Archive for the Category »Health «

08
Apr
Taking Stock – Part Two
Julie

Yesterday, I talked about how the last 6 months have forced me to be quiet and really take stock of what the Lord wants me to learn through this.  After all, the Lord does want us to learn through all situations in our life and He will get our attention any way He has to! He loves us that much!

So, rewind 5 years to a time when I am recovering from my thyroid cancer. I was having my prayer time and I was asking the Lord what He wanted me to do.  What what his plan for my life? Suddenly, as clear as day, I heard the Lord tell me, “I want you to write”.  Oh, my. To hear the Lord call me to this was amazing because it was the desire of my heart to do that very thing.  I told my husband what the Lord had said and that it would totally bless me to have a lap-top computer that I could use anywhere and begin my writing journey.  He, of course, was totally sweet and I still have that very lap-top today and am writing on it this very minute.

I contacted the leader of my homeschooling group and asked about writing an article for our monthly newsletter. I have such a heart for the homeschooling Mother and I wanted to encourage her in the wonderful yet daunting journey of homeschooling her children. I still feel this calling and I continue to write that monthly article.  After that, I wrote an article about my experience of homeschooling my children through my illness as well as my husband’s illnesses.  This article was published in “The Old Schoolhouse Magazine”.  Then I stopped.  Yes, just like that I stopped. This was not what the Lord had told me to do – He had told me to write.  I knew what He meant, but I told myself that I was writing through my blog and through the homeschooling newsletter and that was good enough, but it isn’t. I know what the Lord means. After all, He is NOT a God of confusion or even suggestion.  He puts in our hearts and minds exactly what He wants us to do.  Unfortunately, I have chosen to basically ignore his clear instruction and so He had to get my attention.

Stay tuned for part three of this story.

God bless you – Julie

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19
Mar
A New Chair, Bithdays & More
Julie

I had a turn for the worse for a couple of weeks and was just trying to focus on getting past the pain.  I had so many people praying for me and I certainly felt them sustain me.  During this difficult time, my husband was more determined than ever that I get a new chair.  As soon as I was able, we were off to the La-Z-Boy store.  I sat in every La-Z-Boy in the store many, many times.  I reclined, I sat, I took my sweet time.  Here’s what I picked out:

I love it!! The fabric is very, very soft and it’s so very cushioney!! (Is that a word?) I also love the dark, chocolate brown color. Anyway, as usual, my husband was right. It has made things much better.  I am sleeping in this chair and it’s helped.  I still have pain, but at least I am having times where I have some relief.  Any kind of relief is a blessing! That’s my prayer shawl draped over the back.  It’s been in well use!

We also had birthday’s here the past couple of weeks.  My boy’s birthdays are just a few days apart and we celebrated quietly at home.  I made BBQ chicken wings, pizza and carrot cake.  I did this over a process of a few days and was able to pull it off.  They both wanted the same thing so I did this twice.  Here’s a picture of the finished cake.

This cake was so rich, so sweet and so good!! You can find the recipe here.  The recipe actually calls for the cake to be a sheet cake, but I did it in my round pans which are older than the hills and smaller than today’s cake pans so it ended up being a triple layer cake.  I will never buy a store bought carrot cake again after having this. It was better than anything we ever had from the bakery.  My oldest son really enjoyed this cake

and so did my youngest son.

They both had wonderful birthdays and I’m so very, very thankful for my sons.

My doggies have been needing to be groomed so hubby took them for me one day and here’s my precious, little Holly after her grooming.  Isn’t she just adorable?  She’s so excited, she’s playing with her little, purple squeeky dog toy.  I love her hair short and as much as I have loved doing the whole ribbon and bow thing in her hair, I’m thinking I’m going to have her get this hair cut from here on out.

Sweet Holly has been such a comfort to me during these last few months of dealing with pain. She is always there with me, snuggling with me and knowing when I need a kiss on the nose.  She is definitely a gift from God. 

My sons had their friend over the past couple of days and they had a great time playing video games and munching on cake.  As they have all gotten older, they aren’t able to get together with their friends like they used to.  There’s college, work, and other responsibilities in their lives now and so these times of just having some down time are far and few between.  I’m so glad they were able to get together for awhile. 

