PRAISE REPORT:

Before I go into all the details of what the Dr. had to say, I must share with all of you the amazing grace, love, and healing hands that God has shown me over the past 5+ years, and throughout this surgical procedure/recovery period.

One of the things I shared with my doctor yesterday was an incident that occured a little over a week ago - during the night I experienced an extremely frightening and strange sensation, as if an electrical current was buzzing in my ankles, then it felt like it rolled up my body to the knee area, then remained buzzing, then rolled again, and continued to buzz and roll all the way up to my chest area.  I said to my doctor, I'm certain it happened twice during the night, and am 90% sure it was not a dream - please don't think I'm crazy.  He immediately looked at me and asked if it had happened again, to which I responded "no"...he instantly pulled my MRI disc out of my file and plugged it into the computer in our exam room - and once again, reviewed the results of my pre-surgical MRI.  He said, absolutely that what I felt was most likely very real, and was a result of nerves refiring, and healing - and said to advise him if it happened again...and then he looked me square in the eyes and said this:

"Sheila - you were one fall away from paralysis".

I shared with him my experience in St. George with 3 different surgeons, the first one indicating that I needed surgery back then and it was critical, with the 2nd and 3rd opinions indicating no surgery was necessary at that time.  My doctor here said that based on the severity of my situation, no surgeon should have ever indicated I did not need surgery back then.  We packed our home there, moved here to Idaho and unpacked - and I could go on and on about all the things that I should not have been doing over these past 5+ years, now that I know how severe my situation was.

The purpose of me writing to share all of this is simply that I must tell all of you, God's grace, His mighty hands, His love, and His shield of protection have surrounded me and He virtually has been holding me in His arms for over 5 years.

It's only through the Grace of God that I am able to walk today!!!!

PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME

 

SURGERY/RECOVERY UPDATE:

Wahoo....I'm able to start slowly weaning myself away from the neck brace, a few minutes at a time daily.  I can start slowly moving my head around from side to side, and moving my chin downward....just inches seem like major moving to me!  I still need to wear the brace in bed, in the car, and while walking, and if I'm outside - baby steps from here!  I'm able to take short and limited rides in the car (like to Dr. appointments and into town if necessary), but no further than just town for now....and I'm perfectly content with that.

Once I've completely weaned off the brace he wants me to begin physical therapy - somewhere around the 20th of July....so that will be 3 times per week for 6 - 8 weeks.

I'm very encouraged - and feel as though I'm finally moving forward.

The x-rays looked good according to the doc - they'll check again in 6 weeks to view the fusion progress - but it will be a full year for complete fusion/recovery.

I still use the bone stimulator 30 minutes per day for another 8 months - and he praised me for being faithful in using it daily.

All in all, my appointment yesterday was very positive, and I'm excited to see progress.

More importantly, I thank God for walking beside me every day, holding on to me, increasing my faith, and providing me with an amazing neurosurgeon who I'd recommend to anyone.

Thank you to my adorable and loving husband whose been beside me through this entire ride, losing a ton of sleep over the past 6 weeks, and tending to my every need.  These are the circumstances of life that enhance a marriage and bring a greater sense of oneness to an already amazing relationship.  Steven - I love you with all my heart!

Thank you to all of my family and friends who continue to love on me, and show me their selflessness by their numerous acts of kindness.  I love you all so very much!

First of all, let me say "THANK YOU" to each and every one of you who have been offering up prayer for my family and I during this cervical spine surgery I've recently gone through.  We love you all more than you can possibly know.

God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams, and I am forever committed to HIM!

