It Has Been A Year Today

It has been a year today since I went to the hospital with GBS. I thought it was just a pulled muscle in my back. I remember the falling and being unable to get up at home and my wife taking me to the hospital and the series of tests that they did in the ER in Kerrville.

I went in about 10:00 a.m. My wife had a test in a class that she missed because she was with me holding my hand and comforting me. I remember an ER Neurologist came in the room and tested my reflexes in my legs. Nothing. She then sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. My wife was in a chair on the other side of the room and on was on the table and the Dr. said, "I have some bad news to tell you I think you have MS. I think you're too old to have MD so you most likely have MS. We can't be sure because of your past of having GBS when you were 5 but it is highly unlikely you can get GBS twice. I think it is MS."

It was like time stood still. My stomach dropped. I asked, "Is there any cure for MS?"
"No," was the reply. "It is fatal." We are going to put you into ICU over the weekend and do more tests because you did have GBS when you were 5 just to make sure it isn't GBS again."

My wife got on the phone and immeditately called family and I threw up. I prayed to God asking him for help. It was the longest weekend in my life. Waiting to find out the unknown. Was it MD, MS, or GBS?

I was so depressed over the weekend thinking the worst. I had several spinal taps to determine whether or not it was GBS. The first spinal tap showed the protein level to be 65- elevated, but not high enough to be GBS. So over the weekend we still had wait, which seemed like eternity.

On Monday the next spinal tap found out spinal protein level showed that it was GBS. I stayed in ICU over 14 1/2 days. They started IVIG treatments right away. I had serveral side effects at night from the IVIG which were migraines. I kept thinking in my mind though, "I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength." I couldn't move from my waist down and my arms were very weak as well. In order to move me, they had to use a lift. Physical therapy would come in and work on my muscles two hours a day when they did. I would think to myself, "I can do all thing through Christ who gives me strength." On one night it was so bad with pain. I remember screaming, "What are you sticking in my leg!" "The nurse said, 200 mg of demerol." I screamed, "Stop the pain God oh God stop it! Please God! Stop the Pain!" Another nurse on another side of the bed said, "We're trying sweetie!"

After that night, I totally surrendered my life completely over to God. I thought I had already done that. When I say completely, I mean: my life, family, ministry, every aspect of my life. Complete surrending to His perfect will.

I then moved from ICU to the 7th floor where I did physical therapy and occupational therapy for about a month. I remember with every workout, with every new challenge, and the first thing that I wrote down on paper in occupational therapy was, "I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13. I had nurses praying for me. As I was released from the hospital I went outpatient therapy for 6 months and went from a wheel chair from to a cane.

I am blessed to be at the church I am at because during the time the set up a medical fund because I have no medical insurance. The medical fund if you would like to donate to it is:

Kinney Mabry Medical Fund
People State Bank
Rocksprings Texas, 78880

The church also had men who were willing to come and preach while I was in the hospital and not able to preach. The church also allowed me to preach in my wheel chair even if my sermons weren't but 5-10 minutes in length. God has blessed my life over this past year. I am gaining more strength. I still have good days and bad days. I still have pain but it is getting better. I am now able to teach class on Sunday, preach on Sunday morning and Sunday night. I have gone from a wheel chair to walking on my own. God is good.

I ask that if you would like to donate to the medical fund do so or make a difference by keeping my family and I in your prayers. Thank you so much for all that you have done over this past year.

I am going to continue to grow in my relationship with God and Jesus Christ. I want to follow His will instead of my own. I want to love God more and more everyday and strive to be a better minister, husband and father. Most of all, I always want to be thankful for what he has done and continues to do in my life.

What do you think?
Share your thoughts.