Part 5 – Faith When Healing Isn’t Linear
Introduction
Trusting God through setbacks became a huge part of my journey when I realized healing wasn’t going to be as simple or straightforward as I hoped.
After my first surgery in June 2024, I experienced that.
Relief.
Freedom.
Hope.
But what I didn’t expect… was that this wouldn’t be the end of the story.
A Season of Progress
After my trach was removed in July 2024, I began to feel like myself again.
Breathing improved.
Energy returned.
Life started to feel normal.
I had follow-ups every six months, and things looked good.
By July 2025, I was still about 80% open. Stable. Strong.
And for a moment, I thought… maybe this was behind me.
When Symptoms Returned
But in October 2025, I started noticing it again.
Subtle at first.
Breathing became harder.
Stairs felt heavier.
Workouts became more difficult.
Mucus increased.
That familiar feeling I had once hoped never to experience again… was back.
And deep down, I knew.
A Rapid Decline
When I went in to be checked in November, the results were shocking.
I had gone from being around 80% open…
To only about 35% open.
In just a few months.
We tried steroids to slow things down. To buy time.
But my body wasn’t responding.
When Fear Tries to Return
By December, the week before Christmas, my symptoms had become significantly worse.
My breathing was labored again, the wheezing had returned, and I could tell something was very wrong.
When I reached back out to UVA and the nurse heard how I sounded over the phone, she immediately told me to go straight to the ER.
Another Emergency… Another Opportunity for Faith
That night, I had my second procedure.
This time, instead of a laser, they used a surgical knife to remove the stenosis.
And once again… I woke up able to breathe.
But Healing Looked Different
Even though my airway improved immediately…
There were new challenges.
The mucus became significantly worse.
Clearing my throat became difficult.
And I realized something important:
Healing doesn’t always mean everything feels perfect.
Sometimes it means progress—with new adjustments.
Scripture Reflection
“Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” — Proverbs 24:16
Setbacks don’t mean failure.
They are part of the journey.
What This Season Taught Me
This experience shifted something in me.
I stopped viewing healing as a one-time event…
And started seeing it as a process.
A journey.
A partnership between trusting God and walking through what comes.
Devotional Thought
If you feel like you’ve taken steps backward…
You haven’t failed.
You’re still moving forward—even if it doesn’t look like you expected.
Prayer
Lord,
When setbacks come, help me not lose hope.
Remind me that You are still working—even when things feel like they’re going backward.
Give me strength to keep trusting You in every step of this journey.
Amen.
