Overdue Update!

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been a bit MIA lately.....life has continued to be crazy in hard ways but also some really good ways too! The last two weeks were filled with a lot of joy--we went on vacation to the Smoky Mountains with Jord's parents and another dear family from church that we are super close to and consider family for a week. We had an incredible time and then the day we got home at 1 in the afternoon, we unpacked, I did treatments, showered, and then our dear friends, the Ellingson's, who are missionaries in Madagascar got here with their 4 girls for 4 days at 3:45. I held their oldest when she was a baby and she's 14 now! It was a wonderful reunion and an incredibly sweet time and other mutual friends that live in Mississippi came in and stayed at another family's house from church and on Monday we ALL got together--The Ellingson's have 4 girls, the Martin's have 5 boys, and the family from church has 3 girls, and then it was us and Mom and Dad so it was a full house but full of much joy, laughter, and incredibly sweet fellowship. Times like these just remind me how precious the body of Christ is--Ashley, Melanie, and I hadn't all three been together since after my first psychosis and the first time I almost died in December of 2010 and into January of 2011--but we picked right back up where we left off. Our fellowship was even sweeter in many ways as we've all walked through significant trials that have matured our faith and dependence on the Lord and to see all that Christ has done and how faithful He has been in the past reminds us how faithful He will continue to be as we each go forward to continue running the oft times difficult race God has set before each one of us. As believers, we aren't promised an easy life--in fact Jesus promises in John 16:33 that "in the world you WILL have tribulation...but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Our hope is in Him and His finished work on the cross...what grace and peace comes with that promise!........In the Smoky Mountains I got to fulfill a lifelong dream and ride a Black Percheron Draft Horse!!! They had smaller horses, so I prayed I would get to ride a Draft horse and God answered--and on top of that his name was Moses and he was an absolute sweetheart!! Afterwards, I asked if I could take a picture with him and they brought him over and he turned to nuzzle me with his muzzle and his muzzle is definitely bigger than Buddy's was lol! Mom, Sarah, Faith, and I went on the trail ride and that was a lot of fun! We also went to Dollywood and the Christmas store in Piegeon Forge and spent a lot of time at the beautiful cabin that had an indoor pool a jacuzzi on the deck outside, fireplaces, pool table, air hockey, a movie theater, darts, horse shoes, corn hole, and a gorgeous kitchen. It was SO pretty and relaxing and just so much fun. There was always someone to do something with and we just had a great time--it was a wonderful break from reality between the vacation and the visit from the Ellingson's.

............Now it's back to medical reality world lol--I've been working on trying to get my surgeries scheduled--today we have a potential date of June 24th for my OB surgery. I called the ENT surgery coordinator and he's in clinic all day that day and his first available surgery date wasn't until July 2nd, but if I'm admitted, they can do things inpatient without having to schedule necessarily. There are a lot of moving parts and I really wanted more healing time before a friend's wedding at the end of July that I am in, but I need to get them done so please pray that June 24th (or even sooner if God could work it out!) would work and that all the moving parts and doctor's and coordinator's would be able to communicate smoothly and be on the same page. I'm SO thanfkul for UAB and how the doctor's are so helpful and willing to work with me and help make it easier to make this happen. The medical care I have received here is truly a blessing and I don't take it for granted as so often it was a fight to get the minimum of what I needed in other places...........In the midst of all the fun, my body is definitely still telling me it's not happy--my sinuses are full of junk, my lungs definitely did not like the elevation of the mountains--I hadn't been back there since the swine flu and covid and I noticed a big difference. I was very thankful for getting a wheelchair at Dollywood because it's pretty hilly in places and walking on any incline was challenging and left me short of breath. It was worth it though as the coasters were SO much fun! They definitely took a lot more out of me though and I also got a lot more dizzy than I used to and I took longer to recover--as we say in the PCD world, "My new normal is constantly adjusting to new normals." :) My eyes and the Trigeminal Neuralgia continue to be a difficult struggle and adjustment--if my eyes can see the light bulb, I get immediate stabbing pain in my eyes if I'm not wearing sunglasses inside, and sometimes even if I am. Driving at night is painful and a challenge so I don't go far if I have to drive at night...most of the time I choose not to because it's just miserable--not just with pain but then I get nauseous on top of it so it's just not the best idea for me. I have learned of a TN specialist at UAB, but that's on the backburner as far as pursuing anything to do with that at the moment so I'm just getting creative in living with it. I've found that if I wear a hat, the brim blocks some of the lightbulbs so I've started wearing a hat to church as the lights there are particularly challenging, especially when combined with looking at a white screen for singing and the sermon notes. My nausea in the morning has continued to get worse and I've had more debilitating abdominal pain and hot flashes so I'm feeling like the endometriosis is continuing to get worse which is confirmation that the surgeries do need to happen sooner rather than later. There's been lot's more life happening and I will write another post soon but my eyes are strugging at the moment to type, even with a million settings on my computer to make it as eye friendly as possible so I will update more soon! Thanks for the prayers!