The "Adventures" Continue

Today was another day that started out like I had planned and then took an "adventurous" turn lol...we got up and I got Jord out the door and then my nurse came to draw my labs (after having to come on her day off Monday evening because my needle re-positioned from me moving too much to the point it wouldn't flush unless I pushed on the needle so the medication wouldn't go in at all) and then I had to run grab our fresh milk from a local farm. Came back and ate lunch outside and threw the ball for Blue and chatted with Mom and got some vitamin D enjoying the sunshine and then I went to talk to my OB surgeon. He did agree that it sounded like it was a good idea to have the surgery at UAB and gave me a name of a doc that he's pretty sure also does the robotics surgery. I sent a message to my lung doc to let him know the change in plans and to start coordinating all the parts for that to aim for an end of May surgery time frame. I'm hoping to be able to work it out so that I can have the ENT and the OB there do both surgeries at the same time so that I only go under anesthesia once and it's a one and done thing. It will be a lot all at once for my body, but then I'll also only need one round of antibiotics to help me through instead of two separate rounds which is important with the resistance issues..........On my way home from that appointment, Jord called and that's when life took an adventurous turn...last Wednesday he had a rash start and he took benadryl and we used some Arbonne gelee and diaper rash cream, but then when that didn't work, switched to Zyrtec twice a day and got cortisone cream. It started spreading all over his his legs and arms so he went to the doc yesterday and he gave him prednisone. He took it yesterday morning and then this morning, but it really didn't do much and when he called he said it felt like it was moving into his throat--he could breathe fine, but it was definitely feeling off and tighter. We called the doc and he said to go to the ER....so off we went for the third time in a month to the same ER...we joked we might as well go see our buddies and get our "frequent flyer miles". This time we got there before night shift so we didn't think we'd see anyone we knew, but in walked the same nurse that he had 3 weeks ago. She typically works nights, but "just happened" to be working days today. The doctor was great--he really tried to figure it out, but it is stumping everyone. They gave him IV benadryl, famotidine, and prednisone and it might have helped the itching a little, but didn't really change anything. The doc said he will probably need to go to a dermatopathologist--a subspecialty of dermatology to get a biopsy of the areas so they can figure out what's causing it. The only thing he knows he is allergic to is poisin ivy/posion oak and he hasn't been outside to get into it anywhere. It did start exactly 14 days after the gasteroenteritis issues, so the nurse said sometimes with those viral things there can be a latent reaction. Add to that all the stress from everything that's been going on and who knows...I'm SO thankful God does--and that He is sovereign and we can trust Him........On the upside, I was able to push through and use a lot of my "anti-nausea" tricks to go to a Mercy Me concert for Mom's 71st birthday Sunday night. That's actually probably what caused my needle to move because I'm right handed (it's on the right side) and so I move more anyway and then all the clapping and worshipping and moving around did it in. It was an AMAZING night---we went with 3 other ladies from church--one got sick and couldn't make it, but we had the best time. Sam Wesley opened--I had never heard of him but turns out he's Bart Millard's son--the lead singer of Mercy Me. He did an amazing job and then Zach Williams was the other opener and then Mercy Me...it was an absolute blast--I had to close my eyes and eat ginger and drink bubly to get through the night with all the lights and noise but it was so worth it. We were out til almost midnight and then I had an early morning doctors appointment yesterday to get my ears cleaned out and then today happened so I am absolutely exhausted. Thankfully I have nowhere to go tomorrow, so it is going to be an extreme turtle day....I'll walk Blue to get some exercise and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow but it's definitely going to be a catching up kind of day......At the concert, he told the story behind the song, Even If....his son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and the song came out of his frustration and weariness of the chronic disease....the chorus says, "I know You're able and I know You can Save through the fire with Your mighty hand, But even if You don't, My hope is You alone." I got a shirt with part of that on it...it speaks so much to the journey of life with a chronic disease and the weariness and exhaustion that is overwhelming at times....But God....He is so much bigger than all of it and as John Piper says, "God doesn't waste a single nanosecond of your suffering." It's not easy, but it comes with great purpose and Christ is our ultimate example--He suffered greatly in our place so that we might have eternal life and be forever free from the consequences of sin One Day...as Joni Eareckson Tada says, "The harder I lean into Jesus, the stronger I find Him to be." He is my hope, my comfort, my joy, my strength, my everything....did I shed tears today? Absolutely....am I tearing up now as I'm writing and processing the days events? Yep. I'm thankful my Savior is with me every step of the way and as things continue to pile on, I cry, Jord makes me laugh, we laugh and joke together, and at the end of the day, we are closer to each other, closer to Jesus, and know that this too will pass...there is a Day coming when sorrow and sighing will flee and that is where my hope remains! Come quickly Lord Jesus!