Dealing with sickness (using local medicine)

My hip was absolutely horrible all Christmas break. I could walk, but just barely. I limped with every step and it truly was painful and getting worse. I only thought it feasible to come back to China because I had tested myself with our grandson’s little bicycle and could bike without pain….but had to lay the bike on the ground and step over it to mount it. A fellow Chinese team member tried to do Thai massage on me and really could not manipulate me at all. She also had watched me agonizingly walk around our mission retreat. She mailed me Chinese medicine that had helped her mom. The first day it helped me. I have been pain free for a month now! And I mean pain free, my hip, my knees, my shoulder, most of which have bothered me for almost 10 years. I have no real answer for this, because two different doctors have looked at the med and said, it is very benign herbs, etc. which I can continue to take for as long as I want. I had a student translate the ingredients: glucosamine hydrocholoride, chondroitin sulfate, puerarin extract, scorpion, deer’s sinew, vipers, papaya, lucid ganoderma, licorice, and oyster.  It’s Chinese name is Gulingcao and costs about $50 per month.  I am sure it would not work on everyone’s arthritis, etc. pain, but it surely is a miracle for me. Considering the ingredients, I kind of take it as just a healing from the Lord, really. Rejoice with me.

A week ago I got 2 MRI’s. The results show that my hip has spurs and is degenerating, but really is not too bad. (Why was I in so much pain a month ago? Did God just take care of it?) My shoulder needs surgery, but I am not rushing into it. I have no pain at all right now, and have complete range of motion after about 5 years of really restricted activity. I cannot explain pain, nor lack of pain. I can’t explain how Chinese medicine works, and I have experienced it working in other situations as well. I am sure there are some harmful uses of local meds, but I also know that at times Western Medicine does not have all the answers. God is in control.