It was good to be back home, and it was good to finally have relief from the pain. I was advised to walk around and try to get back to doing normal things, taking it easy and lifting NOTHING! I also showered. After ten days, I was pretty stinky. (Actually, really stinky. Just ask Lee!) Where were the kids, and what were they doing during all this time? They were having a GREAT vacation. Sleepovers at Lee's parents, my parents and Aunt Sharon's were just right for them! They didn't miss me one bit! Thanks all for helping with the kids!!
Now that it's the end of April, I can honestly say that I have 98% recovered. I have an occasional, very slight tingling in my ankle and toes, but it is ignored with any kind of activity or distraction. I sit on a "fit disc" in the car, similar to sitting on a ball, but smaller (obviously). Thanks mom!! I walk, I do my core excercises, and I pay attention to how I lift (light things-don't worry). I'm taking care of myself, because I do NOT want to go through all of THAT again!
So, back to my birthday present!! Lee took me in last Tuesday at 8:30 to get my eyes corrected. It was a bit scary, and a bit horrible as my eye's were secured open while they sliced and lasered them, but boy was it worth it!!! I left one hour later with near perfect vision. 20/20 in one eye 20/40 in the other (over time it should progress to 20/20)! Pretty good! I'll take it! Thanks mom and dad for the very best birthday present ever!!! You are the best!!!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
My Birthday (part 1)
My-o-my! It has been quite some time since I have updated here! I just re-read Lee's blog about his bull. It seems like that was so long ago! We've celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, various birthdays, and even a birth! Yikes! A lot happens in a few months!
My birthday, as you well know, was Febuary 16th, and I celebrated at the end on January with my dear sissies and parents. Dad made us a fabulous dinner including Spencer steaks and creme brule (!!!). Sharon and I each received some "old people" reading glasses as one of our birthday presents, followed quickly by the WONDERFUL gift of LASIK!!!! We were shocked, but very excited. No more contacts, no more glasses, no more blurry nights getting up to stumble about, no more dry contacts, no more driving half an hour back to the nearest town to pick up contact paraphenalia that I forgot at home while on a camping trip, no more contacts washed down the drain by curious children, no more trashed contacts after a good cry...this list could go on for a long time...
I was quick to make an appointment early on the following week. I was scheduled for the next Thursday for my consultation with my eye doctor. I was ready. Well, not quite. I ended up rescheduling for later on in the month, the 24th. This was not to be. I had been fighting some sciatic pain for a couple of months, and that Thursday it was bad. Real bad. I was barely able to get in my car after BSF. I started driving, and was in so much pain. The pain started in my right glute, and screamed all the way down my leg to my toes. I was crying and praying and cursing and screaming. It was really bad. I made it to Seabeck, and was so thankful that Elizabeth was home. I hobbled to her door, and she was so gracious to lend my her guest bed so I could lay down and try to relax. A couple hours later, she and Jason kindly drove me the rest of the way home with my car. I made it to bed, and was done. I was hurting. I had no idea what was wrong, except it had something to do with my sciatic nerve. Whenever I tried to walk, it took my breath away. Needless to say, it was difficult to make it to the bathroom. Pain, pain, pain.
Lee and I decided to head in to the ER on Monday morning. We did not want to go, but had to find out what was going on. We also were apprehensive about how much it would cost. A few months previous, we decided to not spend the increasing monthly insurance premiums with decreasing coverage, so we were without insurance. After much prayer, I was totally confident that God would take care of this. I had been studying Isaiah this year at BSF, and I had the opportunity to think about God and who he was to the Isrealites, as well as to me. He is the Lord forever, the Rock eternal, the Holy One of Isreal, the Upright One, the Righteous One, the Lord Almighty, my Maker and my Savior. Even in the midst of my pain and my fear, I had to offer praise to my God. Focusing on him, and praising him for his faithfulness changed my focus from me to Him. Verses popped out at me:
"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Is 25:1
"You will keep in perfect peace him (or her!!) whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Is 26: 3-4
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you: he rises to show you compassion.: Is 30:18 (that's me too!)
"He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs (that's me!) in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Is 40:11
"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives streanth to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Is 40:28-29 (What a claim, what a promise!)
