LIFE IS PREDICTABLE. UHH??? (Part 2)

I almost failed my final exams in medical school…

As expected, I was excited that I would be finishing up with school would finally be the medical doctor I had always wanted to be.

they say…

If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail

But I’ve added early…

If you fail to prepare early, you prepare to fail

So early preparation was my goal…

I was privileged to be the monitor for my group, and in my capacity, I was encouraging everyone to sit tight so that we all ace the final exams as we all had started the journey together,

…but little did I know something was upcoming

Exactly 2 weeks to the exams I started having a severe toothache. It was bearable at first (so I ignored it) but eventually, it became unbearable and limited day-to-day activities.

Being someone who really doesn’t like visiting the hospital or take drugs,

(ironic right…I know)

So I was managing the pain myself with warm gargle and all that but the pain couldn’t be patted…

My friend had come for a weekend visit and she noticed that I couldn’t even eat well because the pain was so much. It got to the point that when she was leaving I couldn’t open my mouth that well, my cheeks were swollen and I couldn’t even talk properly.

She encouraged me and together we strolled to see a Dentist but unfortunately the place wasn’t opened, that day being a Saturday.

The pain was unbearable (oh noo!!!) and I was very concerned at this point.

The night before Monday was serious…too serious. I couldn’t talk in class and I knew then that I wouldn’t be able to continue with the class so I told a classmate to follow me to the hospital.

I got to the Student’s Hospital and after being examined I was told I needed an intervention urgently so was referred to a well-equipped hospital.

On getting to the hospital, the doctor examined me and said I was at risk of sepsis if the tooth was not removed immediately.

…It was good I came that day.

The price for the procedure was quite steep, especially because I wasn’t prepared for that expense, but of course I didn’t need to be told. My health was paramount.

I was given anesthesia and the procedure began and was carried out successfully.

After the operation I was given drugs to continue taking but as a girl who had not really fallen sick (well yeah…I was at one point but even the I didn’t take drugs) or taken drugs in 6 years I refused the drugs I was given…

The doctor literally laughed off (like you don’t know what’s at stake).

It was on my way back home when the anesthesia started wearing off, the pain hit me and I became uncoordinated…

I was literally shouting in pain by the time I was on my street drawing so much attention from the Ukrainians passing by.

My friend wasn’t in for the embarrassment or persuasion any longer, she immediately entered a pharmacy nearby to get the drugs…

I didn’t need not to be told or persuaded; I took the drug and was finally able to sleep.

Through the pain I had to continue preparing for the exams, amidst doctor’s appointments: to check if there were any complications.

---

It was the exam day and I had taken an extra dose of my pain medication around 9am that morning.

The exam started pretty late at 12 noon (or after 12, if not mistaken) and just midway through the exam, the pain started…

…what am I going to do…

I lost composure…It felt like a festival was happening in my head as there was a mixture of throbbing, peppery, migrating pain…

…my thinking was distorted but I managed to pull through with about 130 questions at first before trying all over again…

I literally at a point placed my head on the table and was calm probably to relieve the pain but soon enough my eyes became teary because of the pain. it seemed like it was my concentrating on the exams that was the perfect distraction I needed.

I became so slowww (which is quite unusual forme) in picking my answers and my choices became disorderly.

10 minutes more…

…Haaaa…

I started picking answers at random without thinking and then was still shading even when time was up. I was the last to submit in my hall even at that, I was hesitant to submit

…the examiner had to forcefully collect my answer sheet from me.

I remember someone asking me how many I had left and I counted 10 I left unanswered but as I thought more on it at home I knew nooo Gloria you need a miracle…

Failing meant staying back for one more year. Getting a temporary visa, probably paying additional school fees, staying with my juniors in class…

Oh just the thought was traumatizing.

I wept heavily and I pleaded to God for a divine intervention.

God please let me just pass even if it’s one point above the cut-off mark…

…I prayed…

I remember a brother walked up to me the vigil we had the next friday  in church and was like…‘Is everything okay?’…

…because definitely Gloria was not her usual self.

I sat down almost throughout the entire vigil just crying and begging God to intervene.

2 weeks before result was released was a nightmare. I had been an excellence advocate…always trying not to ever embrace mediocrity.

I thought of the younger students in church I encouraged in the past to be academically sound so their gospel would be accepted.

I had stood for being balanced spiritually, academically, socially and in all spheres of life…but now my words were going to be discarded.

---

---

Boom!!

The result came out. I scrolled up to check my result then saw…

I passed…I had more than the cut-off.

I was so happy at that moment that my prayer was answered.

But then the torment started over the week…

I was the monitor of my group of 25 and those who I had been encouraging; to give their best had better scores than I did.

I mean those who were even truants, the unserious ones who had just tried to give their best…

Those who could asked; ‘Gloria what happened?’, ‘I expected you to have more!’…I explained to those who cared to ask…

…but of course how many do I keep explaining to so a smile soon became my response.

It was humiliating for me in a way…I remember one of my teachers saying ‘Gloria I expect you to have the maximum (highest) score’ before the exams.

I couldn’t go meet her for some things after the exam results came out because was ashamed.

I couldn’t even update my status cos that would have been in pretence…

I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t happy at all!!

Then the blame-game and negative thinking began (typical for melancholics…if you understand what I mean).

Why did you remove your tooth?…

…You shouldn’t have removed your tooth…It was foolish of you to have done that.

Why didn’t you take much more drugs with you?…

…You couldn’t think ahead?…

People will think you don’t know anything…

…Their image of you being intelligent will be wiped off…

The girls you encourage to be balanced will see you as balanced in words not in action.

Oh!!…the torment over the weeks was huge!

I would call my friend to lament and cry (but I’m grateful for the gift of morale support)…

She gave me that confidence somehow and she would say; ‘What about those who indeed failed?’…‘I should just be thankful to God because he overthrew the plans of the enemy’

The enemy surely wanted to humiliate me and I might not have been able to get over it if it really did happen.

I mean I never knew that would happen, I didn’t see it coming at all, probably I would have prepared well.

I would probably have forwarded a letter to tell them I’d write the exam when I was stable. Or, I would have taken more drugs with me into the exam so the pain wouldn’t stop me…

---

---

So too we have people who have been so health conscious all their lives but they are suddenly diagnosed with a terminal disease…

We have people who have worked all their lives for a good marriage but in the end divorce knocks at their door…

…and so on…

---

…

This is to keep us in that sober state that sometimes our own works isn’t the deal…Principles sometimes are not realistic, laws change, in fact sometimes it fails

Job never was expecting his misfortune to happen. He was a righteous man; God himself attested to it, but then it happened (tragedy struck)…

…Life happens.

I mean things we don’t expect happen, we go through times we absolutely have no idea what is going to happen next, but we just plan ahead.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Romans 8:28

This can actually get us anxious, depending on the circumstances but should we be? Nooo…instead let’s lay hold on God’s word which is the one thing that will never change.

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6, 7

Just thought of sharing with us my personal experience before highlighting reasons why life isn’t always predictable.

If you missed the first part here is the link you can follow up on it to catch up:

Part 1: https://theinspiredlifeblog.com/life-is-predictable/