Recently I was diagnosed with major food allergies. I've been having a lot of health issues for the past 2 and 1/2 years, and major issues for the last 6 months. I have been desperately seeking doctors help for the past 2 months. After multiple doctor visits, ER visits, and a couple of visits to Johns Hopkins the Lord led me to two very particular doctors. The most important doctor is Dr. Abidin of Metropolitan ENT. Let me describe how the Lord led me to this man.
I was working a community day with two sweet ladies from our church on a Saturday right after I was in John's Hopkins emergency room. I was discussing with Stephanie about my situation and how no doctor could find anything. It was quite embarrassing going from doctor to doctor finding no answers. Stephanie began to share her story with me, how the same thing had happened to her children. It was encouraging to know that someone had been through a similar situation and had successfully found an answer and treatment. The next day Stephanie e-mailed me telling me that she got in to see her doctor that saved her kids lives, just to discuss my case. I was so amazed by her compassion for me! She told me how difficult is was to get in within six weeks to see this doctor. And it was a miracle of God that she was able to get in immediately! In the mean time, my mother came up to take me to the long awaited John's Hopkins appointment that all previous doctors were telling me to go to. I had a migraine that morning and was throwing up on the way to the appointment. When I stepped foot into this mans office, he took one look at my medical records and said, "Why are you here and who sent you?" He was not happy with the doctor who originally referred me. Another door had been slammed in my face. When I got home, I emailed Stephanie telling her not to go through with Dr. Abidin. I told her I was done. No more doctors. I was tired, embarrassed, frustrated. Stephanie refused to let me quit. She met with Dr Abidin and e-mailed me that he wanted to see me. He even apologized on behalf of John's Hopkins for that man who turned me away (Abidin is from John's Hopkins). I read her e-mail and immediately called for an appointment. Naturally they said that they couldn't get me in for a month. I took the appointment. My mom told me to call back to get on the cancellation list (thank you mama.) I did just that. Not even 30 seconds went by after I got off of the phone and the receptionist said, "Sarah" (like she had known me forever), "I just got a cancellation for today at 11am." Praise Jesus!! It was amazing how God just flew the doors wide open. I got Reese (my 2 year old) in the car and headed to Alexandria (45-50 minutes away). On the way, Reese started saying Livvy Lu, as she recognized the scenery towards her best friends house. I thought, "Amber!" I called Amber and sure enough she was able to keep Reese while I went to my appointment. I drove into the parking lot and a car was pulling out of a space. The parking lot was full with cars roaming around for spaces. I just looked up to the Lord and said, "God you are opening doors for me to see this man. This is where your hand is, so I'm trusting that he will be able to help me." I saw Dr. Abidin and sure enough, this man was like a real life Dr. House! He had me on the right track. The Lord had led me to an answer!
Fast forward to my preliminary diagnosis. I saw Dr. Abidin this past Friday and he tested me for food allergies. Apparently I'm allergic to wheat, corn, rice and milk. This has been the problem, the culprit all along and no one could catch it. I even had a neurologist that diagnosed me with depression symptoms. Needless to say this was a frustrating process finding the root of my problem.
Let's get to the point of the post. Food allergy awareness. You might say that since this has all happened to me, that I will now be a food allergy awareness advocate. You might say that I will spend my life advocating for health and against genetically changed foods. You might say that I will make it my life goal making sure my kids don't consume the foods that hurt me. Well, you're wrong. I mentioned that the food was the root of my problem. Well, it is... in this life. But it's still a symptom, not the root. Many of the doctors wanted to treat my symptoms, not the root. Dr. Abidin got to the root of what was causing my symptoms. Dr. Abidin is a believer in Christ and has not only medical wisdom, but godly wisdom. I attribute his knowledge to the fact that God gave him his gift and also that God gave him his wisdom. Again, the root is the allergy to food... in this life. What about eternity? What does it matter whether I'm healed now? I still die.... eventually. The allergy to food is the symptom when it comes to eternity. The reason we have allergy, disease, decay, cancer and ultimately death is because of the curse on humanity... sin. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all die because we have been cursed because Adam (the first man) sinned against God (Romans 5:12). The root of all this is sin. So how do we treat the root of our condition? Because of Adam, one man brought sin and death. But thank God for Jesus Christ! He came to give us life. He is the treatment for the root of our condition. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and died for you and me.
