Plop, plop, Fizz, fizz...

Every once in a while, I hear someone say, with great pride, “I don’t take any medicine at all!”

That’s a wonderful thing and I’m happy for you.  Unfortunately, however, it somehow implies that it’s a major character flaw if someone else does.

I’m just a little tired of some people that are in health care positions or work in the pharmacy field treating me as though I’m exhibiting drug-seeking behavior.

Of course I’m exhibiting drug-seeking behavior!  I’ve got to have all this stuff to function.

But if I want to cut back, what do I give up?

Sleep?  No.

Lower blood pressure?  No.

Less anxiety?  No.

Less pain from neuropathy?  No.

Less depression?  No.

I don’t want to sound defensive here, but I’d like to point out that I did not prescribe these things for me.  Several doctors over the years have added this and that until I have a whole page of medications that I take.

If you know me in person, did you know that I take all of these things?  Did you guess that I have high blood pressure or that I need help getting to sleep?  Had it occurred to you that I was depressed or anxious?  Have you realized that I am in pain most of the time from neuropathy and other things?

I’m betting you didn’t unless I had already told you.

See, it’s possible – very possible – to function well when taking medication.  Once you get all the doses just right, everything rolls right along.

I doubt I would be alive today without taking blood pressure medication for 30 years. 

If I had survived that, though, sleeplessness for the past 25 years would have surely taken its toll. 

I know for sure and for certain that I would not have climbed out of the dark pit of anxiety and depression without help. 

And without medication for my neuropathy, I might be in a wheelchair.

Okay.  I didn’t tell you all of this to get sympathy.  It’s hard for me to relate this so publically.  But I feel it needs to be said by someone.

As a Christian, how do I explain having all these maladies?  Can’t God just make them go away?  Why hasn’t He answered my prayers for healing?

Here’s my answer:  I don’t know.  And I’m not going to try to figure it out.  God is God and He can do whatever He wants to do.

One thing He’s done, though, is equip certain people to do all the things necessary to develop a drug that I can benefit from. 

No, I don’t see taking medications as a character flaw.  I see it as God putting it in my path to help me get on down the road.

You know, like the Yellow Brick Road, Abbey Road, the Hollywood Walk of Fame?  Just sayin’, mind you…