Day of Empowerment

What an interesting day!  Thursday is supposed to be one of my days off, as I am a Monday-Wednesday-Friday dialysis guy, but I went in today to have an extra session.  It seems that I have been gaining too much weight too quickly.  As it turns out, not only did I not need dialysis to remove extra liquid, but I had to drink three extra liters of liquid today to get my system right!  My weight gain is all muscle.

My stick got hard just typing that last sentence.

I spent the entire afternoon at the emergency room at George Washington University Hospital confirming the fact that there is nothing (else) wrong with me.  And yes, you better believe that I enjoyed every moment.  I’ve been to the hospital so many times in the last 18 months that I knew to stock up on food and water before checking myself in.  I got a foot-long from Subway and cookies, pretzels, Doritos, Wheat Thins, and a liter of water from CVS on the way in.  While waiting for this and that in my “private” room, I scarfed down half of the foot-long, ate a couple of cookies, drank all the water, ate all the Doritos, and drank 12 ounces of apple juice that the hospital provided.  And this was after devouring my usual dialysis lunch of cookies and a sandwich!  I might regret eating and drinking like a trencherman tomorrow … but it sure feels good right now!!!!

On the train ride home, I did my best to collect myself and let this all sink in.  I wanted to thank the Lord for taking such good care of me when I needed it most; as such, I asked the Lord to point me toward a prayer of thanks.  It came to me immediately.

Our Father

Who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On earth, as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

Amen.

And let me not forget to thank my beautiful wife Hilva for keeping me alive.  Thank you, my dear!  Thank you.