Thursday, April 30, 2015

A New and Quite Happy Discovery

For more than a year I have noted that a friend and her family go to a Chiropractic office right beside my dentist.  Happy reports on Facebook and glowing recommendations in person came back to me as Warren continued to be sick, sick, sick.  I felt that he simply must go to this Chiropractor to see if she could help him be less dizzy.

So, off he went.  He came home very positive.  He liked the office and the Doctor.  Pains disappeared very quickly.  Of course there is some discomfort with getting vertebrae and muscles to learn new things but he had really suffered with nerve pain in his arm and leg and it is gone!  The treatments have had no effect on his dizziness, sadly.  But because of his results I decided to stand up to my fear of Chiropractic and sign up as a patient.

Oh.my.goodness.  It is incredible.

My neck has been a problem for me for years.  Pouring candles clearly agitates it.  Dr. Tai showed me why and is now in the process of opening up the compressed vertebrae.  A burning sensation in my left leg is nearly gone.  I had been terrified that I was going to be like my dad and have continuous neuropathy in my legs and feet.

But here's the big one.  Since I was 19 and had my wisdom teeth out I have had a jaw that cracks ridiculously when I open and close it.  It never occurred to me to mention it to Dr. Tai.  Yesterday she was in the middle of my adjustment.  She was at my feet, which seems to be how she determines what needs to be done.  All of a sudden she said, "Hmm, that's strange".  Then she came up and used her "clicker" on my jaw....once!  Immediately the pain that had been there all afternoon disappeared.
Remember....I never told her about the TMJ.  Later, while sitting in the waiting room waiting for Jonathan to finish up I opened my mouth.  No click.  Seriously?????   28 years of clicking solved in one second?  I sat there looking like a fish as I opened and closed over and over again.  Warren laughed and suggested I be careful....lest I click mid open and find my jaw stuck.  Haha.  The click is back this morning but I have hope that this is something that I can get permanent relief from.

Weird things happen, though.  Like Jonathan?  This was his first visit.   He has a herniated disc in his lower back and was supposed to have surgery when all the craziness broke out with the flooding, sickness, etc.  That forced it to be postponed.  Well, after just one adjustment he had NO pain in his leg last night....which used to be constant and severe.  BUT his pinky on one hand throbbed all night.  I think there is another adjustment to be made.  Haha.  We will have to continue to walk this new journey to get our bodies back on track to healing.  How cool would it be if he doesn't have to have surgery?????  I'm kind of hopeful.

The truth is that there are no quick fixes.  There is discomfort with this and it is often two steps forward and one step back.  Our bodies like to be aligned as they have been for years....but when you can see what is possible when things are where they are supposed to be it gives the hope and determination to continue.

I'm sure I am late to the party of chiropractic but at least I've arrived.  This is yet another positive thing to come from the Healthy Lifestyles class I took at our Ladies Bible Study.  We saw a chart there that showed how very important it is to have free passage for the nerves to every part of our body.  That stuck in my memory and helped me to get over my fear and into relief.

Don't you love how God weaves friends, teachers, influences into our lives to bring us to things that help us?  I can look back and see the various things that brought us here....when we needed it most.

Update on Warren:  He continues to have headaches and visual disturbances.  Seeing the ENT yesterday brought more questions than answers.  The doctor is concerned.  And so more tests are ordered and we will go forward with a consultation at Johns Hopkins next week.  Feel free to continue praying and we will keep you informed.  Warren can function like this but we can't imagine life where this is normal.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Just Sharing This and That

We are nearing the end of April.  Can you believe it??  The temperatures certainly don't feel like we'll reach May during this week but it is beautiful nonetheless.  I think this may allow us to enjoy the flowering trees just a bit longer than usual.  Oh, they are so lovely!

We are continuing along.  The house is still a mess but I know that will begin to change over the next month or so.  There is just a lot of work to do downstairs before we can move back in.  We are determined to do things in an orderly way and not just throw it all back down there.  So, I'll keep my "blindfolds" on to deal with all of the extra "stuff" in my dining and living rooms.

A group of us from church went to see Chonda Pierce on Saturday evening.  She is a very special lady.  I hadn't seen her in person before and have to say that all of us walked away just wanting to be her friend.  She is so open and real.  Of course she is funny but she also ministered in a very real way as well.  We did feel sorry for the few men who brought their wives because it was so clearly material that women can enjoy and men...well, not as much.  ;-)

Last week I finally started a process that has needed to be done in my candle shop.  That of creating and listing Bridal favors.  I started with a small tin and will move on to jar candles soon.




Hoping these will catch on as successfully as the baby shower favors have.
I love making baby shower favors
 but am also excited about making a larger variety.
I'm easily bored.
Shame on me.

