“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
In the past 2 weeks a lot has taken place. Our youngest son (age 6) cracked his shin bone in a bike accident and he is currently in a wheelchair with a cast from his toes to his upper thigh. This has made me, as a mom, suck-up the pain and get moving more. When a child needs you, you do anything you can to help. This is where we are now. We have to carry him up and down the stairs. Luckily he is very light!
I have had more doctor appointments. I finally met the vascular surgeon. He is the doctor responsible to cut me open, move all my inners out of the way and close me up. Sounds kinda gross, but it’s the truth. The spine surgeons need to get to the spine to do their work. I feel very confident in all my surgeons. I am praying God will be with them and guide their hands.
All blood work and EKG are finished. Still need to get to the hospital for a lung function test (do to my asthma) and a chest x-ray. Hopefully I can get these done this week.
I feel I am on the right track and getting more prepared each day – mentally, physically and mommy-way too. I am trying to clean the bedrooms out of all the old clothes, toys and junk by July 1st. Yesterday I finally made a pair of curtains for our family room. Just lots of little things on my mind to get done before the surgeries.
Last night I had an awesome conversation with our youngest. Me: "Don't forget to pray to Jesus."...silence...arms and lips moving….Me: "Well, say your prayers." Brett: "I say my prayers in my brain. They go past my lips and straight to my heart where Jesus lives."
Through all our trials in life, we have to keep our eyes upon God and He WILL see us though.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Dates are set
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
For many years, I have known that God uses every situation we go through for His glory. When we moved to Colorado in September 2000, we knew God brought us here for a purpose. After 10 foster kids, we knew for sure why God brought us here. He brought us here to touch these little lives with His love and to adopt one of these children. That was four years ago. Since then we have touched the lives of many more children through Scouts, church, school and everywhere we go.
My kids always tell me to stop talking to strangers, but I can't! I feel like if God puts me in a certain place, then I guess I should talk! As is in this situation.
I will be having two different surgeries, three doctors, numerous nurses and almost two weeks in the hospital.
My first surgery is scheduled for July 13th at 7:30am. The surgery is supposed to be 4 hours long and I will be in the hospital for 3 to 4 days. In this surgery, they will be going through my stomach to the spine. There is a lot of arthritis in my lower spine and no discs between the vertebrae. They will be inserting bone marrow from a cadaver to fuse the vertebrae together. They say this will be relatively easy to recover from. They feel this should take care of a lot of my pain in the lower back and I should be able to walk again.
They are trying to schedule the second surgery for August 4th. Trying to organize all these doctors on the same day is not easy! This surgery will be to rebuild the entire spine from the back. This surgery is scheduled for 8 hours and a week in the hospital. This will take longer to recover from.
As I contemplate these weeks ahead, I keep reminding myself that I am going through this for a reason. Not just to have a better quality of life but to glorify God. My path will cross the lives of many people that do not know Him and I am to be His light in the dark.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
For many years, I have known that God uses every situation we go through for His glory. When we moved to Colorado in September 2000, we knew God brought us here for a purpose. After 10 foster kids, we knew for sure why God brought us here. He brought us here to touch these little lives with His love and to adopt one of these children. That was four years ago. Since then we have touched the lives of many more children through Scouts, church, school and everywhere we go.
My kids always tell me to stop talking to strangers, but I can't! I feel like if God puts me in a certain place, then I guess I should talk! As is in this situation.
I will be having two different surgeries, three doctors, numerous nurses and almost two weeks in the hospital.
My first surgery is scheduled for July 13th at 7:30am. The surgery is supposed to be 4 hours long and I will be in the hospital for 3 to 4 days. In this surgery, they will be going through my stomach to the spine. There is a lot of arthritis in my lower spine and no discs between the vertebrae. They will be inserting bone marrow from a cadaver to fuse the vertebrae together. They say this will be relatively easy to recover from. They feel this should take care of a lot of my pain in the lower back and I should be able to walk again.
