Our life has been full of turmoil for over two years. I am praying that it has slowed down enough to get back into the saddle.
My nephew and fiancee were in a horrible, life altering accident in December of 2014. After months of rehab in three different facilities he went home with his fiancee and three children (the end of March 2015) paralyzed from the shoulders down. Praise God he was able to breathe on his own. He can, today, move his arms but has no control. He controls his wheelchair with a head apparatus. He has 24 hour a day care. But he is "thankful" for it. Thankful it was NOT his fiancee who is claustrophobic, saying it's like being locked inside a room. Thankful that his girls has opportunities they would probably never have gotten before. He has his days but he lives every day to the fullest!
Right after he was released we started long process with my mom. It started with a kidney stone and quickly progressed. They found a lump on her adrenal gland that came back benign. However, they informed us at the time that "they lumps in her lungs have not changed in the past two years". WHAT?!?!? We didn't know she had lumps in her lungs! So on our way to the West Michigan Cancer Center in Kalamazoo (an hour + away). They did a biopsy that came back as carcinoma...which is apparently a slow growing cancer when in the lungs (praise God). The cancer doctor checked her and found a lump on her right breast so off to the breast surgeon. She had a lumpectomy and had to go back three weeks later for another as they were not happy with the "margin". Thankfully no chemo but she did have 16 days of radiation. Once this was addressed they addressed her calcium levels, TOO high, which can cause kidney stones (she has a history of them) and brittle bones. We had to take her once a month for Zometa infusions to get that down. When they realized this was NOT working, she was sent to another doctor who assessed her parathyroid, which was overactive causing the high calcium. She underwent another surgery to have three of the parathyroid removed along with part of her thyroid. Her numbers came down (at least below the high limit). She had another kidney stone earlier this year and spent 10 days in the hospital - running a high fever! They ran tests and gave her five different antibiotics. When the results finally came back four days later they were able to give her a very strong antibiotic to address that type of infection! She is now seeing a endocrinologist for the bone issue and is starting Prolia. Now on top of all this, she is trying to get clearance for knee replacement surgery. Thank God that her visits are now 6-12 months out instead of monthly to all the doctors! Praise God for an understanding work place that has given me a "life-term" FMLA for mom.
During this time we also had a major situation with my son's family. After a few months, our life had taken a total opposite turn of where we were! We (the hubs and I) have decided to move into a 2 bedroom apartment in town and my son's family took over the house. I still have stuff at the house and we've been here for over a year! :) I am hoping to use the 4th of July week to get most of it packed and moved. :) My daughter in love has been very generous with letting me leave it there since it's a room they have not needed. :)
Anyhoo - as for me, I had a knee go out of place last November (unbeknownst to me) and have been living with pain! I went to my doctor and he was out so one of the office physician's gave me a couple of cortisone shots and sent me on my way - no x-rays or anything. Ten days later I went back to my dr and he had x-rays taken which showed my knee was "dislocated". I made an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon and had to wait another month! When I finally got in he said that due to arthritis, bone spur and the dislocation that knee replacement was the best option. He made the surgery date 5 weeks later...which happened to coincide with a BIG audit at work. I talked to my boss, telling him I was willing to put it off a week if necessary and he said, "It may sound selfish but I would LOVE for you to reschedule!" So I did. I had knee replacement surgery March 15 (yes, four months of pain). The knee itself was not painful but my thigh was SO SORE! Doctor said, "YEP YOU GOT SOME ANGRY MUSCLES!" The muscles had to be retrained to the original position as they had been out for so long. On May 20 I fell and strained the tendons from the quad muscle to the top of the knee cap and the tendon from the bottom of the knee cap to the tibia. I am still healing from that and was told NO STAIRS for 4-6 weeks. Praying that withing the next week or two (the pain is almost gone now but still have some swelling) I will be able to start taking stairs again!
So the reason for this post - I PROMISE I will get back on board! I am hoping to spend a couple of nights a week to update, make some projects up, etc. :) I have been able to stay up on our group stamping meetings! We had a few set-backs there too but we have overcome.
Order Today (Hostess Code until June 30-Q6CZVMU9)
Hugs and kisses and stamping wishes!
Theresa
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