Faith and Medicine: A doctor who prays and prescribes

“Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” (Job 12:12)

I don’t have to change her name to keep her anonymous, because her name is Maria.  90% of my female patients are named Maria.  Even the ones who I thought were named Ruth, or Josefina, or Luisa, were actually Maria Ruth, Maria Josefina, and Maria Luisa.  

Maria is 72 years old, and sprightly.  She stands about 4 feet 8 inches tall and I see her all over the neighborhood, walking and pushing her little cart.  She told me she is taking care of her grandchildren now while their parents are working.  I know everyone in this equation.  One of the grandchildren was in my son’s kindergarten class; she has a severe intellectual disability.  The dad has renal failure because of poorly controlled diabetes and high blood pressure, but he still manages to work two minimum wage jobs to support the family.  He just had an eye surgery.  The mom is working now too.  With their four kids, the six of them lived in a minivan a couple of years ago when they suddenly got evicted; it was about nine months before they found a new place.  They always manage to keep their heads up though, no matter what.  I admire them all very much.

I told the dad, Maria’s son, the other day that we might have to start talking about dialysis eventually, since his GFR is 15 and his potassium keeps going up.  He responded by saying that he knows someone who is on dialysis who is still able to work.  Tough as nails.

Maria had some lower leg swelling.  Could be heart failure or renal failure, or maybe something less serious.  I will need some labs.  We started talking about the grandkids, and I mentioned that she seemed younger than her age because she was so active.  She told me about the exercises she does, and then she suddenly started talking about the prayers she prays every day.  Exercise and prayers.

Her brown eyes looked at me intently.  “This is what I pray:  ‘Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner.’”  She went on to describe her prayers for help, for mercy, for forgiveness.  She was full of passion and humility as she counted off on her fingers the prayers she prays daily.  “Because I am a sinner,” she added, unnecessarily.

We don’t talk about being sinners anymore.  We want everybody else to be a sinner, but not us.  We would like the world to know that we do things right, we think correctly, we back the right things.  But something happens to you when a 4’ 8” elder looks you in the eye and tells you that she is a sinner who relies on God’s mercy for survival.  And her prayers are intricately connected with her health.  

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

    fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body

    and nourishment to your bones.

• Proverbs 3:7-8