GOD ANSWERED ANOTHER PRAYER!!

Back in February when Kevin had his back procedure done we thought it would be a good time to start filling out my forms for disability. Kevin was off for 6 weeks recovering (which by the way he is doing great). We printed off the forms from the internet and filled out each answer before we put them into the real form on the internet. Let's put it this way---there were numerous pages and they all seem to repeat. Anyway, when we were finished with that we started around 9 am filling in each form on the internet. Having the answers down all ready you would of thought it would of been a breeze, well it wasn't. We didn't finish until 10 pm that night without a break. We wanted to be finished with it totally. Needless to say, I had a terrible headache when we finished.
Before we finally were able to push the submit button we prayed.
This procedure can take 2-3 years to finish with all the approvals and usually visiting their doctors. Which usually end up with having to get a lawyer. We were not looking forward to it all but we felt we needed to give it a try.
On Friday, May 29th, we received news that they actually approved it all the first time around. WHAT A BLESSING! No hassles, no other visits and especially no lawyer.
In the next two weeks we will find out what my limit is and when it will start. We pray that we will also get back pay from when I quit working. That would be cool.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this blessing. It was all approved in 3 months instead of 3 years. :) That is the power of GOD to intervene like this.

HEADING TO GEORGIA

I am flying to Georgia again tomorrow morning bright and early. I have to leave around 3:30 am. Need to get to bed early.
I will be heading to much warmer weather though. Tonight we actually have a frost/freeze advisory----it's almost June.
Memorial Day was really nice weather wise, But a cold front came in through the night. I know it is quite warm in Georgia which I will have to get use to. Going directly from cold to hot takes the body a while to adjust. It will feel nice though.
I will be taking care of the kids while Nick and Amanda go on a youth activity for a couple days and then the first week of June Zeke has some medical tests to go through so I am asking for your prayers in behalf of Zeke that he will go through these tests fine. Especially pray for his mommy and daddy because as a parent myself and having gone through many things with my own children it is hard to see your children go through rough situations---young or old.
If I have time I will try to update while I am there but believe me I will be busy and I am looking forward to every minute of it. I am so blessed to be able to play with and see our grand children.
I miss our grandson Cian who lives in South Dakota but I am making a trip out there also at the end of summer or maybe sooner. I might have to make a trip out there by myself while Kevin works but we both will be going out in late summer. He is growing so fast.

May 23rd, 2008

One year ago this date I had my second part of my DBS surgery. The brain surgery was first and then one week later I had the neurostimulator put in. ONE YEAR TODAY. How ironic, that today I also had my appointment with the surgeon to discuss having surgery again for the tremors in my left hand. Many thoughts and thinking has been laid on my shoulders once again.
Do I want to go through it all again? Do I want to suffer the tremors for years again? When should I have it done? At this point, I have an advantage because I WON'T be going through all those nasty drugs again. PRAISE THE LORD! We know the surgery works. I don't like the tremors and to know I can be tremor free and much earlier this time is good but it still don't make it easy to think about it all over again.
I don't feel like missing another summer and not be able to enjoy it like last summer so I am thinking fall time or so when it is cold and miserable outside and I don't like going out when it is cold anyway so maybe then. It is all up to me so this is a huge prayer request. That I would know the correct timing from the Lord to pursue this big decision.

HAPPY 49TH BIRTHDAY KEVIN!

Today is Kevin's birthday. He has almost reached the half a century year old mark (which I have all ready done). I believe Cristal and I will take him out for dinner and a movie. We will probably go see the new movie Narnia-King Caspian. Love these movies.
I love you very much Kevin and HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!!!!!!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY / PARKINSON'S OR ESSENTIAL TREMOR

ESSENTIAL TREMOR

One year ago I had a very scary thing I had to face. I was scheduled for a DBS. This means Deep Brain Stimulation. For 6 years I had suffered with tremors on the right side. It was a very trying time not really knowing if I suffered with Parkinson's Disease or not. During this trying time many doctors weren't even sure so I was given many many strong medications to see if any of them would take care of the tremors. NONE OF THEM DID! It really made things worse and the pain and then I had problems with my toes curling which was a side affect of the whole thing. We didn't know what to do so finally I had to consider this newer surgery where they drill into your brain and place an electrode in the left side of the brain (which controls the right side of your body). A week later I was scheduled for another surgery which was to have the neurostimulator out into my left side of my upper chest kind of like the placement of a pacemaker. It took longer to heal from that then it did the brain surgery.

