November 6 – “Therapeutic levels”

Yesterday was my latest trip to Houston to see the rheumatologist.  I've had a few occurrences of being awakened by pain. He always asks that.  And the most recent thing happens when I try to do fine motor skill kind of work, like writing very small letters when I create Visual Verses.  My hand shakes.  Very weird feeling.  Chris has also noticed swelling at times.  I guess I have stopped paying attention to the swelling part.    Mom went along with us just to get out of the house for awhile.  As we waited for the doc to come in, I told Chris what I thought he was going to do.  My guess was that he would do exactly what he has done the last three or four times I have been in.  First would be some variation of "How are you doing?"  Sometimes he makes it fun, "So the medicine is working perfectly and you have had no pain whatsoever for six weeks, right?"  I answer, "No change" or something along those lines.  So he checks my joints and hits my arms and knees with his little hammer.  Then he'll sit down and refer to the results of my blood work to make sure my liver still works.  Then he'll have me lie down so he can feel my liver for himself.  Then he'll increase the meds by one in the morning and one at night. It's been the same for quite some time.  And when he came in … he did exactly what I predicted.  Now the dose is back up to what he calls, "therapeutic levels."  So we wait another six weeks to see if it will do any good.   Last night we went to the rehearsal for the vows renewal that I'm officiating tonight.  The couple eloped three years ago, and now they are having their "real" ceremony.  It's for the sister of a guy I coached in basketball years ago.  We became friends with his family then, and I guess I've become their spiritual connection.  They don't go to church anywhere.  I did the funeral of their son who died in Iraq awhile back.    Actually it's not completely accurate to say it was a rehearsal.  The wedding is going to be in Baytown.  The rehearsal was at a Mexican food restaurant in Dickinson, Garcia's Grill.  And we didn't do a rehearsal.  They gave gifts to the wedding party.  And then we just ate.  I did a hand fasting thing with them and gave them the rope as a keepsake.    I really like this kind of thing.  Becoming friends with people who don't go to church and sharing in the significant events of their lives.  Pretty much all they see of Jesus is what they see in Chris and me.  A lot of pressure there.  Along the way they have heard the gospel in several different ways.    1 Corinthians 9:22-23 says, "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."   Father, use this vows renewal service tonight give the family one more touch of the gospel.  Draw them closer to you.  Amen.