Suddenly Edema. So, What Do I Do?

angrytrainerfitness.com

Have you ever heard of God's health graces and mercies? I'll tell you a story.

Here you are, a health buff, very particular about what you eat and drink, working out regularly, observing a healthy lifestyle.

And then suddenly, edema.

So I had my urine and blood tested. They saw a trace of protein in my urine (proteinuria) and slightly elevated creatinine in my blood. The doctor said both indicate kidney problems, probably serious or just in their initial stages. I needed more tests.

Oh my! What happened?

Suddenly, I felt so weak and sick. Thoughts of me dying began in my mind when I was alone (or even with other people), I felt like a floating ghost seeing my former life on earth when I walked around, and I was imagining how my kidneys were being destroyed.

I saw 4 doctors, two of them nephrologists, one working at the Kidney Center. We chose to stick with the one at the Kindney Center.

So I was worked up. I had a series of urine and blood tests plus ultrasound of the abdomen area (every organ was thoroughly checked!) and prostate plus chest x-ray. When you have these tests you really feel like the end is near, especially when you see how kidney patients look, in wheelchairs or stretchers or beds along the corridor of the hospital.

Will I be be among them soon?

Each time I see them, I say a silent intimate prayer---please heal them, Lord. I can't go past each of them without imagining the hardships they're in. "What have they done to end up like that?" I always wondered. There was this teenager in a wheelchair who looked so weak. Was he an alcoholic? Did he love eating salty food?

There were adults who walked around with swollen feet and legs.

Suddenly, I was in the world of the terribly sick, the swollen, people with tubes and dextrose and masks. In the midst of all these, it seemed the outside world was...well, too "outside."

I was glad I was out of there when the tests were done.

The next day, the lab and ultrasound results all yielded normal. Well, there were some slight elevations, and one kidney had a very tiny cyst, but the kidney expert said they were nothing. And I have to start watching eating fatty food to protect my liver. I thank God for the healing mercies. My urine was normal and so was my creatinine.

Generally, I was healthy!

I did read somewhere that edema sometimes is temporary or too mild that it needs no treatment. It will just go away by itself, as mine did. No more edema since we started praying for healing.

But of course, I realize that all these were a warning---that I should double my health consciousness, especially watch what I eat and drink more. God's mercy isn't meant to be abused. And by God's grace, everything would be okay---nope, better.

And it's another way for me to see that I am actually healthy. The past months I've been wondering how healthy I really was. Sometimes, regular exercises and healthy diets aren't assurance of good health. You have to check what's going on inside of you.

So I guess, God allowed the edema so I would let myself be worked up and see how healthy I really am through the lab and radiological results. Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought of undergoing them, and especially spending money for the same.

Thank God for His health graces and mercies.

Here's a video on edema: