DOCTOR'S AND MORE DOCTOR'S
October 22, 2:58 p.m.
April 2008, I started spitting up blood. Whenever I would clear my throat or cough, bright red blood was always present. Within four months, in addition to that I had a constant burning in the right side of my chest and it was always present, except during sleep.
My doctor put me on acid-blockers assuming it was reflux. Nothing helped the pain or stopped the bleeding. Six months after this started (October 14, 2008) I saw my first specialist for an Endoscopy... all was normal?
To date, I have seen seven different specialists in their respective fields: each new specialist has been recommended by the previous one.
What follows is not a complete list of the battery of tests which have been run, but it will give you an idea of the degree of effort they have put forth to try and find the problem: ENDOSCOPY … TREADMILL STRESS TEST ON HEART WITH COMPLETE CT SCAN (Scan was done at rest and then repeated after stress) … FOUR SEPARATE CHEST X-RAYS … COLONOSCOPY … CAT SCAN (from) CHEST TO PELVIS … (This involved drinking a cold green liquid.) ... BRONCHOSCOPY … (During this procedure at the hospital I woke up about halfway through, I heard the surgeon say that I was bleeding from both sides of my nose. It was after this happened that she sent me to a doctor specializing in ear-nose-throat.) 3X FLEXIBLE LARYNGOSCOPY … CAT SCAN OF SINUS REGION … RIGID LARYNCOSCOPY … (Done under general anesthesia.)
Even though I can (whenever I have been asked to at the various doctor's offices) spit up blood on demand, they still can not find the source. The last doctor who asked to see me do it actually “scoped” me within seconds of seeing me spit up blood and he could find no wounds or “streaking,” which should have shown a trail that could possibly lead him back to the source.
These all have been highly qualified and respected specialists in their fields. In addition to their practice, at least two (presently) teach at the college level and one was chief-of-staff at their hospital. Also, thanks to (mainly) insurance: money has apparently been no object. To give you an example: The stress test (just by itself) was almost $8,000.00, and it is not the most expensive test which was ran from the above list!
As of this time I only have one more test scheduled. My last specialist wanted the Endoscopy procedure repeated, but this time with a different specialist just in case something was missed? That is scheduled for November fourth.
These tests have shown a few things, but not what we were originally looking for. There is some sort of problem with an area on the left side of my heart and I have COPD. I do believe that for the most part the doctors I have seen have been concerned, now though I think (coupled with concern) they are also intrigued that they can't find the source: regardless their best efforts.
I will tell you one brief story to sum this story of mine up. To my primary care doctor, and using my fingers, I ticked off … one-by-one … some of the many tests I have had done. Then I said, “Surely, if there really is anything there then they would have seen it... right?”
She shrugged her shoulders and said, “Not necessarily... things are missed all the time.”
There is no orifice on my body that has not been invaded by man/woman and (or) machine. Pride, what pride? I have been reduced to a sideshow. Things which have been done to me by some in the medical field I am certain is illegal in many countries of the world... just kidding. But I am not kidding about the things that have been done to me.
After these experiences I don't know if I will ever be able to, in the future, enter a doctor's office without automatically getting naked. I imagine the following scenario might one day play out.
(Receptionist) "Mr. Johnson, wait in that room for the doctor."
(Me) "Okay."
(The doctor enters the room) "Mr. Johnson, why are you completely undressed, I thought you were here for a hangnail?"
"I am, it's just that everyone else for the last couple of years wanted to see me without clothes... I figured you did as well."
In finishing this blog I will give you one sure fact. If you ever have to see very many doctors because of any illness, if you had any modesty before... you won't when they are done!
Things, at least for Christians would have been a lot easier just 2,000 years ago. Find the Lord, or any of His apostles and ask for healing... no machines... no tests... just healing, marvelous and complete healing!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
WHO IS ON THE LORD'S SIDE?
10/19/2009 7:17 p.m.
I was just reading again of the sin that entered the camp during the time Moses was receiving the Law from God. And I was again reminded that sometimes (as believers) and in our thinking we still get it wrong.
What I am going to write about in this brief blog is more than just an issue with semantics. When God, through Moses, was ready to judge all those who had just sinned he had Moses to separate himself from the assembly and then Moses shouted, "WHO IS ON THE LORD'S SIDE? LET HIM COME UNTO ME."
