Emerging Courageous online Magazine - Stories
A Journey of Triumph - by Raylene Boggs 2002
My story begins in a little spot in eastern Ky. in 1946. My Mom brought me home to live with my grandparents when I was 6 weeks old. I was a very sickly baby. They thought I had the croup all the time which was later diagnosed as asthma. At age 3 I had diphtheria and whooping cough both.
My mom worked in the fields to provide my medicine , eyeglasses and clothes, usually at $3.00 a day, if that much.
I am explaining my upbringings so that you may understand better my foundation for life.
I was taught to fully depend on God, He would be there for any trouble or trial. Be honest, kind, try to help all you can, where and when you can and most surly NEVER forsake going to church to hear the Word of the Lord.
With these values I grew and married very young at age 15, it was not uncommon back then. I had a baby and 2 miscarriages before I was 17 and another baby at 18, and one more miscarriage.
My breathing during all those years would come and go. I would more or less have just attacks. When my children got in school. I became a rural mail carrier. We had a big farm, with cattle and hogs and crops. I worked at all these and did a little work in a grocery store and sold Tupperware and Avon. Still would make my usual round to the hospital 2 or 3 times a year for a night or 2 with asthma attack.
But as I grew older, my lungs became weaker. Dr. said from all the stress and strain they had through the years.
In my early 40's I was diagnosed with COPD. I didn't realize it because I never knew what a really good breath was anyway. I had to give up my job that I loved because I would help all the old people on my mail route. Take their groceries. Fix their bills and so on. To a lot that was their only link to the world.
I grew worse each year and shorter of breathe. In Nov. 2000, I had a severe lung infection. The worst ever and I had to come home on oxygen. My Dr. I had for 20 years sent me to a Specialist and they fully agreed. My lungs were completely worn out and they lost all elasticity in all airways. When I move or raise to walk, it closes off almost all air going into my lungs. They also agreed that only a lung transplant would help me. So I started researching on the internet about the transplants and didn't like what I saw. A few success but more failures. So after 17 months of wrestling with the idea and praying, I decided against it.
I try to look on life as a journey. You can enjoy your travels or you can choose to be miserable and make everyone else around you the same. I have a huge sense of humor. I have tried to keep that up to par. I was very active in my church, heading all the fund raisers, song fests, homecomings, Sunday School outings, etc. My husband has been a Deacon there for 19 years.
As my lungs weaken, I had to even give up my church work. But the Lord never closes a door that He doesn't open a window. He made a way for me to get a computer and to get my poems online. I had only dreamed of publishing my poems all down through the years. I also got an offer to publish them. Hopefully will have a release early spring.
He has helped me establish a Newsletter and prayer chain that includes hundreds.
I can no longer sit at my computer desk, due to swellings and weakness. My grandsons fixed my desk beside my bed. Exactly the same height as my bed and I prop up on pillows and stay on my computer nearly all the time. I am still the Church's clerk, so I have things to keep typed up for that. I have many email friends that I try to send encouragements to. I have, as I said, my prayer clubs, my Newsletter and my Poetry website. I recently took 4 classes on how to make my own web graphics and I have tried a hand at that.
I try to encourage, love, listen, pray and be there for my fellowman. I want to always be found doing God's Will because the Lord is surely coming back.
I endure all my illness with my precious family and the help of the Lord. I attribute this to good upbringing, being disciplined as a child, a few spankings,...and my Faith. My husband of almost 41 years stands by me with cooking and cleaning. RN's now come 2 days a week to monitor fluid buildup in my lungs and around my heart.
My precious children that God allowed me to keep, my grandchildren and my baby granddaughter that is 6. Rebecca, she is my inspiration. She checks on me and takes very good care of me every chance she has.
My love for the Lord has kept my faith strong even through the worst times. I am here to do His Will as long as He allows. I have family on both sides. Praise God, so I am a winner either way....
Raylene Boggs [email protected]
<http://www.poetryfromtheheart.com>
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