Friday, November 04, 2011

Of health and trousers that fall down.

I am in my office today, the first full day this week that dosen't have me travelling elsewhere to meet different people and committees, and it just happens to be snowing outside. November 4th and it's the first snow of the 2011 season. So it feels cosy in here and the work I need to complete today is manageable, especially as I have tomorrow to finish it as well.

I think that four posts in a month is a new low for me, but there have been circumstances trust me, extenuating circumstances.

Getting the Autumn activities up and running for the church, and being in meetings and projects to hire new staff for here, working on a preaching series, and keeping up with people, my Jr. High confirmation/Discipleship class, and killing stupid flies, lots of stupid flies, well that's all been very busy.

But the theme of this month for me has been my sickness. Flu and cold like symptoms, with an evolving cough. Ongoing aches and pains in the muscles and joints, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, yeah it's felt like the flu for a whole month.

Last week I went to the Doctor finally, and since I was a walk-in, my regular doctor wasn't there. The doctor I saw was on top of his game, really sharp. Checking me over, asking me questions, before he came up with his pronouncement. No flu, no cold.

No, it seems that at my tender age of 48 that I now have Asthma, and that this infection I now have in my lungs was brought on by an allergic reaction of some sort, which kicked in, or is a result of the asthma.

Then he diagnosed a autoimmune disease I've struggled with for a few years, but in the past year has been much more of a problem for me. While these sorts of things are not rare, they are made worse by infections and allergic reactions and in many people, the symptoms can be tiredness, muscle aches and low fever. If it continues to progress it could lead to some serious health problems down the road.

It all makes some good sense in terms of how I've been feeling and fighting and dragging my butt around for the past month. And it's really good to have identified some ongoing problems I've been having yet wondering what those things could be about.

So now, like many ten year old boys, I am equipped with a puffer which I am to use twice, morning and night. And I am taking some horse sized pills to deal with the infection. I am instructed to get more sun on my skin and I am instructed to cut down on the stressful stuff. Right.

As with many men I tend to ignore health issues and declare that they will go away in time and just give it some more time and see I'm pretty much indestructible. But as with every man who ever said that, I am not. I do think it's pretty great that I don't have worse health problems and that except for a few hiccups in my younger years, it's been pretty smooth sailing.

I don't want to be defined by my health issues, so I often won't talk about them, which could be seen as denial I suppose. But even as I creak and groan around the place I am open to talking about these things. That's also a reason I've included it here on my blog. They are a part of life, and death, and beneath it all they remind me that we are all going to die, even me. While I am on this side of death I am going to make intentional choices about my existence as I grow in relationship with creator God, and his rescuer son, Jesus.


There is some good news with this all too. For the past few days it's felt like my pants are always having to be yanked up because they feel like they are falling down so this morning I got out the scale and it turnes out I am 10 pounds lighter in the weight department. Sweet.

See, a silver lining...








4 comments:

  1. Glad to read the update and see that you've received some answers. My low-level concern for you is eased somewhat. :)

    I just turned 31 and am finding lists and reminders more important than ever. A few signs that I'm not 21 any more and maybe a bit of a realization that a greater amount of time and energy needs to be spent on me or I'll be completely shut down for a time.

    Continue improving, Randall.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad you got a diagnosis that suggests things can get better - all we now need is for them to do so! Take care my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ooh asthma. Glad to see I'm not alone in the friesen house anymore.

    Now if I can just convince you all that you're also dairy and wheat sensitive, I'll have a true following of believers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the update, thinking of you!

    ReplyDelete



Play nice - I will delete anything I don't want associated with this blog and I will delete anonymous comments.