I’m SO tired.  Between the birthdays, the pain, and the steroid shots, I just feel like I’m crashing half the time.  I’m going to try and get some decent sleep tonight.  I say that every night, but usually end up having insomnia and total exhaustion the next day. I think it’s the pain pills, quite frankly.  I’ll be so thankful when I’m able to cut them down even more.

Thank you again for all your prayers, emails, and comments.  They have been such a blessing to me and I never take them for granted. 

God bless you – Julie

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Category: Birthday, Cooking, Family, Health, Pets, Recipe, Sons  4 Comments
19
Mar
A New Chair, Bithdays & More
Julie

I had a turn for the worse for a couple of weeks and was just trying to focus on getting past the pain.  I had so many people praying for me and I certainly felt them sustain me.  During this difficult time, my husband was more determined than ever that I get a new chair.  As soon as I was able, we were off to the La-Z-Boy store.  I sat in every La-Z-Boy in the store many, many times.  I reclined, I sat, I took my sweet time.  Here’s what I picked out:

I love it!! The fabric is very, very soft and it’s so very cushioney!! (Is that a word?) I also love the dark, chocolate brown color. Anyway, as usual, my husband was right. It has made things much better.  I am sleeping in this chair and it’s helped.  I still have pain, but at least I am having times where I have some relief.  Any kind of relief is a blessing! That’s my prayer shawl draped over the back.  It’s been in well use!

We also had birthday’s here the past couple of weeks.  My boy’s birthdays are just a few days apart and we celebrated quietly at home.  I made BBQ chicken wings, pizza and carrot cake.  I did this over a process of a few days and was able to pull it off.  They both wanted the same thing so I did this twice.  Here’s a picture of the finished cake.

This cake was so rich, so sweet and so good!! You can find the recipe here.  The recipe actually calls for the cake to be a sheet cake, but I did it in my round pans which are older than the hills and smaller than today’s cake pans so it ended up being a triple layer cake.  I will never buy a store bought carrot cake again after having this. It was better than anything we ever had from the bakery.  My oldest son really enjoyed this cake

and so did my youngest son.

They both had wonderful birthdays and I’m so very, very thankful for my sons.

My doggies have been needing to be groomed so hubby took them for me one day and here’s my precious, little Holly after her grooming.  Isn’t she just adorable?  She’s so excited, she’s playing with her little, purple squeeky dog toy.  I love her hair short and as much as I have loved doing the whole ribbon and bow thing in her hair, I’m thinking I’m going to have her get this hair cut from here on out.

Sweet Holly has been such a comfort to me during these last few months of dealing with pain. She is always there with me, snuggling with me and knowing when I need a kiss on the nose.  She is definitely a gift from God. 

My sons had their friend over the past couple of days and they had a great time playing video games and munching on cake.  As they have all gotten older, they aren’t able to get together with their friends like they used to.  There’s college, work, and other responsibilities in their lives now and so these times of just having some down time are far and few between.  I’m so glad they were able to get together for awhile. 

I’m SO tired.  Between the birthdays, the pain, and the steroid shots, I just feel like I’m crashing half the time.  I’m going to try and get some decent sleep tonight.  I say that every night, but usually end up having insomnia and total exhaustion the next day. I think it’s the pain pills, quite frankly.  I’ll be so thankful when I’m able to cut them down even more.

Thank you again for all your prayers, emails, and comments.  They have been such a blessing to me and I never take them for granted. 

God bless you – Julie

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23
Feb
Steadfastness
Julie

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5

When I had cancer, this was the Scripture that I clung to.  I prayed that the Lord was going to use this horrible disease for good and that He would bring me through the other side, hopefully more pliable and usable to Him.  He did.  I can remember as I would go through every test, the surgery, the treatment, the radiation – I would cling to Him and this Scripture.  How many times in my mind did I sing, “There’s Just Something about that Name” as I lay on a table for yet another test or treatment? I can’t even number it.  Each praise to Him, though, did just what this Scripture promised…it brought me hope.

