Note: To My Readers and Friends

It is been 38 years now since I was first diagnosed with diabetes. For more than the first decade there was little technology for testing the sugar levels in my blood. I could only tell if my sugar level was somewhat low, reasonably normal or higher than it should be. Whether ‘just a little’ high or ‘get to the hospital’ high, the test strip showed the same color.  Because I was not someone who maintained a stable level, I frequently had no idea how high my sugar was. All my test strip could tell me was ‘high’.  (Home blood testing became available later and I had one of the first monitors sold to the public.)

During this time I experienced what is commonly termed a ‘diabetic coma’ on three occasions. The first two resulted in a few days in the hospital getting re-regulated. I was then sent on my way to continue daily life for the next couple of years until another recurrence of extremely high blood sugar. The third episode was far different. Due to a stomach virus, my blood sugar had risen extremely high and extremely fast. The complications I experienced were rare and severe.  God’s provision and presence were evident in all three events, however, the occurrences of this third event taught me so much about His amazing love and care for me and how I am to trust Him.

Due to the grace and strength with which he is walking me through some current circumstances in my life, (not health-related) I will be sharing some of the lessons I have learned during this time in this week’s posts. This is a time in my life that is very dear to me. I endured a great trial and obtained a greater victory. Please hear my heart and know that there is no melodrama involved in the events I relay. Instead see the mighty hand of God and the power that death hell and the grave are no match for.

I will be posting several stories this week on different aspects of this time in my life. I believe this has shaped much of my belief in God and my ability to trust Him in all things. Here I want to give a brief recount of the actual, physical occurrences of that time.

On a Sunday morning in April 1986, I awoke with symptoms of a stomach virus. By mid afternoon I was in full-blown ketoacidosis. Friends who would come to check on me called 911 and I was taken to the hospital. A close friend of mine, who was a nurse, had been around for the prior two episodes. She immediately knew something was much worse this time. Informing my doctor (who she knew and worked with) that I was her daughters’ “Aunt Kathi,” she asked if she needed go home to prepare her daughters for death. His response, “Give it 24 hours. I have seen worse pull out, but I have seen a lot less not make it. You may want to start planning what you’ll say to your girls.” Although I never actually died, there were points during that night when staff thought it inevitable.

At 5:30 AM on Tuesday morning I awoke in the ICU. I knew it was 5:30 from the clock on the wall, but I had no idea if it was a.m. or p.m. and what day it was. From that point, my recovery was miraculous. Initially given a minimum of one week in the hospital, I was released by an amazed doctor on Thursday. Unbeknownst to anyone, that’s when the major issues were just beginning.

Over the next several days, all of my senses went haywire and my face totally paralyzed. Not one of my senses was exempt. Although the muscles in my face worked, the nerves did not cooperate. I could not change expression, raise an eyebrow or wiggle my nose. Many doctor’s appointments and lab tests led to conflicting diagnoses that didn’t truly fit the symptoms. After weeks of appointments with different specialists, one doctor finally came up with an accurate diagnosis. Because so much time had passed, the treatment plan now was simply time. The percentages that I would receive total restoration were very small. Now we had to wait and see how much would return.

That in a nutshell is what physically happened. I will go into a little more detail in the next posts. I wanted to put the basics here, so that I did not need to spend too much of each post describing the situation. My prayer for you, my friends, is that you can be encouraged that no matter what occurs in your life, God knows where you are and has what you need. Trust Him! Trust Him! Trust Him!