the base of my neck.

The only dietary change is that the doctor wants me to drink one 500ml bottle of water more than what I presently drink.  No subtractions of favorite foods, at least not yet.

I am praying for the best results in the near future.  I am satisfied with what is being done for now.  And I place my trust in the Lord, regardless of the outcome.

So, I am anticipating a little upset stomach, an increase in GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder), both from the antibiotics (eating a meal with the medicine and not lying down afterwards for a couple of hours), but otherwise, if the doctors’ expert opinion is correct, I should start feeling better otherwise.

As Jerry Clower would say, “Ain’t God Good!”

Praise the Lord!

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.