I first met Ibu Lina the day she showed up at our house for an interview to be our house helper. An extremely meek, sweet-faced woman, she mentioned nothing about the fact that she had a serious, debilitating illness. I hired her that same day.
Not long after that, she began calling in sick for days at a time, saying that her legs and arms were “weak.” About two times a month this would occur. I began asking more questions about her illness. She told me she had been suffering for six years, and when the attacks came on, she couldn’t move any part of her body. She visited several doctors but none of them had any answers. One day during one of her attacks, I visited her at home. Sure enough, she was completely paralyzed.
“Lord,” I prayed, “please show me what is wrong. Allow me to help her.” After doing some research, I came up with a theory. If I was correct, the solution was as simple as taking medicine.
One day she quit work because the attacks were becoming too frequent. I saw her later and asked if the next time she had an attack, I could take her to get some blood work. She declined, saying she thought God had a beautiful plan and she would just continue to pray. “Ibu Lina,” I responded, “I believe God does have a beautiful plan for you, but I also believe that sometimes He sends other people to help.” After thinking it over, she agreed.
The next time she had an attack she called me. Her husband carried her limp body on his back and loaded her into my car. We drove to the general hospital. When the lab results came back, they confirmed what I had originally suspected. With the help of an American doctor, she was started on a regimen of medicines.
I am overjoyed that Ibu Lina has not had another attack since! After six long years of suffering, she is free! We are praising God with her.
Please continue to pray for her as she still suffers from some weakness while the doctors here try to get her on the right dosages.
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6 Comments
This is wonderful, but the telling of the story leaves one hanging. What was the illness she suffered from?!
Cheryl, as a nurse I kind of have US confidentiality laws engrained in me, which is maybe why I didn’t disclose the diagnosis, but since this is overseas and an entirely different world, I would be happy to share the diagnosis. I believe she has hypokalemic periodic paralysis.
how did you first become aware of this disease may I ask?
Thank you, Ellie. I didn’t mean to be nosy. As a former nurse’s aide and nursing student, I was just very curious, and couldn’t think of a disease or condition where one would have to wait until an episode to get blood drawn for a diagnosis. I learned something new today. 🙂
Cheryl,
Oh I didn’t feel like you were being nosy at all. I would have asked the same question….and you are not the first to ask. I should have included it for all the medical people out there :).
Through trusted internet medical sites, and I conferred with an American doctor working in West Kalimantan.