As you know, life has been heavy. The lives of my patients are heavy as well. I found this to be burdensome to my mind and spirit... and thus my body as well. I had dreams of being a radiologist. Radiology use medical knowledge, but the patients are just images... just a puzzle to solve. I don't have to look the suffering in the face day in day out. As a hospitalist, I wondered, "just how long can I do this?"
Today, I had my favorite patient ever. He was an amazing blessing to me! To me, it was a divine appointment. At first he was impressive to me because at the age of 69 he took on the cause to lose weight. he started walking 2.5 miles a day, lifting weights, and started writing down every single item he ate. "turns out I ate way too much" he said. He lost 50 pounds! He looked so vital. Next, is what really impressed me... he started talking about Jesus. Not just the way I talk about Jesus... with even more love and passion than I can explain. As he was talking of Jesus the nurses ran in because the heart monitor read that his heart rate went from 100 up to 140 and they were worried about him. No he didn't convert to AFIB or have a run of VTAC. It was sinus... Now that's excited for Jesus!!! We shared from our lives. He and I were doing some of the same things wrong, and God used each of us to point out how we had been showing little faith in him, because we are trying to carry other people's burdens, instead of trusting their burdens to God. He also gave me advice at how to pray regarding Vanessa's health problems. He said, "don't just pray for healing... pray for God to show you the truth." He related a story from about 30 years ago. He was suffering some very real health problems, and he prayed that prayer. God revealed to him what he wanted him to do. His health problems resolved much to the amazement of his doctor. I know more details than I share, but for brevity's sake... God healed him through his obedience and through his spiritual growth. The mind, body, and soul are not separate... they are one.
The rest of my work day was blessed. I walked into many rooms with patients in terrible sad situations... some very sick people who have been going through a long suffering trial... but instead of feeling torn down by it, I prayed earnestly with them. I empathized with them. I encouraged them. Well, more accurately, I was God's instrument as he loved them. I felt alive. I felt that I was living out one of my God given purposes on this Earth... this is what he has prepared me for.
dngilb md.
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