Tuesday, February 12, 2002
A PATIENT'S STORY
One thing I love about my job is meeting interesting patients who are able to tell a great life story. Here is one my patient told me today (but loosely translated as always. Hey, you expect me to remember evey word verbatim?!?):
"Having to recover from this surgery is nothing. I've lived an extra-ordinary life that has called on me to draw strength from the Holy Spirit and to believe deeply in prayer. See, I was gang-raped as a 19-year old and had to give up the baby for adoption. I barely even had the money for the doctor's visits! And after an another attempted rape, I wanted to drive my car off the edge and end my life. And one night, I almost did it. There I was, crying out loud, "Why? Why?" over and over. And suddenly, a deep, masculine voice, who I figure was God, gently said, "Someday you'll know." That woke me up like a splash of cold water. After that, I drew strength from Him and He has never disappointed me or left me.
"Many years later, I married and had a child of my own who was born with mental retardation. I had difficulty handling it. But in that moment, I knew that this was the reason I had to endure all that pain as an adolescent. That rape made me rely on God and having that strength and reliance helped me be a better mother to my child. Now, she works and is able to take care of herself. So I guess I did okay."
Indeed she did.
One thing I love about my job is meeting interesting patients who are able to tell a great life story. Here is one my patient told me today (but loosely translated as always. Hey, you expect me to remember evey word verbatim?!?):
"Having to recover from this surgery is nothing. I've lived an extra-ordinary life that has called on me to draw strength from the Holy Spirit and to believe deeply in prayer. See, I was gang-raped as a 19-year old and had to give up the baby for adoption. I barely even had the money for the doctor's visits! And after an another attempted rape, I wanted to drive my car off the edge and end my life. And one night, I almost did it. There I was, crying out loud, "Why? Why?" over and over. And suddenly, a deep, masculine voice, who I figure was God, gently said, "Someday you'll know." That woke me up like a splash of cold water. After that, I drew strength from Him and He has never disappointed me or left me.
"Many years later, I married and had a child of my own who was born with mental retardation. I had difficulty handling it. But in that moment, I knew that this was the reason I had to endure all that pain as an adolescent. That rape made me rely on God and having that strength and reliance helped me be a better mother to my child. Now, she works and is able to take care of herself. So I guess I did okay."
Indeed she did.
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