Anniversary

Yesterday was the year anniversary of being diagnosed with AGS.  For those of you that know me, you know what a long hard road it has been the past year.  When I was told I had Alpha gal, it just seemed like it was going to be an annoying “food allergy” that would keep me from eating things I enjoyed, but it was WAY more than that.  I quickly realized how life changing it was.  Besides not eating anything mammal based or related (including dairy), I became allergic to my make-up, my shampoo and conditioner, my lotion, my face wash, and, the most critical, my daily medication.  When I say I became “allergic” to these things, I mean anaphylaxis.  

May came with challenges that made it one of the hardest times I’ve experienced in my 45 years of life. Detoxing and withdrawing, cold turkey, from doctor prescribed medication is scary and feels a bit like torture.  

Why am I telling you all of this?  It’s not to make you feel sorry for me.  It’s not to get attention.  It’s because I want you to hear the next part of the story which begins with some of my favorite words from scripture…BUT God!

God was there in the darkness of May 2024 just as He has been my whole life.  I didn’t “feel” Him at times while my mind and body were struggling through withdrawal but let me tell you how He showed Himself to me.

My beloved church family rose up and took care of my physical needs.  I had gift baskets, safe meals, safe snacks, and safe drinks delivered to my house daily.  Lovely church friends came and sat with me in the silence and tears.  Men came and worked on broken appliances so Brandon could focus on church work when he wasn’t tending to me.  I was met with embraces, love, and tears when I could get myself to church services. I know they prayed diligently for me, which means so much.

My husband…what can I truly say about him to let you all know what he was for me during that time?  He was the true picture of “bearing one another's burdens.” He made sure I continued to shower, eat, drink, sleep, get out of bed, read scripture, and encouraged me that “This wouldn’t last forever.”  He read the information about the medications I was detoxing from and would reassure me that it would pass. He prayed over me AND with me daily and was the physical picture of safety and security that I needed.

God’s word was my constant comfort.  I read my scripture cards, I had made just months earlier, over and over during that time.  All I could do was cry out to God using the words of scripture because I didn’t know what else to say.  I didn’t have the words.  Praise God that the Holy Spirit intercedes! Romans 8:26 says "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 

I studied Job during the summer months. This was a book I always avoided in the past.  It seemed unfair.  I didn’t understand.  While I admit, I experienced NOTHING compared to Job’s suffering, God was there showing me Himself,  His mercy, His sovereignty, His love, in the pages of Job.  It was through reading Job that I realized that I had not sinned to cause my suffering but I HAD sinned IN my suffering.  I cried out to God for forgiveness.  He graciously poured His mercy on me and healing began.

I have to say after all this, I’m not the same as I was before.  This bothered me for a bit because I wanted to be and “feel like” me.  Now I know that there is no way I could have gone through the trial of the last year unchanged. Praise God that He has made me into who I am today, by His will, for my good and for HIS glory!

—Kassy