Test Results

In my last post I had written about the stomach/abdominal pain I was having and the tests that were scheduled. An ultrasound showed I do not have gall stones, but they discovered a mass on my liver. After seeing Dr. Golden, a gastroenterologist, I had an MRI to get that mass checked out. The results of that test showed a hemangioma, approximately 2 cm in size. Dr. Golden said a hemangioma is usually of no concern. Chances are it's been there for a long time. Mayo clinic's definition of hemangioma -  Liver hemangioma (he-man-jee-O-muh) is a noncancerous (benign) mass that occurs in the liver. A liver hemangioma is made up of a tangle of blood vessels.

My next test was a scan to check gall bladder function. That was normal.

I couldn't get in to do the last test, an endoscopy, until July 14. During that time the pain gradually got better until I didn't have it at all anymore. I almost cancelled the test, but the day I was thinking about it I had another bout of pain so I didn't. Nothing showed up on that test. My esophagus, stomach, and duodenum looked fine. He did take a biopsy to check for a certain bacteria that can cause ulcers. I don't have that result.

Sooo... if all the tests are "normal", what was causing the pain? We asked Dr. Golden if stress can cause that kind of pain and he said, "Yes. The muscles in the stomach and intestines sometimes go into spasms". So my conclusion of the matter is that it was probably all related to the extreme stress of the past winter. Possibly I had an ulcer that was healed by the time he did the endoscopy. Very likely. Stress also causes an increase in stomach acids which can cause an ulcer. I was also taking a lot of pain pills for headaches that were likely caused by stress too. Those are also hard on the stomach. Probably a lot of the pain was also muscle spasms. That is MY conclusion. :)

So how should a Christian handle stress? Could I have done something different and just breezed through those difficult times feeling 100% fine? I don't know that answer, but I know the Lord was with me. I picked up a book written by Elisabeth Elliott, Keep a Quiet Heart. In the front she had a poem by Amy Carmichael.

Thou art the Lord Who slept upon the pillow,

Thou art the Lord Who soothed the furious sea,

What matter beating wind and tossing billow

If only we are in the boat with Thee?

Hold us in quiet through the age-long minute

While Thou art silent and the wind is shrill:

Can the boat sink while Thou, dear Lord, art in it?

Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

The last verse especially blessed me. Can the boat sink while the Lord is in it? There were times I felt I was going down, but with the Lord in "boat" I didn't go down.

Another quote that has blessed me is, "We rightly praise God in the good times, but we learn to know God in the hard times". That is very true. Like Jacob said when he woke from his dream, "Gen 28:16  And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not." I discovered that once while singing "Nearer My God to Thee".  "Then with my waking thoughts Bright with thy praise, Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise..." Bethel is what Jacob named the place where he had the dream. "Surely the Lord is in this place...." I believe God allows hard things in our lives to cause us to draw closer to Him.

When Thou Passest Through

"When thou passest through the waters"
Deep the waves may be and cold,
But Jehovah is our refuge,
And His promise is our hold;
For the Lord Himself hath said it,
He, the faithful God and true:
"When thou comest to the waters
Thou shalt not go down, BUT THROUGH."

Seas of sorrow, seas of trial,
Bitterest anguish, fiercest pain,
Rolling surges of temptation
Sweeping over heart and brain -
They shall never overflow us
For we know His word is true;
All His waves and all His billows
He will lead us safely through.

Threatening breakers of destruction,
Doubts insidious undertow,
Shall not sink us, shall not drag us
Out to ocean depths of woe;
For His promise shall sustain us,
Praise the Lord Whose Word is true!
We shall not go down, or under,
For He saith, "Thou passest THROUGH."

Annie Johnson Flint