Last December, I noted that my left middle finger had swelled up and was quite painful to use. That was a rather detrimental development for a hands-on writer like myself. It’s been an interesting year since that discovery. I’ve gone to a rheumatologist on many occasions, had blood drawn a half-dozen times, gotten two cortisone injections right into the knuckle, and taken a variety of medications to get the swelling under control – all to no avail.

I have symptoms of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. On top of that, at the start of this month my left index finger began to swell and be intensely painful, prompting me to see the rheumatologist two months ahead of schedule. He was surprised that none of the treatments have worked, and, if anything, my condition has continued to worsen. He suggested I administer an expensive shot to myself on a weekly basis for three months and see if that helps. I pondered on it for two days and prayed to know if that was a wise course of action for me, or if it would be better to do something else. I promised to do whatever God told me to do. I received an answer on the second day that I should take my future into my own hands, so that’s my plan now. I stopped taking the various medications I was on, canceled my future appointment, and got some helpful advice from my parents and younger sister on how best to proceed.

I will continue to write as long as there is life in me and my hands, and I will seek other types of treatment. I trust that I will be healed one day, and all I have to do is persevere and hold onto hope. I suppose it’s not so much that I’m taking my future into my own hands, but I’m simply recognizing that I am in God’s hands. And those are good hands to be in.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.