The ARDS Foundation - Body, Mind, & Spirit

By Pastor Ian

OUR e-mail 'ANGEL'

Sometimes our "in" boxes are filled with messages from people we don't even know, and we are wary of opening them in case we are "spammed." This morning I had one from BETTY who offered me larger breasts at half the price, and one from SAMANTHA who offered to teach me how to make $1000 per week with only four hours of my time involved. I feel certain there must have been something illegal in this, but I didn't stop to ask. Then there are the messages that arrive looking so professional. Hidden behind the clever exterior, an even cleverer virus lurks, just waiting to impact your computer. Those of us in the ARDS community know all about what it is like to be overcome in this way, and we aren't talking about computers either, are we! No, I am not saying that ARDS is a virus. Rather, it seems to act like a virus in that one moment you are in good health and the next, your 'hard-drive' and other parts are struggling to connect.

Talking about connecting, I receive e-mails from many sources, and I look forward to receiving the all singing - all dancing ones that raise the spirits of anyone who sees them. I sometimes ask myself why I am the recipient of so many, and then I give thanks for someone taking the time to try to bring a smile into my day. Now I know that you are wondering if I am the culprit who forwards all of these e-mails to others with the dreaded message:

"You must forward this message to at least seven other people in the next half hour to receive a Good-Luck surprise."

Honest, it is not me, and let me tell you why. Before I do, I need to ask you a question: What is "Good Luck?" If you were in Vegas standing in front of a slot pulling the handle, and 4 Bell Fruit Gum Bars appeared, you might be tempted to say it was 'good luck.' If you were at the roulette table with $10 on 'legs' 11 and the number came up paying 35 to 1, again you might say it was 'good luck.' Sorry friends, I just don't buy the "good-luck" story, and here are a couple of reasons why.

You may have been standing in front of the slot for 3 hours and have spent $400 when your last dollar paid out $350. You may have been playing the wheel all weekend and have maxed out your credit cards when you pulled that #11 winner. The longer you stood there the greater the chance the random law of averages might work in your favor. Your 'good luck' perception tells you that you were in the right place at the right time. What about being in the wrong place at the right time. Unlike many human ailments, ARDS does not claim its victims through luck or the lack of it. There are some pre-conditions that might make a person more sensitive to attack, and expensive, painstaking research will require to be completed before the story fully unfolds. I believe that we live our lives constantly at risk to the negative elements that are harmful to human survival on Earth. (Elements we consciously multiply with things like pollution, global warming and genetic manipulation, to name but a few.)

Our best form of defense is to ensure we live our lives in a balanced way, respecting the earthly home of our Spirits... namely, our bodies. This 'respecting' of our bodies should build our defenses against heart and stroke problems, diabetes and others, and may eliminate some of the conditions leading up to onset of ARDS. I have underlined the word "some." I wish I could have used the word "ALL," in its place yet I cannot, and many of you who will read this article know the reasons why. There is still a randomness that seems to be at work with ARDS onset, and if and when it happens, our best defense is bodily fitness prior to onset. Our next line of defense is: To have a team of doctors and nurses who are well informed regarding available, current ARDS treatment options, and are ready to use them.

We leave defense behind now and add the element of SUPPORT, which is vital for the patient throughout their hospitalization and after. The support network of family and friends (and The ARDS Foundation, www.ardsusa.org) needs to be co-ordinated and LOVING. These are tough times, not only for the patient, but also for their supporters, and experienced, professional advice is a must!

Finally, and for some people…reluctantly, we must come to the realization that our loved ones survival and subsequent recovery lies not just in the hands of the hospital staff, or family and friends. Our loved one is in God's hands, and it is There we must turn for our greatest line of support: through PRAYER. Make no mistake; Prayer brings a new and powerful dimension to the aid of the patient…a much-needed aid in times of trial. Clinical studies have proven beyond reasonable doubt that patients for whom Prayer was offered, respond positively. Please don't leave your loved one in the dubious hands of "good luck." If you require guidance, the hospital chaplain will be pleased to offer help. They will also help you quickly identify other hospital services that can be useful at this time. If in doubt contact The ARDS Foundation.

This New Year I received an e-mail 'angel.' It had a poem attached to it, and the words marked (author unknown), so I have no problem in bringing it to you.

There's an angel in my inbox,
She came here from a friend
Who entered in my e-mail name
Then clicked the button 'Send.' There's an angel in your inbox
And you got her straight from me.
I knew, when I heard your story
She was someone you should see. This angel in your inbox
Brings with her great delight,
For when you send her on to friends
Her 'message' sounds so right. She brings a prayer for hope you see,
A prayer for health so strong
And the nicest thing that you can do
Is... YES… Forward her along. Somewhere you have a friend in need,
The angel's prayer to hear.
So send her on to everyone
To gain her words of good cheer. Hope and Love are sent this way,
Peace, and Comfort too,
Please accept them as my gifts
E-mailed specially to You. Please send this little angel on
And ponder how she knew,
My e-mail friend is happy now,
The prayer was meant for YOU!

...and you don't need to send it on to anyone. Promise! …But you could say a few words of prayer for someone you know and love.