Once Upon a Time Continues

  Last post stopped the story where we had no clue what was happening to our daughter and it was a scary time. I did not know what else to do but pray.

  A  friend from church, to whom I am forever grateful, suggested we go to her doctor who was helping her heal from Crohn's disease. Our first appointment was supposed to be in December but it was cancelled due to bad weather and rescheduled for early February. I was hesitant having been blown off by so many doctors but we decided to give him a try. 

  We survived January and anxiously drove the 1-1/2 hours to see this doctor. The first thing he said was something no other doctor had ever said, "Start at the beginning and tell me everything about this girl." It all came out like a flood and when we were done, he hugged the girl and said, "I can tell that you are sick and with God's help, I will do my best to help you." That started our journey. 

 Tests revealed malnourishment but no Crohn's thankfully, just a leaky, depleted gut, a shot adrenal system, Candida overgrowth, a gluten allergy, and two tick-borne illnesses - Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Looking back, we remember that she had been bitten by ticks, even going to the doctor with one still attached because it was a deer tick but were told, "Lyme disease is not in this area." We trusted that opinion and even felt relieved, never thinking that doctor was wrong. To top it off all the diagnoses, he sent us to a chiropractor because he felt down her spine and discovered that her tailbone was crooked, which led us to finding out that she had severe lumbar scoliosis. Finally, answers! Bittersweet answers.

 Due to the gut problems and rounds of strong antibiotics during the kidney infection, the doctor suggested a natural protocol to start treatment plus diet changes and lots of supplements. With much prayer, we trusted the doctor's opinion.

 Over a year later, here we are at a new upgraded normal that includes a girl who works as a waitress, runs three miles at least once a week, hangs out with friends, laughs, smiles, lives life. From time to time, we hit a bump in the road of treatment and there are still struggles with the ability to focus and the rare joint pain or random crying but she gets through it quickly. Even the doctor is amazed at her progress.

  We are at a point where we are assessing what damage may be permanent. Probiotics will be part of her life always and possibly a gluten-free diet but I thank God that, although He gave me peace when I was not certain she would make it, she is healing and we have been able to help others. Glory to God! 

  Plus, it has led me down the road to studying nutrition, natural medicine, plants, and the body in a way that shows me more and more the amazing works of our Creator God. Do you realize that many of the native plants in an area have the ability to treat the diseases and health issues specifically in that region? Only God could do that!

 So, today, as I sit working on shaking off the Fall Blahs, I consider this new place God has me. So much is different and exciting but He has also chosen not to remove all the struggles of my heart - a family that does not know God, issues that plague me from the past, communication with our previous foster daughter, difficult people in my life. But as I look it all, I cannot help but think, "How will this also reveal Your glory, God?" No matter what I trust Him.

- 1 Chronicles 16:23-27

"Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods.For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. "