Hard to imagine

Valerie shared with me tales of her day seeing patients.

Several items of technical interest to us, but probably not to you (care to have a discussion about the fovea?)

One story hit me though, and to be honest I have seen similar situations, but it is still hard for one to imagine the impact.

Valerie has been seeing member after member of a family that started with the older mother, her mother, her kids....all with glaucoma. Almost as an after thought yesterday, they wanted the 13 year old grand daughter seen due to some recent vision loss.

The girl could remember the exact date about two months ago that her vision decreased (from what was probably normal to 20/200) Valerie did the exam, and then had to give her the news that there was a problem with her macula (the part of your retina that helps you see to read, watch TV...pretty much everything except periphary vision) and that she would most likely never see any better out of that eye.

Tears followed.

Giving news like that, especially in the medical system here, usually involves an emotional disconnect, and almost always a spiritual one.

We may not have the answers as to the why, but we know the who, and that is ultimately all the answer we as Christians need. Sharing that in those beyond imaginable difficult times, is an incredible privledge...and responsibility.