the road home, cont.

Yesterday morning I decided to call my doctor to examine my daughter's arm. It didn't look any worse after a night, but I couldn't tell if it was better, and I did not want to take chances. I called as soon as the office opened at 9 am. I was told I'd receive a call-back, so then decided to go on with my day, get my walk in and go to the church to pull and practice worship music. I wasn't gone hugely long and realized there was a message on the telephone answering machine waiting for me, that my daughter was worked in for 10:30 am that day. I woke her up and told her to just put shoes on, and we'd go to the office immediately. Thankfully it's very close, so we got there in no time.

I've been a patient for Dr. Mouallem for years and years. I would guess he and I are about the same age. He is part Indian and is very attractive, but as the years go on I can see he's losing his hair and little wrinkles are beginning to form around his eyes. In all honesty, it isn't his physical appearance that makes him such an attractive person. It's his genuineness-he is kind and patient, tells the truth, seems truly glad to see me whenever I'm there, listens carefully and takes the time to do what he needs to do. I felt visibly calmer and more relaxed just knowing he'd see my daughter. I trust his opinion implicitly, and if her condition didn't improve, I wanted him tracking it. I was told he was busy that day, and he said the same thing when he came in to the exam room, but the more he looked at my daughter's arm, the more he was convinced he needed to take the time to cut and drain an area that had become very inflamed due to infection under the skin and caused my daughter real discomfort.

He told her it would hurt as he hurried around to gather anesthetic and a needle to numb the site. He also told her she would feel great relief after he pushed out the pus and junk, but the process would not be pleasant. He had a nurse come in to hold my daughter's hand and talk to her while he was doing his thing, and she did wince a bit upon seeing the scalpel, but told him keep going. I stood up at that point and grabbed her ankle because so much stuff was coming out of the wound. The doctor forced the infection to the surface and it took several minutes to get everything. He told my daughter that in an hour she would feel real relief from the pain and pressure. He then told me he would not have prescribed the particular antibiotics that she was taking because we had gone to the ER the day before. I asked for a new prescription, but he said to call in a day or two if things weren't noticeably better, and he'd put her on a different course of meds.

I was reflecting this morning on the total trust I have in Dr. David Mouallem. He could have told me to do anything for my daughter and I would have done it, because of the years of communication and relationship we have. He is never out of character-I always get the same person each time I go, caring and concerned. He never scolds me, but I know when he disagrees with me about something I decide or don't do that he recommends I do. I feel complete relief when I'm dealing with him. I need to reflect on why this is, and begin to think about God this way. I want to, and perhaps I'm just not seeing the obvious. I know at times He has had to cut, but I suppose I didn't see the seriousness of my wound. Dr. Mouallem would not have caused my daughter undue pain. I must understand that the Lord never does-His hurts heal us. I want the relief of being sure of this like I felt yesterday. Trust is the road home.