Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Lessons Learned From the ER

Yesterday I had to make an unexpected trip to the ER. I was having sharp pains in the lower left side of my abdomen. To be safe my Dr. wanted me to go to the ER to have an ultra-sound and CBC. Even though I was reluctant (cause i just have this thing about the ER and germs) my Dr. assured me he felt it was necessary and that he would call ahead of me arriving and talk to the triage nurse.

LESSON #1... Just because you have a great Dr. and he is willing to call the ER for you does not I REAP does not mean that you will be treated any differently or more quickly than the person who just walked in off the street.

7 1/2 hours later... yes you read that right ...Joshua and I left with the same diagnoses that my Dr. had given earlier and with a prescription for Ibuprofen... which the nurse told me if i didn't want to get it filled, i could just take 3 Advil, which i had at home where i would have rather spent the last 7 1/2 hours... i still would have been in pain but at least i would have had food and been warm! sheesh!

LESSON #2... Always keep food in your purse/car and remember they keep the hospital thermostat at 70 degrees! TAKEABLANKET!

But, unfortunately the most important lesson I learned while shivering at the Er was that I still have a lot of growing to do. I am one of THOSE people who feel like where ever God has placed you, that you are there for a reason... for such a time as this ... at one point during my lovely visit to the ER I was put in a room (i called it the closet!) with another lady around my age. I decided to strike up conversation with her. She was talkative even though she had been at the hospital as long as I had and had been waiting in "the closet" for over an hour and a half for a simple blood test! As we talked I could sense her hurt, confusion, and disgust with life...

here's where the lesson part comes in

I had prime opportunity to tell her about The One who could heal her many hurts...

The One who knit her together and knew her before she was even in her mothers womb...

The One who knows what she is going through...

The One who so desperately wants to walk through all that stuff with her...

The One who loved her sooo much that He died for her on the cross and shed His blood so she could be clean, with out shame, and with Him forever...

The One who came to give her Life and life more abundantly...

I had all those thoughts and many more but yet said nothing of my JESUS to a hurting girl who went to the ER for a simple blood test but who could have gone home with so much more...

JESUS ...our one and only true hope!

LESSON #3... When you feel led to share with someone the hope that you have for living this life, don't wait for the perfect moment... just do it! ...for such a time as this.

Okay, so I learned a lesson after leaving the hospital...

After my talk/cry with the Lord this morning I learned that no matter how badly you may sometimes miss the mark and mess things up... The One (JESUS) ...is there to pick you up, brush you off and put you back on your feet again. THANKYOUJESUS!

...Lesson learned?

3 comments:

Karen said...

Wow.... what an experience! I know the "let down" feeling when you have the perfect time to proclaim the gospel and you don't say anything :( Been there~

I use The Way of the Master techniques a lot.... also learn to look for ways to bring it into the conversation... but not always... many times I think more about it than actually do anything.... we are all a work in progress~

Karen said...

http://popup.lala.com/popup/504684637942459150


I was listening to this song and it reminded me of this post... copy and paste in your browser.

The Ryals said...

Karen thank you for sharing that song, it is a good one. It definitely was fitting.