Many times I also (still) get it wrong and I find myself praying that the Lord will go with me in something that I am preparing to do. In reality, I ought to just make sure that I am following along after Him! If I only do that, then He is always close by. Remember: it is far more important that we are on God's side, then it is if He is on our side. For His side is always true and good and right. Whereas our side might at first seem like the right one, yet because we can't see the future to know the outcome we might in fact not be doing His will.
Remember Peter, in not wanting the Lord to wash his feet... and in wanting to fight and try to deliver the Lord Jesus from the crowd who had come for Him? In both instances, Peter's "side" seemed "right." Yet, in both cases it was the wrong side.
So, today's blog is an easy one. Always try and find what side God is on... and you can only do that through reading His Holy Word... then follow hard after that and you will always be on the Lord's side! And the best part about that truth: this also means that He is on your side also!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
Bizarro World
October 13, 6:33 a.m.
Headline I would love to see: "In a surprise move, Obama has awarded his Nobel Prize to every past winner of the Miss USA Beauty Pageant." Because, in his own words, "They all wished for world peace before I did." (And in a not-so-surprising move he donated the 1.4 million to ACORN.)
Sometimes I feel like I am living on "Htrae" instead of Earth. When I was a kid I used to read the Superman comic books and I enjoyed the occasional episode when he would go to Bizarro World. In the Bizarro world of "Htrae" ("Earth" spelled backwards), society is ruled by the Bizarro Code which states "Us do opposite of all Earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness! Is big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro World!"
Have you ever noticed that with liberals, achievement means absolutely nothing, all that matters to them is what you "hope" or "want" to happen. Clinton got elected, not once, but twice---because, "he felt their pain." Didn't seem to matter that he was the one causing it... just ask Juanita Broderick, or Monica... as long as he "wanted" to do good that was enough.
In the last election, McCain was actually qualified for the presidency with a lifetime of achievement, to Democrats that didn't matter. Obama, who was a "community organizer," (which is two-steps up from street cleaner, and one step down from dog-catcher) had never achieved anything... but he wanted to: "Dreams of His Father." And for Democrats, that was apparently enough.
Oslo, it seems, decided to give Obama the peace prize because he had said (in a speech in Cairo) that he wanted "world peace." Again, for liberals that is all that matters... a desire for something unattainable... such as world peace.
That is why Obama, in my opinion, did something right in giving his prize to the other empty-headed girls (past winners of Miss U.S.A.) because they also all wanted and asked for world peace. If you doubt that just view tape of any of them when they were asked what one thing they would like to see happen in the world? Here is their (and Obama's) answer. "Oh gosh, gee whiz, let me think, well.. tee-hee.. you know, Regis, I quess it would have to be... world peace!" STOP THE PRESS!!! Give those girls and Obama the peace prize... I have been wrong all this time... all of them deserve it!
I am going to turn over a new leaf and begin to think like the empty-headed liberals. When (Hugo) Chavez says he is not an enemy of the United States and he loves our people... I am just going to believe him and vote for him if I ever get the chance. The next time Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he is misunderstood and he really doesn't hate the Jews, I am going to accept that... and if I ever get the chance, so help me, I will vote for him. It really doesn't even matter what he is running for... he has my vote. And North Korea, and Kim, I have been wrong all of this time. They really don't oppress their people: I heard him say it!
Now I get it... it's as if a light has been turned on for me. It really doesn't matter what I do... as long as I (a) "feel someone's pain," or (b) want to do something good even if it is impossible, pretentious, and silly-posturing for me to say it.
Oslo, can I have the next Nobel prize, because I too want world peace? Democrats, can I have your vote, because I too "feel your pain?" All donations from Democrats for my bid to the WH will be accepted in my party-platform... "I feel your pain and want world-peace too (tee-hee) Johnson campaign."
I'm so excited, I can hardly wait until 1/20/13 when we move into the WH. The Rose Garden would be a perfect spot for my dog-kennels, and Virgil and Stella can sleep in the Lincoln bedroom... I even know who I am going to make the new chef of the WH.
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