Do you want to know what I will spend my life advocating for then?
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not die, but have eternal life.
I was working a community day with two sweet ladies from our church on a Saturday right after I was in John's Hopkins emergency room. I was discussing with Stephanie about my situation and how no doctor could find anything. It was quite embarrassing going from doctor to doctor finding no answers. Stephanie began to share her story with me, how the same thing had happened to her children. It was encouraging to know that someone had been through a similar situation and had successfully found an answer and treatment. The next day Stephanie e-mailed me telling me that she got in to see her doctor that saved her kids lives, just to discuss my case. I was so amazed by her compassion for me! She told me how difficult is was to get in within six weeks to see this doctor. And it was a miracle of God that she was able to get in immediately! In the mean time, my mother came up to take me to the long awaited John's Hopkins appointment that all previous doctors were telling me to go to. I had a migraine that morning and was throwing up on the way to the appointment. When I stepped foot into this mans office, he took one look at my medical records and said, "Why are you here and who sent you?" He was not happy with the doctor who originally referred me. Another door had been slammed in my face. When I got home, I emailed Stephanie telling her not to go through with Dr. Abidin. I told her I was done. No more doctors. I was tired, embarrassed, frustrated. Stephanie refused to let me quit. She met with Dr Abidin and e-mailed me that he wanted to see me. He even apologized on behalf of John's Hopkins for that man who turned me away (Abidin is from John's Hopkins). I read her e-mail and immediately called for an appointment. Naturally they said that they couldn't get me in for a month. I took the appointment. My mom told me to call back to get on the cancellation list (thank you mama.) I did just that. Not even 30 seconds went by after I got off of the phone and the receptionist said, "Sarah" (like she had known me forever), "I just got a cancellation for today at 11am." Praise Jesus!! It was amazing how God just flew the doors wide open. I got Reese (my 2 year old) in the car and headed to Alexandria (45-50 minutes away). On the way, Reese started saying Livvy Lu, as she recognized the scenery towards her best friends house. I thought, "Amber!" I called Amber and sure enough she was able to keep Reese while I went to my appointment. I drove into the parking lot and a car was pulling out of a space. The parking lot was full with cars roaming around for spaces. I just looked up to the Lord and said, "God you are opening doors for me to see this man. This is where your hand is, so I'm trusting that he will be able to help me." I saw Dr. Abidin and sure enough, this man was like a real life Dr. House! He had me on the right track. The Lord had led me to an answer!
Fast forward to my preliminary diagnosis. I saw Dr. Abidin this past Friday and he tested me for food allergies. Apparently I'm allergic to wheat, corn, rice and milk. This has been the problem, the culprit all along and no one could catch it. I even had a neurologist that diagnosed me with depression symptoms. Needless to say this was a frustrating process finding the root of my problem.
Let's get to the point of the post. Food allergy awareness. You might say that since this has all happened to me, that I will now be a food allergy awareness advocate. You might say that I will spend my life advocating for health and against genetically changed foods. You might say that I will make it my life goal making sure my kids don't consume the foods that hurt me. Well, you're wrong. I mentioned that the food was the root of my problem. Well, it is... in this life. But it's still a symptom, not the root. Many of the doctors wanted to treat my symptoms, not the root. Dr. Abidin got to the root of what was causing my symptoms. Dr. Abidin is a believer in Christ and has not only medical wisdom, but godly wisdom. I attribute his knowledge to the fact that God gave him his gift and also that God gave him his wisdom. Again, the root is the allergy to food... in this life. What about eternity? What does it matter whether I'm healed now? I still die.... eventually. The allergy to food is the symptom when it comes to eternity. The reason we have allergy, disease, decay, cancer and ultimately death is because of the curse on humanity... sin. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all die because we have been cursed because Adam (the first man) sinned against God (Romans 5:12). The root of all this is sin. So how do we treat the root of our condition? Because of Adam, one man brought sin and death. But thank God for Jesus Christ! He came to give us life. He is the treatment for the root of our condition. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and died for you and me.
Do you want to know what I will spend my life advocating for then?
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not die, but have eternal life.