"I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Is 41:9-10 (One of my favorite verses!! Thank you God!)
Early in the morning, we were off. Lee drove me in as I lay down in the back of the car. Of course there was snow on the ground, and of course we got behind a snow plow. The windows were down and the heat was cranked so I wouldn't be carsick or cold. I was glad to finally make it to the ER. They checked me in, checked me out and gave me drugs. After a very painful lay-on-my-back while they did the MRI, it was determined that I had a mild herniated disc. MILD???? Are you kidding? The pain didn't feel very mild. However, I was thankful it was mild, because mild meant no surgery (thank you, God!) We finally got to go home around 5:00 with four perscriptions to reduce the swelling around the disc and to help with the pain. I was on the road to recovery!! YEAH!!
My birthday, as you well know, was Febuary 16th, and I celebrated at the end on January with my dear sissies and parents. Dad made us a fabulous dinner including Spencer steaks and creme brule (!!!). Sharon and I each received some "old people" reading glasses as one of our birthday presents, followed quickly by the WONDERFUL gift of LASIK!!!! We were shocked, but very excited. No more contacts, no more glasses, no more blurry nights getting up to stumble about, no more dry contacts, no more driving half an hour back to the nearest town to pick up contact paraphenalia that I forgot at home while on a camping trip, no more contacts washed down the drain by curious children, no more trashed contacts after a good cry...this list could go on for a long time...
I was quick to make an appointment early on the following week. I was scheduled for the next Thursday for my consultation with my eye doctor. I was ready. Well, not quite. I ended up rescheduling for later on in the month, the 24th. This was not to be. I had been fighting some sciatic pain for a couple of months, and that Thursday it was bad. Real bad. I was barely able to get in my car after BSF. I started driving, and was in so much pain. The pain started in my right glute, and screamed all the way down my leg to my toes. I was crying and praying and cursing and screaming. It was really bad. I made it to Seabeck, and was so thankful that Elizabeth was home. I hobbled to her door, and she was so gracious to lend my her guest bed so I could lay down and try to relax. A couple hours later, she and Jason kindly drove me the rest of the way home with my car. I made it to bed, and was done. I was hurting. I had no idea what was wrong, except it had something to do with my sciatic nerve. Whenever I tried to walk, it took my breath away. Needless to say, it was difficult to make it to the bathroom. Pain, pain, pain.
Lee and I decided to head in to the ER on Monday morning. We did not want to go, but had to find out what was going on. We also were apprehensive about how much it would cost. A few months previous, we decided to not spend the increasing monthly insurance premiums with decreasing coverage, so we were without insurance. After much prayer, I was totally confident that God would take care of this. I had been studying Isaiah this year at BSF, and I had the opportunity to think about God and who he was to the Isrealites, as well as to me. He is the Lord forever, the Rock eternal, the Holy One of Isreal, the Upright One, the Righteous One, the Lord Almighty, my Maker and my Savior. Even in the midst of my pain and my fear, I had to offer praise to my God. Focusing on him, and praising him for his faithfulness changed my focus from me to Him. Verses popped out at me:
"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Is 25:1
"You will keep in perfect peace him (or her!!) whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Is 26: 3-4
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you: he rises to show you compassion.: Is 30:18 (that's me too!)
"He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs (that's me!) in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Is 40:11
"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives streanth to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Is 40:28-29 (What a claim, what a promise!)
"I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Is 41:9-10 (One of my favorite verses!! Thank you God!)
Early in the morning, we were off. Lee drove me in as I lay down in the back of the car. Of course there was snow on the ground, and of course we got behind a snow plow. The windows were down and the heat was cranked so I wouldn't be carsick or cold. I was glad to finally make it to the ER. They checked me in, checked me out and gave me drugs. After a very painful lay-on-my-back while they did the MRI, it was determined that I had a mild herniated disc. MILD???? Are you kidding? The pain didn't feel very mild. However, I was thankful it was mild, because mild meant no surgery (thank you, God!) We finally got to go home around 5:00 with four perscriptions to reduce the swelling around the disc and to help with the pain. I was on the road to recovery!! YEAH!!
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