It's a very scary thing to see a loved one go through. Often, they have no idea it has happened at all. People around them don't recognize a problem or sometimes don't want to see it. Why? Because the symptoms are so illusive.
Have you ever heard of a "Silent Stroke"? WebMD.com says, "A stroke is a sudden stop of blood supply to part of the brain. Some people have strokes without ever knowing it. These so-called silent strokes either have no easy-to-recognize symptoms, or you don’t remember them. But they do cause permanent damage in your brain.If you've had more than one silent stroke, you may have thinking and memory problems. They can also lead to more severe strokes." |
- One side of the face drooping or feeling numb - This is a sign we should all recognize, but it doesn't always last long. Also, I've seen people give excuses and even wish this away with a, "Well, I didn't sleep well last night." or something.
- Weakness or numbness in one arm or leg - I saw my father-in-law hold his arm up funny and drag his leg, still there were excuses about how that was supposedly normal under such-and-such circumstances.
- Slurred or hard-to-understand speech - I had a dear friend talking to me and sounded drunk. I dismissed it as he had been drinking but felt awful later when I was told he never drank alcoholic beverages at all.
- Sudden confusion - Hubby's dad would wake with a start and "have to go" somewhere. He had no idea where or why, he just "had" to go. I'd ask a series of questions and he'd get frustrated and leave.
- Sudden loss of balance or coordination - He fell a lot and started driving really slow because he couldn't keep the car on the road.
- Sudden severe headaches - Well, that's a tough one, because some of us have these anyway. Be careful.
What on earth does all of this have to do with America? Think about it. America has become weak and numb. Her leaders are hard to understand. They are confused and ignoring the constitution, the people, and the signs. Her people are in a state of confusion. They are in debt beyond what most could ever pay and are busy, busy, busy accomplishing little in life. America has no balance and coordination. The budget isn't balanced, the law enforcement isn't balanced, the "Balance of Power" is no longer balanced. The president thinks he can make laws, the lawmakers think they can enforce laws, and the judges think they can do anything they want at all. Just a very glimpse of American news ought to give any citizen a severe headache. It's sad. It's upsetting. It's frustrating. Some of it is even infuriating! But....
You know what? The BOOK says it will be this way and it will get worse AND this means the coming of our LORD is near. If we trust in HIM, it won't make our country or world, or father-in-law better. HE could heal it all, but HE has a plan. If you read the end of the BOOK, you know the worst leads to the very, very best. No more tears, no more pain, no more suffering... Won't that be wonderful?!
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Phyllis Sather @ Phyllis-Sather.com
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