Hello Friends,
I can't wait to tell you what God has done! I know I have a lot to update you on, so I will try to make this as brief as I can while still telling you the amazing story of how God is truly my Jehovah Jireh - my Provider.
Many of you have been asking how my last appointment at Mayo went on Friday. Crazy, it seems like Friday was months ago! Anyway, I had the lung function test and met with the lung specialist who confirmed that I have asthma. He gave me two new medications to keep that under control. I then met with my other doctor who wants me to start physical therapy again in October. So that's the boring update...on to the good stuff!
On Saturday I started feeling sick. I had this cough that was getting worse and I felt icky. I asked my parents to go pick up my medications at WalMart for me because I wasn't feeling well, but wanted to get started on these new meds. My mom told me she almost passed out when she went to pick up my meds and they told her they cost $1,2000! Turns out that was for 3 months so she just took the one month supply for $400. We knew I had to do something because there is no way I can afford $400 a month for pills. I can't even afford the ones I'm already on!
On Sunday I went to church and talked to my friend Beth who knows someone at the pharmacy at Luther that can help me get some medications at a discounted rate. She said that she would talk to her and see what they could do. I went home Sunday afternoon and proceeded to feel miserable the rest of the day, and Monday, and Tuesday. On Tuesday Beth called me and told me about a website where I can put in my medications and a company will come up for each one. I can print an application to send to that company to get my meds cheaper. So I looked up all my meds and downloaded the applications. However, I didn't know what to do next because I needed a doctor to fill out part of each of these applications and my meds are from three different doctors in two different states! I felt slightly overwhelmed.
By Tuesday evening my fever went up and I was coughing more. I remembered that in my town there is a free clinic on Tuesday nights. I decided to go because I felt miserable and it was free. By the time I got there, filled out the paperwork and got in to see the doctor my fever was gone. The doctor told me to try my rescue inhaler for the cough and what do you know, it worked marvelously. Of course I have had an inhaler for a cough before, but the thought never crossed my mind to try it again!
So here I am sitting in the clinic feeling pretty good and wondering why I came in at all when the doctor asked me if I needed any help paying for my medications. I said yes and he sent me to another lady who I am pretty sure went on the same website I was on earlier and printed off a bunch of applications for me. All I had to do was sign them. She is going to have the doctor at the free clinic fill out all the doctor parts of the app and send them in for me. We talked about one of the medicines I will have to pay $20 for a 180 day supply. Right now I'm paying about $50 a month. When I asked her how much the rest of them were she told me they are all free. FREE! God just provided about $600/month in medications for free! I almost started crying, but I refrained (pretty much) and just gave her a great big hug and told her what blessing this is. She laughed at me and sent me on my way.
Now mind you, this is about 15 days after I received a letter in the mail saying that $845 of clinic bills and $443 in hospital bills are being covered by an assistance program. All I owe is $90 for my pneumonia shot!
Okay, so I know that was a lot of numbers and kind of a long story, but you see, it's all in the details. All of this has come together in God's perfect timing. It's not just a matter of Him providing for me - which He is SO good at, it's confirmation and a reminder to me just how much He loves me. He not only cares for me, He cares about me.
You see, I know these things in my head, but sometimes it doesn't sink deep enough into my heart. I have really been struggling lately with my health issues. There are so many things that I want to do, but physically cannot do. I have such an adventurous spirit and sometimes it is hard to be that sick girl sitting over there in the corner watching instead of participating. I know God has a plan for my life and I know that I am where He wants me right now, but I can't help but question Him sometimes. Why? Why all this? Why now? Why am I not overseas where I thought I would be, where I thought God wanted me to be? But then He goes and does something like this and it reminds me that He's got it all under control. He cares about every aspect of my life and the fact that I have a strange thing called undifferentiated connective tissue disease is not a surprise to Him. As I sit and listen to the lovely rain and thunder I am reminded yet again that He is in control and I will praise Him in this storm and in any storm He decides I need to go through. Because in the end it's all about Him and our relationship. All of this is teaching me things about God and things about myself and it's causing me to throw myself at His feet. Isn't that what He wants from us? So yes, I praise Him for all of this because it is helping me to become more like Jesus and since that's the goal of my life I guess I'm where I need to be!
So let me encourage you. No matter what storm you are going through God is right there with you. Reach out to Him, He is waiting with open arms!
