I Choose to Laugh!

 

Matthew 10:29-31 New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

It’s either laugh or cry and I choose to laugh. I can’t really complain. As you will read, the other members of my family have been through so much more than I have. What I’m about to talk about is nothing compared to the diseases that they have fought and still are fighting. However, I did get some interesting news today. I won’t call it disturbing because I’m really not disturbed. It’s not life threatening but it could cripple my hands. Here’s what I wrote earlier on Facebook after I got back from the doctor this morning.

I belly laughed today. :-D

I had just left the doctors office because I have been having painful lumps develop on the palm of both of my hands. They are causing my hands to draw up a little. My right hand I can't even put flat on the table. It's not officially diagnosed because I need to go to a specialist to diagnose it, but I probably have Dupuytren’s Contracture. It isn't life threatening but it could cause my hands to be crippled. According to my research I could have to take meds, or have injections or even surgery. I'm not worried at all, and that really isn't the reason for this post. It's because of the rarity of it.

As I was leaving, the nurse practitioner that we see, we call him Dr, Josh, said "Thanks for bringing in an interesting case."

When I got out to the car I sat there and thought about what he said and began to laugh hysterically. Our whole family is an "interesting case"! John Allen with Retinoblastoma, Joshua with Aspergers Syndrome, Jacob with developmental delays, Sarah with losing Peter and a few other health issues. We have been to Vanderbilt more times than I wish to count. Our life is full of "interesting cases".

Never a dull moment in the Tinkel household!

Tonight Sarah and I watched some videos together that were put together by the Dupuytrens Foundation. They were very informative. I am at the beginning stages, There is a chance that it won’t progress any more than it is. However, there is also a chance that it will worsen. If it worsens my fingers, especially my ring fingers and pinkies, could draw up until they are touching my palm making it very difficult to do even every day, common tasks. I won’t be able to type, play the piano, wash properly, hold objects, etc. It even makes it difficult to put your hands in your pockets. There are procedures and even surgery that can be done but everything is a short term fix that will relieve the problem temporarily but the problem will always come back.

After watching the movies Sarah looked at me and asked me if I was okay. I am really, truly okay. I don’t like the fact that it could be crippling, but I am okay. Although I said I was okay, Sarah could tell that I was still troubled by what could be. What she did next really touched me. She gently took my right hand – the one that is worse – and brought it over to Jojo who was sleeping beside her and said “You can still pet the dog.” Then she put her hand in mine and said “You can still hold my hand.” As she was holding my hand she said “You can still teach and tell others about Jesus.” In every way she assured me that we would be okay. That meant the world to me. God has given me a fantastic wife!

I am going to join the International Dupuytren Data Bank (IDDB) so that my case can be used as research for Dupuytren Disease. They need people that don’t have Dupuytren Disease as well to participate and be in the control group. If you would like to have more information about the disease or about joining the database just click on any one of the highlighted links.

As I said, I am not really concerned but I would appreciate your prayers. Those of you who know me might wonder why I’m not freaking out since I tend to freak out when things happen to one of my kids or my wife, but God has really given me peace about this. I know that God is in control. I’ll keep you all posted.

For those of you who checked in with the hope of reading Day 3 of my Five Days of Goal Setting series I will be continuing with that tomorrow. I’m sorry once again for the delay.