Maternity Ward
9 years ago
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Medical Approval
I have medical approval!!!! Email came today telling us so from IMB. The next three months are going to be a whirl wind. Lots to do.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
My Mother
Please pray for my mother. She is in the ICU with pneumonia. As of today, January 10th, she has spent 14 days in the hospital. She wasn't getting better and so a biopsy was done on her one lung. It showed that she just had pneumonia - something curable. Because of the biopsy she was on a respirator. On Friday she came off of the respirator. The drain tube was suppose to be removed that afternoon. Keep her in your prayers, that she would heal faster and come home soon.
Mom, when you get home and read this - we video taped Christmas for you. Love you.
Mom, when you get home and read this - we video taped Christmas for you. Love you.
OK, I would like to know how come sometimes my paragraphs are separated and sometimes they are not. My Christmas letter posted beautifully, but older posts look awful. If I wait a week or two and go back in an edit, sometimes it fixes them and sometimes is doesn't. I don't get how this blog thing works.
So, I am sorry for my posts that all run together with no paragraphs. They had paragraphs before I posted them. I have even tried to edit. I can't keep going back to edit old ones. I have enough to do with my time.
So, I am sorry for my posts that all run together with no paragraphs. They had paragraphs before I posted them. I have even tried to edit. I can't keep going back to edit old ones. I have enough to do with my time.
What I deleted out of my Chistmas letter
I started writing my Christmas letter about two days before Christmas. I was two pages on my medical saga. So I rewrote it. Below is was I deleted for those who what to read about me.
I told you in last years Christmas letter about having heart problems and that I was seeing my old family Doctor here in SC in Jan. I did see him. After hearing my story of what was happening and about the doctors I visited in Louisville and without any tests, he declared that I was having classic anxiety attacks. He sent me home with three different medications to take, which I didn’t touch, except the one pill once. I was having one in the morning. The pill I took was for when you are having one. It calms you down. I having never in my life worked so hard to stay awake. How anyone takes that medicine and works at a job is beyond me. We researched it and decided he could be right at that time. We have since decided he jumped to a conclusion and should have don’t a lot more testing first to rule out anything else. It really doesn’t make sense. When I am having one there is nothing to be anxious about. My heart also pounds. I can take my pulse without feeling for it. My Endocrinologist sent me to a Cardiologist in September. He had me wear a halter monitor for 24 hours. Basically, my heart is beating properly even when I think it isn’t. He said, “His job is to ensure me that I am fine and will not be falling over dead.” My blood pressure is really too low to put me on anything anyways.
In February we went to what the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Conference calls “Candidate Conference” in Richmond, VA. That was a week full of flying, interviews with lots of people, and a complete physical for both of us. Steve’s cholesterol was too high. We knew this and have been working on getting it lower. It was lower than it was before, but they wanted to see it lower. So for three months he was very good. He ate oatmeal for breakfast, cheerios for lunch, and I stayed away from any recipes that would add to the problem. He also took a lot of supplemental vitamins and such. It worked.
At my physical the doctor felt that my right thyroid lobe was enlarged. I had to have follow up with my family doctor here in SC. She couldn’t feel anything, the blood work was all normal. So she ordered a CT. That showed lumps. So off to a surgeon I went. It turns out he is a Christian and was a wonderful, caring doctor. He took out my thyroid. At my one week follow up visit the pathology report was back saying it was cancerous. So off to a cancer doctor I went. He only forwarded me on to an Endocrinologist. I have had to learn to spell all kinds of new words!! The cancer doctor did order a CT with iodine contrast which ended up being a mistake. No other cancer showed up in that CT which is good.
Treatment for thyroid cancer is to remove the thyroid, which we had already done. Next, is to go off your sinthyroid for four weeks and go on a low-iodine diet for two weeks. Then I took a small little sip of radio-active iodine. Because your thyroid needs iodine, mine was then iodine starved and the radio-active iodine goes straight to the area that the thyroid was, killing off any residue that is left of your thyroid.
I left the endocrinologist in June thinking that this would happen at the end of June. She discovered that CT with iodine contrast that I had. Because of that I had too much iodine in my system. We had to wait until the end of Aug. to do it. Our time table to go overseas seemed to keep changing every month or two.
I still need medical approval to move forward. My endocrinologist gave me approval October 20th. In November they informed me that I have had two blood tests with my platelets being too low. This has been low for years. We have known this. We wonder why they didn’t mention it earlier this year. Steve called Travel Health America (THA) several times in Nov. to see what we can do to move the medical approval process along. Last week Steve called THA again. He then called our candidate consult in Richmond to see what we need to do to move forward. We keep missing deadlines. Soon Tobias will be 13 and then he will need interviewed for us to go. On Friday we finally found out what we should do. They wanted copies of my cardiologists’ visits in Sept., another blood test for platelets, which I did on 12/16. Once they get these results and they are OK, then the IMB doctor will talk to the area rep to see if I can travel once a year for tests that I need. If he approves this travel then I will get medical approval.
