Two weeks in Panama already. Can you believe it?! The time is just flying by. I just wanted to pop in a give an update of how I have been doing. I went to the clinic last Friday in San Felix because I was quickly spiraling downward in health. My body felt like it was at a breaking point and so did my mind. One of my teammates convinced me to go to the clinic, so my hosts dropped me and 2 of my teammates off on their way to ministry. When I was brought in the see the Doctor he asked me all kinds of questions(in Spanish so luckily Ash speaks a little) and pushed on my stomach a lot and then said that he wanted me to give a blood and urine sample at the hospital across the road.
Fear ran down my spine.
Why? Well our first week in Las Lajas our ministry hosts drove us past the San Felix hospital and said how corrupt the hospital was and how we shouldn’t go there and I hate needles. I don’t even like giving blood in the US. So you can imagine how I felt hearing not only did I have to go over to this forbidden hospital but I also had to have a needle stuck in my arm. But I was at my whits end and was ready for some answers to this sickness. So, my friends and I were walked over to the Lab by the clinic nurse and waited in this small room for the Lab tech to arrive. He comes in greets me and jumps right into it. Ties my arm with the elastic band and gets the needle out. I bawling at this point… but lets be honest even if I was in the states I would have been crying. My friends tell me to look at them and are talking to me to keep me distracted and….
We’re done.
That man took my blood like a professional.(Haha get it because its kind of his full time job) You’re kidding me right? I’m crying like a child, scared out of my mind in this hospital as a grown woman and I didn’t feel a thing. If that isn’t the Lords grace upon me I don’t know what is. In that moment I felt so protected and loved by the Father. That no matter where I go, what I am faced with He is with me and wants to protect me. After I gave them a blood and urine sample we had to wait for about 20 minutes to get my results. Which also blew my mind. 20 minutes… for blood and urine test results. Anywho, long story short my tests were normal except I had elevated white blood cell counts so the clinic doctor assumed I had some kind of infection still in my system and prescribed me some antibiotics for 7 days and pain meds. Told me to come back on Monday if I didn’t feel any relief from the pain.
Well its Friday again and I am feeling so much better from last week. Today is my last day on the antibiotic so I am praying to the Lord that whatever I had is now dead. That I am completely healed and can enjoy the rest of my time here in Panama. Thank you all for your prayers throughout this time of sickness. After 5-6 weeks of illness and 2 doctors I am hopeful it’s over.
I cannot thank you all enough for your continued support and love for me. This journey has not been easy and wasn’t really what I was expecting, but it is exactly what the Lord knew i needed and you all partnering with me has made this experience that much sweeter. I love you all.
Stay Blessed,
Marah
