Word of the Year - Comfort

          Whenever I am anxious andworried, you comfort me and make me glad. (Psalm 94:19, Good News Translation)

On top of the back pain which migrated to pain allover my body for most of 2023, I started having chest pain in November. After aweek of it, I finally saw my primary care doctor, who ran all sorts of testsand set me up for a nuclear stress test. The night before that appointment, asI lay in bed with over-the-top anxiety, I randomly opened my Bible and read theabove verse.

I ran those words through my head like a mantra untilI fell asleep.

The test went well. I didn’t pass out walking on thetreadmill and my heart didn’t freak out to the point they had to send me to theER.

A few days later, my doctor called to say that mostof the stress test was normal – in his words, my plumbing was all good. But oneof the numbers was elevated, which he didn’t think meant anything bad, but inlight of my symptoms and family history, he thought I should see acardiologist. That appointment isn’t until January 24, but I am seeing theprimary care doc the week before that and having some labs repeated. I haven’thad any more chest pain, just shortness of breath with activity.

I also have been seeing a naturopathic provider, whostarted me on an anti-inflammatory diet. It makes sense to me – something isgoing on in my body and inflammation can cause most of my symptoms. So far, noone seems to know if that can cause my heart concerns, but hopefully thecardiologist can tell me. And hopefully, with this diet I’m on, theinflammation will be settled down by then so that she says, “What are you doinghere? Your heart is a rock star.”

In the meantime, all I can do is watch what I eat, takethe recommended supplements, and pray.

God is good. He will comfort me in all of my troubles.He will take away my anxiety and grant me comfort and joy.