Blessed am I. I have a new song to sing. A song of suffering...oh, so slight my pain in comparison to the world's. Such a pinprick of usefulness in recalling my Savior's so many years ago during passover's remembrance and crucifixion's torture.
I've been in quite a bit of pain lately. My lower back, spine and hip. I'd tried to work it out--presuming it was from gardening, and lugging my granddaughters around on my hip. Then Friday, I started to itch at a spot on my waist. It was about the size of a dime and appeared to be a bugbite--strongly resembled a chigger invasion. But my pain in my hip got worse, my back was throbbing and burning. I thought about it and recalled that for two weeks, the pain had been throbbing, burning, numbing and itching; only it had no whelps or rash. Then it hit me. Shingles.
I did a quick search on the web and sure enough all my symptoms pointed to shingles. I mentioned it to my husband and he said, "awh, you probably just have a bug-bite." So, I shook off the thought, applied some cortisone cream, took 3 aspirins and went to bed. I awoke in the night in greater pain. I checked the spot and it had multiplied. I tried not to diagnosis myself--chiggers; that's what chiggers do. They spread. I took more aspirin, applied more cream and went back to bed.
The next morning the "bites" had multiplied ten times. No longer satisfied with the fact that it was chiggers, I diagnosed myself. I have shingles. Couldn't go to the doctor. Didn't want to go to the emergency room. So I pumped myself full of Vitamin C, B-6, B-12 and probiotics. The pain was excruciating. I could barely move without it intensifying. I couldn't stand to touch it; it felt like I was punching myself with needles.
By Sunday morning my pain was like a wrenched muscle being strained without any need of movement. When I moved, the pain was worse. When I sat still the pain grew stronger. But I wouldn't have missed Sunday School for anything. My two granddaughters were here for the weekend and the highlight of every visit was going to Sunday School at our church. So I found a long loose-fitting skirt I could hike up above my waistline that still hung just above my ankles. I wore sandals with no nylons. It wasn't ideal, but better than clothes that hugged. I told our Sunday School department, I had a prayer request and a praise: "I have shingles, but they aren't on my face; I have it better than Job with his boils." At least I wouldn't have to scrape my skin with pottery shards.
I focused on the most positive thought I could. I had recognized what I had in time to get the anti-viral medication. And fortunately for me, they prescribed a special concocted shingles cream for the itching. I have loritab for the pain.
All things considered, it could be worse. As I sit here typing, I think my suffering is minimal in comparison to some folks. It's horrible in comparison to others. But the Lord has given me a new song. In all things, I rejoice. I am so grateful I went to church in spite of my pain. In Sunday School, Brooklyn, 9, said Ms. Faye told her she didn't have to recite the memory verse because she hadn't been there the week before. But she memorized it and said it anyway. She was so excited when she shared that with me. She then recited it to her younger sister, Abby; "Do what is right and good in the Lord's sight, so it will go well with you." {Deut.6:18.
And then they began to discuss it. "What's right? What's good?"
It was right not to yell at each other. It was good to share. It was right to not cuss. It was right to obey right away. It was good to pray. It was right to take turns. By the time we reached our house, they had decided exactly what was good and right in the sight of the Lord. Later, as I lay in a recliner, wallowing in the pain and misery of the moment, Brooklyn got me some gingerale. Then she got her sister some apple juice. She let the dog out. She kept the dog from jumping on me. Abby didn't crawl up next to me as usual, but laid on the foot of the recliner and took a nap. Brooklyn picked up their room, straightened up the kitchen and gathered up all their belongings to take back home.
I smiled. She was doing what was right and good in the sight of the Lord. And watching it, brought lyrics of joy and notes of harmony to my soul. What a balm for a suffering body--to witness God at work in a child's heart. And as pleasing as it was to me, I can imagine how sweet the smell of incense was to our Father above. I wonder if I would have heard the song had it not been for the stillness of suffering. selahV [copyrighted, selahV Today, 2007] NOTES OF INTEREST REGARDING SHINGLES:
1. There is a vaccine which could prevent them. (If you are 60 or older--which I'm not--a single shot of Zostavax to the arm reduces the odds of an outbreak of shingles. If you have a flare-up even after getting the vaccine, your symptoms will be milder. MY SUGGESTION: GET IT! I wouldn't wish this on Osama Bin Ladin.
2. There is a drug, Lyrica, which helps treat painful neuropathy, also known as nerve pain. This type pain follows the outbreak of Shingles. It works on the nerves that cause the pain. As usual, it has side effects--what medication doesn't? However, I shall definitely try it, if this pain persists. I cannot imagine what folks are doing without any relief. It's bad enough with pain meds.
