07/20/10 FIRST PHASE OF MY WEST NILE JOURNEY
As I was reflecting on this phase of my journey, I thought maybe some of you might be interested.
There are other people who suffer much more devastating problems than I have. This is not intended to say, "Woe is me." It is simply a way to let you know a little more about me. Maybe it will help you pray for me, because I really need it.
FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED
I thought I would share some of my experience, from when I first contracted West Nile Virus, for those who might be interested. I was about 57, in 2004, when I came down with WNV and because I had been walking 4 to 6 miles a day and working out with weights for at least 45 minutes a day, I was in the best physical shape I had been in since my mid to late 20s.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WEST NILE VIRUS
West Nile Virus is in the same family as Yellow Fever, and is passed from an infected mosquito to a human. It seems to have originated in Uganda several decades ago, but came to America in 1999. The rate of mortality is somewhere between 5% and 10%, though it may have been higher a few years ago. There are very mild cases and then there are more severe cases that result in encephalitis, meningitis, polio like symptoms or even death. The rate of symptom longevity for survivors is about the same for those with severe or light cases of the sickness.
LIFE IS SO FRAGILE
I got WNV while living on our mountain property in Cumberland County, Tennessee. Mine was a rather severe case, and though I went to the doctors for help, they basically said they could not help. Instead I was told that I would probably die. They were partially right; they did not do anything to help me. The providence of God and the loving care of Martha saw me through the several weeks that I teetered on the brink of life and death. The doctors said that I probably would have died if I had not been in the excellent shape I was in at the time I came down with WNV.
SPECIFICS CONCERNING MY JOURNEY
I believe I actually saw the mosquito that gave me WNV. Incubation period was about 3 or 4 days (possibly bitten on a Monday or Tuesday). I have read that the period can be 3 to 15 days.
I began to experience very severe flu like symptoms on Friday evening. I was experiencing extreme weakness, fatigue, disorientation and crippling nerve damage by Saturday morning.
From that time on, for about a month, I started suffering very high fever, alternating with low fever and near violent chills several times a night. I sweated excessively throughout the nights, sometimes needing to change my soaking wet bed clothes and bedding several times a night.
Since it is a muscle eating sickness, my conditions included extreme muscle weakness and total body fatigue. My body movement was reduced to very slow and labored shuffling at best, sometimes not able to sit up in bed or get out of bed without assistance. I would shuffle a few difficult steps and have to stop to rest. I even needed help eating.
My blood vessels were collapsing and therefore made blood testing difficult.
I experienced loss of appetite and dramatic loss of muscle mass. One week I lost 11 pounds, though I was forcing myself to eat as many as 4 meals a day, to keep from losing all my strength.
I often had severe headaches and soreness of eyes. On 2 occasions I actually went blind in 1 eye for very short periods. I continued to have moments of disorientation and mental lapses.
There were times that it looked like I was about to die. This continued for about a month. It has been several years but I still suffer from residual effects. I believe WNV contributed to other health problems that I have suffered in the past few years. There have been times I just fell asleep. I still suffer with chronic fatigue today.
I KEEP ON KEEPING ON
This has kept me from taking jobs outside of the ministry. Throughout my ministry there have been times that my small, but faithful congregation was unable to meet all of my family needs and the needs of the church ministry as well, therefore I would take jobs to supplement my support. Since my WNV I have not been able to give a full days work to outside employment, so I have not taken on outside jobs.
I work hard at my studies, and my various ministries of outreach. I am able to set my own schedule, so I do not let my condition interfere with my service to God or the ministry. It is not always easy, but at least I can do the work God has called me to do. I study, as I struggle with the fatigue problem and I find it much more difficult to keep my focus.
This is why I push myself so hard in sports events. If I do not drive myself when I can, my condition deteriorates. Regardless of how much or how little energy I expend in sports I still struggle with fatigue. Exercise just makes the quality of life better and lengthens my time of service to Him.
GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME; JESUS NEVER FAILS
During those early days of my sickness, and until the present time, I never lost sight of Who God is and I never lost faith in His wisdom, love, mercy and power. I was ready to die, if He was ready to take me.
I praise God for giving me life, for giving me time with my family, for giving me time to serve my congregation, for giving me time to reach the lost. As Paul said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
