Okay, let me back up a month and tell you about a challenging situation I faced. Before I start, let me just say ladies that I am not comparing kidney stone pain to childbirth. I obviously have and will never give birth to a child being that I am a man, but I can say that kidney stone pain is unbearable. I will never forget Friday, December 29, 2017 as long as I live. I was scheduled to work at Chick Fil-A Port Jefferson at 2pm. That morning I threw on a hoodie and sweat pants and drove down to Christian Church at Holbrook to make copies for Holbrook kids for that coming Sunday morning lesson. While driving on Patchogue/ Holbrook Road I started to feel a pain in my back. I thought my back was going out and as I approached the church, the pain became worse. As I started making copies, the pain became increasingly worse. What was wrong with me? I couldn't even finish copies and left all my materials in the copy room and struggled to get to my van. As I was driving I quickly called my Mom (Dr. Mom) thinking maybe she knew what the pain was and what to do. I was 3 days short of my health insurance going into effect. She told me it may be a kidney stone and to look for a health clinic and I found one on Portion Road in Farmingville. I literally crawled into the clinic leaning over the counter begging for them to see me ASAP. Of course they needed my information, license, health history and payment info. While I waited and called my boss at Chick Fil-A telling him I would not be in. He didn't even recognize my voice. The pain was unbearable. It felt like I had 20 knives stuck in my back. Finally a doctor saw me and it felt like I was in the examination room for over an hour, but it was only 15 minutes. I was sweating profusely and took of my hoodie leaning over the examination table. I begged the doctor to give me meds for the pain. She did and it felt like the nurse was taking her sweet time giving them to me. The doctor told me I needed to go to the ER. As I got to the ER at Mather Hospital my meds wore off. I was in the ER for about 5 hours, and was told after being examined and having an MRI that I had a kidney stone. I was sent home and picked up my meds. Thankfully, I passed the stone the following morning.
That episode would not be my last.....RATS! On June 10th while at church, I felt discomfort in my back. At that moment, I didn't think it was another stone. Again, the pain was unbearable and I spent that Sunday afternoon back at Mather Hospital. This time I knew it was another stone. I went through the same routine....MRI....sent home....meds.. etc....etc...I didn't work for 2 days and thought I passed the stone. At the time, I was working part time at Cheeburger Cheeburger, a restaurant I was managing in Farmingdale off of 110 (I'll share that experience in a blog soon) and part time at Chick Fil-A Commack (I'll share that as well soon). That Friday about 6 hours into my 11 hour shift I felt discomfort. I thought I passed the stone earlier in the week. Could it be I had a second stone? So soon? Again the pain was unbearable and I had to call my boss that I needed to go home. Driving on the Long Island Expressway was murder. I felt every bump! I got home, grabbed my meds and went to bed. I had to cancel the first of my two shifts at Chick Fil-A Commack that Saturday. 2 hours into my shift I had another kidney stone attack and had to leave early. I managed to get home again and made it through the night. I was hesitant to go back to the ER a second Sunday in a row because I had no health insurance, but I had no choice. A dear friend drove me and I unfortunately spent Father's Day back at Mather. I was planning on taking my kids to the movies to see the movie Incredibles 2, but that had to be delayed for a few weeks. After the same old routine, MRI and being examined, the doctor told me I never passed the stone I had a week prior to that.
After going through this ordeal which I pray never happens again, It made me think about the pain Jesus suffered for you and me on the cross of Calvary. He did it so that our sins, those bad things we have done would be forgiven for us. He did it so that we would be saved from sin and made new. I am so grateful that God sent His one and only Son to pay that price just for me, but also for every human being on this planet. I am so grateful that He rose again and he offers us an incredible gift...the gift of eternal life!
UNTIL NEXT TIME
No comments:
Post a Comment