Thank you to all who prayed - it turned out to be really necessary, for in the end, some things went wrong, and then, via God, went very well.
When I went in for the procedure, which, since it's supposed to be under full anesthethia, can be life threatening. I talked to God about that, and said, basicly, I'd love to come home, but I've got a lot of work to do, so do whatever you want.
Oh, and what a test lay ahead.
The surgeon's staff forgot to tell me not to eat or drink for 8 hours before the operation, which consisted of six injections into my lower back muscles with needles that are long, thick, and scary looking.
Naturally, I was furious, for my option was to re-schedule, obtain another driver, and go through the entire mess of just getting me out of the house, dressed for the street, and down into town. And to be frank, this is never easy for me.
Anyway, I waited to talk to the surgeon, chewed him out for his staff's outrageous lapses (not the first of it's kind), and thankfully, although I was angry, managed not to sin in what I said or did. Anger at the stupidity of others just makes me speak up, and to the point, instead of trying to be patient and longsuffering, which I am happy to do if the situation is not life threatening. On the other hand, I have to stay away from politics, or I start wishing people would disappear in nasty ways, and have to repent. Had to put that in, lest I seem to be something I'm not.
After I told the surgeon that his staff needs retraining, and that he needed, for his safety, to have people notified in writing, and a signed copy at his office, of what they are to expect, I asked him how bad it would be under just a local anesthetic.
Now, I have a single version of those kind of shots before, and if they hit the nerve dead on, like they are supposed to, it will make a strong man scream. A friend of mine has had these shots that I was to get, and he cannot handle them except under a general anesthetic. They are deep muscle shots, and not fun to experience.
Well, I told the surgeon I would have the procedure without the general anesthesia, but I need 15 to 20 minutes to pray. And oh, how I prayed.
But oddly, for the circustances, I didn't ask for a pain free experience. I told God that I knew that Jesus had suffered far more than I would in the 20 minute procedure, and that I was willing, if necessary, to feel the full brunt of the pain, just as I was willing to suffer whatever trials and tribulations that will happen to me as we progress towards the end days, but I asked for His perfect will in what I was to suffer.
By the time I was done praying, I felt oddly calm, and started singing my favorite praise songs as I waited for the nurses to take me into surgery. And, I sang them throughout the procedure. Of the many shots I received, I only felt one, and it was an, 'ouch, that one hurt!' feeling, but wasn't a screaming affair. Then they told me they were done.
Then my nurse, who had been there to hold me down if it were necessary, said something inane, like, there, that didn't hurt!
And I said really loud, ringing voice, no, it didn't because God took the pain away! Because He did. Praise be unto Him!
Now, there are two more procedures to go, one in two weeks, one two weeks after that. Whether I will take the general anesthesia will depend on whether I can go off my regular meds long enough to not need food or water for 8 hours, for I have to take food with the meds, and the meds make me drink buckets of water.
I don't like to test God though, and I'm not fond of the screaming kind of pain, so I'll talk to God about what to do.
But wasn't He just marvellous to only let a tiny bit of the pain through? And isn't He marvellous in all ways? Oh, praise be undo to Him indeed!
Blessings,
Forrest
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Forrest Anderson
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