Things are looking up and I am finally on the road to having my life back. The doctors are not sure what brought all this on but possibly through a series of events and my already medical condition (brain tumor), something happened that they cannot explain. After talking to about 6 doctors (specialist mind you) I found one that was willing to do tests, he was persistent in the diagnosis and treatment. I am not going to go into all the details but he told me the day he released me from the hospital "Mrs. Martindale, I am giving you your life back". I do not have epilepsy, I am off the high doses (in fact all doses) of the seizure medication. I am to take it easy and go back into things slowly, I will be able to drive, go back to work and function as I did before but not take on quite as much. I have not had an episode for 2 weeks now and have been at home getting my strenth back and basically hibernating to get back to my old "normal".
Now we know that this awesome doctor found all this information out but we realize that I was being blessed to find the right doctor who would listen and take action. Heavenly Father has blessed us beyond belief (yet again) because of everyone's prayers and faith. The strength and support that we recieve is amazing. Thanks to all of you for your love, prayers, food, flowers, notes, visits and phone calls. We as a family felt that power and never wanted to give up even when I was told (by one crazy doctor) that my life was just going to get worse and I needed to deal with it. Prayers are very powerful and we know who these wonderful blessings come from. It was a trial and we look on it as a growing time for all of us! Our family was amazing too, our children were so supportive and just jumped in to help even when it was a difficult and required much sacrifice on their part. We are blessed to have each of you in our lives. God gives us others to not only share in our burdens but to help lift us up when we are down.
Love ya'll and thanks again. whoot hoo, yeeehaa I am back (almost)!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
There is a silver lining
The silver lining to being gimpie and sick is having awesome adult children that will come and help take care of you. I have been truly blessed with adult kids that rally around and help out when needed. These are opportunities to spend time with them and grandchildren that I would not have had if "all was well".
Aubrey gave me a gift that has the words written "The most important things in life are not things". So very true.
I am learning that there is a "new normal" for me in my life. I just have to get used to the "new normal" and help others around me realize what that is and how to deal with it.
Here are some of my new normals: I need help walking sometimes, I need someone to sit next to me at church and realize that I might end up resting my head on their shoulder, I need people to help me with transportation because I can't drive etc. So life goes on and we accept "new normal" and make the best of it.
Just so this is upbeat I wanted to add pictures of some of the silver linings and greatest blessings in my life.
Family that we shared precious memories with last year:
My brother Don and his wife Rae Jean for a weekend visit.
My sister Michelle and her family with Mom and Dad and sister in-law Rae Jean.
Extra special treat was my institute class doing a surprise Christmas Carol visit. Yeah I wasn't dressed.
Family and friends are the silver lining to every life of every day :)
Aubrey gave me a gift that has the words written "The most important things in life are not things". So very true.
I am learning that there is a "new normal" for me in my life. I just have to get used to the "new normal" and help others around me realize what that is and how to deal with it.
Here are some of my new normals: I need help walking sometimes, I need someone to sit next to me at church and realize that I might end up resting my head on their shoulder, I need people to help me with transportation because I can't drive etc. So life goes on and we accept "new normal" and make the best of it.
Just so this is upbeat I wanted to add pictures of some of the silver linings and greatest blessings in my life.
Family that we shared precious memories with last year:
My brother Don and his wife Rae Jean for a weekend visit.
My sister Michelle and her family with Mom and Dad and sister in-law Rae Jean.
Extra special treat was my institute class doing a surprise Christmas Carol visit. Yeah I wasn't dressed.
Family and friends are the silver lining to every life of every day :)
Friday, January 1, 2010
Got any ideas?
We are getting ready to sell our house. We are downsizing pretty much everything! What do you do with all the stuff you have accumulated over the years. Like: church books (fictional) that have been read and probably won't be read again in this home, wedding dress slips that are in perfect condition, a wedding vale that has never been worn (put those on Craigslist and in the paper and didn't get any response I would probably do better sending somewhere in Utah to sell huh?) just stuff. I keep telling myself that it is "just stuff" so it will be easier to get rid of. It's just stuff that I really don't need. So if you have ideas on what to do with all this "stuff" let me know. (We are having a moving sale as soon as we sell the house) but don't want to put the above items in it.
I am open for any suggestions!
I am open for any suggestions!
Happy New Year
We spent a quite evening at home last night. Our friends the Green's came over to help bring in the New Year. Had Derek, Celeste, Joe and cute little Liz here to help celebrate too. Nothing better than family and friends!
