It's been a while...

So much has been going on, and yet life feels like we're on hold all at once.



Greg has a herniated back disk. He's had back problems for as long as I've known him, but nothing like this. The tree that fell and put a hole in our roof and big dents in my car also damaged Greg’s back. It happened moving the heavy wet trunk to the street. After a week he went to the doctor, then back again 2 or 3 times over the next 2 weeks. Then a MRI - herniated disk. He's had one steroid injection, and will probably have another, but he's not really getting any relief. He's just getting better at tolerating it. He's ready for surgery. He's ready to begin healing and put this behind him. Surgery will only treat the problem temporarily - it's time to start really exercising that back!

So for the past 6 weeks or so, we've been dealing with doctor appointments, missing work, a teeny tiny paycheck, and prayers and blessings from people all around us. We'll be just fine. I may have a panic attack or two as I open the bills that are coming, but we'll still be fine.

Then about 2 weeks ago, I found out my cousin Brandy had a lump on her forehead. Four years ago we lost a 34 yr. old cousin to breast cancer. So when this didn't go away right away, Brandy became the squeaky wheel she needed to be to get her self to the right doctors. Nearly 2 weeks ago, she had surgery and a very large, aggressive tumor was removed. It was a long and invasive surgery. The surgery was considered very successful, and she actually went home 4 days later. But when she returned at the one-week point to have the packing removed from her nose, they found she's been having brain fluid leakage. So she's been back in the hospital, flat on her back and will be until it stops. I'd imagine at some point if it doesn't stop on it's own, surgery would be an option.

I went to see her today, and she looks great. She lives about an hour and a half away, but is in hospital near me. I couldn't believe how good she looked. No swelling, no bruising, no shaved head. Her surgeon told her he's a fan of hair and her incision was just past her hairline and really can't be seen. But she's miserable. She's a go go go girl and lying on her back in one room for several days is not her cup of tea. Tuesday will be the 2-week mark, so pathology reports should be coming in soon. There is a slight possibility the tumor was not malignant, but it's pretty much assumed that it was. Nailing down just what they're dealing with is a big deal to determine where to go from here. I know she wants to just get this all behind her and get back to living. I met her 2-year-old son today. He is adorable! Of course I've seen many many pictures, but hearing that cute little Cajun accent was priceless.

And then there's me. For the first time in several months, I'm having a uveitis flare, and it's in both eyes. Dealing with this is such a pain. The flare itself is very painful, and the drops I use to treat the outbreak and the pain blur close-up vision. Everything past my arm's length is perfectly clear; anything closer is a total blur w/out my reading glasses. And I have no depth perception, so driving at night is out of the question. It'll take a few weeks to treat this and then get my vision back to normal. Ha! Normal. What a concept!

I did have the pleasure and blessing of being able to watch much of the webcast of my church's women's conference this weekend. I really enjoy listening to Christine Caine, and she always draws a great crowd. Her passion becomes my passion. It's contagious.

And it's not a coincidence that she spoke last night of not giving up in the waiting, of not quitting because it's not happening in your time frame. In ways, it feels like life stopped here Sept 1st, and yet at the same time, so much has happened since then.