As I sit in the hospital with two of my squadmates I am inspired to write a blog of my hospital visit this past week. Here’s a little back story so that you understand.
Back in February I hurt my knee really bad pretending to be a soccer player! Kids think that just, because you change into some shorts and wear sneakers that you can miraculously play soccer! I have to admit I was excited though, because they were placing me on the Haiti team and not the North American team. After hurting myself I was unable to do much ministry that week and had to stay behind at the compound a lot. After leaving Haiti and upon arriving in Costa Rica I would find myself having that same knee pain. However, I was in fear of going to the Doctor, because the thought of something actually being wrong with me freaked me out. The only thing I could think about was how was I’m going to pay these hospital bills. So I had talked myself out of going and continued to hobble around in pain all over Costa Rica.
Once my team got to Honduras I could feel the push from them that I needed to get my knee checked out. After walking for long periods of time I would have bursts of pain coming from my knee. I would pretend that it didn’t hurt as much as it did, but I knew that I no longer could go without seeing a doctor. It was time to stop allowing fear to control my life and fix my poor knee that could definitely be worse than what I was thinking.
So this past Friday I went on an excursion to an Honduran hospital named Centro Medico. Our squad leader Ryan, my brother and friend, came with me for the journey. I was more than blessed by his presence and his kindness. As I walked into the doctors office and immediately noticed a little christian plaque on his desk. I couldn’t translate all of what it said, but I knew it was about the Lord. Something inside me knew that he was a christian and I didn’t have to worry. It was the Lord’s way of telling me that “I am with you, even here.” Doctor Lopez asked me to hope on his stretcher-bed thing in his office. (I have no clue the medical names for certain things.) He picked, probed, and pushed at my knee and my knee-cap. He bent my leg in ways I didn’t even know it could be bent and I did weird squat things as well. When he was finished he asked me to sit down in the chair for a chat!
He said that I didn’t need to get an MRI like I thought I would need. He did say however that I needed a shot and he was going to put me on medication for 10 days. The cartilage inside my knee is very irritated and inflamed and I need to rest and not walk as much, or any dancing or jumping. As he was saying this I let out a sigh of relief. This was GREAT news. I was excited to know that I didn’t have to pay the $500 for the MRI plus doctor visit, however I still feared that I was going to have to pay a large sum.
At the beginning of my visit my awesome host Moises, informed the doctor that Ryan and I were missionaries and that I would be on the mission field for 11 months traveling to 11 different countries. He then shared with us that he was also christian. In the middle of the conversation Ryan had asked would he mind looking at a rash that had developed on his arm and his face. Doctor Lopez asked some questions and gave his professional opinion on it. Both Ryan and I were going to leave the doctors office with prescriptions to make us feel better from this awesome doctor. While writing our prescriptions the doctor informed us that he was going to the United States sometime next month to get a surgery on his kidney. He has been experiencing a ton of pain and whatever it is they can’t take care of it here in Honduras.
Like a lightening bolt Ryan mind begins working. Ryan asked my host Moises to see if DR. Lopez wouldn’t mind if we prayed over him for this upcoming surgery. I prayed specifically for the illness to leave and that the pain would subside. Ryan prayed for his practice, patients, his life, and his family. We spoke blessings over this kind-hearted man and ended with an AMEN and lots photos documenting our experience!
He wrote two prescriptions for me and then one prescription for Ryan, we just needed to go across the street to the pharmacy and get them. We were about to leave when we asked Moises to tell us how much this was going to cost. The Doctor said something that I didn’t even expect. In Spanish he told Moises that we didn’t have to pay for the doctor visit. That we blessed him and in turn he wanted to bless us. I started to tear up, because I knew exactly what he was saying. I whispered to Ryan and said that we didn’t have to pay. Then Moises translated everything he had said and I was right NO PAYMENT! He told us that we just needed to go to the pharmacy and get our medication, come back and get my shot and we were finished.
All the stressing I was doing over money and the Lord used this man to give me a little blessing wrapped in a bow! I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to have met DR. Lopez. I have all of his information and plan on emailing him in the near future to make sure that everything is alright with him. The Lord had a reason for me going to the hospital on Friday. He had a divine appointment waiting for me. I pray that as you guys go through your days that you will recognize the blessings wrapped in a bow that the Lord gives you daily. They aren’t always game changers like mine, but they are definitely blessings that will change your heart. Take the time to see and appreciate them.
Please pray for a quick and speedy recovery for my knee. I would love to be able to run and jump around with kids next month. Also, my squadmates name is Kelly and she got her appendix removed here in Honduras. Please be praying for a quick and speedy recovery for her as well. One last thing, please spend a few moments in prayer for DR. Lopez. Thank you for all your prayers and support in advance.