Good bye 2009 Hello 2010.
Started the morning off by saying goodbye to Derek as he starts moves to a new state and new job. He has been a life saver for the past month, driving me everywhere and taking good care of the family along with Celeste.
Wishing all my friends and family a very Happy New Year.
Good bye 2009 Hello 2010.
Started the morning off by saying goodbye to Derek as he starts moves to a new state and new job. He has been a life saver for the past month, driving me everywhere and taking good care of the family along with Celeste.
Wishing all my friends and family a very Happy New Year.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Mistaken identity can be dangerous
This is funny but I have to set the scene up!
So I finally got into the Neuroligist (seizure specialist) on Tues of this week. He is very good and has been highly recommended by many people. He wanted me to be hooked up to a take home monitor for 3 days so they could find out if these "episodes" were seizures or something else. So I came home with this funky nylon cap over my head that covered electrodes that were GLUED to my head. I had a main cord that came down the back of my head and I had a few EKG wires on my chest as well and all of those were then attached to a box that sat in a fanny pack that sat on my hip. Then there was another wire that went from the box to a little monitor that watched me all the time. So when I would have an episode a button was pushed and then it would monitor what was happening and then my family would talk into the monitor giving more information. Anyway it was interesting to say the least and the Doctors office gave me a choice of which cute little bandana that I wanted to wear to cover all the cords and nylon cap up. So now that you have a visual of me with a funky wrap on my head and a cute little fanny pack on my hip, and my friend the monitor sitting beside me at all times you can hear "the rest of the story".
Celeste is here with her baby to stay with me and I am laying on the couch. There is a knock at the door. Celeste goes to the door and a lady dressed as a nurse walks in the house. I don't have my glasses on so I can't see her face. The lady walked up to me and sat down at the end of the couch that I was sitting on. I said hi to her. I looked at Celeste, she looked at me and we were both confused. (we both thought the other one knew who she was) She was nice and friendly and asked how old the baby was. Then she opens up her notebook and says I need to check on you and check your pump. She continued "Crystal was here earlier this week to put your pump in and I need to look at it" I said, "Crystal? I don't know what you are talking about, I don't have a pump? She then said "yes, Crystal was here and put in your pump and I need to check it. I said "Who are you? She stopped and looked at me and said I am from Home Healthcare and I am here to check your pump. Celeste and I gave a blank stare, Celeste said "She doesn't have a pump and no one by the name of Crystal came by this week". She said, Are you Ms. Edwards. No! She pulled out her phone and called her office. She said to the person on the phone, "I am at the house (verified my address which was correct) but this lady says she is not the right person and then she asked me to tell her my name (several times), conversation continues... well she clearly has a medical condition but she says she does not have a pump". Well they finally figured that they were at the wrong house and were supposed to be at another house on our street. Well the poor lady got off the phone and said, "let me explain, then I will leave and we will pretend this never happened". She drove from Jacksonville to get to Conway, called the house that she was supposed to be at, it is our neighbors sister that is staying with her that has cancer and they put in a pump a few days ago. When they verified that they were coming out to check the pump our neighbor told her that her sister wasn't doing well and was very delirous and didn't really know what was going on. (She didn't verify the address though). So when she came to our house, Celeste opened the door, she saw me sitting on the couch with a bandana on my head, and something on my hip that looked like a pump and I didn't know who she was and I denied having the pump cause I was confused... she thought it all made sense until Celeste cleared up who I was and that I in fact did not have a pump and was not the lady she was looking for.
Celeste and I were laughing so hard... she wasn't! She said she was really going to let her office have it for sending her to the wrong house. I pity that poor person that gave the wrong address! She said that in 30 years that she has been doing home health that had never happened.
The more I thought about it the more serious it became. If Celeste wouldn't have been here she would have hooked me up to a pump with some Chemotherapy or something because I looked like a cancer patient and was confused and delirious!
And I got it all on my monitor! LOL
I needed a good laugh just glad it turned out the way it did.
So I finally got into the Neuroligist (seizure specialist) on Tues of this week. He is very good and has been highly recommended by many people. He wanted me to be hooked up to a take home monitor for 3 days so they could find out if these "episodes" were seizures or something else. So I came home with this funky nylon cap over my head that covered electrodes that were GLUED to my head. I had a main cord that came down the back of my head and I had a few EKG wires on my chest as well and all of those were then attached to a box that sat in a fanny pack that sat on my hip. Then there was another wire that went from the box to a little monitor that watched me all the time. So when I would have an episode a button was pushed and then it would monitor what was happening and then my family would talk into the monitor giving more information. Anyway it was interesting to say the least and the Doctors office gave me a choice of which cute little bandana that I wanted to wear to cover all the cords and nylon cap up. So now that you have a visual of me with a funky wrap on my head and a cute little fanny pack on my hip, and my friend the monitor sitting beside me at all times you can hear "the rest of the story".
