Hi friends,
Happy to be back with you today! As the title alludes, this originally was going to be a post about preserving through difficult times, but then I realized, to my surprise, it wasn’t about perseverance at all.
To say life has been a rollercoaster lately is an understatement. I went in for cataract surgery a couple weeks ago. Everyone told me it was easy. Everyone around me who’d gotten the procedure done, had a wonderful experience.
I’m typically the medical anomaly. Well, an anomaly in general, but that’s a post for another day 😀 This time the medical anomaly held true. Everything was going smoothly until my doctor went to put the new lens in. Due to childhood trauma, the capsule they typically put the lens in, burst. I won’t go into full detail, but in my doctor’s words while I’m lying on the surgical table were, “everything just went south.” Definitely not the encouraging words I was hoping to hear.
The next day, I was in a retina specialist’s office and that same afternoon, I was having emergency retina surgery. The ‘eye surgery saga’ as my sweet agent called it, continued on. It was a slow ride up to the top with all hope of a smooth ride, only to go flying south in a whoosh. In eight days, I had two surgeries and four doctor appointments. Only on my final appointment with the surgeon did I receive bright news. There are still weeks of healing ahead, and the possibility of a third procedure still exists, but I should be fine.
For now, it feels like I’m on a level course, but that could change in an instant. Everything could go south, but I have peace because what doesn’t change, or rather, Who doesn’t change, is God.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ~John 1:17 (NIV)
In a week of shifting shadows—both figurately and literally—there was one constant. There is always one constant. God. He was right there, holding my hand through it all. Some might look at the situation and say I persevered through it, but the truth is God carried me through it.
Reader Question:
What’s one circumstance or time in your life when God taught you something new or reminded you of one of His truths?
Blessings,
Dani
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I’m so sorry for all you’re going through, Dani. I pray God will continue to carry you and help you heal completely and quickly. God us taught me so much about myself, and His love and Grace, through trials with a prodigal child. Without the difficulties, I would be such a shallow person.
Hi Deena,
Thanks so much for your prayers. I so deeply appreciate them. So true about difficulties refining us and drawing us closer to God. Thanks so much for sharing.
Wow. Dani – You are such a trooper and your positive spirit shines through. Thanks heaven for God’s constant presence and peace. But my goodness, what a scary journey you’ve been on. I’ll be praying for your full recovery, hopefully without additional surgery. Hang in there, my friend!
Thanks so much, friend! I really appreciate it <3
Oh my goodness, Dani! How awful for you, but what a testimony you are for the Lord by praising and giving Him glory during your storm. I’ll be praying for your complete healing.
God reminded me that He will never leave me nor forsake me when my mom had a stroke last year. He gave me His peace during that time, and proved He is the God who heals as she’s completely recovered with no residual effects.
Wow. What a miraculous healing for your mom.That’s awesome!
Hugs and prayers for healing for your eyes.
Thanks so much, Angela.
Keeping you in my prayers, Dani! So thankful we live in an age when there is so much they can do medically, but wow, you’ve sure been through some trials with this! Hope you’re on the mend for good now with no more “going south!”
Hi Deb,
Thanks so much for your prayers. Unfortunately, it turns out I’ll need a third surgery on this eye, but I get a couple weeks of rest before it on June 30th.
Oh, Dani! I’m glad you are doing well being a medical anomaly! Heal well! Hugs and prayers!
Thanks so much, Angie 🙂
I am SO SORRY! My husband had a combo glaucoma/early cataract surgery on both eyes last fall (after MANY laser surgeries) . . . MANY complications and more surgeries. Tomorrow he will have another surgery–I think it’s the 15th? WE HAVE LOST COUNT. Yet we have seen the mercy of God and the love and warmth of so many others (including the whole staff of his doctor’s office!) through it all. Still hoping tomorrow is the last though! And hoping your eye saga is over as well!
Praying for your hubby that this will be the last surgery for him. So glad you’ve been blessed by God’s mercy, love and warmth throughout this valley.
I’ll never have to have cataract surgery because I had crystal lens implants years ago. I see and read without glasses which I had been wearing since 4th grade. I had a problem with my retina too that was taken care of with a quick laser. So sorry for all your trauma. It’s scary when something happens to your eyes. Sight is so precious a gift. I’ll be praying for a full recovery and no more surgery!
Thanks so much! Yes it is scary when it comes to anything with the eyes. Appreciate your prayers.
So sorry to hear all the suffering you’ve endured resulting from a “simple” procedure. God does get us through.
Yes He does. Such love and grace in His arms.
My goodness, Dani! You have really been put through the wringer lately. I will continue to pray for you for all things to work out and for your vision to be restored.
When my family and I left Arkansas, we were planning on being in South Carolina for a few months while we waiting for housing to open up for us in Iceland. Unfortunately, the housing list was long, so my husband decided to take a remote tour while we stayed in South Carolina. I was distraught, with three children in a small apartment. But God sent us there for a reason. Shortly after we arrived, the principal of the Christian school that I had taught at previously contacted me and asked if I would come in and finish out the year for Harriet, a teacher diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer who was dying. I had taught her students before when they were younger, so the kids knew me. I was there for them when Harriet passed away. God is so good! He even worked out for me to teach only half a day and for our youngest to be in the church daycare while I was teaching (at no cost to me). That was a memorable year for me, seeing and teaching former students and helping them from grief to hope.
Wow. Such a powerful testimony. Thanks so much for sharing.
Lifting you up in prayer.
I had something this week, and I can’t share details, but God is there. Or here. I have some difficult decisions to make on top of trying to figure out what I’m doing.
Thanks so much for your prayers, Denise.
I’m so glad God is there. I’ll be praying for you. Hugs <3
So sorry for your troubles. GEtting this apt quickly when i needed it is one time. It reminded me that God can and does answers prayers swiftly. Idk why He does sometimes and nto others though…that has me flummoxed
Oh, my!!!! You are surely in my prayers, Dani!!!! Whew!!! So sorry!!!
I am so sorry to hear about the trials you have been through. I am thankful that you are healing. I pray that the healing process will be quick and supernatural. God is forever! He is always with you and will never leave you.
So sorry, dear Dani. And so glad you are healing up. Prayers, my friend.
I’m late to the party, but the timing was God’s for me to read this reminder. My mom, a hale and hearty 73 year old, woke from a catnap a few weeks ago and thought her hands were “asleep.” Within the hour she lost all muscular feeling from elbows through her feet. All tests proved her great health: no stroke, no heart issue, no diabetes, no cancer…it’s a one-in-a-million event called acute transverse myelitis, and strikes without warning like this sometimes. She’s now in a nursing home with years of therapy ahead unless God’s healing hand decides to speed ahead of the typical timeline. Then, my hale and hearty 73 year old father tripped while hunting turkey and dislocated his shoulder and is now looking at surgery. It’s been a rough start to what had promised to be a wonderful summer. Praise God for His constant presence!