To understand is to experience.

I got food poisoning this week. It has been one of the worst experiences ever. I haven't been that sick in awhile. In fact, I'm still recovering. I feel like I have a food hangover. I feel like I've been hit and don't know quite how to get back up. I don't know what it is I ate, and I certainly didn't mean for this to happen, but it did...with a vengeance. I found myself in the position of the patients I work with who are going through cancer treatment. Fever, chills, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and a lot of other stuff I will spare you. All of a sudden I was forced to stop my life for a little bit, and I didn't want to. I imagine that is how my patients feel as well. I kept thinking about all of the advice I give to them as they are going through all of this and all I could think was..."Wow, you really don't understand how difficult this is for them." "You want me to eat? How, when all I can do is look at a toilet bowl when I do?" "Drink fluids? , yeah, whatever...I don't even want to swallow my own spit!" These were just some of the conversations I had with myself. The worst part is that I was alone. I've been petsitting for a friend, so I was going through this by myself...except when the little doggie would look give me a lick from time to time. No one to cover me up, no one to say "Can I get you anything sweetie pie?". But it is ok, I am a big girl now...I guess. So I did what a big girl would do...I cried. Then I prayed. What do I do wrong God? Don't you see that I have a lot to do this week? I can't be sick...I've got to go to work to help everyone else who is sick! But then I heard God speaking to my heart. "Sometimes we go through bad stuff, not because of something we've done on purpose, but because this is not a perfect world, and those bad things happen sometimes. But the cool thing is that because you experienced this and I was there to help you through it, you can much better understand and help someone else now." Fun experience? No! But you can bet it will be an experience that I will never forget. It will help me to be much more empathetic and understanding to my patients than I was before, and therefore.... it was worth it.
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinithians 1:3-4