A light bulb moment

Mondays at my house are usually filled with straightening the house from the weekend and doing laundry. This Monday was much the same with a little bit of finalizing the Christmas decor added into the fun. I had straightened some, laundered some, and began sorting through one of the piles of papers that was cluttering the office. So a very normal Monday. 

As I walking from one task to the next, I noticed the hall night light wasn't working - so I decided to change the bulb. So I took the light with me and tried the bulbs to make sure they weren't working - and they weren't. I went to our light box and got a new pack of bulbs and put one in and decided to try it in the kitchen first to make sure it works when it exploded and part of the bulb hit me in my left eye. That was my light bulb moment. It was not part of the plan but who really does the planning? "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.

At the next moment, I thought my eye was probably injured and I had a piece of glass stuck in it. So I found my way to the phone, and had to decide, to call Mike or 911. Mike is ~ 20 minutes away and the new HEMSI station is ~ 3 minutes away - I called 911. They called Mike for me, Mike called Col. Dick on his way, HEMSI came quickly and they didn't see anything in my eye. But they flushed it with saline and my neighbor from across the street (who is a nurse) came and held my hand and called Mike again to give him a little more info - he only knew that I was hurt and had asked that he come home. Col. Dick arrived to help and another neighbor did too.

This all started a little before noon on Monday. Once Mike arrived he called his eye doctor and they were able to see me immediatley. Thanks Dr. Walters and Dr. St. Peter for seeing my in my time of need. Once they saw me, we knew the problem was a little more serious than we thought, hoped, and prayed. They told me the cornea was cut (lacerated) and it was a pretty significant cut (all the way through). I didn't know much about the human eye - but I could tell this wasn't good. They recommended we go to a cornea specialist and called Dr. Lee's office for us and informed them of the situation and off we went to Huntsville to see the specialist. We arrived there around 1:15 and we waited just a little before being seen by the nurse and then the doctor who told us again that the cornea was cut all the way through and would require surgery. I think Mike and I both thought this might be the case - but didn't realize that meant Dr. Lee (the surgeon) would move me to another room and do the surgery right then. So sometime around 3:00 Dr. Lee carefully stitched my cornea while I was awake. I did have sedation in the eye, so it didn't hurt that much, but it was really creepy.  So I have 5 stitches in my cornea.  The Dr. explained that the repair went well and that after it heals (in months) he will see if the vision can be corrected with glasses.  And if not, I will probably be a candidate for a cornea transplant.  So we are praying for healing and ask that you join us.

During this process, I prayed and prayed. I prayed Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.". I prayed John 1:1-4. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men." I learned these 4 verses in John when our big girls were in the AWANA program at church. I am so glad because as I would say them over and over in my head it just made the whole situation ok. God made my eye. God is in control. God knows the plans he has for me and he can use this for his good. Even now as I have to cover my injured eye to make sure of no typos - God is in control and hopefully one of the reasons this happened is so I will rely on him more and more and tell others about him and their need for a savior.

The rest of the story is several phone calls and text messages were sent to friends to ask for prayer and they prayed and told a few others to pray and our church family and friends were praying and helping as needed and are continuing to do so. Our friend Amanda came to Dr. Lee's office and was waiting for us when the surgery was finished. The Lord has blessed us with wonderful friends and we are so fortunate to have all of them. Our friend and neighbor Lori became the caretaker for the two little girls and the big girl came home to an empty house with a text to call Dad. Our friend Amanda came to Dr. Lee's office and was waiting for us when the surgery was finished. The Lord has blessed us with wonderful friends and we are so fortunate to have all of them. Before we can get home and let others know about this - the word had spread and the prayers were happening. I thank all of you for your prayers for healing according to the Lord's will for my left eye. And if you don't pray very often, maybe this will be just the beginning for you. 

Another thing I remembered was to pray for others that have more needs than yourself. So as the Dr. was stitching my left eye I was able to pray for those who have no sight - our vision is such a precious thing. My right eye is fine and my left eye may get better in the months to come. But either way, I am going to focus on another verse that keeps me thinking positive thoughts - "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4:8.