Hope-FULL news

Many of you who read this already know the reports from my newest doctor this week...I have a shoulder injury in addition to the neck issue that continues. I am now seeking treatment for the shoulder injury and will be visiting yet another specialist for my neck problems...But I want to share the deeper parts of how God orchestrated these last couple of events. As I talk about a variety of doctors I will try to make it clear who said what.  The spine specialist had me get an MRI of the shoulder and sent me to get trigger point injections in my neck.  From the MRI of the shoulder, spine doctor sent me to an orthopedic doctor....BUT, when they called to tell me they were referring me to the ortho doc, they told me I could choose who I wanted.  I found out who was covered under my plan and then decided on a doctor that was recommended to me by a recently re-newed friend who works in the surgery dept of a hospital.  When I called to tell the spine doctor who I wanted, I was treating rudely and told that they didn't "want to refer me to someone other than their usual doctors".  After adamantly insisting that she told me I could choose who I wanted, she told me she would see what the doc said. I questioned my choice in this doctor and worried about it all day and evening.  I was telling Phil about it when I got home and we were trying to decide if we should switch to who they wanted me to see.  As we were discussing this, I started to glance through our local paper...in the middle of our discussion I scanned an article about someone who severed tendons in his foot and should have lost his foot...but a great orthopedic doctor was called in and he saved the foot and the guy was now running mini-marathons 8 months later....guess who the doctor was?  Yep, the one I had CHOSEN.  If that wasn't a big enough sign from God, then there was a big ad on the back page of the paper for this SAME doctor.  Thank you Jesus for making it clear.  So, I had to call back and was again treated rudely by the spine specialists office, but told her I wanted the appointment made sooner rather than later and that I would continue to call until it was made. (Why do we have to force service???)  So, I visited this doctor this week...Can I just say that this was truly who God wanted me to see.  Did he solve my problems, no, but Wow...I was amazed with him.  I LOVED him.  He cared. He got it. He wanted me to be fixed.  He was sorry that my shoulder/neck injuries were separate and that he couldn't fix it all. He listened to me...really listened and I sat there thinking...This is the first specialist in 6 years to get it.  He gets that I'm too young for all of this pain that I have.  He gave me HOPE for a future without pain.  As a Christian, I know that I have HOPE in the Lord always, but he gave me hope for my physical pain simply by caring.  So, he (ortho doc) is sending me on to a pain specialist. He claims that this guy does NOT like not finding the cause of pain and fixing it.  He is determined, stubborn and won't give up...a bit like me?  So, will this guy have the answer?  I honestly don't know...but for right now...I have hope...God was in this...in what doctor I would see and the treatment I am seeking in my shoulder...in the support of those around me.  Hope...it feels good.