God Had A Miracle For Me!

Well, I've been composing this blog post in my head for the past 2 weeks at all different stages, and I'm finally sitting down to share my story.


15 days ago at 4:30 in the morning I woke up with chills and aches and asked Nate to cuddle me,,,,it was soooo cold, I made him breakfast at 5:30 am and as we ate omelets I mused that I felt like a cold was coming on, everything hurt...

And that's how it started.

Nate came home that day to me curled up on the couch moaning that every muscle, bone, joint, and sinew, and all my skin, and hair follicles, and fingernails HURT to an exponential 100th degree of pain. This is definately NOT a cold. This had GOT to be the flu.

I rotated between the couch, my bed, and the porch swing for then next 3 days as my body rotated between chills, diaphoresis (excessive sweating), and what I guess you'd call body shakes. I had a massive head ache which I thought was a migraine, which felt like my brain was swelling to big for my skull. I had sharp stabbing pains behind each ear which were so intense I had to yell out, or scream, in pain. It progressed to where those stabbing pains happened each time I moved my head, or changed elevation like standing up.

The kids didn't know what to think about my hollering out in pain at random times. "What Mom?, what did I do? Why are you yelling at me? I didn't do anything!"

Although Nate offered to come home Monday and each day offered to stay home that week, I sent him to work. "We'll muddle through, just don't expect the dishes to get done today." That week was spent in what I call Survival Mode, only essential tasks were completed and the kids watched movies and played in the dirt as much as they wanted, endless hours of entertainment.

On Tuesday, my mom decided to come bring my 14 year old sister and some friends down to Lagoon. (They live in Idaho Falls). She called and left a message saying, "short notice but I'm on my way down your direction, hope to see you!" I almost cried as I listened to her voice, just an hour before I had be bemoaning that I wished my mom lived closer so she could come take care of me. I had not talked with her yet so she had no idea what state I was in. I considered this one of the first tender mercies of the Lord, who heard my complaints, and got my mom in my home when I needed her the most.

Looking back, many family and friends wanted to know why I didn't call them for help, but as I mentioned above, I thought I had the flu and didn't want to spread this around.

I got a hold of my mom and she came and took Snack J and Sister Sue to the movies, while Baby C and I took a much needed nap. Then when she got back she made supper for the family, did the dishes, swept the floor, picked up the front room, and rotated some laundry for me. She left that evening and I felt so loved, both by my mother and by a Father in Heaven who cared enough to get my mom down from Idaho to help me.

I started to have some symptoms that looking back should've been a red flag that this was not just the flu. Like my hands would go white and numb and sometimes feel like pins and needles (paresthesia), and my feet would too.and my muscles felt really weak, and then my neck went stiff, and my muscles down from my neck to my scapula went stiff.

Wednesday evening I had sent Nate and Sister Sue to go shopping for the camping trip and Snack J's birthday while we  watched a movie, but when it came time to get them to bed my neck and head were so crazy in pain that I could only just let them lay in bed with me....then Baby C got a stinky diaper and the tears rolled down my face as I realized I couldn't move to go change him. Right about then at 9:45, Nate came home. I told him I couldn't move to change Baby C's diaper and he replied, "Do you want a blessing?" I immediately said yes, as the thought to ask him was in my mind, but I know that the Spirit prompted him to ask me. Nate does not offer to administer a blessing for the sick unless prompted by the Spirit of God. It is not something taken lightly. I reflected upon that as he called his brother Monty to come participate in the blessing, and the Spirit of God spoke to my heart clearly saying, "I have a miracle for you, are you ready to receive it?". I said yes, of course, but it's just the flu, right? and I was gently reminded that the Lord knows all, including what is plaguing me. He knows that I need help more that modern medicine can provide at this time, and this is the time that I need to receive it. Who am I to question the Lord's knowledge and timing? It really wasn't until this time that I even conceived the thought that I might have something other than the flu.

Monty came and the kids piled on the couch at 10:15 pm. The blessing was performed and the Spirit of God rested upon that messy front room like a thick warm blanket. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt God's awareness and love for me. I went to shake Monty's hand, who declined, not wanted to expose himself any more than necessary to whatever was making me sick, so I went to go hug Nate but the movement of the hug threw my neck and head into nasty spasmodic pains and I had to laugh for crying.

The next morning, as I lay in bed I recognized that the pressure was gone, my head no longer hurt. I just lay there appreciating the lack of pain in my body. My back muscles that were so sore resolved before lunch time, and I was able to help Snack J have a good birthday. I had been given a miracle. I had been given a miracle! Nate came home from work and said that he spoke with a doctor there who said that my symptoms sounded like encephelitis and that it may be from West Nile Virus. My head started spinning as I realized how the implications for not getting that head pressure resolved could have lead even to death. I just thought it was the flu. But God knows best.

There's more to this story, but I'm going to have to save it for another day, my body is spent, it's time to rest. Just know that God is aware of all of us, and loves us each dearly, and of course knows what's best for us.