Rain Down On Me

My favorite kind of weather is an intense thunder storm. There is nothing better then hearing the crash of thunder as the rain pounds down all around. As a child, I would lay in bed and listen to the storm as it approached our house and then sit up and watch as the lighting flashed through the window. I remember as a small child the storms could be scary but as I grew I knew they would soon end and all would be better.

The days that followed my brain surgery presented many storms in my life. Soon the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. My pain was endless and it felt like I would never overcome  the challenges that my life was always facing.

In July, I decided that I would need to continue my life pain or no pain. We were financially strapped and even with all the support of the community there were still needs that needed to be met. I interviewed for a teaching job in Modesto and was hired at a Christian school as a sixth grade teacher.

Krishna and I were of course concerned about the drive and the impact it might have on my back and headaches. I figured that sense I was already in so much pain it would not matter. It was a great decision as each day I was able to teach an AMAZING class of kids. When I had good days they loved me and when I had bad days they prayed for me. No matter what they loved me and I loved them. I still do.

I was at the school for a year and a half. I coached sixth grade basketball, served on the Accreditation Team and I gave my testimony one week in Chapel. I loved my job. Kris and I had sold our house to pay medical bills and we were now living in her parents old house.Then one morning as I was getting ready for school I fell and could not get up. The water of the shower was raining down on me. I was in the most excruciating pain and could not move. It was as though my legs were disconnected from my body.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

As I lay there I could not help but to pray "God, please make me strong. Make me walk now and make me mighty. Or father, please make Kris come back with pants before she brings someone into the bathroom where I am laying naked." AND THE LORD HEARD MY PRAYER! In came Kris with clothes first. She dried me off and slipped the sweats on me. Then she was off to get help.

By the end of the day I was at UC Davis. The next week was awful. I was in so much pain. The Chiari had tethered my spine and when I had tried to get the shampoo off the lower shelf in the shower the bending caused my vertebrae to pop out.

A tethered spinal cord occurs when the spinal cord is attached to tissue around the spine, most commonly at the base of the spine. As a result, the spinal cord cannot move freely within the spinal cord. This can cause the spinal cord to stretch out as the spine grows leading to nerve damage  and pain. My symptoms:

* Pain in lower back
* Weakness in my legs and arms
*Problems standing and walking was impossible

After nearly a week in the hospital the did a test called EMG. An EMG measures the electrical activity of muscles when they are at rest and tests how fast the electrical signals are sent through the nerves. My test was done in a room down in the basement and the person performing the test spoke very broken English and I had a hard time understanding her.

A needle electrode was then put into different muscles. It is attached to a machine to record results. When the electrodes are in place electrical activity is sent and recorded. The electrode is moved several times in different muscles of the body. You may hear popping sounds. The test takes 30-60 minutes.

Let me explain it in my terms. The needle was stuck into my flesh. As electricity shocked the living life from my body I screamed. Then the tester could not figure out why the recording was not working so she would move the needle back and forth in my flesh. Then she realized the power was to high. Apparently my screaming stop at the top of my lungs was not information for her enough.

I was throwing up everywhere so she decided that I would have to be retested later and sent me to my room. As I was wheeled in Dr. Borgquist called my room. I barfed my way through telling him what has just happened and he said "If that test is done wrong it hurts like hell." YUP HE NAILED IT! He said I am going to get you sent home today.

Did I ever tell you I how much I loved that man?

For the next several months we tried to fix the problem with Physical Therapy. TJ Pilchard had been my friend since 4 grade and he was my PT. On the very first day of therapy he said you are going to need surgery. He ended up being right.

A few months later I would have surgery through UC Davis with research being done by Johns Hopkins University. I was in the hospital for a long time as I needed to get my legs under me before I could go home.

As I looked ahead to the future I had many months of physical therapy ahead as TJ would have to get me walking correctly again. There were days when the pain rained down and the tears were many. My surgeon said that I may never teach again. My future was a haze. There was a storm in my life. This time I had ZERO disability as it was not available through my job. Now what? Many months of no income?

But in every storm God rains down.

Psalm 107:29

He calmed the raging storm, and the waves became quiet.

I also remembered This:

Philippians 4:13

I can do all this through him who gives me strength

My life was tangled mess of confusion and unanswered questions. But one thing was certain. My God and my community were once again there for us. As we looked ahead we knew we would need to be carried by everyone that could help us and they did as we made "My Journey".

There is a truth older than the ages
There is a promise of things yet to come
There is one, born for our salvation
Jesus

There is a light that overwhelms the darkness
There is a kingdom that forever reigns
There is freedom from the chains that bind us
Jesus, Jesus