Celeste is here with her baby to stay with me and I am laying on the couch. There is a knock at the door. Celeste goes to the door and a lady dressed as a nurse walks in the house. I don't have my glasses on so I can't see her face. The lady walked up to me and sat down at the end of the couch that I was sitting on. I said hi to her. I looked at Celeste, she looked at me and we were both confused. (we both thought the other one knew who she was) She was nice and friendly and asked how old the baby was. Then she opens up her notebook and says I need to check on you and check your pump. She continued "Crystal was here earlier this week to put your pump in and I need to look at it" I said, "Crystal? I don't know what you are talking about, I don't have a pump? She then said "yes, Crystal was here and put in your pump and I need to check it. I said "Who are you? She stopped and looked at me and said I am from Home Healthcare and I am here to check your pump. Celeste and I gave a blank stare, Celeste said "She doesn't have a pump and no one by the name of Crystal came by this week". She said, Are you Ms. Edwards. No! She pulled out her phone and called her office. She said to the person on the phone, "I am at the house (verified my address which was correct) but this lady says she is not the right person and then she asked me to tell her my name (several times), conversation continues... well she clearly has a medical condition but she says she does not have a pump". Well they finally figured that they were at the wrong house and were supposed to be at another house on our street. Well the poor lady got off the phone and said, "let me explain, then I will leave and we will pretend this never happened". She drove from Jacksonville to get to Conway, called the house that she was supposed to be at, it is our neighbors sister that is staying with her that has cancer and they put in a pump a few days ago. When they verified that they were coming out to check the pump our neighbor told her that her sister wasn't doing well and was very delirous and didn't really know what was going on. (She didn't verify the address though). So when she came to our house, Celeste opened the door, she saw me sitting on the couch with a bandana on my head, and something on my hip that looked like a pump and I didn't know who she was and I denied having the pump cause I was confused... she thought it all made sense until Celeste cleared up who I was and that I in fact did not have a pump and was not the lady she was looking for.
Celeste and I were laughing so hard... she wasn't! She said she was really going to let her office have it for sending her to the wrong house. I pity that poor person that gave the wrong address! She said that in 30 years that she has been doing home health that had never happened.
The more I thought about it the more serious it became. If Celeste wouldn't have been here she would have hooked me up to a pump with some Chemotherapy or something because I looked like a cancer patient and was confused and delirious!
And I got it all on my monitor! LOL
I needed a good laugh just glad it turned out the way it did.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thanks
When life gets hard then there is one thing to count on... the Lord blesses you with people around you to bouy you up and give you strength.
Every morning I wake up i tell myself that I am going to try very hard to have a normal day, just like it used to be. Get up and shower, get ready for the day... drive to work, put in 8 or more hours at work, come home make dinner, spend time with hubby and family and read, do hobbies and just be normal again. As soon as I put my feet to the ground I know I Can't MAKE that happen. I have to be careful just walking, have to have someone there to shower, can't drive or work etc... and now Doug is on crutches too so it has made it a little bit more of a challenge for both of us. So we are really a sight to behold. But here is what we have been blessed with.
Gospel... to know the whole plan of happiness and what it is all about
Family... our adult children have flown across the country or driven hours to get here and have helped with every need, they have done things that I thought would have to be done when I am much older and they have been absolutely wonderful! Celeste has come to the house with her 3 month old baby every morning and stayed all day until after 10 pm to help take care of us. Our boys have done all kinds of chores around the house (inside and out) to get our house ready to sell, our kids just rallied around and decided what had to be done and they call daily to check on the progress. My parents call every single day to check in, they have their own health problems and this is when I need to be helping them.
Friends...have visited, called, brought in meals, sent cards and packages, and taken on my responsiblity at church and work. A few of my Institute students came by a couple of nights ago just to hang out and it was some of the best medicine ever. I haven't been much fun to be around lately but it is nice to have people around to bring a smile and help forget your cares. You know how people mention that you are in their prayers. Well, I think that this is how I am being blessed. I can't say that my health is better but having people in my life that care, makes all the difference in the world. I know that this is the time of year where everyone is busy trying to get everything ready for Christmas and yet extra time is given to lift someone elses burden. You know that you are being blessed when you spent the day crying and the mailman knocks and waits at the door until you answer and he hands you a care package from a friend. How did she know? How did any of them know what was needed and when?
