Once again, it has been a long time since I last updated my blog. I am updating again as I ask you specifically for prayer, and want to catch you up on some of my life.
The last few months have been frustrating for me. Many of you have asked over the last couple years how my back has been doing, as I struggled a lot with it a lot during the last couple years I worked in Ethiopia. It had continued to do well during most of my time in Seattle. It sure has been nice to not have to always deal with packing the truck, hauling water and traveling over the rough Ethiopian roads all which aggravated my back. Until February my back seemed to be doing very well and continuing to get stronger and I didn't have pain as I increased my activity level to get rid of some of the post-Ethiopia pounds that made their way onto my body.
In the middle of February though, my back started hurting a little bit. I went back to the exercises I had been given for lower back pain which had always helped before. Then the back pain got worse and started traveling down my right leg. A visit to the doctor led me to physical therapy. PT helped for a time, but I had 2 major setbacks during the last couple months. The last setback went from bad to worse pain than before with the pain traveling down to my ankle and the start of tingling in my right foot. This led to my getting an MRI showing my back in much worse condition than the one in 2009 during all of my back problems in Ethiopia. (I now have a herniated disk at L5-S1). The last couple weeks have found me working at home for CVM on my living room floor where I can lay on my stomach to work on my laptop as I can no longer sit for more than a few minutes at a time (even with lots of pain killers on board).
It's been frustrating because I had been doing everything I was supposed to be doing that I had been taught--taking care of myself, doing my exercises, using lumbar support, lifting properly, etc. At the risk of being too theological this has reminded me a lot of spiritual life. One can do all the right things, but really without the hope and reliance in Christ one is just spinning their wheels slipping further and further away from God. Helpless as I am feeling now. Even now I am realizing how much I need God to heal me--whether it be through miraculous healing on His part, or through the doctors' hands as they treat with steroid injections & more therapy or through a surgery. Of course, my life is in His hands everyday, but I am much more cognizant of it now.
I wanted to update you all and ask that you pray for me. Tomorrow (Monday) I will get a steroid injection. My response to that will determine whether or not the next steps will lead to surgery. I hope to keep you updated on my progress.
Relying on Him, Dr. Denise
The last few months have been frustrating for me. Many of you have asked over the last couple years how my back has been doing, as I struggled a lot with it a lot during the last couple years I worked in Ethiopia. It had continued to do well during most of my time in Seattle. It sure has been nice to not have to always deal with packing the truck, hauling water and traveling over the rough Ethiopian roads all which aggravated my back. Until February my back seemed to be doing very well and continuing to get stronger and I didn't have pain as I increased my activity level to get rid of some of the post-Ethiopia pounds that made their way onto my body.
In the middle of February though, my back started hurting a little bit. I went back to the exercises I had been given for lower back pain which had always helped before. Then the back pain got worse and started traveling down my right leg. A visit to the doctor led me to physical therapy. PT helped for a time, but I had 2 major setbacks during the last couple months. The last setback went from bad to worse pain than before with the pain traveling down to my ankle and the start of tingling in my right foot. This led to my getting an MRI showing my back in much worse condition than the one in 2009 during all of my back problems in Ethiopia. (I now have a herniated disk at L5-S1). The last couple weeks have found me working at home for CVM on my living room floor where I can lay on my stomach to work on my laptop as I can no longer sit for more than a few minutes at a time (even with lots of pain killers on board).
It's been frustrating because I had been doing everything I was supposed to be doing that I had been taught--taking care of myself, doing my exercises, using lumbar support, lifting properly, etc. At the risk of being too theological this has reminded me a lot of spiritual life. One can do all the right things, but really without the hope and reliance in Christ one is just spinning their wheels slipping further and further away from God. Helpless as I am feeling now. Even now I am realizing how much I need God to heal me--whether it be through miraculous healing on His part, or through the doctors' hands as they treat with steroid injections & more therapy or through a surgery. Of course, my life is in His hands everyday, but I am much more cognizant of it now.
I wanted to update you all and ask that you pray for me. Tomorrow (Monday) I will get a steroid injection. My response to that will determine whether or not the next steps will lead to surgery. I hope to keep you updated on my progress.
Relying on Him, Dr. Denise
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Count my prayers in. I know how painful it is. Hope everything will run smoothly. God Bless.
ReplyDeletelower back pain