“Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee”
I have been thinking about what tip I have learned over the years living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) would be my “best tip” or “No. 1.” Or, which one would be most beneficial? I can share many tips, tricks, and hacks, but only one stands at the forefront of anything I have ever done that I would never want to be without.
What is it? Follow Jesus. I gave my life to Jesus Christ, allowing Him to take over becoming a Christian. I recommend reading the Bible, a daily devotional, attending a local Bible-believing and teaching church, and getting involved in it. Yes, simple as that. I will admit, I would absolutely NOT EVER want to fight any of the battles against Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) as I have over the past forty years without Jesus. He has been a strong comfort and encouragement beyond what I could ever explain in writing.
I had the blessing of being born into a Christian family, which doesn’t automatically make me a Christian, but it provided exposure to serving God from the day I was born. At age 6, I remember thinking I wanted to be saved from my sins like the preacher talked about. I believe I became a Christian that day, though I do not remember the date or time. In my early college years, I became concerned by something a professor said about whether I was truly a Christian. I invited Jesus into my heart again- just to be certain.
It wasn’t until my college years that I learned how much Charcot-Marie-Tooth would affect me. The pain I had in those early years was beyond description, meaning I can tell you, or write about it, all I want, but unless you go through it, you don’t understand. I’m sure those with CMT will agree, or you will eventually.
The salvation from my sins so that I will go to heaven when I die wasn’t the only part of God’s Love that has helped me get through life. It’s His Compassion, Companionship, Love, and Desire for wanting me to be the best I can be.
I cannot remember how many times I have had pain in my feet, legs, hands, and arms and reached out to Jesus asking for His Help. Sometimes, I would just talk to Him because I knew I could trust Him to keep my secrets. Sometimes, when CMT was bothering me, I didn’t want to burden someone with my struggles, so I talked to God about them. Other times, I would get discouraged or in a funky mood about life with CMT, so I talked to God about it. It has been truly amazing at how He reached down to provide me comfort in many ways.
In the early years of college, God told me that He would be my strength and ability if I would just trust Him. That I have. I wish I could say that I have been perfect along the way, but whenever I strayed, God always did something to remind me He was there for me.
While in college, I was teased quite a bit by the other guys. I was surprised how much this bothered me because I had already gone through it in high school and the real world as a working adult. Their goal seemed to remind me that I wasn’t physically fit like them or was only half a man because of my lack of muscle and probably how my interesting-looking feet looked. Eventually, I learned to tune most of them out. After all, I was there to get an education so I could get a better job.
In God’s Plans of doing things, He brought a Christian man into my life to be my college roommate for the last few years of school. This guy was kinda nerdy and very smart, had polite manners, and was fun to hang out with. He was one of the first few college-age guys who treated me with respect and not some kind of problem because of my recent diagnosis with CMT. We would go on to be lifelong friends, catching up with each other in our later years, which seemed to be picking up where we left off. Ed has always been a source of encouragement and has done his best to help me see the positive in everything. In these later years, when CMT seemed to be making strides faster than I could keep up with, it’s been an awesome help to have him around to text my frustrations. This friendship may not have come together if I didn’t believe in God and become a Christian many years ago.
When I look back over the last thirty or so years, I can see where God directed my path to the right doctors, specialists, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, a personal trainer, and a service dog. All of these came together to help me have a healthier and happier life. I know it was all God’s doing, as I couldn’t pull together such perfect medical care no matter how hard I tried. At age 60, I am using much less medication than I originally thought I would, which gives me a much more quality of life.
So, yes, becoming a Christian and following Jesus is my best tip!