Healing

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Have you ever ignored that little inner voice that is telling you something is not right? I have on many occasions and it usually leads to unnecessary stress or anxiety. You can sense it with relationships, your health, decisions and even in everyday mundane things like choices on television or music.

As a working mom it’s not unusual to feel tired or overwhelmed on a regular basis. With work demands, home duties, kids schedules and their needs it’s not uncommon to push our own needs aside. Feeling tired comes with the territory. I’ve been feeling tired for years. I attributed fatigue to all of the above plus my desire to continue running in races. Of course I’m exhausted. That’s normal….right?

When something is out of balance God has given us the Holy Spirit to keep us in check if we listen and are in tune to it but a lot of times we choose to ignore the warning signs or promptings of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 … “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you everything I have said to you.”

You’ve heard that doctors make the worst patients? For the most part it’s true. We take care of others before we address our own health concerns. It could be denial, or issue with time or having too much knowledge of diseases and symptoms. Maybe trust issue or pride keeps us from tending to our own health. I am no exception.

Like I said I have been feeling tired for years. I am active and I try to make good choices regarding diet. I’m in best shape of my life and have a great work/family schedule. Yet I was always tired. That little voice for awhile had been saying…”something’s not right”. So I finally listened and my fear came true. I wasn’t as healthy as I thought. I did what most patients do when given a diagnosis I googled it! The very same thing that I tell patients not to do I did anyway. My mind became inundated with worst case scenarios and scary treatment options.

God doesn’t give us disease the enemy does-“enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy”. I am aware that “through his stripes we are healed” but what most don’t understand is that healing can come in many forms. Some may get a divine healing-miraculous, but healing can also be achieved through medications, treatments or surgeries-its healing through faith in prayer and medicine.

It is in dealing with the disease or issue that God can be glorified and can use the experience for our own good. Through trials come testing of faith and trust. He doesn’t give us disease but He will use it to redirect our path and to become dependent on Him. In a way it’s taking focus off self and looking upward for healing. That’s what I learned-to receive true healing I had to completely trust God.

I had primary hyperparathyroidism. It’s not a common issue and the only cure is surgery. It’s a tumor (benign) that stops responding to our body’s internal regulation of calcium. What essentially happens is your bones get weaker because the tumor continues to misfire and increases calcium by taking it from bones. Aside from fatigue, decreased concentration, insomnia, hair loss, recurrent abdominal pains, heart arrhythmias, joint aches, accelerated osteopenia and fractures are other symptoms. When left untreated it can lead to earlier issues of heart disease, stroke and even cancer.

I had many of the symptoms but figured I was getting older and over doing it. Like I said it’s not common and in my current practice of 7,000 patients I have two patients with this issue. Surgeons don’t do the surgery very often so the key to getting cured is finding the most skilled surgeon.

I decided early on that I was not going to tell very many people what I was about to endure. The few friends I did tell kept me in prayer and helped me focus on the impending healing and not the symptoms or worst case scenarios. I’m not going to lie and tell you that I wasn’t scared or that I didn’t have doubts that God was in control. It’s human. In our weakest moments the enemy will come strong at you. I didn’t allow my mind to focus on the “what ifs” and instead focused on submitting to His will.

God placed me in the hands of Dr. Jim Norman and his associate Dr Lopez. Most patients come to Dr Norman after other surgeries have failed. My issues of control and trust were definitely being addressed and I had to submit every step to Gods will and not my own. I’m very comfortable with my colleagues in the Valley. God took me out of my comfort zone by having surgery in Florida where I knew no one. That’s what God wanted because it would take that extreme to make me realize it’s all Him and not through my own doing that my health would be restored.

From the moment I arrived in Florida there was a peace that I can’t explain-“surpasses all understanding.” Every person that my husband and I came in contact with was reassuring and offered only hope. From the taxi driver, to the receptionist at hotel to the next day at hospital- every step and person had been orchestrated by God to give me peace. It made me more aware what was possible if I could only trust and submit. That’s a huge thing for a person who has control issues.

My healing came May 8^th through hands of Dr Jim Norman. God has gifted him with not only surgical skills and expertise in this disease but an amazing bedside manner that I haven’t experienced by many professionals. Every patient felt like they were the most important person that day. That’s what God wants us to feel daily through Him. I wasn’t getting the best of care because I was Dr Theresa Valladares; I was getting the best because I am God’s child.

God used this disease to strengthen my faith and to work on my trust and control issues. What I think that many of us fail to realize during a trial is that there is a bigger picture. The illness was not the only thing that needed to be healed…the actual disease that needed to be addressed was a spirit issue. The lack of trust, the succumbing to doubts , the not being still for years and listening to that inner voice saying “something is not right”. Those are the issues that I needed to work through to get my healing. What God wanted for me to learn is to trust in His promises.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

So I ask you what is that inner voice saying to you? What trials are you facing? What spirit issues are you ignoring? I encourage you to do as I did and focus on that inner voice instead of the details of whatever trial you are facing. Because I did this, I not only received my physical healing but most important I received spiritual healing and restoration. I pray the same for you.

“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