Generosity,  Healing,  Impact

An extra minute

After college and internship, I worked for a doctor that took an extra minute of his time when I got to the point of desiring to broaden my surgical opportunities. Though we worked together well and felt like family, he walked to his office after appointments one day and wrote out a heartfelt recommendation for me to go to a big hospital and leave that office practice. A few days later, he called my house to make sure that was what I really wanted to do and he offered me a promotion to stay. I just couldn’t help but be more curious about the bigger picture forming in my head. Those people and experiences made my life much richer.

After the big hospital experience and being called into the ministry alongside my husband, Derek began to tell me about his trouble to breath through his nose. Dr. Wilson did his septoplasty. He made time to check on us often. That procedure was 23 years ago and Derek has never had a problem since then. It changed his life dramatically. We moved away for six years to pastor in Fairhope before we found ourselves back in the Mobile area. At that time, we were dealing with our youngest son’s non-stop ear infections. Bentley was very quiet and wasn’t talking. We knew something wasn’t right. Finally, I called Dr. Wilson and he saw little B. After an early morning tubal procedure in both ears, BB hummed and talked about dinosaurs all the way home! Dr. Wilson told us before we left the hospital that our little boy would be relieved to not have the pain in his ears anymore. He was so right. We made sure to thank him and sent a card with flowers to his office. His skills made a big difference in our son. We were extremely grateful and happy!

It’s been six years of my brother Brad, being cancer free. He went to Dr. Wilson one day about a lump in his neck. To get the story straight, I text Brad about it. He said: “He cut out my parotid gland that had a tumor and he knew when he saw me that it needed to come out. He sent it off for testing and it came back Non Hodgkin lymphoma, stage 4. It was everywhere. That was in 2015 so yes cancer free for 6 years now. Thank the Lord.” The time Dr. Wilson gave my brother, was critical. Those kinds of moments in life can connect you to medical professionals. I felt like taking an extra minute last week after my own appointment, to say hey to the nurse I went to school with who stayed in Dr. Wilson’s practice. I got a picture with Dr. Wilson then realized He was having a problematic day. He said a man had just left his office saying to the front desk that they needed to get him another doctor. But I was there at that moment to tell him what he’s meant to our family! I know it meant a lot to him.

My Mom had a serious fungal infection in her sinuses. A different doctor told my Mom not to have surgery. She tried things to get rid of it. But Dr. Wilson talked her into having the infection removed; he said it was the only way to be done with it. She said he was right! What a relief. We try so hard to not have to need doctors. We go through a variety of ailments over time. It is so good to find guidance and someone that knows what to do. I’m sure there are plenty of others who have been helped by John Wilson too but these are the ones that stand out to me.

Very recently, I had a quick thought. I needed to call a Doctor that I worked with years ago and ask him who he would recommend for thyroid surgery since he was no longer doing it. My four year long struggle to keep my thyroid had increasingly gotten worse no matter what I did to improve my health. Now the growing nodule, despite my healthy thyroid, is shoving my trachea over and causing several other terribly uncomfortable situations. Dr. Wilson quickly suggested a name and that day turned in favor for my overall health! After my appointment was made and I sat directly in front of the doctor he referred me to, I knew it was time. I knew she was the one to do my surgery. I finally knew that this whole thing was going to be dealt with quickly and confidently. I waited four years to experience the peace that I now came to in that moment. No runarounds, no more time consuming appointments, tests, x-rays, needle biopsies or yearly blood work. She simply went through my file and put the story together within minutes. She stated what had been going on and what we will do about it. My Doctor was instrumental over the years in helping my family in a variety of ways. This proved to be yet another significant lead. It looks like this new doctor is going to spare the main parts of my thyroid!

Courage Question: By taking an extra minute, who have you gone back to thank for a job well done? For a life spared? For another chance? For a better quality of life?

Courage Quote: Walking “an extra mile” might just be taking “an extra minute”. The very minute you take that extra minute, may be the exact time the person is needing it!!

Prayer Point- God, in every need, You supply. Prayer is always a factor in getting direction in life. Jesus often took an extra minute with people in general, His disciples, those suffering- and it changed the course of their lives! May we do the same in circumstances that Your Spirit is prodding us. Amen.

2 Comments

  • Martha Winkles

    Courtney I love reading your posts. I’m related to Cyndi and I’ve always been so proud of her and I know she is of you. I would appreciate being put on your personal prayer list. Thank you again for your post. You need to do a devotional book.

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