The Longest Run

5 years ago, this past November, I ran/walked 50 miles to raise money for diabetes. My daughter, Melissa, ran some of it with me, while my wife, Angela, slowly led the way in her Explorer. Alicia showed up from Oklahoma with a car-load of her friends to surprise us all on the journey in toward Amarillo. It was a day I'll never forget--November 4, 2006.

Fast forward to another day that is ever-present on my mind: October 17, 2011. That was day my doctor, whom I'd seen for some pain in my lower stomach, sent me to BSA to have a CT-scan performed. After reading my initial lab work there at his office, he became concerned about a possible infection, so he sent me for more tests. Little did I know that day would become the beginning of the longest run of my life.

I've been a runner for 16 years, running 5 and 10K races, logged a half marathon, some long trail runs, and traversed the monumental day in November 2006. I've stood over my daughter, Melissa's bed and watched her fight for her life as she languished in a diabetic coma. Thanks be to God she awakened and lived. That same year my wife had a stroke coming out of knee surgery. My oldest daughter, Alicia, had a serious car accident that gave her a serious infection. The Paxtons are no strangers to adversities. Or so I thought.

It's one thing to watch someone else go through pain and suffering and quite another when it's your own. October 17 began a long run for me that's still going. The results of that CT scan showed I did, indeed, have a lower GI infection and an abnormality in my bladder. This caused my doctor great concern, so he referred me to a gastroenterologist. My primary care physician, Marc Irwin, is one of the nicest, most godly men you'll ever meet. He is so compassionate and was greatly worried for me.

About a week or so later, I entered the world of Dr. Thannoun, a GI doc. Having taught his son, I was well aware of him and heard he was a very thorough physician. He sent me for yet another CT scan, this time with all the junk I had to drink and stuff shot in my veins. It revealed some abnormalities that he decided to pursue in an upper GI scoping. The results of all blood, urine, labs, and scopings showed I had some inflammation, but the infection was passing.

Back the truck up just a sec so I can explain the arduous, disgusting way the infection was cured. Dr. Irwin prescribed Cipro, a strong antibiotic. This stuff made me so sick. I couldn't eat, sleep, or do much. I began to lose weight and started missing work. I felt so yucky it was hard to face each day with any sort of enthusiasm. Yet, my God was there and walked me through it all and we got through it.

Now, back to results of the scope. Thannoun said I should start feeling better, to continue taking the prescription antacids for the now horrible acid reflux I had developed and he'd see me at the follow-up. I thought that would be the end of it. It wasn't.

The acid in my gut keep getting worse. I would have a lot of tossing and turning and more sleepless nights. I couldn't eat well and lost even more weight. I began at 228 and by now was down to 215 when I hit Dr. Irwin's door again on November 11. He got me on something that would ease the suffering and "guaranteed" I would eat Thanksgiving dinner. Two weeks later, he was right, but I paid for it in the way I felt all that night.

All this time I'd been praying faithfully, asking God for relief, telling him I'd change whatever it took in my heart if that's what he wanted. And it seemed like things still weren't getting any better. Why? What was wrong with me? But I wanted to remain faithful to God, so I kept praying.

We hit the end of November and began heading into December. I started trying to exercise again, which my doctor thought would be good for me. I'd lost close to 20 pounds, had begun hanging with the Beachbody crowd from school, and drinking Shakeology protein shakes since they were easier on my tummy. The acid reflux was still around, making it tough to eat or drink the coffee I loved and had every morning. All of the sudden, I began to have a slight, dull burn in my right side. Both Dr. Irwin and me thought maybe I'd overdone it a bit doing the Insanity workout. Yes, I'm crazy. Little did we know how wrong we were.

On December 11, I was sent for a HIDA scan which is a nuclear test done to determine gallbladder activity. I prayed pretty hard that morning and really thought in my mind, "This can't be my gallbladder." Well, the next day confirmed I would need to have that puppy removed. Hallelujah! Although I was a little down at the news, I at least had answers as to why I felt so bad. By now the acid reflux had been subsiding so that's why the latest prognosis left me a little taken aback. But, if this was the way to get the healing I needed, let it be. Praise God! The next day, the surgeon's nurse called to schedule the consult. This was going to be it.

By Thursday, the 13th I was a wreck. I hurt all over and I could feel a twinge in my bladder. I had to urinate frequently which wasn't good. So, I got up Friday morning and called my urologist, Dr. Wilhelm, who immediately prescribed some medication to ease the discomfort. All day I prayed to God, asking him for relief. I believe he answered me because as I was about to leave school to go to the ER, the surgeon's nurse returned me call. I told her I was miserable and had bladder discomfort and would just go to the ER and perhaps they could remove my gallbladder over the weekend. She said in her 30-years experience there was no way my bladder pain was coming from the gallbladder. So, I wound up back at my good and faithful doctor, Marc Irwin. I now believe that was an intervention from God, sparing me from the ER. Dr. Irwin rushed me in, took a urine sample, and confirmed the inevitable--a bladder infection. My urologist had suspected some cystitis in our earlier visit, but wanted to hang in there and see what happened with the gallbladder. So, back on antibiotics I went and now here we are today with me writing about this whole experience. It has made me feel better to put it into words.

My hope and prayer is my Monday surgical consult will go well. That my infection will cease and Dr. Wilhelm, whom I respect tremendously, will find a way to get to cause of my bladder woes, resolve them, and I can still have my surgery in a matter of weeks.

Now, for the good part. All this time, as I stated earlier, I've been asking God to grow patience in me--to change my heart. I don't want to be the same Gregg Paxton when I come out of this. You notice I said when because I believe I'm going to get well. I can't be the same guy. The guy that worried about finances and sweated all the small stuff in life. Who made my family miserable on vacations, what few we've taken, because of trying to adhere to schedules or watching every penny. I can't be the same guy that looked at people in the world and only saw the outer covering and ignoring the pain in their hearts and looking for Jesus in them. I want to smash the old Gregg Paxton into bits and leave him behind. Like my Savior, my sweet Jesus, I want to arise resurrected as something new. As something pure. As someone who loves God with all his heart, mind, strength, and soul and loves others before himself. I want to dance with my wife in a way I've never done before. I want to love my children as only a man with a heart of God can. My friends deserve a new and better friend. The world needs a worker that will seek the lost everywhere he goes.

So, the run continues and it'll never end. All this health stuff I do believe will finally come to a resolution, but in God's will not mine. I pray for new eyes to see with, new ears to hear with, and a heart that beats to serve HIM, not me! I have been a selfish, stubborn, blind person for too long. It's time for me to carry on the longest run all the way to the cross.

I appreciate you reading this and pray you will leave me some comments. I want to make this a regular thing, blogging about my health experiences and where I believe God is leading me. May God bless you and if you get the chance, pray for me. Pray for my healing, inside and out.