My husband wasn't picking up so when she answered the phone, between sobs I was able to say, "CRISIS! HELP!"

My mother-in-law said, "Who is this?"

"Tonia." Breathe. Sob. "I can do this." Breathe. Sob. "Okay."

I somehow managed to explain that my dog had returned from her daily outing on the land where we live with a fish hook stuck in her eyelid. I suppose she was experimenting with a new piercing?

When Achilles came home she was whining and kept pawing at her eyebrow. I thought it was a burr at first, but when I realized the long string attached to it was a fishing line I started to freak out. (I'm so glad I'm not an emerge med doc!)

I was surprised at how emotional I was -  but there I was a blubbering mess trying to ask my mother-in-law if she could pick up the dog up from the vet after they removed the hook so I could get to work.

She said, "Absolutely. No problem."

Despite her injury she (the dog) was pretty keen for a car ride. At the vet's office I signed the consent for the estimate of the procedure costing us up to $1000, and involving general anesthesia.

The assistant said she would be right back.

I had nothing to do but pray. So I did.

Please let this be easy for her.

Please let her be free from pain and fear.

Please let the veterinarian handle her gently and kindly.

The assistant returned and told me that the vet was going to try to take it out with out having to put her under. I texted my receptionist to let her know I might be a few minutes late that day.

I had nothing to do but continue praying.

I started texting out prayer requests, "Please pay for Achilles. At the vet right now. She came home with a fishhook in her eyelid."

And promptly received these notes back:

ON IT!

I will pray for her quick and painless recovery. 

Poor, sweet thing. Praying my booty off for her.

Sending her love and healing energy.

Prayers ascending.

Sending her lots of love and prayers. 

Oooooh Achilles. Prayers from school.

The staff kept coming out and telling me how well she was behaving and how good she was doing. That's my girl!

After a few more minutes the Vet came out and told me that they were able to cut the barb off and pull it out. They put some numbing cream on. She also prescribed some anti-inflammatories** and antibiotics because surprisingly this was not a clean fish hook. (All kinds of ick.)

I am SOOO glad they didn't have to put her under.

I dropped her off back home after paying a much lower bill (Thank GOD!) and was only 5 minutes late for my first patient that day (FEWPH!)

I don't think it's a coincidence that when I started praying the results and outcome started getting better and better.

And you may have a different opinion about that and that's totally fine.

There are tons of studies in the scientific literature explaining the benefits of prayer including:

1. less pain

2. lowered anxiety

3. decreased stress

4. improved mental clarity

5. better quality of life

6. longer life expectancy

7. better ability to cope with difficulty

8. increased sobriety

9. enhanced energy

10. improved sense of well being.

A patient once told me she used to have terrible menstrual cramps. "How did you get rid of them?" I asked. "I prayed," she said.

I am certainly no expert in prayer, but I know that it helps me feel calmer, safer, and more optimistic. Each morning for the last few years I have been praying. I also pray before bed. And when crap comes up like fishhooks in eyelids!

I figure that it can't hurt! It doesn't need to be religious if you're not comfy with that.

I would love to hear from you. Do you have a prayer ritual? Do you have a common prayer you say? What is a situation in which you would most likely pray? Have you noticed any benefits? What are they?

If you like this article please like it and share it.

Here's to your healthy, thriving, delightful life,

** She refused to take these and she is healing beautifully. That's my girl. ;)