Now I struggle with something else.  Pain.  Pain that comes in red-hot flashes and searing whiteness at times. Pain that is dull and always a reminder that I live with it as my constant companion. This is a different kind of trial because I’m not as certain that I will come out the other side;  I don’t know that I will ever be pain free.  However, one thing has not changed.  Hope. Praise. Joy. Not every day.  I would be asking you to be a fool to believe that every day when I wake up, I’m joyful when I realize that it’s yet another day with my horrible companion. Joy is not a feeling (for me anyway) it’s an action.  I have to find the joy – joy in the Lord! I don’t always succeed.  Some days I just feel sorry for myself and I don’t even want to find the joy.  That’s okay because I am, after all, flesh and I do hurt.  What makes the difference is that I have many more days of joy because of my Lord Jesus and what I know He is doing in me during this time of pain. 

Now not only do I have my Romans Scripture that I cling to, I have this new Scripture in James. Why? It’s one word – steadfastness.  I’m realizing that I am going to have to be steadfast in my faith. Living with pain requires me to be steadfast in my love of God, my faith and hope in Him! If I rely on myself, or even my doctors, I’m sunk.  I cling to this Scripture because I’m housebound right now. I haven’t been able to go to church for weeks and weeks and I’ve had to give up leading a Bible study and I can’t do any of the other things that I love to do at church or anywhere else for that matter! So, I cling to Him. He is forcing me to see that when all is said and done, I only have Him. I won’t find joy or faith anywhere else except through my faith in Jesus – in my clinging to Him!

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.  For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”  James 1:2-12

My prayer is that my faith would grow – that in testing my faith, the Lord would find me steadfast and that He would make me perfect and complete to be used by Him.  I also pray that I would be joyful in my knowledge that He is with me and that He is bringing me to a new level of faith in Him.  Of course, I am also praying for healing because living with pain tests me beyond what I feel I can bear at times. In the final analysis, though, I look for one thing – the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him…and I DO love Him!

God bless you – Julie

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Category: Faith, Health, Illness, Pain  2 Comments
16
Feb
Mementoes
Julie
 This morning I went through some boxes my husband had brought in from our storage that had gotten damp.  Unfortunately, these boxes held wonderful momentoes of my children’s babyhood, youth, and other things that I wish had never even been in the storage shed.  I’m not sure what I was thinking putting them out there, other than I thought it was air tight and safe.  I found some wonderful things that I was able to save and it took me down memory lane.  My boys baptism candles and records.  Pictures of my baby at about 2 years old pointing to a pasture full of horses.  My high school diploma!! I also found an album of photos that I put together of me during my first pregnancy and then pictures of my son and I after his birth.  Honestly, I don’t even remember ever putting that together.  I also wonder how I possibly found time to do that as I was working full time at our business at the time and worked up until I went into labor! Trust me when I tell you how wonderful that treasure is!
Unfortunately, I also found pictures that had stuck together in a huge stack.  At first I thought I would have to pitch them, but then decided to look up on the internet about how to get them apart. Several sites recommended freezing them and then taking them apart. If that doesn’t work, there are other things that were recommended.  The freezer sounds easy and I’m praying that it works.  
There was quite a bit I did have to just throw out.  I had stationery and envelopes that got wet and ruined.  The envelopes sealed themselves or sealed to other things.  I was kicking myself the whole time I was going through those things.  The things I did keep, I wiped down carefully with a cloth dunked in water & clorox and wrung out well.  I didn’t want the mold to continue to keep eating into things and I also wanted to kill the mold.  This worked out really well and I feel confident that the things I kept are mold free.  I’m so thankful that most of my children’s things were saved.  Amazingly, I also found a packet of things I had made as a child in grade school!  Thank goodness, those were in perfect condition and were saved, too.
After this, I had to rest and worked on my writing while sitting in my recliner.  Have I said how much I “heart” my recliner?! :)
I’ve been putting some things together for my friend to use at a tea she is hosting at church this weekend.  She needed “foo-foo” things and knew I was the gal to call.  I put a few more things in the box for her when I felt up to it later on today.  
My boys are still sick.  My oldest son was well enough that he went to his college class but he came home just wiped out.  My youngest son is still very sick and now it seems my husband has it, too.  I always worry about him when he gets these things because he is diabetic and it’s hard on him.  I’m praying that he will not get this illness too bad and gets over it quickly.  He was supposed to have eye surgery tomorrow morning, but we had to cancel and will have to reschedule when he’s completely well.
I have knee shots in the morning.  I’ll be glad to get them over with.  One amazing thing is that now I don’t have to have a series of three shots – they now just do one.  There’s something new they do and the one shot does the same as the three used to do.  That’s so nice.  One shot and I’m done for six months, unless I have to have a cortisone shot in between.  When I have the shots, the day is a day of rest for me as I am not supposed to walk but very little for 24 hours after the shots.  Tomorrow, hopefully I’ll get more writing done.  
Don’t forget about my giveaway! The CSN stores are so wonderful and there are so many things to choose from.  I have always loved the things I’ve gotten from them.  Go to the top of the page and click on the link to the giveaway to enter!
God bless you – Julie

