A ROCK IN THE WRONG PLACE

my rock

I have been away for a couple of months, making medical history.

Trying to cut a long story short, I was admitted to hospital for a gall bladder operation but the surgeon was unable to perform the surgery. A CT Scan revealed the stone had burst from the gall bladder, through the stomach and lodged in the small intestine on the lower left side of the body. I was airlifted to the capital for specialised surgery. There, a large stone was found in the duodenum and removed, and it was thought the problem was solved.

NOT SO!  After 17 days of intensive pain and AF (atrial fibrillation of the heart, with the resting pulse rate at 140-153) as a result of the trauma to the body, a rock was found completely blocking the small intestine. The rock turned out to be 3cm diameter and 4.6 cm long. The surgeon said an hour later would have been too late. It had torn the intestine which was about ready to burst. This type of rock is known as Bouveret’s Syndrome and is most often found post-mortem. The majority of doctors and surgeons never encounter one in their lifetimes, so many ‘visitors’ came to see the evidence. My case is being written up in medical journals and is the basis for a project by a group of med students.

Now, after three operations and several weeks, I am beginning to regain my normal health, though I am still unable to sweep, mop, lift, stretch etc and I tire very quickly – certainly not my usual lifestyle as I have enjoyed almost perfect health all my life.

Looking back over those weeks I can see at least three major “circumstances” – things that happened beyond explanation – other than that God was in control and stepped in on my behalf. I hasten to add that this was not because I deserved or merited His intervention, but solely because of His great mercy, grace, love and providence for His adopted child.

On entering hospital I declared (Psalm 27:1)
“The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?” 
Some time later the truth of verse 2 hit me –
“When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh . . .”
[This is what was happening as that rock tore at my insides,
but my God was true to His Word] . . .
“my enemies and foes stumbled and fell”

THE ETERNAL GOD IS MY REFUGE
AND UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS
Deuteronomy 33:27

I apologise for not being able to keep in touch but I now hope to get back to commenting and posting, at least for a short time most days.