JOY IS THE FLAG FLOWN HIGH
By Ms Joy Ang
In December 2024 I experienced recurring episodes of breathing difficulties when I engaged in strenuous exercise. Realizing that this could be attributable either to my (lack of) physical fitness or something more sinister, I sought medical advice, and was set up with a cardiologist appointment on the fourth day of the new year.
On the day of the appointment, I showed up at the clinic at 10am, saw the doctor at 1020am, and was in a hospital bed by noon - with a diagnosis of malignant hypertension; my blood pressure was 230/130. This sharing is intended to spotlight God's hand of grace and mercy in the eventful 60 hours that followed.
In honour of the hospital I stayed at, here are 9 specific areas where God went before me.
1. The clinic appointment was secured in an hour, possibly less, on a Saturday morning. Not for the first time, I beheld the marvel of the church community, which also chose a cardiologist with whom I felt an immediate affinity.
2. This serendipitous connection also meant that despite his extremely gentle and mild manner, I understood, and obeyed, the urgency to be warded. Similarly expeditious was the immediate availability of a hospital bed.
3. My financial planner who, despite being overseas, was readily available, and responsive, to assist with insurance matters.
4. The clinic and hospital staff I encountered - both administrative and medical - were without exception, reassuring, efficient and warm. This made all the difference as I have never been hospitalised post-birth, and have very little experience with healthcare as a consumer.
5. The numerous doctor friends who patiently explained so many things to me so many times in so many different ways so I could begin to understand what was wrong with me.
6. The numerous friends who showed me so much love, kept me company virtually and in person, and most importantly didn't judge me for being in such good spirits.
7. I felt entirely normal and in fact was in embarrassingly high spirits throughout. Of course the needles hurt, but I honestly felt like I was on a very comfortable, very interesting staycay.
8. The immensely comfortable and well-ordered room and hospital I was in. No, I didn't choose the lobster meals, but I was deeply appreciative of how seamlessly the sets of staff (medical, allied healthcare, housekeeping and room service) worked together.
9. I have no personal nor family history of hypertension nor heart disease. I felt no symptoms nor side effects. I had been living life with an almost literal ticking time bomb in my body for 'years', which could have erupted at any point into multiple organ failure, a massive stroke, brain bleed, aneurysm and other similarly scary words. While officially my heart is 'damaged' and there is indeed 'heart failure', in the words of my cardiologist, who kindly said, as he gently patted my shoulder while I lay crying on the examination table, 'This is fixable'.
Of these I am sure -
God was present in every moment, powerful at every juncture, and presiding at every junction. From the choice of physician, to the timely diagnosis, through the admissions procedure and hospital stay, until I shut the car door to travel home, I never felt more loved, looked after and taken care of.
The joy of the Holy Spirit is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart. I am looking at long-term, probably a lifetime, of medication, quite a few more tests, scans and blood draws, but I remain in ridiculously good spirits, and am honestly finding my new normal extremely interesting. I have also joined the esteemed club of church members who have their own blood pressure machine.
I will turn 50 this year, exactly two months from the day I was discharged from hospital. I can't wait to see what else God has in store for me.
[The above was shared at the January 2025 church prayer meeting]
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