Oh the Humanity, Continued

I’d received some feedback from my post inspired by my on-going sickness, and I thought that there may be those who would like to hear an update.

After two different antibiotics and an attempt to treat my symptoms as an allergy, I was finally sent to get a nose culture and an x-ray. The nose culture, a very uncomfortable procedure by the way, revealed that I have a pretty nasty infection, which is bringing on the very real possibility of having to go through 5 days of injections followed by oral medication in order to clear it up. It seems as though my sinus infection that I thought I had dealt with in November/December never really went away. So now I’m faced with a whopper.

I would really appreciate your prayers as the treatment comes with certain side effects for the kidneys as they have to process this powerful antibiotic. This continuing saga also comes at the end of the bi-semester at the Bible Institute and the start of another hot on it’s heels. I’m caught in the middle of developing a class on Christian Evidences in Spanish with my energies at low levels.

Now, about the picture: The root of all of my problems seem to be an irregularity with my nose. The x-rays showed that I have a deviated septum. Those with a deviated septum collect fluid (seen as the gray in the right nasal cavity) in their sinuses that should drain through a normal nose. Instead the pooling creates a perfect environment for the breeding of bacteria. This explains why I come down with a new infection with every change of the season.

Usually, a deviated septum comes about in an accident with some kind of shock to the nose. This pattern of infections started during my time in CBC, but I can’t seem to remember any kind of accident that would have caused it. Of course, there was that one night while I was up reading Millard Erickson’s one volume Systematic Theology that the book might have slipped out of my hands onto my nose, but then that was thirteen years ago, so my mind might be a little fuzzy. Update 2/14/2007 It just came to me as I was watching the kids playing tennis in the Salvador Alvarado Sports Complex, that I was struck in the face with a raquetball raquet my second semester at CBC. The sinus infections began soon after.

I said all of that to say that while I won’t be ordering those android lymph node implants anytime soon, I may be looking into a bit of corrective surgery. Of course it will have to wait until the rest of my health situation is dealt with.

My thanks to all who have helped me get to the bottom of my problem and search for solutions: Sandy–our fellow missionary, Berta–a local pastor and doctor, and most of all, Kelly–my very patient and caring wife who has been great through all of this.

picture from https://home.ptd.net/~warnergt/Sinus.html