Anyway, the surgery was a success and my right side is tremor free when I turn the stimulator on. I turn it off at bed time which preserves the battery life. This can last any where from 3-5 years (hopefully 5 or longer) and then I have to have a new one put in.

It has been a good year finally having it under control. The Lord gets all the praise and glory for everything. I had much support and most important many many prayers. I couldn't of gotten this far without any of them and they were coming from all over the country. What an encouragement to know that anyone, anywhere in this world we can pray to our Lord Heavenly Father and know that he hears each one of our prayers. He has such great healing power.

I would ask for your prayers again as now I am facing tremors on the left side involving my hand and fingers. I will be meeting with my neurologist next week for a check up plus discussing future possibilities of another surgery for the left side. I will also make an appointment with my surgeon to see what his opinion is. I am asking for wisdom and guidance as I will have to face this decision of when to have it.

GEORGIA TRIP & MOTHER'S DAY

Well, all the fun came to an end. On May 7th, Kevin and I had to fly back to Georgia with Bryson and Ezekiel. We didn't want to do it but we had to. It was fun flying on the airplanes with them. They made it interesting and they did great. They were excited to see their mommy and daddy and especially their baby sister AJ. They sure love their baby sister.
When they got back to their home their mommy and daddy had a couple surprises for them. One was the Mario Karts for their wii system and they had their pool set up in the back yard so later that afternoon we had to give it a try. Their best friend Ronnie was their to enjoy it with them as he missed them a lot and also came to the airport to see the boys get off the plane along with mommy and daddy. The boys were so happy to see their best friend also.
Kevin and I were introduced to the wii system while there and guess what? I am hooked. We are needing to get one now also. I loved the bowling game. We did some golfing on it also. It certainly get you to interact with it and move. Good exercising. Anyway, it was fun.
We had a great time as always and then I was able to go to a Mother's Day Luncheon with Amanda and her daughter AJ. That was fun. On Mother's Day we were able to go to a new restaurant in Georgia which was very good. The day started out with tornado warnings in their area but it cleared up in time to go to church. Went to lunch afterwards which the day weather wise ended up really nice especially when we had to wait out doors to get into the restaurant. It was a good day. I heard from all the kids and I am truly blessed. Thank you to each one of our children for all your love, gifts and cards. Just knowing that we have such a wonderful, loved filled, caring family is all that I need for any day. I love you all.
Our first day back in Michigan was nice which makes it a little easier to have to come home to. Kevin mowed the lawn for the first time this year and earlier today I went out and watered all my flowers and fed my birds which took about an hour today.
Well, just a few pictures to follow of some of the activities.
I thought it was so cute to---one morning I woke up and found Bryson sleeping with papa in the big chair. Having our grandchildren climb into bed with us is always a sweet memory. While the boys spent the week with us one morning I awoke with Zeke sleeping in my bed. Neat memories.

Bulldozers, Trucks, No Trees, Oh My!

Twenty-two years ago we moved into the city where we are now. Living at the end of a dead end street we were still surrounded by trees. The kids would ride the trails that were in the woods. Not much out in the woods but that is changing quickly. Unfortunately, the city has approved a business to build a 5,000 square foot warehouse right through our woods. :( Everyday now we hear them tearing down many trees and clearing it out. Now we can see completely through the woods to the rest of the buildings on the other side of the woods. It's so sad! I don't know why they have to build a new one because right next door there is another building completely empty.
Oh well.....Here are a few pictures of our woods now.

Zeke getting down with Alvin and the chipmunks

videos of our family week together

I figured out how to make slides so I have been practicing today. Hopefully, you can get an idea of how much fun we had together and the many things that happened and places we went. Their were kids everywhere and that is the way we like it. Having our children around us is precious and few. (Isn't that a song?)
Anyway, loving, kissing, eating, swinging, parties, eating, laughing, parties, eating (all right---you get the point, I think!)
We all had a great time and hope you enjoy watching the slides.
Remember, I am a amateur in making slides.

Check out my Slide Show!

Check out my Slide Show!

Check out my Slide Show!