I'm also excited about some new fragrances.
Sweet Orange Chili Pepper
German Chocolate Cake
Pink Sugar Type
and 
Fresh Cut Grass.

That's what I love about candle making.
There is always something new....different....fun!

Chelsea and I are going to spend most of this morning together.
We still like our mother/daughter time.
Hope that never ends even as she is growing up and has a life 
of her own.

Have a blessed day.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Huge Sigh of Relief!

Today Warren, Georgia and I went to the Neurosurgeon to see what he thought about the Arachnoid Cysts on his brain.  It was presumed they were causing his symptoms of vertigo, eye changes and headaches.

The doctor is very sure that is not the case.  He is also convinced that the cysts have nothing to do with the tumor his father had.

We are so very thankful.  Having walked the long road with his father we know that God could just as well have allowed it to be a different outcome.  We also know that every day could be our last.  But in this case He offered us mercy.

Georgia did a happy dance in the waiting room, which was a beautiful sight to behold.  From the deep worries of what might have been to the release of all the stress.

Warren is being referred to another specialist.  One who will investigate the ongoing vertigo symptoms.  But for now that seems minor.

I just thought you might want to know.  :-)

Thank You, so much, for your concern and prayers for our family.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

The Prayer of a Child

Yesterday I was hawking my wares  selling candles at a women's conference,  At the next table was a man.  A man at a women's conference.  I'm guessing he felt right at home with candles on one side and jewelry on the other.  :-)  Anyway, he was representing a local ministry that after hearing about I was quite impressed with. It sounds like it works smart and efficiently.  It may even be something our church would be interested in getting involved with....but that is yet to be seen.

Anyway, about mid morning, an acquaintance came over and she was a volunteer for the conference. She mentioned what a waste it was to have chocolate covered pretzels weighing down balloons when we could be eating some.  I suggested that if my kids were there we might have the discussion about how many pretzels were actually needed in that bag to hold down the balloon.  Pretty soon the gentleman at the next table was opening that bag and all three of us took a pretzel.  We were amused.

Imagine my horror come early afternoon as another volunteer came over and discovered the bag was open and went to get help because those were doorprizes!!!  They taped it all back together and put it in a pretty bag.  I apologized profusely and was quite put in my place.  It is all so funny until the church ladies aren't happy.  lol

Well, this led to a mini friendship with the man at the next table.  I mean, partners in crime?  You gotta stick together.  And so we began chatting.  It turns out that part of their ministry involves helping families in Guatemala start small businesses to make some additional income.  Our Danish friend, Johnny, has a huge interest in doing this one day so I got some information for him.  Then we continued discussing other aspects of the Servant Ministry and I learned that they do home repair projects for local families in need.  Local churches are the workers for these projects and then if that family or elderly person does not have a church they are loved on and ministered to by a local church in hopes that they will become involved.

This led to a discussion of our church.  How small it is.  How busy our members are in serving their families, neighbors and each other.  But, perhaps one day this Summer there might be interest in a Father/Son day where they meet the needs of a local family that we have yet to meet.

In the process of our discussion I described our unique way of worship as a multi-generational church.  How we don't separate out for various classes or activities and there is no children's church.  I expressed my conviction that this is not "the only right way" to do church, however, it is what our families are comfortable with.  He rightly assumed that we are primarily made up of homeschooling families.  I admitted that we think "differently".  It was a good conversation.

Here is the part that prompted this post.  I told him about one young one, named Asher (4 or 5 years old) who last week prayed out loud in our corporate prayer time.  I say he prayed "out loud" but it was barely above a whisper.  Just enough that we could just make out his words as he prayed for a man in our church, who usually sits right in front of him, who was recovering from hip replacement surgery.
It was not a three word prayer.  His thoughts were well put together and he was so sincere.  I'll tell you what!  That blessed my heart so much!  To hear one of our youngest members caring so much for an adult in need.  He didn't seem to be fearful.  He just stated the need to His Heavenly Father.

 Lord, may we be just like Asher and show loving care and concern for those around us.  May we not fear man but cry out to You with all that is in us in confidence that You want to hear from us.    May we also have childlike faith.

Amen!

Friday, April 10, 2015

Our New Normal

I thought I would try to put the swirling thoughts in my head into words somehow.  As you know, if you have been reading along, the year of 2015 got off to a rough start for our family.  We hoped that we were through the worst of it but it seems there are more faith building opportunities ahead for us.