They are trying to schedule the second surgery for August 4th. Trying to organize all these doctors on the same day is not easy! This surgery will be to rebuild the entire spine from the back. This surgery is scheduled for 8 hours and a week in the hospital. This will take longer to recover from.
As I contemplate these weeks ahead, I keep reminding myself that I am going through this for a reason. Not just to have a better quality of life but to glorify God. My path will cross the lives of many people that do not know Him and I am to be His light in the dark.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Beginning
I have never had a blog before and I am NOT a writer but here we go...
My journey started in 1975 when I was diagnosed with Scoliosis. I had a double curve of 76 and 80 degrees. I had surgery to fuse my spine on my 15th birthday in 1976. The rod goes from T4 to L4. Post-op my curves are 18 and 21 degrees. A major improvement! I remember a lot of the pain and pt that I had to go through pre and post surgery. When I had the spinal fusion it was the newest and the best procedure out to help me.
I started having problems with pain in my lower back and weakness in my legs. I went to a spinal specialist in Milwaukee, WI. He told me there was nothing he could do but remove the rod and that would be MAJOR surgery. He was concerned about nicking something and I could not walk again.
So this was not an option. Prayer was the only option and it has worked for many years. The symptoms continued to get worse. In 2008 I had enough. I tried to have injections in my spine to numb the nerves. They could not get the needles in my spine. The arthritis is so bad the vertebrae are crushed together.
I have continued to live in pain. Finally I said - THIS IS ENOUGH! I cannot be the wife and mom I want to be. I have 3 boys at home that need a mom that is not on pain meds and asleep all day.
I called a spinal specialist in Longmont, CO and had an appointment on 5/7/2010. He said the rod needs to be removed because it has caused my spine to curve into my body - flat back. I was devastated. I thought this might be the case, but to hear a doctor confirm my suspensions was a shock.
I have done a lot of research on the Internet and feel more prepared.
This is just the beginning of a long journey. I know God has a purpose for the journey we are on. He had me meet the man of my dreams. He had a son for us all the way across the world in VietNam. He had us move to Colorado to be foster parents and adopt. He had a son here for us to adopt. He has all our days planned for us. He holds my tomorrows. He holds me in the palm of His hand.
I know this and I'll try to remember this all the way through the journey.
My journey started in 1975 when I was diagnosed with Scoliosis. I had a double curve of 76 and 80 degrees. I had surgery to fuse my spine on my 15th birthday in 1976. The rod goes from T4 to L4. Post-op my curves are 18 and 21 degrees. A major improvement! I remember a lot of the pain and pt that I had to go through pre and post surgery. When I had the spinal fusion it was the newest and the best procedure out to help me.
I started having problems with pain in my lower back and weakness in my legs. I went to a spinal specialist in Milwaukee, WI. He told me there was nothing he could do but remove the rod and that would be MAJOR surgery. He was concerned about nicking something and I could not walk again.
So this was not an option. Prayer was the only option and it has worked for many years. The symptoms continued to get worse. In 2008 I had enough. I tried to have injections in my spine to numb the nerves. They could not get the needles in my spine. The arthritis is so bad the vertebrae are crushed together.
I have continued to live in pain. Finally I said - THIS IS ENOUGH! I cannot be the wife and mom I want to be. I have 3 boys at home that need a mom that is not on pain meds and asleep all day.
I called a spinal specialist in Longmont, CO and had an appointment on 5/7/2010. He said the rod needs to be removed because it has caused my spine to curve into my body - flat back. I was devastated. I thought this might be the case, but to hear a doctor confirm my suspensions was a shock.
I have done a lot of research on the Internet and feel more prepared.
This is just the beginning of a long journey. I know God has a purpose for the journey we are on. He had me meet the man of my dreams. He had a son for us all the way across the world in VietNam. He had us move to Colorado to be foster parents and adopt. He had a son here for us to adopt. He has all our days planned for us. He holds my tomorrows. He holds me in the palm of His hand.
I know this and I'll try to remember this all the way through the journey.
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