You may remember that my hubby has been dealing with back issues the last few years. It has been debilitating and depressing and has dominated our hearts and prayers. Well, one of the biggest things I'm thankful for in 2011 is that God has brought help to Dave.
God had been leading us to consider more natural approaches to healing (like nutrition, etc) since doctors and medicine and countless procedures left Dave still on the couch in pain. So as we tentatively set out on that path...God brought Dr. Smith into our lives. We had heard about this holistic chiropractor for years from friends, even before we had our own problems. Once Dave started suffering, several had recommended he see this doc...but for whatever reason, we never sought his help. (I now think that in God's timing, Dave needed to be desperate enough to try anything before he would totally buy into this guy's philosophy of healing.) At a prayer night at church, Dave was working the sound board when a friend approached him and said, "I don't know why, but I feel like I'm supposed to tell you to try my doctor, Dr. Smith." That was it. We hear you, God! Dave decided to give him a try. Insurance didn't cover any of it. We didn't care...we were desperate for Dave to rejoin life as we knew it.
Well, "Smitty" as we affectionately call him (not to his face), had been a Godsend. His approach to holistic healing that has Dave addressing the structural, chemical and emotional/spiritual aspects of his health simultaneously has made a huge difference. We have learned there is so much more to Dave's condition than just back pain, and we are thankful to have someone addressing the whole thing. Dave still has a ways to go until he is fully healthy again, but he has made giant strides forward. One day, not long after Dave started to improve, Pickle looked at me and said, "Dad is back". And we realized not only that he was back, but how much had had indeed been missing. We are so thankful.
Since then, I have started seeing Smitty for the problems I've been having with my neck. His x-rays showed double scoliosis in my back, among other things, and his treatment has been slowly unwinding the torques in my spine. As my back improves, the neck should as well. It already is doing better--but has a ways to go yet. This type of treatment is slow, but at least I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. I saw him today, and he was pleased with the progress in my back. He identified scar tissue in my neck that is part of what needs to be address as the healing moves to my neck...and he spent more time then usual on my neck today. It felt good.
So today I am thankful for dear Smitty--the doc--and the gifts God has given him to point people to healing. And I so very, VERY, grateful, for the healing God is bringing to Dave.
What are you thankful for today? Link up or comment! Let's fill up blogland with thankfulness!
A few simple instructions for the link up:
-please link to your specific thankful post--not just your blog
-please link back to theGoodlife in your post so others can join the fun!
-feel free to grab the 30 thankful days graphic--I haven't figured out how to make it a button.
-feel free to grab the 30 thankful days graphic--I haven't figured out how to make it a button.
I'm thankful for Dr. Smith too - he's been good to my family! :)
ReplyDelete