1st Email

I thought today I would also just copy the 1st email I sent out because I know I didn't have everyone's email and that way ya'll who didn't get the email can read it now.   Plus I think it will clear up my blog name a little better!  : ) 

So with some urging of an unnamed friend I am sitting down to write ya'll this email. For a few a you it is an update and for the others I know you are probably wondering what I need to update you about! So to get everyone on the same page I will start at the beginning...

In early January I started training for a half marathon that is going to be May 5th. We started slow and had worked our way up to 10 miles. It was awesome! I had no pains (except for an annoying butt cramp once!) and great shoes and was VERY excited about this run. About 3 to 3 1/2 weeks ago, on an off running day, the bottom of my feet felt weird. It was like a sock was bunched up and I was walking on it. I kept looking at my feet thinking maybe I stepped on something, was there a blister, were they swollen....I changed socks a couple of times, but it did't go away. It wasn't painful just annoying. The next day the same and then there started to be some tingling in my feet and like a numbness on my feet. For a few days this tingling numbness feeling kept moving up my legs to about my knees....and then the pain came. It hurt to walk. So I kinda hobbled around and after 2 weeks of this another friend said you need to see a podiatrist. I got three different names and called to see who could get me in first. This was on a Monday (two weeks ago from this coming Monday) and they could get me in on Wednesday.

I went on Wed and she looked at my feet thinking I might have high arches...flat feet...things like that. But the crazy thing is I have great formed feet. Nothing looks wrong on the outside. That is probably the most annoying when you can't see anything wrong. By then they were so painful to touch and she gave me a steriod pack saying by this evening you should feel relief and if not by Friday call back. As I am sure ya'll can guess no relief....so Friday morning I called back and they got be scheduled for that morning. They said that Dr. Smith (the podiatrist) wanted me to be seen today. Ok...weird but I went anyway. I get there and Dr Short (the neurologist) said he needed to run some testing on my nerves in my legs and feet to see where the issues were. So basically I had to have a test where they send electrical currents down your leg....can you say ouch!!! Then they stick small needles in your legs and feet to check your muscle response. By then I think I was getting a little emotional and was wondering what in the world was going on. He said those tests were great so they needed to get me a MRI of my spine now. Once again I was confussed. He explained that whatever was happening was up higher in my spinal cord and that this could be the beginning of MS. Yep...MS.

I set there by myself wishing I would of brought someone with me. So he set up the MRI and some blood work because I could be low on some important vitamins and that could be the cause also. (fyi...all blood work came back great) That evening I went for the MRI and went home and basically prayed and prayed and prayed. I couldn't sleep so at about 3 am I just started reading my bible. A peace like no other came over me and I knew no matter what I was going to be ok. On Saturday morning at 6:45 the dr called and said they did find an abnormality in my spine and I needed to come in that morning at 9 and start my steriod infusion. So that is what we did....three days of 2 hr long infusion. They burned quite a bit going in the first 2 days. Saturday morning was the hardest. I think I was just so shocked that one morning I am at a podiatrist and the next morning I am hooked to an IV for two hours. I got so sick that I was throwing up before she could get the IV started. I actually laid my head on the toilet seat of the bathroom at the hospital cuz I felt so ill!

Matt has been awesome through all of this. He keeps reminding me no matter what he loves me, is here for me, and we will figure everything out and that we will get through this together. The kiddos handled it well after we explained that I most likely was not going to die quickly or even die from this. They have said they are a little scared I won't be able to play with them like before but everyday we have been asking them to think of something good that has happened and remind them that God works all things out for our good.

On Tuesday I started some other high dose meds and pain relievers but still no relief from the pain. Dr. Short then ordered a MRI of my brain to check for some lacerations in my brain to see if this would be a slow or fast moving disease. I went in yesterday and they said my brain looked good and there was only a small questionable spot that they were hopeful wouldn't effect me. Praise GOD!!!!

So here is where we are now and where I am asking you to pray for me. I don't technically have MS unless you have more than one "flare up" because the M stands for multiple. So pray this will be it and never happen again. Also please pray that this flare up will end. My body from my feet thru my lower back feel like they are on fire. As of Friday I can't drive anymore and I can barely leave my bed. The doctors are trying me out on different medicines but so far no relief. The new meds come with some side effects like dizziness, blurred vision, and feeling like I am in a constant fog. I asked them if this was going to go away but they said they can't tell me that. MS looks different in everyone and follows no pattern.

I don't want to end this email though without saying a few other things. God is so good. He has brought scripture to me that has comforted me like I have never known. He is in me, beside me and with me every minute of every day. I am in love with our Lord with my entire heart. He has surrounded our family thru others prayers and brought us a joy and peace this past week that can only be from His Spirit. The pain I hope to lose but what we have learned never. I can honestly say if I have to keep this pain to stay on my knees where I am supposed to be then I want to keep it. My ultimate prayer is that I want to do this well.

I love each of you and thank you for praying for me and my family!!!