Rheumatoid arthritis, science and faith

Mrs RA has bern generally deteriorating, and was particularly bad over the summer when she could barely manage to walk 100 yards and even that was an endurance test.  Of course she is not allowed to claim disability living allowance because she can walk ando it is 'not unreasonable'.  I disagree.

Mrs has received prayer on many occasions, and to be honestI have not seen any changes that could be attributed directly to the prayer.  So she went for a steroid injection into the knee, which didn't work last time.  And this time one has to admit there has been an improvement.

Mrs says this is an answer to prayer.  On the other hand, nothing happened when she was prayed for but there was a big improvement when she went to the doctor and had a jab.  To make that into an answer to prayer you have to say either that God sent get for the jab or that God made the jab work.  Both those answers may satisfy a person predisposed to faith, but I don't think they will persuade many atheists.

Meanwhile, there have been rumblings about her having knee replacement operations in both legs and ankle repairs on at least one.

At a recent visit to the surgeon, he said her knees were severely arthritic, and that he could see from the x ray that it was very painful.  (perhaps we should get him to sort out the DLA for us!)  He does not normally encourage such young people to rush into surgery, but saw out as a necessity for my wife within the next three years, preferably sooner.  In fact next summer would be good, which works our conveniently for our hopeful progress through the ordination discernment process.  So maybe God is involved after all.

Meanwhile mrs has talked to an old lady at the church; one of the sprightly ones who overtake her.  Apparently this lady also had RA, but read a book by a christian medical person advocating a specific diet.  She implemented it, and her fingers which she says used to be as badly deformed as my wifes straightened out.  I can testify she looks fine now.

So mrs is borrowing the book.  I have to day I am sceptical of diets for RA, and most things take the months to take effect anyway so our is hard to know with certainty what is going on.

But if my wife can read a christian book recommended by achristian at church, and if she then improves, then even my doubting thomas mind will have to sit up and notice, and grudgingly accept that maybe miracles do happen.

I will let you know the title when it arrives.