To the Rescue -- Part 2

 When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight.

I left off the story Friday morning, as I was facing the prospect of starting chemo.  CVS had left a message on my phone which I did not understand, as CVS is not my pharmacy.  I had understood that the chemo drug would be delivered to my house, but the message indicated that I should request it "from any pharmacy."  In my confusion, I imagined that I would have to ask for it at Walgreen's, and I woke up that morning faced with the prospect of having to ask the pharmacist about the phone call.  The idea of talking to the pharmacist about taking chemo just overwhelmed me.

I drove to a friend's house to talk to her first, hoping that would calm me before going to Walgreen's.  But after pulling into her driveway, I thought, "This is not fair; she is working (remotely)."  So I drove on.

When I got to Walgreen's, I sat in the parking lot crying.  I was just unable to go in there and talk to the pharmacist about taking chemo.  "O God," I said, "if I just had someone to talk to!"  

Suddenly, there was a knock at my window.  When I rolled it down, there stood a sweet young man (about 30+ years old. )   "Mam," he said, "I cannot go in there and leave you sitting here like this.  If you want to talk, I'm here to listen."  

Oh my God!  (spoken with all reverence)  He heard my prayer and sent me an angel, disguised as an off-shore oil worker!  This young man listened to my story wi"th compassion and offered to go into Walgreen's with me and talk to the pharmacist, something I was not yet ready to do.  Finally, he said, "Don't put yourself through this; go to the park. look at the birds and the trees.  When you feel calm, call your doctor and ask what you should do."  Why hadn't I thought of that?  

I took his advice, went to the beach, watched the clouds and the waves, and when I was ready, called my doctor.  Found out that the phone call was something of a CVS scheme, if not a scam.  I did not need to do anything at all; the medicine would be delivered to my door.

For years, I wore a wrist bracelet that said, "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress."  Sometimes he shows up in the guise of an offshore oil-field worker!