Your advice needed!

[barbfromtucson]

Hi everyone,

I apologize right off–this may be a little long and complicated.

I am having a big struggle with my faith right now. I’ve always struggled with my faith, but it seems like the struggle has grown immensely.

I grew up in an abusive home. A lot of my faith struggles have stemmed from that. I have been to lots of counseling and such, and am a different person today than I was 15 years ago (when I was in college).

I thought I was getting on the ‘right road’ until last summer when I started to become sick.

I had been sick with “immodium moments” periodically over the past few years, but not often/frequent enough to be a ‘problem’.

But starting last July, it hit ‘full blast’ where I became sick all the time. From Sep-Dec I lost approx 25 lbs and from Jan-Apr, I lost another 25+ lbs. I still have some ‘wiggle room’ left–I was overweight to begin with, but I’d rather loose the weight in a healthier manner.

Anyways, I’ve gone to a number of doctors/specialists, and have had all kinds of tests–stool tests, blood tests, colonoscopy, ultrasound, etc. and so far, no answers–although we’ve ruled out a bunch of stuff.

The specialist I saw today sent me in for more bloodwork–to triple-check the last two times (but to a different/better lab) and, in the mean time, is treating me as having IBS. He took me off the medication that my PCP had me on, because of it being addictive, and put me on a different one, and told me that we’d followup in 3 months.

Well I don’t know if I’m being impatient or not, but I can’t wait 3 months…I’m likely to loose another 25 lbs (which is the ‘silverlining’) but I’d rather be a little overweight and not feeling so cruddy all the time, plus my weakened physical state opens me up for any cold/flu/etc. that comes through my workplace.

I’m starting to think that maybe whats causing (or at least contributing to) the illness is not ‘physical’ but emotional/spiritual. I still have things I’m ‘holding onto’ inside that I am either afraid to let go or don’t know how to let go.

I made an appointment to speak to a priest a couple weeks ago, but as I was getting ready to go, I got another episode and had to cancel/reschedule.

My charismatic friends are telling me that I am being attacked by Satan because he doesn’t want me to be healed and such. That’s freaking me out.

I have had all my friends pray for me. I’ve been “prayed over” a number of times. I’ve been to healing Masses/services.

But still, I’m still sick and the ‘quacks’ (no offense meant to those of you in the medical field) still haven’t figured it out.

I’m becoming very depressed/discouraged with it. I know that God doesn’t allow anything to happen to us that we can’t handle, but after 9+ months of having this problem, I’m really starting to loose hope. I don’t see any ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, and no doctors have given me a definite diagnosis, and I’m not sure where or what I’m supposed to do now.

I’m not sure if this is the right ‘forum’ for this.

I just feel that this whole health situation is really weighing in on my faith/trust/etc. and I don’t know what else I can do to counter that.

Thanks for reading!

–Barbara

 

[beckycmarie]

Dear Barbara,

I am sorry to hear of your troubles.

One resource I highly recommend is the St. Padre Pio Center for Deliverance Counseling. On their Help Page, they have information on what you can do for yourself, and how you can contact them for help.

One resource is their Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance, which I highly recommend trying first.

If you still have a problem after following the seven steps, you can contact them to set up a personal consultation. They do counseling by phone.

Hope this helps; I’ll keep you in my prayers.

 

[Nacho_ire]

I just want to start by saying that i really am sorry for what you are going through, i know that things of that nature can be very debilitating.
i picked up on one thing that you said, that your friends said it might be an attack on you by the ‘bad guy’.
dont even think about him, dont talk about him or even consider him as anywhere part of your life.
when it comes to him, all you need to remember is that he can only have as much control in your life as you afford him. go to mass as often as you can, go to confession often, i go every week. and pray he rosary, i know for sure that doing those few things will bring a huge difference in your life, and never be worried about the ‘other guy’ when Jesus is with you, you are always in safe hands.

also, on your sufferings, i would like to tell you something my girlfriend told me recently. the angels of Heaven are envious of two things, one, we can receive Jesus, and two, that our suffering has value if offered up to God in union with the sufferings of Jesus on the cross.

and as st bridgette of sweden said, “nothing happens without you permitting it o Lord, and nothing you permit is without comfort”

 

[brigid12]

Barbara,

Since in accordance with what the Catholic Church teaches, we are a combination of both soul and body with each affecting the other (like you said) and since there are some serious issues in your past, I would advise to go to a Catholic Counselor who is orthodox in they’re belief. You can go to www.CatholicTherapist.com.
If this were happening to me, I would also say the St. Micheal Prayer, etc. everyday. The third thing I would do is to learn what you will want to eat when this is gone and you are svelte plus healthy, in order to stay that way. Remember, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel with Christ!

 

[Paul2274]

Just on an off chance did your doctor ever check your gall bladder function? I just watched a show where a woman was having immodium moments quit frequently and shee too was losing weight. Come to find out a doctor diagnosed her gall bladder was not functioning properly. She had "Haba Syndrome"sp? and was treated very easily with a cholesterol medication and her “moments” went away and she is normal. I’m not a doctor but was suprised to see you talking about something that I had just seen on a TV program.

Good Luck… keep your faith… God Bless

Paul