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12
Feb
Abiding
Julie

Did you wonder where I’ve been?  No where…just haven’t felt much like blogging the last couple of weeks.  I don’t have a lot of new things to share and I hate to keep sharing how much pain I’m in, so I decided to just take a break. I still don’t have a lot of news to share, but I wanted to at least check in. 

I received a very nice package from my parents the other day for Valentines Day.  It included a ceramic heart box that they filled with Sees Candy.  Oh, my.  I just love Sees Candy!! I haven’t had it for years since we don’t have a store here.  My parents picked out the kind of candy that I like – nuts and caramels.  They also sent four suckers – chocolate, butterscotch and vanilla.  My favorite is the butterscotch, but the others were very good, too.  Then there was a necklace and earring set that are so cute!  Finally, there was a cute valentine pen that lights up when you write with it.  It was a nice surprise and totally cheered me up. 

I had a doctors appointment the other day and afterward decided to head to Hobby Lobby to pick up my Valentine cards for my hubby and sons.  I wasn’t there long, but by the time I got home, I was just exhausted and in severe pain again;  a reminder that this is going to take more time before I’m well enough to get back to life as I knew it. 

My oldest son is sick again with the flu.  This is the 3rd time he’s had it since before Christmas. He started with the sniffles and coughing on Thursday after coming home from class.  Yesterday, he was really sick and my youngest son went and got medicine, Vitamin C, orange juice, and soup for him. My hubby couldn’t go because he as a touch of a stomach bug which he shared with me.  :(   I’m so thankful that my youngest son was able to go to the store! My oldest woke me up in the night and said he felt really bad and was feeling weird.  Now, I knew that he must be really sick as he is 21 years old and doesn’t wake his mommy up in the night like he did when he was little.  I told him it was probably the meds he was on and the fever.  He felt assured and went back to bed.  I’m hoping he’s better this morning.  I imagine he will sleep late as he is on the “night stuff”.  I think he’s been under a lot of stress with his classes and then the stress at home of me being hurt and, of course, his grandmother that lives here.  I’m praying that this will be the last bout of sickness he gets!

I’ve crocheted a little in the past couple of weeks, but mainly, I’ve been reading or playing my online game.  I suppose I’m a bit down as I’m tired of being so house-bound and unable to do the things I want to do.  However, I know that I know, that God is in control of this situation and He will heal me in His timing.  I am taking this time to get more into His Word and that’s always time well spent.  The one thing I know – God is good and He is with me through all my troubles and is my comforter.  I am abiding in Him and praying that I will be able to bear fruit that will be pleasing to Him.  He is growing me the way He wants me to grow and I have to be patient during this growing process.  Abiding to me means resting and living and breathing all that He is and absorbing Him into every part of my being.  It takes patience to grow but I’m praying my fruit will be juicy and succulent for others to enjoy.  What is better than sharing the fruits that the Lord is growing? I look to that day when I will be ripe enough for the Lord to use. 

