Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Please Pray.

Everyone out there, please be praying for Chickadee, aka Melissa over at Familiar Path. Please.

Wow, I guess that kinda came out of nowhere! No, it didn't. She's on my mind a great deal today. Read her most recent post and get the story.

So, I think that's what my post will be about today.

Prayer.

I want to ask for prayer for me too.

I'm in the midst of a myriad of doctors' appointments right now.

The doctors think I may have an autoimmune disease of some sort.

One of the symptoms/consequences of having an autoimmune disease is sudden fetal death at any time during the pregnancy.

Oh.

Um.

I see.

The thing that started me on this road is that I was referred to an internal medicine specialist back in April after seeing a new naturopath who was concerned enough about some symptoms that I'd been having to refer me to a friend of his.

The thing is, I'd been having these symptoms on and off for about two years. Or longer. Who knows how long I've been living like this and just thinking it was normal? I can't remember feeling well!

I can't remember feeling well!

I went to doctor after doctor and received a pat on the hand and the attitude like it was all in my head, yet I still continued to have debilitating symptoms.

I've had extreme fatigue, a rash on the right side of my face, chronic, every day feeling like I have the flu, achiness, joint pan, poor vision, insomnia, blue fingernails, lips and toenails, I'm extremely cold all the time, headaches, sores that do not heal, etc, etc, etc....This has all become normal to me and I just do what I have to do as a wife and mom to soldier through.

Nobody ever listened. Until now.

My internal med specialist listened. He examined me and questioned me for two hours and flat out said he thought it looked like an autoimmune disease, like lupus or something. He was surprised and angry at all of the doctors I'd seen who ignored the cumulative symptoms and didn't do further testing for me. He was upset that I had been suffering silently, thinking what I was feeling was "just me".

So now I have a team of doctors working with me. I have an ob/gyn, who suspected something out of the ordinary when I had two miscarriages in a row. I have an internal med specialist, a naturopath, and now, the newest team member, a rheumatologist, who I will be seeing June 18th.

I hate to be a complainer. I hate whining and pity parties. That is not what I want my blog to be about.

I do want my blog to be a forum for prayer. For a while now I haven't asked for you gals to pray for me, I was just too afraid or didn't want to or whatever.

But now I'm asking. I want the doctors to be able to diagnose me. Because there is help for me if I can get a diagnosis.

I'm tired of feeling like this all the time and I want to begin to feel normal. I want to run with my kids and ride bikes with them! I want to be able to go on a hike with my husband and kids! I want to sleep through the night! I want to be able to eat!

I want you gals all to know that my life is a testimony to God's complete and total faithfulness.

He is the ONLY REASON I have been able to function. He is the ONLY REASON.

And I give Him all the glory for being my reason, my strength, my endurance.

8 comments:

Monica said...

Yes, I will be praying for you and for the answers that you need. Most people don't realize that medicine is not an "exact" science. It is more about testing and ruling out and then narrowing it down. Be patient. God hears your prayers.

Melissa Stover said...

i will pray for you too. it's great that you've got a doctor that's listening to you now. i know they will find the answers you need.

Gayle said...

Praying, friend.

Jenni said...

I'm so sorry Leanne, I hope and pray that they can figure out soon how to treat you, what a challenging and yet exciting time ahead. Exciting in that hopefully you will get some answers and get some help. Blessings to you and your doctors!

Rebeca said...

I'm glad you're finally seeing some docs who are taking you seriously. May God give them wisdom to know just what will help you. You continue to be in my prayers dear Leanne. (Even when you don't ask!) And thanks for your prayers as well!
Love,
Rebeca

MarshaMarshaMarsha said...

I am PRAYING for you, dear Leanne! And praying for wisdom for your wonderful team of doctors. Oh, I can't wait for you to start feeling even better than you again!

Love,
Marsha

Elizabeth said...

Leanne---isn't it amazing how us mommies just keep soldiering through no matter what? Somehow we just seem to ignore our own pain for the sake of being there for our children. I will keep you in my prayers, sweet Leanne. May the peace of Christ fill your heart and mind.

EEEEMommy said...

I will be praying. It's good to hear that God has led you to a doctor who's willing to be your advocate and get to the root issue. I have a physical ailment myself that I've dealt with for years. I'm wrestling through what to do about it....all that to say, I do understand when you write, "I'm tired of feeling like this and want to feel normal."