Christmas will be different this year. I don't care about the shopping cause I can't do it this year and it isn't important anymore. Christmas will be better because it will be centered around the most important blessings I have and that is family and friends not things that can be bought at any store. I just want to feel the love of the season and have it Christ centered, lots of Christmas music and the "real reason for the season".
I am truly blessed with angels for family and friends. So, thanks to Heavenly Father for placing all of you in my life! All of you have been my blessing and a answer to prayers.
Every morning I wake up i tell myself that I am going to try very hard to have a normal day, just like it used to be. Get up and shower, get ready for the day... drive to work, put in 8 or more hours at work, come home make dinner, spend time with hubby and family and read, do hobbies and just be normal again. As soon as I put my feet to the ground I know I Can't MAKE that happen. I have to be careful just walking, have to have someone there to shower, can't drive or work etc... and now Doug is on crutches too so it has made it a little bit more of a challenge for both of us. So we are really a sight to behold. But here is what we have been blessed with.
Gospel... to know the whole plan of happiness and what it is all about
Family... our adult children have flown across the country or driven hours to get here and have helped with every need, they have done things that I thought would have to be done when I am much older and they have been absolutely wonderful! Celeste has come to the house with her 3 month old baby every morning and stayed all day until after 10 pm to help take care of us. Our boys have done all kinds of chores around the house (inside and out) to get our house ready to sell, our kids just rallied around and decided what had to be done and they call daily to check on the progress. My parents call every single day to check in, they have their own health problems and this is when I need to be helping them.
Friends...have visited, called, brought in meals, sent cards and packages, and taken on my responsiblity at church and work. A few of my Institute students came by a couple of nights ago just to hang out and it was some of the best medicine ever. I haven't been much fun to be around lately but it is nice to have people around to bring a smile and help forget your cares. You know how people mention that you are in their prayers. Well, I think that this is how I am being blessed. I can't say that my health is better but having people in my life that care, makes all the difference in the world. I know that this is the time of year where everyone is busy trying to get everything ready for Christmas and yet extra time is given to lift someone elses burden. You know that you are being blessed when you spent the day crying and the mailman knocks and waits at the door until you answer and he hands you a care package from a friend. How did she know? How did any of them know what was needed and when?
Christmas will be different this year. I don't care about the shopping cause I can't do it this year and it isn't important anymore. Christmas will be better because it will be centered around the most important blessings I have and that is family and friends not things that can be bought at any store. I just want to feel the love of the season and have it Christ centered, lots of Christmas music and the "real reason for the season".
I am truly blessed with angels for family and friends. So, thanks to Heavenly Father for placing all of you in my life! All of you have been my blessing and a answer to prayers.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Life happens!
I have always thought that blog posts were supposed to be informative, but fun to read. I love hearing about other people's experiences and ideas and daily lives. I like happy thoughts and happy blogs. This time I am going to tell about something that is not so happy. Something that is happening in my life that has made a huge effect on everything that I do.
As most of you know in Sept 2005 I was told that I have a tumor in my left sinus area in the brain. It is benign and inoperable. I was told it is the best kind of tumor but in the worst place possible. Any surgery could be fatal, or cause horrible side effects such as damage to all facial nerves and stroke. I have been doing fine except for a few horrible headaches here and there and some other treatments to my face that are symptoms of the tumor.
Earlier this month (Nov 5) I woke up feeling pretty dizzy and off balance. I got ready for work and went to do my job. As I was sitting in the office at work I had a seizure. Of course everyone was alarmed and an ambulance was called and I was taken to the local Hospital and then transported to St. Vincent Hospital and was there for about 3 days. They did many tests and told me to contact several kinds of doctors to . I have the best Neurosurgeon in the world but now I have to add more doctors to help with the symptoms. I called the doctors they suggested and couldn't get in until Dec 21 2009. Good thing it wasn't an emergency huh? I had about 11 episodes in the hospital in St. Vincent but nothing was really done to help me out. I was exhausted from the seizures and it took me a good 2 weeks to get my energy back. I went about 2 weeks without any problems, a slight dizzy spell here or there but I had started working a few hours a day and started driving again. Then Tues the week of Thanksgiving when all my family was here, we were all having fun together and I had another seizure. This time they were more frequent and lasted longer than before. So after having a great Thanksgiving dinner sitting around with neighbors, I had another one, and then another one. It was decided to take me to the Conway Regional Hospital that night. They started me on a seizure medication that very night and they clocked the frequency and time of each one, I had 24 in 4 days but 18 of those 24 were in 20 hours. So they were getting worse and more frequent. Thankfully a Neursurgeon came in and was there when I had a seizure. They have upped my meds 3 x the normal amount now. Now I need to go to be monitored at a hospital soon to find out if there is any damage and what they can do to help me.
