In the valley of the Shadow of Death.

I was never ill, never caught a cold, and I lived a relatively healthy and busy life, but then that all changed! It all started at the end of March 2010 with being tired. It was a long winter so nothing that serious maybe I was just getting run down and was catching a cold, but then I never got a cold.

In April 2010 I had sharp pains on my lower back, perhaps I was dehydrated and needed more fluid, but then I lost feeling in my right leg, I had a trapped nerve. A few visits to the Chiropractor but the pain kept moving to other parts of my body.

In May 2010, it was itchy red eyes. A trip to the optician who confirmed swollen tissues, cold eye drops would fix it. Following on from this was the ongoing fever with chills, cough, pain everywhere, patchy rash with itchiness, shortness of breath and a cough that won't go away.

A visit to the GP in June 2010 which resulted in a series of blood tests, two courses of antibiotics, MRI, chest X-rays, and referral to specialists. Results showed lung disease with ground glass opacity, nodules in my liver, inflamed muscles and joints, and elevated cpk. Hospitalized for 3 days in July with lots test and consultation with specialists. Possibilities - sarcoidosis, lupus, polymyositis, dermatomyositis. This is the valley of shadow of death (psalm 23).

It is comforting to know that there are people praying for me because there are days I can't pray for myself or even do anything for myself. It's also comforting to know that when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord is with me even though it's so dark and lonely and I can't see a thing!

How did I get here? Where is the way out of this valley?

Psalm 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.