Waiting Patiently

 This topic came to my mind today as for about two to three months now I've taken my companion to many doctor appointments to have several tests run.  He has some challenges due to an accident he suffered when he was just 14 years old. When we met a few years back, he was living a pretty reclusive and simple life. As our relationship developed, I started asking him questions regarding his health and how often he went to his doctors. He was consistent in seeing a couple doctors, but hadn't really been keeping up with the routine appointments that happen as you start aging. So as his companion and caregiver, I set up all these appointments to address several health areas that needed to be addressed.

Being in the Bay Area, getting appointments timely isn't as hard as getting them in Southern California. I know this because I have family who still reside in Southern California and I don't know how they can endure the time delays for many things having to do with maintenance and upkeep in their lives. So, it initially started with me setting up a routine physical with his primary physician and then from there we discussed his overall health and screening that needed to be done. In the process of getting this done, in July he had a fall and he fractured two of his vertebrae in his back, so we had physical therapy and followup X-rays, etc. for that unfortunate accident. His physical therapy ended just two weeks ago and today we saw his final followup that his back is healing as to be expected. Thank you, Jesus!!

With some of his routine physicals, one had to do with his cognitive testing, because of his accident at a young age. As he and I are aging, I wanted a measuring point to assure that I was alert that should he be having a decrease in his cognitive abilities I wanted a starting point. So this important appointment was delayed for a bit, because we had to get some other symptoms he was having treated. Without going into all his detail, there were many areas of his health that overlapped and I had to go back and forth between doctors to assure balance remained when it came to what he was able to handle physically and any medications that would need to be decreased or added as the result. For the past two to three months it has been constant waiting to verify one thing over another. I was happy that one test we had resulted in biopsies which -- thank God -- turned out to be benign. However, we will need to be aware of followup tests in three years -- he has some high risk factors in his family history.

As part of today's followup appointment for his back, I had to consult with his physician because one of the medications he is taking to help with nerve pain in his back may actually be affecting his cognitive clarity, so I had to wait two months to get clearance to be able to start weaning him off said medication. Again, the medication he is taking is one that just can't be stopped -- he has to slowly decrease it. So we have about three weeks of evaluating his progress with reducing it. I'm very confident that we will be successful in doing so and I am excited to see if he in fact sees things more clearly and in turn, might help with some balance issues he has been having, which might have attributed to the second back injury he endured due to balance and stability.

I'm happy to say that his overall health aside from his physical challenges is looking pretty wonderful. We have one more big appointment to get through on December 4 -- however, after receiving the tests results from his last cardio test, I'm hoping what I read in the test results will be in fact, just a matter of monitoring and keeping an eye on an area of concern rather than any drastic modifications or additional medications. Then from this point on -- we can just be concerned with annual monitoring. The waiting period for all these areas of his health though has been an adventure -- to say the least.

Along with his tests, I had mine monitored as well. I am happy to say given my age etc., my overall health is so much better than years past. I give all glory to God for positive results for my health.

Back to Southern California and their waiting of medical treatment. I have two family members that are having some health issues and have to wait months before being seen to get prognosis. As a family member who just adores my family and is always looking out for their best interests, I make sure to check in to make sure they are doing okay during the waiting period. I can empathize with their having to wait long periods of time between tests and doctors when I was being evaluated for my chronic auto immune issues and related health issues. I know when you are young and have a family to take care of how hard these set backs can be. I'm glad that they know they can call me anytime they need some encouragement or to vent during their waiting period.

In seems like in this life there is always something we are waiting on. As an online shopper, it seems I always have a list of things I'm waiting on to receive. I used to just organically wait on the arrival of my merchandise, but there have been a couple times I didn't receive what I had ordered, so now I'm more proactive in saving e-mails and making lists to make sure I keep tabs on what I should be receiving. This gets especially challenging during the Christmas holidays as I'm usually shipping stuff from afar to my family members who live in various parts of California and/or friends and family who live out of state.(As I'm typing out this blog, I just heard my Ring go off and it was a delivery of three lipsticks I ordered from Laura Gellar!!) 

There are parts of the Bay Area where depending on time, there isn't a lot of traffic and those are the times I shoot for when making appointments or having to travel. However, waiting in traffic is miserable. I can see how commuters who have to travel everyday for years can snap. My recent dislike is having to travel in Southern California. In the last ten years, traffic down there is horrible. No matter where you go down there, dinners, shopping, etc., there is always some huge line awaiting you. Where I live, yes there are some lines, but definitely not to the extent of in Southern California. I have often told my children who live down in that direction that there will be no way I could ever live in that area again.

I will share with you that one of my prayer inclusions is always to ask God for patience. Patience is definitely not my virtue. I've always been that got to have it now or results now person. I always like to see the outcome of something as soon as possible. I have a cousin who recognized this not so attractive trait in my personality and she purchased me a Rae Dun mug that says Bee Still which has a bright beautiful yellow inside and embossed bumble bee on the side. I love that mug. She bought it for me as we know the verse "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 -- and she wanted me to apply its message to my daily life. I agreed and remember it each time I get into the impatient modes in my daily living. We also know that patience is one the "fruits of the spirit" that as a Christian is a quality I want to possess.

Needless to say, but I'll say it again, my go to for when I'm waiting and need to exercise patience and being still -- is prayer. I can't tell you how many times I ask daily for God to give me strength to endure and to be patient as I wait and wait and wait.