Missionaries

I am not sure I will do this story justice... but I figured I would try. Enjoy :)

Last Monday, the most amazing thing happened at work. I got my assignment, and made my morning rounds to get vital signs. One of the last patients I visited was a 40/50-something year old man appeared to have mental and physical handicaps. I figured he must have been born that way and was surprised to hear that he had a wife and children. I thought, "hmm... Maybe his wife is handicap too?" The reason I thought there was something "off" was because when I would talk to him, his mouth would remain slightly open and his eyes were glazed and unfocused as if he were looking straight through me. His body twitched and jerked and he kept grabbing at his leg saying that it hurt. I wasn't sure what to do, and continued to take his vital signs while holding my breath at his smell. I knew that he wanted or needed something, but he couldn't express to me what it was. I didn't know what to do and secretly wished that his wife would hurry up and come to the hospital so that she would take care of him. Horrible, I know. I talked to the other nursing assistant that had him as a patient a few days prior and she shared that he had Hunington's Disease, and was currently hospitalized because of a back injury. Him and his family were on vacation from Illinois and he had fallen in the middle of the night while using the restroom. When he fell, he broke the toilet, and a shattered piece went into his back, piercing straight to the bone. Apparently there was water and blood everywhere, and it was an awful sight. She told me that his wife was really sweet, and that she had told her that when her husband, P*, was in pain, that he would have more tremors. I shared this with my nurse, and she gave him some pain medicine to alleviate his symptoms.

His wife arrived shortly after breakfast, and was very bubbly. She had short brown hair, hiking pants, and a little purse back-pack. I thought she looked like she should be either at Disney World or on a safari in Africa. We talked, and I asked her (hoping) if she wanted to bathe her husband. She said she had never done a bed bath, so she wanted to watch me to learn. It ended up being the best experience ever... As I bathed P, I asked A* about Hunington's Disease and their vacation to Raleigh. She shared that the disease was progressive, and that when she married P, they had no idea that he had it. In his 30's he started to exhibit signs such as a leg twitch, and later tested positive for the gene. Slowly the disease has killed his brain cells, resulting in physical and cognitive handicaps. In fact, they were in Raleigh for a Hunington's Disease conference. She told me about all the research scientists have been doing and how much progress they have made. She did say, however, that there probably would not be a significant cure or palliative device until it was too late for P. I asked about their occupations, and A told me that they were actually missionaries in Africa when P was diagnosed with Hunington's Disease. I could not believe my ears... I had JUST been convicted a few days prior that no matter what I did or how much I "loved God", I was not entitled to perfect health. Specifically, I was challenged by the thought of becoming ill while doing something extremely philanthropic such as serving as a nurse in Africa. Chills ran across my skin as she began to tell me about the journey Hunington's Disease has sent her and her husband on... She told me how P was a Pastor, speaking 3 different languages, and lived amongst the native people. When they learned that P had HD, people told them that he would be healed because they were missionaries and were "serving God". She said she knew that God could heal P if He wanted, but that this was His will for them. She said that she had learned a lot about faith and trusting God's purpose. How this was God's will for now, even though it did not look like what she thought it should. P is a greeter at their Church in Illinois, and that countless individuals have shared with her how much of an encouragement he has been to them. He is at church every Sunday and remembers everyones names. I told A that I was amazed by her and the fact that she is faithful to him, and to God. It would have been so easy to run away from this man, for it was clear that this failing body and mind was not the individual that she married. She then told me about their children... They have two daughters -- both whom have tested positive for the HD gene :( -- and an adopted son from Africa. The son was born on the road while his mother and sisters were escaping Rowanda. When the family arrived to their refuge destination, his mother and sisters got very ill and died. A and P had been praying about adopting a child, and then this little baby boy came to them as an orphan. They said there was a lot of heartache involved in adoption, because anyone could have come and claimed him (even child soldier people that did not know him) and they would have had to oblige due to lack of rights as non-citizens. She showed me pictures of her son and told me how he is in school in Il, has straight A's, is on sports teams, and is a great kid. She was so proud!

Before I left the family for the day, I knew I needed to pray with them. I asked if I could (apparently as a nurse we are allowed to provide spiritual support so this was totally in my scope of practice!), and she joyfully said "that would be wonderful." I placed my hand on P's, and A put her arm around him. I don't remember half of what I said, but I know I thanked them for the encouragement that they were to me and for peace and healing of body and soul. When I was finished, A was crying and P had a peaceful look upon his face and said his only clear words of the day: "thank you." A walked over, hugged me, and said that this was an answered prayer. She said that she was encouraged to see someone my age convicted by the fact that my health may flee, but that only one thing remains constant. I can try to figure out how I was an answered prayer, or try to remember what I said, or analyze how crazy the whole situation was... but I know that it doesn't matter. All that matters is that in that moment, something greater happened to all of us.