He Had Me At…
My third Interstitial Cystitis (IC) flare of the year continued for a month. My sister and I again made the trip over an hour away to Spartanburg Urology Center so that I could get another bladder instillation. (See blog post Wizard Of Oz-Like for more details on the first trip https://icmynewlife.com/wizard-of-oz-like/)
This time we took my Mama with us. I will never forget on the way home as I lay in the back seat my sister drove and my Mama read funny, short stories from the Reader’s Digest magazine. Mama would get so tickled as she was reading the stories that we couldn’t help but share in her laughter.
The next week when I needed an instillation I was able to get an appointment with my local doctor. The appointment was at 8:40 am…yes, am! Not my favorite time for an appointment but it was the only one available for that week so I took it.
I explained to him how I had tried to get an appointment with him for the last two weeks but ended up going out-of-town instead, because he was so booked up. He said that anytime his staff tells me that to “Page him at the hospital” and he will get the Mid-Wife Nurse to give me the instillation. I told him thank you so much that means a lot to me at as the tears streamed down my face.
This doctor understands IC and knows that I am in extreme amount of pain especially when I am in an IC flare. He always takes the time to listen to me and answer all my questions. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with a compassionate IC doctor.
The medicine (cocktail) in the instillation he gave me makes my symptoms worse before they get better. On the drive home I had extreme burning in my bladder and my lower regions. I mostly thought about what the doctor had said…He had me at “Page him at the hospital.” (You know I changed the popular expression below)
Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at “hello.”
By the time I walked in the door when I got home I was in full melt down mode. My husband thought I was upset and said what did he say to you? I explained that I was relieved and that was why I was crying. My husband seemed confused…women are complicated to say the least. Especially a menopausal one, with chronic pain that’s in an IC flare. I said that this doctor understands IC and it means so much to me to have someone who understands a little bit of what I am going through.
I held the medicine as long as I could. When I voided I noticed that there was blood too. I knew from past experience that this was all right…painful but all right.
Throughout the day I had both frequency and urgency and the burning continued all day long. I stayed in bed most of the day and rested. I was miserable but I knew that in the long run these treatments would help make me feel better.
The following week I went back for another instillation. This time I remembered to take some Pyridium first to help ease the burning. This instillation did not hurt as bad. I even went to the bank for the office before I headed home to rest.
So far this year has been filled with lots of pain and my struggles have been many but I know that the Lord is strong enough to handle all of this for me. I have to make a conscious decision everyday when I wake up to “cast my cares” on Him. I know that the Lord is always beside me leading me and He listens to me. The Lord had me at “It is Finished.”
I have had this song on my heart all day. It explains how the Lord is the anchor of my HOPE and the only one in control. I hope you will listen to the song and tell me what you think.