God bless you – Julie

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Category: Daily Living, Faith, Health, Sons  6 Comments
21
Jan
Just a Note
Julie

I am sick. I went to bed really early last night, which is very unusual for me.  I was so tired! Anyway, I woke up about 1:30 am and I was SO cold! When I got up, I noticed that my nightgown was soaking wet.  My first thought was – did Holly pee on me?! LOL  I don’t know why I thought that – she’s never, ever done that.  Anyway, I realized it couldn’t be that because my entire nightgown was soaked.  Then it started – the stomach flu. In and out of the bathroom all night and I just couldn’t get warm.  I was sick all day.  I’m feeling a bit better tonight and am just praying that I’m over this.

I’ve been having symptoms all week that made me wonder if I had the stomach bug, but, wow, last night confirmed it. Isn’t it amazing how exhausted having the flu can make you?

I am so thankful for all your sweet comments and always look forward to hearing from you!!  I haven’t been around to visit all my blogs today, but I’ll try and do so tomorrow.  Just know I’m thinking of you and thankful for your visits here!

God bless you – Julie

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Category: Daily Living, Health  8 Comments
20
Jan
Lots of Stuff
Julie

Even though I was really, really tired today, it ended up being a very productive day!  I never start my day early – I just can’t get to sleep anymore until at least 2 AM and then I wake up a lot during the night.  First I’m hot, then I’m cold, then I need a bathroom break, then my feet are ice-cubes….well, you get the picture.  This is all from the steroids and I know that, so I’m just going with the flow.  :)

I made homemade macaroni and cheese this morning.  I have perfected my cheese sauce that comes from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook.  The key to any good cheese sauce is the cheese.  We prefer Medium Tillamook Cheddar.  I poured the sauce over the noodles and then popped it into the oven.  Here’s where things went wrong.  I left it in the oven too long and the sauce was absorbed into the macaroni.  Now it was delicious, but not creamy, so, more cheese sauce was added.  I’ll pour milk over the casserole tomorrow and pop it into the oven again and I’m sure it will be perfect.  It’s all hit and miss, folks.  I like to experiment with my cooking until I perfect it and while there are wonderful cookbooks out there, I like to tweak things and make them better. 

My hubby had eye shots again this morning.  My oldest son took him this time and while hubby was at the doctor, my son was at the gym working out.  It was a perfect for both of them.  My hubby said they didn’t deaden his eye enough and when they gave him the shot, it was really painful.  I guess they were running late and when that happens, things don’t always get done like they should.  Hubby was happy to hear that his eyes are much improved from the last shots! We are so thankful as it’s a worry that he could lose his eyesight as he is a diabetic. It’s amazing what they can do for us now!

Yesterday, my hubby heard from his urologist concerning his PSA test. For those new readers, my hubby had prostate cancer in 2006 and so they monitor his levels every year to make sure that they aren’t rising.  About 3 months ago, there was a rise in the levels.  It wasn’t huge, but still a concern.  They decided to wait and see what it would be in 3 more months so he was called with the results yesterday.  They are up again, but again, not a lot.  I think he is 500th of a percent?  Not sure.  Anyway, again, they will wait for 3 months and test again. If they have risen again, then we need to start looking at treatment.  Please keep him in your prayers….I would be so grateful!

Back to today:  After hubby got home, we sat down and paid bills.  That is never one of my favorite things to do, however, doing it together is much nicer and it was done before we knew it.

After this, I started filling out applications for scholarships/grants for my youngest son for college.  Let me tell you, that will sap the energy from you quicker than anything! I managed to finish one, but still have have others to complete.  I think now that I’ve filled out one application that the others will come easier.  It’s always hard to do one for the first time. 

I took pictures of my latest creations that will be going on my Etsy shop.  I will, hopefully, have them in the Etsy shop tomorrow.  Some of them are for Valentine’s Day, so I don’t want to wait too much longer to get them posted in my shop. 

I’m SO tired tonight.  This is the most I’ve done in a very long time.  My pain levels were better today and it gave me the energy to get these things done.  I’m so thankful! It’s a day by day process and I’m always, always thankful for those good days!

