COINCIDENCE OR DIVINE GUIDANCE?

Things happen. We all know that. Why do they happen? That is a question we all ask - usually we say -- "why does this always happen to me?" We tend to question the bad rather than the good. The consequences are equally amazing - but we do not question when we are wonderfully blessed - only when our worlds are shaken to the core.

My world got one of those shakes this morning.

To bring you up to date - my son, Scott, has had an abrasion on the bridge of his nose since mid-October. It was caused by the mask of his C-Pap machine that he uses for sleep apnea. It has occurred before- and it healed. This time it was being very stubborn and our physician referred him to a dermatologist.

The doc briefly looked at his nose and said it would heal - is healing - use antibiotic cream - leave it alone.

Okay. Then he wanted to check out the lesion on his head... The doc made reference to the referral of our primary care doc and I was confused. Nothing had been said about checking out his scalp - and our doc does not send us off on blind referrals.

Long story short - he was in the wrong room with the wrong patient! BUT- Scott did have a small lesion on his scalp - which the doc wanted to biopsy---. I was annoyed - sloppy office management that he was talking to the wrong patient. The biopsy was done however.

Flash forward to this morning. We are in the midst of an ice storm. Schools closed - power lines are going down (not before I finish this I hope!) Then I get the phone call.

CANCER

A word not used casually. A word not used with my child. (Okay he will be 42 in August, but he is my baby).

I listened to big words - Latin words that held nothing but fear and nausea in the pit of my stomach. I remember "Premedication", local anesthesia, blood, tension---. Fear. Denial. No!

I asked if I could stay with him through procedure. That is the only way he will tolerate it awake. Permission granted.

Date for procedure has not been set. - It seems the derm doc is national guard and will gone from March-July for duty with our troops. They will try to get Scott in before he leaves.

So you be the judge - coincidence or Divine intervention - Scott gets a sore that does not heal- sent to specialist who walks in the wrong room and examines him for something we did not know he had -because the doc thought he was looking at Mr Cook. Initially, I was furious. Now, humbled and fearful - I am thankful for that mistake.

I know which answer I pick - I know who has shielded my family and given them the strength they need through dark days.

I ask for your prayers for Scott in the upcoming days. He has already picked up on my anxiety. So I have to go into the normal "happy" me. Not easy at this point. Unasked prayers have brought him to this "solution" and prayers will bring us all through it!