Author’s Note: This blog is two long months in the making. I wish I could say that I was doing amazing things during that time but… not really. I have been working on two books, though, which is both exciting and daunting. One is on the refuge of God and the other is a new Christmas devotional. I’ll share more details later this fall. Otherwise, I’m just doing life with the Mrs. and traveling, being a homebody, putting a contract on a house, gardening, etc. Oh, and I’ve been stocking up ammo for this blog. You’ll see what I mean in a second…
“Woe to me because of my injury! My wound is incurable!” (Jer. 10:19)
So said the lovely Mrs. Newton to me one July afternoon, soon after receiving the results of allergy testing at a local clinic. Well, she didn’t exactly use the words of the prophet Jeremiah, but the phrase, “I’ll never be able to eat food again!” Did come out of her mouth. I replied with the compassionate utterance, “Or breathe the air.”
She hates suffering. Don’t we all?
At this allergy clinic, Shannon received 56 punctures to her outer epidermis during over 90 minutes of testing. Of 56 punctures, she failed to react to one of them. One. Uno — a rare mold found in dirt. As for the other 55, she tested as being at the minimum threshold for being “allergic” and above. Food ingredients, dust mites, trees… Shannon reacted significantly to them all.
When I first got to know my wife she readily admitted that she was allergic to most things outdoors. Everything except dogs and feathers, she said. Turns out she’s not all that allergic to dogs. The food allergy results, however, completely shocked her and were hard to swallow. And so we did what many other Americans do and scheduled for a second opinion at another clinic. But the appointment wasn’t for another months so… what do we do in the meantime? The nurse at the clinic suggested allergy shots for the environmental allergies and that we see a nutritionist to find out how to manage a limited food diet.
And so my lovely wife and I decided that we needed to make some major food changes until we saw a different specialist. What would it hurt? If anything, she might feel better, have more energy and we both might lose weight. So we eliminated wheat, corn, barley, rice, shellfish, beef, pork, chicken, soy, potato and a few other ingredients from our diet. Even though Shannon was also allergic to oats, turkey and peanuts, they were lesser than the rest and we just couldn’t do without those things, too.
We spent a month on this special diet, and being her personal chef, I experimented with just about every combination of gluten-free flours, health food broths, and ways to cook fish and turkey. Over the weeks, we both got really good at reading nutrition labels! And we became increasingly frustrated at how many products include seemingly-unnecessary ingredients (like “soy protein” or “corn solids”).
Finally, on August 30th, Shannon went to see another allergist doctor. While at the clinic, she received a new round of allergy testing. The results?
She wasn’t allergic to anything except for tree nuts. Umm…… “Hello, Whole Foods? I’ve got bad news for you…” But this allergy saga cannot end with that diagnosis. No way! Not this summer. Not for us, two medical mysteries! During the testing, she was injected with a powerful histamine that everyone is supposed to react to. Everyone except my wife, of course. Because she didn’t seem to be allergic to allergies themselves … all that testing was thrown out. She had blood drawn and blood testing followed.
Early this month the blood work came back and I think we now know a definitive answer. The lovely Mrs. Newton is only allergic to milk, beef and pork. Everything else is fair game. Whew! So we are trying to avoid milk, beef and pork as much as possible.
With every test or doctor’s visit I’m continually reminded of how fragile are our human bodies. Mighty men and women boast of doing great things or having immaculate bodies and yet one skin prick test can change their lives. Paul wrote that we live in bodies that are like jars of clay. They are handcrafted by God and fired in His heavenly kiln. And yet because of their very earthen nature they easily chip and crack and scratch.
This summer, Shannon and I have visited at least seven different doctors between us for a bunch of different issues. It has been the “summer of medical mystery” for the Newtons. In two weeks we will be in Baltimore, Maryland, as I go through a round of testing and consultation at the famous Johns Hopkins Hospital. I’m really hoping for answers for my inner ear disease and a plan of action. Johns Hopkins seems to be the last medical hope for me. If a nationally-prestigious research hospital cannot figure me out, who can?
Jars of clay.
I thank the Lord that while my dear wife and I continue to struggle, physically, we are growing closer together during this time. While I don’t recommend that newlyweds go through so many doctor’s visits and procedures just to bond, it seems to have worked for us. We have found a church family here that we love, new friends to laugh with, and our ministry future is still as vibrant as ever. We’re even buying a house this month and planning the physical start of our retreat center ministry this winter.
I’m constantly reminded every day that God works through and in jars of clay. We may ache and hunger but God can still do wonderful things in our lives and through us, especially when we open ourselves to His work. That last part is really important. Are you leaving room in your heart, your mind and your emotions for God to work in you? Or are you so focused on the cracks in your jar that you cannot see the light of Jesus inside?
There will be more doctor’s visits this month and next as we each deal with lingering health issues. Will you pray for us as we walk through these unknown valleys? We would both cherish your thoughts and intercessions before our loving Father.
Be God’s!
J.C. Newton 