What the Hamburger Helper

It has been a pretty rough thirty days. Starting with what I thought was going to be a blessing actually adversely affected my health. Walking up and down the stairs of an outdated school building, walking the concrete halls retrieving students for remediation took its toll on my hips. I couldn't figure out why my leg and thigh were hurting so severely. It caused me to pull out my trusty cane and seek the advice of an orthopedic doctor. I had so much to do during that 30 day stint; finish the long term assignment, attend a woman’s conference, rehearse the students for a play I had written and continue to help the students in my after school program, launch a new student program, build my website were just a few of the things on my immediate agenda. Oh, I didn’t mention I had been appointed by the new pastor to take on secretarial duties during our time of transition. It was a bit much, but I have always been a multi-tasker. As I struggled each day to get out of bed just to do the basic things, each step I took was like needles and pins shooting up my leg. I refused at first to see a doctor, because I guessed it was simply a pulled muscle from all of the walking, sitting and standing I had not been accustomed to in the last six years.
During massage therapy the therapist kept asking if I could remember where the pains might have originated. As I lay on the table my mind drew a blank. Once in my car it all started coming back to me. I remembered I had had a slip and fall in the cafeteria at one of my former schools, hit in the shin with a flying chair by a rowdy student, wrapping both legs around him to keep him still as teachers are instructed exacerbated that condition. At another school I was kicked in that same shin by a different rowdy student. It was all coming back. And in none of the situations did I call foul and try to sue the school system. Hmmmmmm! Dwelling on these things serves no real purpose except to let the therapist know where my problem spots were.
Scheduling an MRI with the orthopedic service was the best thing the doctor could have done. Although he could not find the problem looking at a mere x-ray, he promised to prescribe something for pain and inflammation and order massage therapy. He forgot to call in the prescriptions and order the therapy that would relieve the pain. Whoo boy here we go. I was asked if I were claustrophobic, had metal anywhere in my body etc. etc. On the day of the MRI I arrived early prepared to get in that chamber and once and for all find out what was up. Lying there quiet and scrunched up I was determined to get it over with. Relaxing my mind and telling myself to take a nap was the simple solution to being in that thing. But oh no, the attendant rolled me back out saying the machine wasn’t calibrated correctly. Back in again. Relax Miss Lady, just relax. Back out, back in. The third time was the charm, not doing this today I authoritatively told the technician. If the machine is not working today let’s do it another day. I’m not going back in that chamber again. Claustrophobic? No, just didn’t want to be practiced on that day. So now they have to find another machine, preferably one with open sides and of course in good working condition.
Back to the rough 30 days…it had been unusual and perplexing, but what I have learned from this is that we don’t always control what we think we control. My family was there to help me get over the rough spots. I sat in a rolling, backless chair to do small chores and prepare dinner. I guess the downstairs neighbor wanted to know what in the heck was going on upstairs. Even though I am not quite out of the woods I know that when the Lord wants to get our attention He will get our attention. He did not put more on me than I was able to bear. For that matter, I might have put it on myself trying to be superwoman. It is not for me to do everything, but learn to call on reinforcements and pray and seek Him for the answers. I’ve also learned that I have to “take a little time and enjoy the view.” Okay Whoopie.