Getting Better

Today has been a better day, but my cough is still pretty gruesome in the mornings. This is typical for me, I've always coughed most in the mornings, but it is a little worse than normal.

When I called my doctors Monday, I requested to try some steroids to open up my airways before we resort to antibiotics. So that's what we're trying. I've gotten two full nights of sleep the past two nights, and let me tell you how wonderful that's been; to wake up with my alarm and then realize "Hey! I didn't wake up overnight to cough!" It's been really nice.

The other night when I was going to bed early, I opened my nightstand drawer like I usually do, and pulled out my prayer books. I have three in there. One is a leather-bound, gold flake on the edges of the pages, written in the 1980s kind, another is a freebie I picked up at St. Joseph's in Wentzville, and the other is my favorite childhood prayer book from Precious Moments. It's a tiny 2"x3" book with prayers directed towards children, and I still like to look through it sometimes because it's so darn cute and, well, sometimes simple prayers still apply. I also found a little prayer card my mom made me with a prayer asking for sleep, which was oh so appropriate. She made it for me back when I was in college, I think, and most likely going through a similar time as I am right now with the night coughs. As I was paging through my leather prayer book, a Prayer in Time of Suffering hit home and I took solace in it. I thought I would share it in case anyone else is suffering this week, because it is really quite nice.

The prayer goes like this:

Behold me, my beloved Jesus, weighed down under the burden of my trials and sufferings, I cast myself at Your feet, that You may renew my strength and my courage, while I rest here in Your Presence. Permit me to lay down my cross in Your Sacred Heart, for only Your infinite goodness can sustain me; only Your love can help me bear my cross; only Your powerful hand can lighten its weight. O Divine King, Jesus, whose heart is so compassionate to the afflicted, I wish to live in You; suffer and die in You. During my life be to me my model and my support; At the hour of my death, be my hope and my refuge. Amen.