Sometimes we wonder if the devil is doing everything in his power to discourage us. Other times – we know God has a plan and his timing is perfect. We are definitely called, but maybe we are not to go yet. Please keep us in our prayers. We want God perfect will and timing for our lives. Pray that we don’t get too discouraged through this process. As of right now I need medical approval before Christmas in order to do all that needs doing before Orientation starting April 20th. We could go to the next orientation. But if we miss that one, Tobias will need to be interviewed. We will probably start looking for a pastorate job in the states. I have to have tests once a year for the next five years. After I pass the five year mark healthy and the kids are out of the house, we could apply again. We will also consider going with another organization.
I seem to have taken most of this letter to write about me. I covet your prayers. This week I had more blood work done and my platelets and white blood cell counts are too low. So we are trying to get an appointment with a hematologist.
Since I wrote this letter I have been to a hematologist. My white blood cell count was back to normal. My platelets were lower yet, 112,000, but he looked at things under a microscope and decided that my platelets were large, thus giving a false low reading. We waited, not so patiently, for a letter to be transcribed from the hematologist. On Thursday it was fax to IMB. The Doctor there said that this letter is all he needs for me to get approval. Now we are just waiting for everything to go through Travel Health America. Although, THA was told this is a rush order please via IMB (not us).
So there you have it: My Medical Saga. Hopefully, something like this doesn't happen anytime soon in my life. I have had quite enough of seeing Doctors, there offices, and hospitals for now.
I told you in last years Christmas letter about having heart problems and that I was seeing my old family Doctor here in SC in Jan. I did see him. After hearing my story of what was happening and about the doctors I visited in Louisville and without any tests, he declared that I was having classic anxiety attacks. He sent me home with three different medications to take, which I didn’t touch, except the one pill once. I was having one in the morning. The pill I took was for when you are having one. It calms you down. I having never in my life worked so hard to stay awake. How anyone takes that medicine and works at a job is beyond me. We researched it and decided he could be right at that time. We have since decided he jumped to a conclusion and should have don’t a lot more testing first to rule out anything else. It really doesn’t make sense. When I am having one there is nothing to be anxious about. My heart also pounds. I can take my pulse without feeling for it. My Endocrinologist sent me to a Cardiologist in September. He had me wear a halter monitor for 24 hours. Basically, my heart is beating properly even when I think it isn’t. He said, “His job is to ensure me that I am fine and will not be falling over dead.” My blood pressure is really too low to put me on anything anyways.
In February we went to what the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Conference calls “Candidate Conference” in Richmond, VA. That was a week full of flying, interviews with lots of people, and a complete physical for both of us. Steve’s cholesterol was too high. We knew this and have been working on getting it lower. It was lower than it was before, but they wanted to see it lower. So for three months he was very good. He ate oatmeal for breakfast, cheerios for lunch, and I stayed away from any recipes that would add to the problem. He also took a lot of supplemental vitamins and such. It worked.
At my physical the doctor felt that my right thyroid lobe was enlarged. I had to have follow up with my family doctor here in SC. She couldn’t feel anything, the blood work was all normal. So she ordered a CT. That showed lumps. So off to a surgeon I went. It turns out he is a Christian and was a wonderful, caring doctor. He took out my thyroid. At my one week follow up visit the pathology report was back saying it was cancerous. So off to a cancer doctor I went. He only forwarded me on to an Endocrinologist. I have had to learn to spell all kinds of new words!! The cancer doctor did order a CT with iodine contrast which ended up being a mistake. No other cancer showed up in that CT which is good.
Treatment for thyroid cancer is to remove the thyroid, which we had already done. Next, is to go off your sinthyroid for four weeks and go on a low-iodine diet for two weeks. Then I took a small little sip of radio-active iodine. Because your thyroid needs iodine, mine was then iodine starved and the radio-active iodine goes straight to the area that the thyroid was, killing off any residue that is left of your thyroid.
I left the endocrinologist in June thinking that this would happen at the end of June. She discovered that CT with iodine contrast that I had. Because of that I had too much iodine in my system. We had to wait until the end of Aug. to do it. Our time table to go overseas seemed to keep changing every month or two.
