Relying on Jehovah-rapha.

He was 17 years old. Heading into work on his moto when a car took his morning in a completely different direction. Refusing to accept the recommended amputation, his family hired an ambulance and brought him to the steps of Loma de Luz. As providence would have it, I was not at the hospital upon his arrival, but Dr. Jeff was. He looked at his cold and insensate foot and agreed to try. He spent over four hours that night sewing blood vessels, nerves and tendons back together and then setting the bone with an external fixator. Then we prayed.

I have internally argued this case since that night when Dr. Jeff offered reanastomosis of the traumatically amputated limb. I personally would not have offered what I viewed as a futile effort. My main argument being that it would simply postpone the inevitable and delay the patient's healing, even potentially set him up for complications such as sepsis, venous thrombosis, or worse. And unfortunately, that is what happened. We watched each day as the foot stayed cold, stayed insensate, turned blue, and then as infection started to take over in the dead tissue, it started to smell. Well.... we didn't just watch. We prayed. We attempted anticoagulation, and we prayed. Could Jehovah-rapha intervene on behalf of this boy and heal his leg.

When we approached the family, surrounded by the smell of the boy's foot, they agreed to amputation with thanks and appreciation. Was this the goal all along? Did the family just need to see us try? As Dr. Jeff discussed options that evening in the sala de emergencias, did he empathize with the desire of a father to have someone offer a slimmer of hope for his son? Or, has Dr. Jeff come to recognize a power to heal far above and beyond our surgical capabilities to repair and restore? I have no doubt that God could have healed that boy's leg if it was His will. Why then when I revisit my internal argument on the case do I still recommend the amputation over reattaching the limb?

This is fresh on my mind as I will be operating yet again on the boy's leg tomorrow. I am writing this now, wondering if I recircle to the subject in 10 years... would I still offer the amputation? Or with time will I come to recognize and appreciate the scope of Jehovah-raphe in a much more intimate manner above and beyond what I have thus far held Him to. He is the Lord who Heals.

This is one of Jake and I's favorite trees on our way down and up the mountain each day. It twists and curls surrounded by trees growing straight.

Much Love.