The Great, The Bad, and The Miraculous at our St. Jude Radiothon

We've been doing St. Jude Radiothons at KICKS 105 for about 25 years, but the one we did this past Tuesday and Wednesday was unlike any of the other radiothons that we have done.  Several things happened that made this Radiothon great, bad, as well as a testimony to the power of God.

First...The Great

$113,131!

Are you kidding me?  That is phenomenal.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised after living here for the past 30 years.  When someone is in need, East Texans respond.  The outpouring of Partners in Hope was massive.  I know that listening to these St. Jude stories can be tough, but you obviously followed your heart and helped these kids.

I don't have access to all the past tote board totals for KICKS 105 Radiothons, but I believe this year's overall amount is a record.  I do know that we are closing in on $2 million raised over the past 25 years of doing these radiothons.

The Bad

I have a herniated disc in my lower spine.  This past Monday, I tweaked it somehow just by bending over.  Even though it was just a tweak, it sent off a chain reaction throughout my lower back.  The pain was excruciating.  The last time this happened, I had to get two shots in my spine and I was out of commission for about a week.  I could barely walk, but the Radiothon started in the morning.

The Radiothon happens over two days.  Sean and I are in the studio for 13 hours straight each day.  I didn't know how I could function with these marathon shifts given my condition.

It was 5:15 a.m., Tuesday morning.  I gingerly walked to my truck.  As I lifted my leg to get into the truck, another terrible spasm bent me over.  That was it, I couldn't even get into my truck, much less do our Radiothon.  I picked up my phone to call our St. Jude rep to let her know that we would have to postpone the Radiothon, there was just no other choice.

The Testimony

I was dialing when I noticed the spasm went away.  My back was still hurting, but it wasn't DEF CON 1 anymore.  I tried one more time to get into the truck, and...SUCCESS!

The first day of the Radiothon was up and down. The pain went back and forth from incapacitating to tolerable.  However, it seemed that every time I needed to talk on the radio, the pain would lessen.  On day two of the Radiothon, the pain was much more tolerable.

Yes, I was taking medication to try to ease the pain and inflammation,  but I know that the Great Physician was in control.  I've had these debilitating spasms before, and it usually takes me a week or more to get mobile again.  But, as I stood in the driveway on that Tuesday morning, it only took seconds for me to be mobile enough to get into the truck.

That was Jesus at work...I'm sure of it.  It was like he was saying "Go, and help my children."

So, in conclusion, I must say thank you to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for laying his healing hands on me.  Also, I say thank you to all who donated during the St. Jude Radiothon.  Setting a record with over $113,000 donated is also very good medicine for the soul.