Warren's MRI revealed two cysts on the base of his brain.  We will see a surgeon on Tuesday to discuss treatment and I'm also submitting his written MRI report to Johns Hopkins to see if they would see him for a second opinion.  Because they are causing symptoms it looks like we have brain surgery in our future.  You know how when something is simple the phrase is, "Well, its not brain surgery!"?  Well, that has a whole new meaning for us these days.

We would probably be more naive and less concerned about the whole thing if we had not walked the journey of brain surgery and ultimate passing of his father from something originating in the same area of his brain.  Because of that history we will be much more diligent and cautious in how we proceed to make sure we are comfortable with the treatment plan and doctor behind the scalpel.

Please keep us in your prayers....and even more so Georgia, Warren's Mom.  This is so very hard on her.  My heart breaks for the sinking feeling she must have and all the places that she is likely to go with us that have such horrible memories.  We walked that road together and I'm thankful to have her with us on this journey.  We are thankful that Warren's cysts were caught early and are praying that there are no surprises when they get in there.

As far as the basement flooding situation is concerned....we are seeing progress in the trench digging. Four strong young men come for a "few" hours each day and make a LOT of noise and exhaust as they cut the cement floor and jackhammer out the concrete.  We have had our doors and windows open the last two days.  Shiver!  Even so our carbon monoxide detector went off on our upper level.  I walked out the front door, saw movement in their truck and went down to find all four of them in there.  I mentioned the detector going off and they said, "We know.  That's why we are out here."  Um, what about us????  So now I know that they aren't going to warn us if we are about to die.  Every man, woman, cat and dog for themselves.  Good grief.  Yesterday after they left I went down to find a hose running onto the floor, reflooding the basement.  Can anyone say...."You're fired???".  Chelsea has been practicing.  :-)  But I guess we will let them complete their mission and just try to survive them.  For the most part I think the wet saw cutting is done and that seems to be where the carbon monoxide was coming from.  There is a lot of work yet to be done down there and if we survive these guys it should all be worth it.

Backtracking to Monday, we had a wonderful day at Longwood Gardens.  Chelsea, Chadd, Mom and I got away.  It was a very beautiful day!  Chelsea and Chadd have been dating for four months now and wanted some photos so I was invited to be the photographer.  We got a few nice ones.









I asked Chadd if he wanted to kiss her on the cheek for this one.
He looked quite unsure but agreed.
Afterward he said he wasn't sure if it was a trick question.
Haha.
Not a trick question but it is an adorable photo, right?

You know me....
I had to take photos of the beautiful flowers as well.
Not a lot blooming outside yet but I found what there was to find.




It looks like the dogwood trees should be opening nicely in the next week or so.  But for now there is so much to see in the Conservatory.













Catching us by surprise was the scope of the construction site happening in front of the Conservatory as they work to update and restore the Italian Garden and Fountain Area.





I don't know if you can tell from these photos how huge this is....
but wow.  Since we are used to seeing a very different sight when we 
walk out those front doors this really plays with your brain.

Today I will set up a table of candles for a Women's Conference happening tomorrow.
I've been busy trying make enough inventory for it.
Hoping for a fun and profitable day.
Fun being more important at this point.
Ha!


Thursday, April 2, 2015

Bring On April

Bring on sunshine.
Bring on leafy buds.
Bring on tulips and daffodils.
Bring on dry basements and houses put back in order.
Bring on the end of vertigo and the extinction of Anorexia flare ups.
Bring on the healing of abscesses and sore toes.
Bring on the added JOY of Easter!
Bring on a new workspace for me.

Welcome April.
We are so ready for you!!

Chelsea and I spent the morning together.
We enjoyed a new (to us) coffee shop
and then purchased some cement stain....for my new workspace
and some yellow paint for our upstairs bathroom.
I had procrastinated working on it because I hoped that
we would soon be able to just gut the thing and start over.
However, with the downstairs becoming a more urgent 
and expensive project I am going to just brighten it with 
paint, curtains and a soft throw rug and wait...again.
It isn't the end of the world and when the time is right
we shall get rid of the 70's touches.

We then went to Costco and ordered new tires for her car.
No doubt we should have done that before the long winter hit
but that made for a great reason for her to carpool
with her Grandma and Daddy
which eased my mind.
So...what can I say.

I love mornings spent with my girl.
She's pretty grown up now and it is much more like just 
being out with a very good friend.

We are not all healed up here yet.
 I continue to act as Warren's driver but this morning was his
best morning yet...so we are optimistic.
He had an MRI/MRA yesterday and we are awaiting those
results and praying for nothing to show up there.

We know prayers are going up
and are so very thankful.

Have a very blessed day.
I'm off to make quiche and candles.
Hopefully the two will not influence each other.
I don't think a quiche candle would be a top seller.