Busy Little Bees

I am happy to report that the nerve block appears to be working! I've been pain-free for about a week now, and the nausea is much-reduced. I've also been allowed to start back up on the Curves vitamins (for the B5, D and calcium deficiencies). As a result, I've been taking full advantage of less pain/more energy and the kids and I have been busy! Both of them are now out of school, so we've had fun at the park and in the backyard: them running around, me sitting working on my tan...hey that can be very tiring! I still need lots of rest both at night and during the day, but it feels sooo good to not be on the couch all day. It has also given Scott the chance to fill in for his old company here and there when guys are on vacation, giving him time in the "real world" and our family some extra income. Double blessing! We're praying for continued improvement over the next month, as I'd really like to return to work at the beginning of the school year if I'm to go back. Next week I will see Dr. Gladd, which I'm very excited about, as well as have my follow-up appointment with Dr. Fortin. Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Pain, Pain Go Away

My nerve block yesterday went well, technically speaking. They put the needles in the right spot, I am alive and well, and we are waiting to see if it worked. The meds they gave me via IV to keep me from remembering anything or feeling anything, however, did not do their job as they could only give me a small amount (due to low blood pressure) and I felt every needle go in (very painful, btw) and heard the entire conversation (the nurses were talking about dog-sitting, the doctor thought they were talking about a kid escaping from the house, I kept telling them, "This hurts!" and "I feel like I'm going to fall off the table" because it was slanted). Since then, I've been in a lot of pain. Today is a bit better, but not by much. The steroids have not yet kicked in (2-5 days), so I am just toughing it out as much as I can until they kick in. Then we will know if the procedure worked or not. I am able to start taking my Curves viatmins and supplements again, so I am excited to see if I feel as good as I did last time. In less than a week, Iwas feeling really great when I started them earlier, but then had to stop to prep for the nerve block. We just might be heading in the right direction!
On a happier note, my grandma went to the doctor yesterday are her lungs and heart both sound clear. She will have a chest x-ray next month to see if the pneumonia is really gone or not. She also only lost 1/2 lb since her last visit a week ago, which is fantastic. At her size, every pound counts!
I am praying for the many FWCS families that are affected by the lay-off notices that went out last week. I've been in that situation before, and I know how tough it is to deal with that and figure out what your family is going to do. While we may be surprised, God is not and He has a plan for this. He will see you through this if you will choose to follow his plan through to fruition.

Selective Nerve Root Block, Whoot Whoot!

Oh yeah, let' s get pumped for nerve blocks! Okay, so I'm actually a little scared about needles in my back, but if it means eating without pain, I can't wait! Since the discography was denied (twice) by my insurance, the spine drs. are going to try a Selective Nerve Root Block on my T8 and T9 areas on Monday to try to block the pain as it wraps around to my stomach. Basically they will inject numbing medication and steroids in there. The best part (in my opinion) is that prior to the procedure, they hook me up to an IV and give me some stuff that makes me feel NO PAIN! That's right, I will be completely pain-free, for a few hours, at least. Can I just say, I've only been completely pain-free for one day in the last 14.5 months? I can't wait!!!

Great is Thy Faithfulness...

Oh, that old classic hymn... how I love it! It has been going through my mind so much lately. God continues to be faithful to us, despite life's loops. My heart rate has been acting up a lot lately (way high, then way low, much faster when I inhale, then much slower when I exhale), and my stomach is back to being out of whack again; the discography was denied by insurance, so we are fighting that and in the meantime I'm not able to take the only things that actually seemed to be helping (the vitamin supplements). My grandmother is very, very ill and we are faced with the fact that she is most likely dying, and two close friends are battling cancer. My heart is so heavy that many nights I'm up late into the night, silently weeping and praying for them and many others not mentioned here. Yet God remains faithful, to us and to their families as well.