Be Still

Those of you who know me...know I have been plagued with some serious health problems over the past few months. My parathyroids decided they were not going to properly monitor the level of calcium in my blood and so their malfunction caused them to pull calcium from my bones and dump it into my blood. This can cause a whole series of medical problems: extreme fatigue, depression, heart problems, and kidney problems. I did not experience kidney issues but I dealt with the rest of them.

I had surgery on December 21, and what was supposed to be a simple procedure turned into a 4 long hour ordeal for my family members as they patiently waited for the surgeon to finish. Usually a person with hyperparathyroidism only has one bad parathyroid....I was unique...all four of mine were bad. They were of course even more challenging because they were not in the places they would normally be, hence the 4 hour surgery. The surgeon thankfully managed to salvage a 1/2 of one and I am extremely grateful.

I ended up spending the night in the hospital because of length of my surgery. The nurse would come in and check on me and take my pulse and my pressure. She kept commenting on how high they were and thought perhaps it was the after affects of my surgery.

In the week that followed, I noticed my high pulse rate. I remembered the high blood pressure and decided I better get it checked out. My blood pressure and pulse were to high and after an ER visit, a trip to the endocrinologist....I was put into the hospital. Where for about 6 hours they tried to get my heart rate to go down...at 178 beats a minute your heart does not work properly. They called in a cardiologist and moved me to ICU, so they could monitor my medication better.

They discovered my thyroid is inflamed (because of the sugery) and because it was irritated...it caused a thyroid storm. It was dumping way to many hormones into my blood stream and causing all of the heart problems.

Prior to my surgery, everyone kept thinking I was having thyroid problems because most thought my parathryoids were a part of my thryoid. Other than proximity, they have nothing in common. The irony is now everyone thinks my lack of parathyroids are causing these problems and it is my thyroid. I'm trying really hard to find some humor in the situation but today I cannot.

I am on a calcium channel blocker which makes me feel like I need a good nap. And my thyroid is causing me to feel anxious and at times irritable. I am tired and I long to feel normal again. I could have a pity party(anyone want to come?), but I know it will not solve anything.

Instead, I'm going to talk to my heavenly Father about it. He has promised rest of the weary and strength for the moment. In a response to one of my health updates a former professor and friend of mine, sent me a scripture prayer. He told me to use it in times of stress...or needing to calm down....or just spending time with the Lord. I would like to share it with you...it has helped me to calm down when I think my heart is racing more than it should...during those moments when I am troubled and discouraged and I do not know what to say or pray.

Focus on God's message to you after you pray each phrase:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am....

Be still and know

Be still

Be.....

This verse is from Psalm 46

May God grant you the peace that passes all understanding.