November 5, 2008
A day passes, and change comes. The election has finally taken place and the shift in the sounds of the media brings relief with it. In the sky above Sanctuary a more timeless change takes place as large groups of birds fly overhead. They seem to be telling the gatherings of robins that it is time to move on since there is now snow predicted in the west and north, and these very unseasonable and warm days are almost history. Most of our trees are bare and the grasses and harvested fields cry out, “Winter!” because they are now in shades of dark gold and brown.
Change is also coming into our lives since the cold that came to reside in my lungs at the beginning of October has refused to move on, so I have begun the next chapter of my life called, “Learning how to pronounce “pulmonarist” and becoming acquainted with another set of side effects that accompany my new Advair Diskus 250/50 inhaler. Three days ago I went to take tests to see how much lung capacity I had, and after about an hour of “breath deeply, push out!” (cough violently, wheeze, drink water, wipe eyes) “take deep pants” (cough violently, wheeze, drink water, wipe eyes) and so forth, I was scheduled to see the pulmonarist the next morning. He said the x-Ray and tests indicated that I have asthma or a condition that looks a lot like asthma. I am to use the Advair inhaler twice a day and I also have a quick-relief inhaler (albuteral) to use in between times for instant relief when coughing and such begin. The Advair contains a form of steroids and also cortisone and the side effect possibilities include headache, rapid heartbeat, nervousness, upset stomach and mouth sores. Ingestion of drugs into the body will change the inner landscape, and sometimes this is not achieved without a cost, but I am very grateful for the opportunity to try to improve my quality of life. I am to return next week and if there has not been an improvement, then the pulmonarist said he would “take more aggressive steps” beginning with a Cat Scan, etc.
Throughout these times, as I walk through field and forest and consider ultimate verities, I find that it is always the words and sounds of the spiritual songs and hymns that comfort me most. Usually, I have only fragments of the words, so when I get back, I will find them and sing them beautifully and loudly, all within my head where my voice resembles Renee Fleming at her finest. Here is the first verse of this day’s walk.
“Thy holy wings, O Savior, spread gently over me,
and let me rest securely through good and ill in thee.
Oh, be my strength and portion, my rock and hiding place,
and let my ev’ry moment be lived within thy grace.”
(“Thy holy wings” – St. Olaf Choir)
Tune: Swedish folk tune, “Bred Dina Vida Vinegar”