Humble Pie.

If you think I don't have a perfectly acceptable reason for not {properly} blogging over the last month or so...you, dear reader, would be wrong.


First of all, we were in the jungle for two weeks {Dec 26-Jan 9: See previous posts!} Then on our way home from Calleria the trip started to become really uncomfortable. Uh-oh!


You see, back in 2008 I also noticed that uncomfortable feeling. I decided I had just been sitting for too long {I had a desk job} so I let it go for a few days. One day, the pain became absolutely unbearable, and I had to leave work and drive myself to the emergency clinic.


It was there I got the news that I have a cyst on my tailbone. It had flared up and had become an abscess. {Gross, I know.} It's not something I like to talk about because it's an embarrassing subject and was a horrible experience. I hesitated even writing about it, but honestly, it keeps me humble about it all. 


It wasn't anything I could have prevented, it just happens sometimes. At this point it has flared up 3 times: Oct 2008, March 2010 and 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately, the 5 hour boat ride back to Pucallpa from Calleria didn't help. I was able to make it back to Lima and we decided to wait it out a few days. We were praying for direction and healing. Our team and our families were praying with us.


We really had peace about it, especially considering the last experience. {It took me a month to heal and it was a very long month for both of us.} But we felt like God would do something miraculous. Last Tuesday, I finally had to go to the Emergency Clinic. They sent me to see the general surgeon, who was amazing. Even though he didn't give me ANYTHING before he cut me open :( One word: Oooooowwwwwwwww!!!!!


He sent me home with antibiotics and pain meds and instructions to return the next day. I dreaded going back, especially since I was in a lot of pain...but like a good patient, I went AND I didn't cry! {Although, Shaun's hand probably hurt worse than I did. I adore my husband for being by my side through this!}. The surgeon told us that everything looked really clean and I was all set to start healing.


So, that is my perfectly legitimate excuse! Since then, I have been healing {NOT blogging}. It's been a difficult process. On top of being in pain, I have not been able to sleep on my back, which equals super achy sides and hardly any sleep for me. I've also not been able to sit. Blah! Can you imagine not being able to sit for over a week?! I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to think about it. There were times I would just get up and walk around aimlessly because I didn't want to lay anymore. Booooring! 


Remember how I said that last time was a very painful and very long recovery BUT we felt that God was going to do something miraculous?  Not only am I almost completely recovered {in less than 2 weeks time} but today has been a huge milestone! Last night for the first time I was able to sleep on my back! {It was heavenly!} and today I sat through an entire lunch without having to get up! I was even able to enjoy my quiet time in my hammock up on the roof this afternoon AND sit through most of a movie at the house with friends tonight!


God is so good! What an amazing healer! I am so thankful that He cares about me. That he has taken a miserable, embarrassing experience and worked through it. During this time I have been covered in prayer, as well as showered with love and  blessings from friends in form of visits and little gifts. We are surrounded by such an amazing community, and I know that now more than ever.


So back to being humbled. I don't like to tell people what is going on...but how else are you going to know about how God has been working in my life? Also, how are you going to know how to pray with us specifically? That is why I am sharing this experience with you. I would like to ask you to pray with us. 


At this point we have had 2 surgeons tell us that I need to have the cyst completely removed, otherwise this is something I will deal with every few years probably for the rest of my life. The only thing is, it's a very expensive surgery and the healing time is an estimated 3-4 month process. 


Our only prayer is that God's will would be done. If that means I am miraculously healed from this cyst and never have to deal with it again, or that God provides the finances for the surgery, we will praise Him! But we would love it if you would pray with us for His clear guidance, since this is something we would like to have taken care of as soon as possible. 


And now that I have written a novel, I'm off to bed :) I plan on sleeping on my back again! Woohoo! Goodnight friends!