Ode to the odd redheads...

I am all things red. I can prove it is all natural, but not in polite company so you will all just have to take my word for it.
While I am sure there are great stories about the world's greatest redheads, my mind is too shot to remember them tonight.
We redheads do all things in an odd way medically~~~Since that is where my brain is, that is what I am going to write about...besides, it's my blog, I can do that!
~~~~We bruise easier, heal slower and feel pain more deeply. Pain meds wear off of us quicker...maybe that is the penchant so many of the Irish have for the drink: they need more to feel it. Whatever.

We also react oddly to normal reactions. When I get poison ivy, I only get it on my face...does not matter if I touched it with my hand, it goes right to my face...pretty, very pretty.
I took a Zyrtec yesterday, per doctor's orders. I slept for the most part of the 24 hours the Zyrtec was good for. I will remember that, should I ever have to fly to Australia!

The fog has lifted enough to write for a moment or two. I have had incredible pain the last four days...like shingles with out the rash. Maybe it's a reaction to the Cipro I was on, maybe it's Lyme again, no idea.
But I am not good at pain. When I had surgery several years ago I remember going to sleep and thinking it was okay if I didn't wake up. I figured He would take care of the kids and John...talk about drama queen over here! But I am lousy at pain. I can do all kinds of hardships, but please, no pain.
As I drifted off last night, my prayer was "what do you need me to learn here? How can I serve you in this? And please, make it go away...please, please, please." Out cold.

This morning, I remembered the last time I had an odd reaction to something.
In the summer of '06 I got poison ivy for the first time in 20 plus years. Yes, face only. I went to the doc's and he said, "You want something for that?" Funny doc, now write the script for the predisnone and send me on my way.
I went home took that miracle awful drug...I had no idea what I was in for.
Somewhere, in the tiny print of a PDR (physician's desk reference) is a paragraph about "rare" side effects from prednisone. I am sure I learned this in nursing school...but when your a nurse, you hand out prednisone like a pezz dispenser. Yes, long term, I've seen some of the bad things that can happen like the moon face and the hump back. But short term use, nope, never saw a thing in real life.

Until I was the unfortunate patient.

I was sure at about day three of a 10 day prescription that I had cracked. IT had been a rough year, perhaps I had earned a nervous breakdown. I could handle the short temper, but the rather bizarre dreams and anxiety were about more then a girl could bear.
On about day seven I went to bed in tears. What could possibly be wrong with me? What in the world is going on?
At about three in the morning, I am sure the Holy Spirit woke me up. Prednisone psychosis came to my mind. I ran to the computer and Googled. Yes, prednisone psychosis. It was a real thing. I prayed for healing and I was delivered from that bizarre and "rare" side effect immediately. I ran to the bedroom and woke up John and declared: "I am not crazy! I'm psychotic!" Yes, he still makes fun of me today.

The following day, when the kids left for school, I was alone, sitting on the pool deck. I wrote in my prayer journal the following:
"Seriously Lord. Prednisone psychosis? Do you have any idea how rare that is? The doc isn't even going to believe me on this one. What in the world was that about? What could I possibly have to learn from that? Seriously?"

I wont' tell you that I was mad at God, but I sure was bewildered. "All things work together for the good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His good purpose." Okay, what in the world was the purpose in this?
I was sharing the horror with my friend "Sue" later that day. She was sympathetic. I was still shaken.
About a week later, "Sue" got poison ivy over every inch of her good redheaded self. Same doc, prescribed the same prednisone.
She wound up in the hospital on all sorts of phychotropic meds...and she did not let go of the fact that "Maryellen said...prednisone psychosis..." It took everything she had to get the docs to listen to her and it was another doctor all together that told her she was a classic case of prednisone psychosis.
Hearing the symptoms from me, kept her from going over that psychotic edge.

Answer given, now I knew why.

Does the Lord allow us to go through hard times so that we can help someone else who will go through it later. I guess He does. While I hate being in pain, I have to admit, I am watching. I am listening. I know that nothing is for nothing. And yeah, I kind of can't wait to see what He is teaching me or someone else. What is even more amazing is that it almost does not matter if I have an answer...He knows what He is about and I have learned to trust Him.
The joy of the Lord is my strength...and that is not exclusive to us redheads...it is available to the greys, blonds and brunettes too!


****EDITED TO ADD****
Would you believe my middlest daughter woke up looking like her mother did with a full case of PI on Friday morning? UGH! Needless to say, we did not go with prednisone. Gallons of Benadryl for the child and hopeful that it will clear soon.