15 May, 2006

I Think I'm Gonna Live

I have been pretty sick for several days and have not felt like messing with the blog thing. Truthfully, I have not felt like doing anything. In fact, I slept away almost all of Friday and Saturday, waking only for brief periods and then finding my way back to the couch to snooze some more. I did manage to get myself up and together enough to go to church on Sunday and preach a Mother's Day message, but the truth is, I was so out of it that I hardly even remember it. When I finished my sermon I made my way back to my office and lay my head on my desk for several minutes just to catch my breath and get enough strength to go out and great a few people and drive home, and yep... back to the couch. By late Sunday night my lungs were rasping and weezing so much that my wife actually thought the noise was coming from outside. I lay in bed at times fighting for breath and I remember thinking, "my goodness, how do people with severe asthma make it?" I am not ashamed to tell you that my struggle for breath scared me, and I thought, "this could be the night I cash them in."

I was awakened by the phone rining on Monday morning, and came down to see who it was. The caller hung up without leaving a message when Libby said I was not available, but she told me that she had already called the doctor and they would be calling soon to give me an appointment. Two hours later I am sitting in my doctors office and he is going over my medical records of similar respiratory problems I have had over the past two years. The good news (I guess) is that he thinks that there is something that I have an allergy to that is triggering this. It is puzzling however, because there does not seem to be a particular season or connection to this. Or at least we thought. But I think we may be on to something.
The first year I pastored this church, I had a terrible case of this problem, which finally developed pneumonia late that fall. I then went months with no trouble, only to have it rear up again once last spring, again later in the summer, and then again in the fall. Then it hit me.There is a correlation to when I have cut the grass at the church. My first year here, someone from the church usually cut the grass but I did mow it a couple of times late in the season when it stayed unusually warm late in the year. Last year another guy usually cut the grass, but I did mow it once when he was out of town, again when he hurt his back and then several times later in the fall. All seem to correspond with the illness. I had just cut the grass last week when I got sick again. Could be a coincidence... but I gotta wonder. The funny thing is that it does not bother me cutting my grass at home, so there must be something funky growing out there behind the church. I guess the only way to find out if this is what is doing it is to cut it again and see what happens. I don't particularly relish this test to see if that is what it is, but I have got to track down what is causing this problem.

Of course, with all the rain we are getting right now and projected to get for the next several days, the yard is going to be a jungle before I can get back out there to cut the yard again.

12 comments:

Sean McKee said...

Just to be safe I think you better come out to my house and try cutting my grass to see if you have a reaction.

I will even buy the gas because I'm just concerned about you...

The 6 Karns' said...

I think you're on to something, Sean. We have TONS of "poop to scoop" that is mixed in with the grass...we could see how that effects you??? Just trying to help.

Darrell said...

You guys are such a great help. What would I do without people like you in my life?

Anonymous said...

Personally, speaking as one who has suffered GREATLY for years with allergies I think the man should take the advice he has been giving me and STAY AWAY from the grass! WE CAN'T AFFORD THE MEDICAL BILLS!

For years he has fussed at me about being around things that I might be or know I am allergic to. Now, HE wants to go TEST THE WATERS err grass! SOMEBODY PLEASE TALK some SENSE into the man!!!!!

The 6 Karns' said...

Libby - you live with the man!! He's just my PASTOR - and I know he has a certain...stubborn...streak (I mean that with the greatest respect :))

Sean McKee said...

Yea, hath (the) Doctor said, Ye shall not mow of every grass of the yard?

Don't listen to them Darrell, just come on over to my house and I'll hook you up!

Sarah said...

Stating the obvious -

Why not get an allergy test?

Libby said...

Because they are extremely expensive; we have very poor insurance on Darrell and the kids; (I'm not sure if the insurance would cover it but if it did we have a $2500 deductible on each of them so we would pay it anyway.) and they can't test for all substances anyway. We would also have to know exactly what plants were growing at the church to even know if they were the ones he tested positive for sensitivity.

The 6 Karns' said...

Well...just think, you could pay for the test now...then Pastor can go to the doctor for free the rest of the year (yippee)...sounds like a good idea to me :)

Libby said...

HAHAHA! However, Dr. visits don't count toward the deductible.

ruthrap said...

this thought came to mind as I am taking all this in, one of my co-workers came to work one day wearing an emphesema mask because he was sick. Well, the whole food court cracked up and he was sent home immediately by management. maybe you could wear one while you mow to keep all those allergens from entering your airways. you may want to mow either really early in the am or late at nite to keep your neighbors from freaking out!

Anonymous said...

I think someone else who doesn't have allergies should offer to mow the church yard.