Breath of Life

As the fluid has been filling my left lung, doctors tell me that my right lung has been strong & doing all the work. I'm generally very healthy, except for having cancer, so my other organs have covered nicely in getting me needed oxygen. The annoying, hacking cough has been gradual, too. Mike & I neither one noticed the severity of the situation over the last couple of weeks. Only x-raying the lungs, looking at the true picture of what's inside, determined the truth in the matter. That's why the procedure to drain my lung was on the agenda today. That's why we drove on the icy roads to get this done. There are some things that deserve our immediate attention & breathing is one of those things!

On the way to the hospital, the winter winds blew the snow flurries across the roads making them appear to be dancing right across our path. It was quite beautiful. The roads were not crowded with traffic at all because so many schools & businesses were closed & this allowed Mike & I to enjoy this snow dancing the entirety of the trip. Mike told me these were snow angels God put in our path today. We felt escorted to the hospital this morning. We felt His presence.

As the last few days have progressed & shortness of breath became more severe, I realize how precious breath really is. After you've jogged a bit or taken a flight of stairs, those deep breaths feel so good as they fill up the body with oxygen. They replenishe, restore & rebuild. Breath is life.

The procedure to drain my lung was really something. It keeps amazing me that people dedicate their lives to particular specialties of the human body & really are incredibly gifted at a time of need for another. Today was no different. We learned more about lungs today than we've ever known before. How they work, what's keeping them from working, how they will return to work & what we'll have to do to keep them working.

The procedure went exactly like it was supposed to. I was awake with local anesthetic so they could have me sitting upright & Mike was allowed to be right there, too. It went by the book, with the best possible scenario regarding minimal pain, re-inflation & no complications, even with the removal of 5.5 lbs of fluid! We believe that to be God answering prayers. Also, the attending RN for this procedure is from The Hills. A friend we've known for years! That didn't just happen. God did that! She cares about us & brought us peace just knowing she was there. Then, the attending RN in recovery is from The Hills! You get the point? God went before us- again- preparing our path! Incredible!

As I write, deep breaths are still a bit difficult. It feels like those sharp air bubbles you get sometimes that restrict deep breathing. As my lung re-inflates, that discomfort should deminish. All-in-all, no complaints. Just incredibly thankful I'll be able to breathe again!

Makes Mike & me think of God breathing into man His Breath of Life. He is the Giver of life, our Sustainer. Living without Him can be a gradual, unnoticed way to live at first. May not even miss this Breath of Life as we depend on ourselves to get us through our day to day routines. We may not even know how shallow our breathing has become without Breath of Life. But eventually- one of these days- those deep, deep breaths that are vital to good health, the ones that feel so good, the ones that sustain us, will be missed. There is no life without breath. No life without Breath. Today, I'm thankful for both.

Blessings!