Psalm 30:2

"O LORD my God, I cried to you for help and YOU healed me." - Psalm 30:2

Little did I know how much that verse would ring true in my life this week.  Forgive me for this being such a long post, I tried to write out everything so I don't ever forget how God worked in the past few days!!! I pray that you will take the time to read it all. (For those of you sharing this blog with your little kids, I would advise skimming over first because they might not want to hear about how I've been sick). 

 It all started very early Monday morning (5 am) when I woke with shortness of breath and I felt terribly weak.  I had an extremely high fever (chills aches, and all), my joints just throbbed-- back and knee especially, horrible intestinal pains and I didn't know what to do. I was trying to pack up the rest of my stuff to get on the bus from Battambang to Phnom Penh. Jill thankfully got up early and helped me (well, she did most of the packing). That morning was the first time I have ever taken a hot bath/shower in Cambodia and was still cold. It was a 90 degree morning and I felt like I was trying to warm up in an Ohio blizzard. Kevin and Jill gave me some sort of medicine that helped for about 2 hours and I thought I was on my way to normal health again for the 5 hour bus ride home.  After saying teary goodbyes, praying together and thinking I was feeling better, I got on the bus with John McCollum and Savorn. About an hour into the ride my fever came back full blast.. I was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up, sweatpants, and socks pushing the a/c away from me on the bus.  All morning I just knew this sickness was different. It didn't feel like a reaction to bad food and it also wasn't the typical flu. 

After what was a seemingly long bus ride from my skewed sickly perspective, we finally arrived in Phnom Penh. I took a quick nap at the guest house with no power in the heat of the day (still freezing) and then woke up feeling great-- ready to go hug the Prek Eng kids. As soon as I got out to the 1st orphanage, I was incredibly sick again. No medication was keeping down my fever and I thought I was going to pass out. I think I feel asleep on one of the hammocks at the last orphanage.. I honestly can't remember.  I tried to eat at the Wild Mushroom restuarant that Jen, John, Van, and I went to.. but couldn't really eat. I had no appetite all day. I told both Jen and John that if I didn't feel better in the morning, that I was going to an international clinic here. 

I was able to sleep through the night even though my fever felt like had spiked through the night. I can honestly say that Monday night I was having hallucinations (definately not dreams) that night.  But sure enough, the next morning, I felt worse. So John McCollum (our executive director of Asia's Hope) took me to the S.O.S. clinic- an internationl clinic in Phnom Penh. They wouldn't even let John and I in the building until it was confirmed that I didn't have swine flu. And no, I did not have swine flu! ha. With ibuprofen in my system my temp. was still 102.2 degrees. They estimated that when my fever spiked that it was ranging from anywhere between 104-105.8 degrees.  I had a very nice French/Khmer dr. and he wanted to take blood tests (my favorite-NOT).  It took a little while for the results to be processed and the dr. had suggested that I eat something so we went next door to Le Duo which is one of Phnom Penh's hidden gems I've never known about. I thought I was in Italy, not Cambodia (sick for that matter). Think of every italian sterotype and this would be the place. The owener was an italian named Luigi with a huge scar on his neck. hah. But anyways, this plays into the story because the table right beside us were ladies, that were christians and TWO of them were OHIO. They all prayed for me on the spot as we awaiting the results. How cool is that? What a small world. 

We went back to S.O.S. and the dr. told me that he had good news "You don't have Swine Flu or Malaria." I thought to myself "Oh good, I'm going to get better soon.. it's just a little virus."  But then he said, "But you must know that your white blood cell count is getting extremely low. The average range is between 4 and 10. Yours right now is 3.35 and I expect that it will get down in the low 2ish range. You have the early onset of Dangue Fever which is caused by the mosquitos and you will get much worse. You will much more sick over the next 5-7 days. You should have vommiting soon, and the fever will stay significantly high. The only think you can do is take tylenol and dont allow yourself to get dehydrated. I would suggest getting on a plane to Thailand or Singapore right now if something goes wrong because we don't have a hospital in Cambodia adequate enough to take care of you. But you are healthy enough, that you should be okay staying here, maybe." I just kept thinking, "Awwwww Crap... WORSE? REALLY???" I didn't know what to do. I was so sick already. How could I feel worse??? I talked to the Kane's and John McCollum and I decided that I was just too weak to go Thailand. There was no way that I could handle getting on a plane by myself. 

I took a nap back at the guest house. After John talked to Dr. John Campbell back in the states and talking with parents, we decided a 2nd opinion was needed.  

That evening, Savorn, John, and I went to yet another clinic. I felt a little better at this point but still very week and still had a fever. Dr. Modich wanted to take yet again, more blood tests and my white blood cell count had gone down to 3.03 but by a miracle my platelets went DOUBLED back up to the normal range from 80 that morning to 176!!!!! He told me that it might just be a weird virus. I had all the symptoms of Dengue Fever, but since my fever was miracuously coming down he thought that it might not be. He also said no medical evacuation was needed at that point and I wouldn't need a platelet blood transfusion that the Cambodia cannot provide. The words blood and transfusion do NOT sit well with me (I'm scared of both blood and needles).  I was ready to jump out of my skin with excitement!!!

While sleeping that night, my fever went down and hasn't come back since. I got the sore throat and the rash like expected, but this case is nothing like the doctors or tests said it was going to be.  I did experiece the freakiest rash of my life. It took over most of my body and was just plain gross. I looked like a leper seriously... I also woke up one morning with lips twice the size of Angelina Jolie's. I thought that was appropriate being in Cambodia. ha. 

But in all seriousness, I honestly never thought that I would be sitting here in a cafe typing all this to you when the Dr. said that today would be the worst day of my fever and I feel 100% myself. I don't feel tired at all and don't have any more of the Dangue symptoms. PRAISE God. The prayers have been working. Ever since my mono/ back surgery, it's very hard for me to bouce back to normal after getting sick. I tend to stay lazy and don't have motivation. But it's the opposite here-- I am more determined, more passionate, and more excited to love more, seek out justice of these hurting people, and be able to shine for Jesus here. Pray that I will be able to continue to do that. 

I am humbled and thankful to all of you who have been praying for my sickness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!! There are people over here who where witness to my sickness completely turning around when the Dr.'s told me I wouldn't be better for a week. 

Thank you Dr. John for letting us call you at any hour of the day with questions and concerns this week. 

Thank you Mom and Dad for letting be here and allowing God to be in control of my life. I wouldn't trade being over here for anything!!! 

Thank you to my church family for all lof your prayers. 

Thank you to all of my friends, family, and people that I don't know who have been praying for my health. Because of your prayers, God turned this disease around!!!!!!  

I want all of you to know that even if God decided not to heal me that it would have been okay. God is still God and He knows what He's doing. Like I said to my parents, I wouldn't trade being here for anything and if that meant getting terribly sick to see God work, then so be it. And if He wouldn't have healed me, He is still an awesome God. He still knows what He's doing and He doesn't love us any less. 

John 10:10 says:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"

Satan didn't bring me down this time. He tried.. but I have a God who is MUCH bigger and an awesome support system to cover my back in prayer!! Thank you! The praise goes ultimately to God because HE is the one who did it all. 

 I will leave you to read the lyrics of one of my favorite worship songs of all time. 

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Amen!!