I would not have known if Rachel hadn't told me, but yesterday (October 25th) was my "half-birthday." My present was a bowl full of fresh shiitake mushrooms...She knows me so well.
The idea of only being halfway through my 21st year got me thinking about everything we've been through for being such a young couple. There aren't many 21 and 23 year olds that are married. Even fewer young couples that are dealing with a chronic illness. And I'm pretty sure there's even less young married couples that are dealing with a chronic illness all while being within days of being put on the waiting list for a double lung transplant. There isn't a another couple I'd rather be though.
Rachel had her follow up appointment with the oral surgeon to evaluate the healing of her wisdom teeth extraction. She's still getting headaches and it's not completely healed yet (the prednisone is slowing things down) but she has received the OK from the surgeon to be put on the list. Once we're listed, we wait.
I have a friend who asks me all the time how we manage to not go crazy thinking about what we're going through, or what's ahead of us. Now, forgive the jock in me, but I come at it the same way I approach any tough physical task: you must commit. If you don't put 100% into whatever it is, you won't do it right. Any hesitation, reservation, or lack of application leads to failure. Even if it's tough, even if you aren't completely successful, you have to try.
Your level of commitment is only a fraction of what it takes to get through something though. Faith is the ultimate. We have faith that God will get us through this just as He has in every other situation of our lives. Every time we come to a point where we think that this is the hardest point in our lives and that there's no way we can make it through...God gets us through. The times seem to get harder, but God always seems to be stronger each time.
Now that my half birthday is over, I'm looking ahead to my 22nd...where I'll have an even greater gift: my wife blowing out the candles on my cake with her brand new lungs.
- Jonny
I was fine until I read the last paragraph. It's a good thing I can type without looking, because the tears welling up in my eyes are preventing me from seeing. Many prayers for you guys!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Rachel is healing well! Love the last part!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jonny and Rachel - I've been enjoying reading when when I have time. You are both great writers.
ReplyDeleteEvan and I were married young, too (20 and 23) and at the time he had severe Lyme (Rachel, you may remember him coming to class with me a few times because I was scared to leave him alone). You guys are going through some rough stuff, but you seems to be doing so well! I am encouraged by your faith and your dependence on God's strength and plan. This kind of thing can be tough on a marriage, but you'll come out the other side all the stronger for it!
Happy, if belated, birthday to you Jonny. You guys are doing great. You are both in our prayers.
- Bergen and Evan Howlett