God bless you – Julie

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Category: Daily Living, Health, Hubby, Sons  5 Comments
08
Jan
A Princess
Julie

Have you ever been a Princess at your very own Pity Party?! I have! In fact, I have been at one of these parties for the past few days.  Funny thing about these parties – you don’t really want to be there, but then there’s a small part of you that is just reveling in being there! It’s odd, really, how really horrible, yet comfortable a Pity Party is.

The party started when our water pump on our well broke, several pipes broke, and the pressure tank. We had temperatures we never see in this part of our state that were well below zero.  At one point, we had a temperature of 8 below! We just aren’t prepared for the kind of weather here.  Anyway, no water, big expenses, plus the inconvenience and general icky-ness of no showers just made for one cranky lady.  Add in to this mix a woman who has just had a steroid shot in her back and is on pain pills and it’s just a pity party waiting to happen.  The bad thing about being a Princess at a Pity Party is that not only does said Princess think about what’s happening to her right now, she dredges up the past, obsesses about the future and questions whether the relationships in her life are really what they seem.  *sigh* The party just ends up being messy and no fun.  By the time the party is in full swing, the Princess has dragged everyone to her party, whether they want to be there or not.  It’s one, big, cranky affair!

The party is over for the most part. I’m feeling better today.  Part of it was talking to my pain management doctor about the symptoms I’m having and she reminded me of all the side effects of the steroid shot.  My hormones are also way off (we won’t go into details here, but suffice to say that something that was over 5 years ago, is back.) and I’m dealing with hot flashes, mood swings, headaches, and weight gain.  Oh, yes.  Isn’t that just lovely?  I do not need to gain weight, but with steroid shots, it’s just a fact.  I’m really working on what I’m eating and not eating to try and not gain anymore weight, but as my doctor reminded me, it’s just a fact.  I’m fighting it all the way, let me tell you!! She told me that when she had her steroid shots, she gained 30 pounds! No way am I going there.  I will starve myself first!!  Here’s even more happy news – I have another shot next week. 

It is happy news, though, because the shot really did help me.  I’ve been having more pain again the past week and a half, so am more than ready for another shot.  I’m praying that this shot will help relieve the pain even more than the last one.  I’ll take the side effects if it helps with the pain. 

It’s amazing how God works, though, because this morning I got my Bible study out again after not working on it for a few days, and it was like God was speaking to me directly! It was such a blessing! I needed to be reminded that the Lord loves me just the way I am and that the Holy Spirit will work in me more and more if I just stay open to the Vine, Jesus Christ.  It’s such an amazing thing to me that the Lord can use this little fat girl that is in pain, has so many physical issues and also attends Pity Parties occasionally! How amazing is that?!  What the world sees as imperfect, tubby, short and old, God sees as his special daughter whom He loves and works His glory through! I have tears in my eyes just thinking about this.  I can be used for God’s glory and, hopefully, be a light that points to our Savior, Jesus Christ! Now mind you – I can’t do any of that on my own.  After all, I am the girl who attends those Pity Parties, but through the blood of Jesus, I am made clean and am usable! My hearts cry is that the Lord would use me and that I would know that I know that I know that He is the same God in the valley that He is on the mountain.  All I have to do is grasp His hand and let Him lead me through those valleys and hang on when we’re on the mountaintop and remember Who got me there. I want to be His Princess and not the Princess of the Pity Party. I’m hanging on to that Precious hand as tight as I can!

God bless you – Julie

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Category: Bible Study, Faith, Health, Pain, Relationship  4 Comments
14
Nov
Results
Julie

All the beautiful trees that my hubby has so lovingly planted are dropping their leaves. Some trees are gold, some are orange, some are brown and interspersed throughout are still those leaves that are hanging on until the last minute and they are green.  I love this time of year and the beautiful colors and crisp, cool air are one of the majors reason why.