On Monday the 24th my amazing Dr. Marano performed C-spine surgery, fusing 4 levels in the upper neck, from C-3 through C-7, taking bone from the right hip to use for bone graft to fuse the levels in the neck.  They did not replace the discs, rather fused everything together using that bone as well as a titanium plate that was screwed into the vertebrae to hold everything in place.  In a nutshell, it means a fair amount of limited mobility so in the Dr.'s words, you will forever have a stiff neck, and I will need to rotate from the waste to turn my head - let me just say, "that is no big deal"....as much faith as I have in God, there was fear - fear that His plan for me was that I may never walk again, and I can!  PRAISE GOD!!!!  His healing hands were guiding those of the surgeon's and everything went as planned.  The Dr. indicated there was not an option for surgery - it was a must or I would be paralyzed.  There was nearly zero space left in three levels for spinal fluid to flow, thus it was an immediate decision for surgery.  I do have alot of nerve damage and limited use of my left arm/hand because of how long this has been going on, although the Dr. said it may come back in time - it's too soon to know how permament the damage is - what I can tell you is this - "that I can live with" - today I walked the distance of 9 houses - once again PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!  Our goal is to work up to 2 miles per day.  I am not allowed in a car for 3 months (except for Dr. appointments), so I am going to most likely get to know every neighbor within 2 miles of my home....that I can also live with.  He assures me that I will feel completely fused within a year.  Most likely the days of cross country road trips are over - the Dr. does not feel as though that will be a part of my future - that I can live with!  God created people who created airplanes.  I came home from the hospital on Wednesday this past week, and have had much improvement daily.  I wear a plastic neck brace for at least 6 weeks, and then he will determine what from there - I'm able to take it off for a shower which I thought would be heaven - not so much - it's already become my security blanket.  I have been given an unusual device (bone stimulator) which sits at the back of my neck brace, requires 30 minutes treatment per day for 9 months that supposedly allows the bone grafting to heal more successfully.

Now, may I just give praise and thanks to every single person who has given of themselves and sacrificed themselves in prayer, meals, cards, flowers, gifts, love, etc., etc., etc. - THANK YOU ALL OF YOU!  Our amazing church family at Christ Community Church has set up 2 weeks of dinner meals that are being hand carried to our home by people we know, and people we've never met before.....that is just so amazing to me, and certainly God's way of humbling me and showing me a way to set aside my pride.

My husband Steven has been my rock - he slept in a chair at my hospital bedside for 2 nights just to give me the comfort of knowing he was there......he knew that's what I needed - and I will forever be more in love with him because of his daily sacrifices that he is giving to me to care for me during this long road ahead.  God has blessed me beyond measure in the perfect husband for me....thank you LORD!  Thank you Steven!

My Mom.....we, God's people think so small.....we moved here Sept. 2007 to care for her, allow her a place to live with us, to give her an easier life - she moved in with us last July - and now here she is - being one of my caregivers.....that's how small we think, and how big God thinks.  He knew I would need her, and orchestrated the entire event - just the way HE does - to perfection!

I love you all, and thank you again for your many prayers - and I cannot wait for the day that I can see you all in person and give you my normal "Sheila Hug".....and am looking so forward to the day when I walk back into Christ Community Church to see your lovely faces.

To my amazing Pastor Dan - thank you for your prayers, your love, your support, your constant being there for our family, for passing on God's words to me just exactly when I need them...you are loved by us beyond measure.

My love and gratitude to all of you!

Sheila

For the last two summers I've had the incredible pleasure of spending a week in Missoula, MT taking photography classes at Rocky Mountain School of Photography.  This summer, once again I am being blessed with the gift of another week there.  This time, Steven is going with me (just for the fun NOT for school :o) and I'm very excited about that.  He's never actually spent any time there, just drove past so this will be a new adventure for him.  While I'm toiling away at school (not truly like that at all) he will have an opportunity to check out the amazing Montana countryside which is so gorgeous.  My class this year will focus on "fine art", which is extremely exciting to me.  I'm hoping to be able to focus my love for macro photography into this new arena.  The days at class are long, starting out early in the morning with field shoots, then to class for lectures and critique sessions, short lunch breaks, more class and nighttime field shoots as well.  If it's anything like the last two years there is very little sleep and no time for play, so Steven will be adventuring on his own.......he has no problem with that, and will most likely know just about everyone in Missoula before the week is out.  Looking forward to sharing this experience with you when we return.

:o) Happiness....indeed!

A dear friend of ours from St. George, Terry - and her mother Elaine came for a visit this past week.....we had a great time showing them around Jackson Hole and Yellowstone Nat'l Park.  Much to see and not nearly enough time......we left more to see the next time they visit.  Good times with good friends, can't beat it.