This is a life changing situation for us. I should have someone with me at all times and I can't drive. I am probably not going to be able to work at this point. Last night we sat as a family and had to make some hard decisions of what changes have to take place in our lives.
I have hope that things will go well but I also have to accept reality too. At this point prayers are what I need. My sweet family had a special fast and prayer for me yesterday, it was much appreciated.
I know who the Master healer is and have faith that he will heal. Even if that means that things will be different than what I had planned. He is in charge.
I will say that it was wonderful having family here for Thanksgiving! They are awesome. They helped me SO much. I was sitting in my hospital bed not happy that I couldn't be with them and my cell phone went off about 6 times in a row. They all texted me telling me that they loved me. It was awesome. I got visits from them often and the Doctors were willing to release me so that I could watch our little Liz get blessed on Sunday. That was a blessing! I realized even more now that family and friends are the most important thing we can have. Nothing else really matters! I missed Black Friday and all the deals and it doesn't even matter cause all of that is just stuff I don't have to have. This Christmas will be quite with a small group of family gathered around and that is just what I want.
Love ya'll
As most of you know in Sept 2005 I was told that I have a tumor in my left sinus area in the brain. It is benign and inoperable. I was told it is the best kind of tumor but in the worst place possible. Any surgery could be fatal, or cause horrible side effects such as damage to all facial nerves and stroke. I have been doing fine except for a few horrible headaches here and there and some other treatments to my face that are symptoms of the tumor.
Earlier this month (Nov 5) I woke up feeling pretty dizzy and off balance. I got ready for work and went to do my job. As I was sitting in the office at work I had a seizure. Of course everyone was alarmed and an ambulance was called and I was taken to the local Hospital and then transported to St. Vincent Hospital and was there for about 3 days. They did many tests and told me to contact several kinds of doctors to . I have the best Neurosurgeon in the world but now I have to add more doctors to help with the symptoms. I called the doctors they suggested and couldn't get in until Dec 21 2009. Good thing it wasn't an emergency huh? I had about 11 episodes in the hospital in St. Vincent but nothing was really done to help me out. I was exhausted from the seizures and it took me a good 2 weeks to get my energy back. I went about 2 weeks without any problems, a slight dizzy spell here or there but I had started working a few hours a day and started driving again. Then Tues the week of Thanksgiving when all my family was here, we were all having fun together and I had another seizure. This time they were more frequent and lasted longer than before. So after having a great Thanksgiving dinner sitting around with neighbors, I had another one, and then another one. It was decided to take me to the Conway Regional Hospital that night. They started me on a seizure medication that very night and they clocked the frequency and time of each one, I had 24 in 4 days but 18 of those 24 were in 20 hours. So they were getting worse and more frequent. Thankfully a Neursurgeon came in and was there when I had a seizure. They have upped my meds 3 x the normal amount now. Now I need to go to be monitored at a hospital soon to find out if there is any damage and what they can do to help me.
This is a life changing situation for us. I should have someone with me at all times and I can't drive. I am probably not going to be able to work at this point. Last night we sat as a family and had to make some hard decisions of what changes have to take place in our lives.
I have hope that things will go well but I also have to accept reality too. At this point prayers are what I need. My sweet family had a special fast and prayer for me yesterday, it was much appreciated.
I know who the Master healer is and have faith that he will heal. Even if that means that things will be different than what I had planned. He is in charge.
I will say that it was wonderful having family here for Thanksgiving! They are awesome. They helped me SO much. I was sitting in my hospital bed not happy that I couldn't be with them and my cell phone went off about 6 times in a row. They all texted me telling me that they loved me. It was awesome. I got visits from them often and the Doctors were willing to release me so that I could watch our little Liz get blessed on Sunday. That was a blessing! I realized even more now that family and friends are the most important thing we can have. Nothing else really matters! I missed Black Friday and all the deals and it doesn't even matter cause all of that is just stuff I don't have to have. This Christmas will be quite with a small group of family gathered around and that is just what I want.
Love ya'll
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