In this episode of Unexpected Turns, host Laura Wilcox has a conversation with Kate, who was diagnosed with a rare venous malformation behind her right eye in her late teens. Though not cancerous, the location of Kate's mass of entangled veins posed dangers that only grew over time.

Although Kate had come to faith in Christ in her childhood, she sought for many years to handle her condition in her own strength. Instead, she focused on her job as a dental hygienist and even more on her roles as wife and mother to five children. Over time, the risks posed by her venous malformation grew serious. Doctors told her that if she did nothing, she would probably die from a rupture of the mass before the age of 40. Yet surgery posed major risks as well, so Kate pushed the decision to the back of her mind.

After a move to Nebraska, Kate's family was faced with several challenges in their new home. When her husband was offered his old job back in Texas two years later, Kate felt overwhelmed by their decision of possibly moving again. God used the stress of this decision to bring Kate to the realization that she was not as strong as she always wanted to believe. And that was okay. Her family did move back to Houston, and Kate knew it was time to seek out a surgeon who had the skill and courage to risk her needed surgery.

Since 2023, Kate has had five major surgeries to deal with the venous malformation and to seek restoration to her right eye. Though her health journey has been very difficult, she has grown in her trust in God's unfailing love, wisdom and power in her life. Read Kate's story, Eye Problems in God's Hands, on the Sacred Story website. 

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