I still need medical approval to move forward. My endocrinologist gave me approval October 20th. In November they informed me that I have had two blood tests with my platelets being too low. This has been low for years. We have known this. We wonder why they didn’t mention it earlier this year. Steve called Travel Health America (THA) several times in Nov. to see what we can do to move the medical approval process along. Last week Steve called THA again. He then called our candidate consult in Richmond to see what we need to do to move forward. We keep missing deadlines. Soon Tobias will be 13 and then he will need interviewed for us to go. On Friday we finally found out what we should do. They wanted copies of my cardiologists’ visits in Sept., another blood test for platelets, which I did on 12/16. Once they get these results and they are OK, then the IMB doctor will talk to the area rep to see if I can travel once a year for tests that I need. If he approves this travel then I will get medical approval.
Sometimes we wonder if the devil is doing everything in his power to discourage us. Other times – we know God has a plan and his timing is perfect. We are definitely called, but maybe we are not to go yet. Please keep us in our prayers. We want God perfect will and timing for our lives. Pray that we don’t get too discouraged through this process. As of right now I need medical approval before Christmas in order to do all that needs doing before Orientation starting April 20th. We could go to the next orientation. But if we miss that one, Tobias will need to be interviewed. We will probably start looking for a pastorate job in the states. I have to have tests once a year for the next five years. After I pass the five year mark healthy and the kids are out of the house, we could apply again. We will also consider going with another organization.
I seem to have taken most of this letter to write about me. I covet your prayers. This week I had more blood work done and my platelets and white blood cell counts are too low. So we are trying to get an appointment with a hematologist.
Since I wrote this letter I have been to a hematologist. My white blood cell count was back to normal. My platelets were lower yet, 112,000, but he looked at things under a microscope and decided that my platelets were large, thus giving a false low reading. We waited, not so patiently, for a letter to be transcribed from the hematologist. On Thursday it was fax to IMB. The Doctor there said that this letter is all he needs for me to get approval. Now we are just waiting for everything to go through Travel Health America. Although, THA was told this is a rush order please via IMB (not us).
So there you have it: My Medical Saga. Hopefully, something like this doesn't happen anytime soon in my life. I have had quite enough of seeing Doctors, there offices, and hospitals for now.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
This is wishing all of you who read this blog a Merry Christmas. The first picture is our oldest Tobias, then Heather, Lane, and last is Seth. I should have them all together in front of the three, but, well we only had three red shirts. I really wanted pictures of them in red.
We have had a pretty good day. The kids loved their presents. Heather has a stomach bug and so she is not the least bit happy. We thought that Steve had food poisoning on Monday, but now we think maybe a bug is going around.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Bragging on my Husband
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I grew up with a daddy that can do anything. I am serious. That is what this little girl thought and still tends to think. So when something needs done I tend to want to leave it for when my dad is coming.
The sliding glass door on the back of our house had only one pane of glass and the door didn't open very well at all. It took two hands and a lot of maneuvering. Steve with some help from me took the old one out and installed the new one.
This weekend he installed a new bathroom fan. Let me just say he doesn't know a whole lot about electrical wiring. My dad wasn't home to answer his questions and even a local person we thought might know about wiring never returned his call either. We went from a one switch that turned the light and the fan on at the same time to three switches. One for the light, one for the fan, and one for the nightlight. Steve had to add wiring to make that work. When we were done for the night only the fan worked, but by the morning he had figured out his mistake and fixed it. I had to help on this one too. The wires kept getting hung up in the wall. There is insulation on our inside walls. According to my dad it was because of the kind of heat that was installed in this house. We did finally manage to get the wires where we wanted them to go. It only took about two hours and lots of patience. My dad says that was a record. If you ever meet my dad or see him, just ask him how much time he has spent on one electrical outlet.
These pictures are backwards. First the new and then the old. Can you tell it has been a while since I have posted pictures. Maybe I will remember for last time.
The bathroom fan was installed in hopes that in three months I won't have to attack the ceiling and walls around the shower with bleach water again. In the last picture you can see the box fan that we keep turned on and facing the shower most all of the time.
Thanksgiving 2008
Thanksgiving day in the afternoon was spent with our Pastor Jim Oliver and his family. We forgot the camera, but had lots of good food, fun, and fellowship. The kids enjoyed riding the four wheeler and shooting the BB gun.
On Friday we had our own private Thanksgiving dinner. We did this mainly because Steve and I love Thanksgiving leftovers. Tobias did the table decorations. They came out of the sixth grade Abeka art book.
Our Thanksgiving holiday also includes the reading of three books: "Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving" by Eric Metaxas, "Thank You, Sarah" The woman who saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson, and "Thanksgiving A Time to Remember" by Barbara Rainey. They are all very good and remind us of our heritage.
We have been eating leftovers ever since. We had turkey and sweet potato casserole on Friday. Turkey and mashed potatoes on Saturday. Saturday lunch and Sunday supper we ate a wonderful turkey soup. Sunday lunch and today's supper were casseroles that called for cooked chicken. I substituted turkey. So far no children have complained which is odd. Tobias especially doesn't like turkey leftovers.
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