I had my MRI last week.  I was so concerned that I would not be able to do the test because of my intense pain, but I had so many people covering me in prayer, I went through the test with NO pain! It really was a miracle.  When it was time to get up off the table, though, they brought an x-ray tech in there and she was just insistent about doing it her way.  My son came in and we were insistent that we were going to do it my way so I wouldn’t get hurt.  I did get up my way, but she was rushing and pushing me the whole time and so I did have pain at that point.  I told her I couldn’t like down for any of the x-rays now, so she would either have to do them while I stood or sat or I’d have to come back for the x-rays.  She did them while I stood and sat.  :)   I went home absolutely exhausted and in pain, but at least I had the tests done!

I was fortunate enough to have a doctor appointment for two days later and got the results of my tests.  I found out that I have injured one of my already herniated discs and have a new herniated disc that is bulging on both sides, plus I have a bone spur that is pressing on the nerve.  All this accounts for all the pain! She said I could do the shots but I have such bad side effects, I hesitate to do that and am praying about it.  She said the swelling will go down on it’s own but I have to rest, rest, rest.

I also had a foot x-ray for my left foot that has been bothering me for 2 years.  At the time when it first started hurting and was swelling, I had told my then doctor about it.  This doctor couldn’t see past my weight and said it was hurting because of that and perhaps some arthritis.  I asked him about it several times and each time, this is what he said. I didn’t know much about arthritis so thought the pain and swelling was part of the illness.  I had told other doctors about my foot, but they would just note it and go on.  The doctor who finally decided that something could be wrong, was my new arthritis doctor. He said he wanted to do an x-ray to make sure it wasn’t broken or hadn’t been broken.  How prophetic! My foot had been broken in two places!  It healed poorly and so now I have severe arthritis in my foot.  I have to say, I’m very angry at that first doctor.  He couldn’t see past my weight and allowed me to walk around on a broken foot.  I now walk really strange on that foot.  I used to think it was because of my back (which probably does contribute to it) but my foot will never be right. It is always hurting and swollen.  Always.

Having said all that, I am thankful.  Yes, thankful.  I am thankful that I can still walk, thankful that I can still do the things that I do.  Thankful for this down time because it will allow me to really study the Word of God right now in depth and also do some writing.  How often have I longed for some uninterrupted, guilt-free writing time?  God provided that!  I am thankful for my family who takes such good care of me and loves me despite my infirmities.  I am thankful for my sweet friends at church who love me and try to make sure I’m never out of touch with them or out of the loop.  I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me SO much.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I was able to go to my Bible study last week.  I was so thankful.  My youngest son drove me and helped me get in.  I am so thankful for the beautiful bag on wheels that my sweet husband bought me from Sam’s Club.  It is really gorgeous and since it is on wheels, I can take my books and not worry hurting my back. Another thing to be thankful for! It was so good seeing my dear, sweet Sisters in Christ and I came away from the study blessed more than anyone.  My doctor has told me that I have to be careful about what I do but I asked her about going to the Bible study and she said pick one thing and that’s it.  We only have one more Bible study before we go on a two month vacation, so this will work beautifully.  I can get healed and, prayerfully, will be able to return to my Bible study in January healed.

I MUST share about something that blessed me SO much this last week.  I had signed up to be a hostess for our church’s Ladies Christmas Brunch.  I have always, always wanted to do this.  I was the first one to sign the sheet!! LOL  Anyway, I got a phone call from the lady that is in charge of it and she had heard I was not doing well.  Long story short, I had to step down from being a hostess.  This broke my heart more than anything that has happened during this painful episode.  I cried and cried over this.  Anyway, my dear friend, heard about this and asked me about it.  When she heard how sad I was, she said, of course, we want you as a hostess.  She worked it all out to where I can be a hostess and I don’t have to be at all the meetings.  My son will help me set up my table and decorate it and I can still be a hostess!! Isn’t that just amazing?  This church and fellowship has so much grace and love.  I am truly, truly blessed to be a part of this fellowship!!  More than that, I am blessed to have such a wonderful, special friend that cares so much! More than any other friend I’ve ever had, she makes me feel loved.  How wonderful to have a friend like that!  Another blessing to thank God for!

I am still working on this new announcement regarding my blog.  I thought I would be a lot father along by now, but I am moving rather slow these days.  Do be watching for my announcement!

God bless you – Julie 

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