Updates & Photo Overload

This post is going to be a mishmash of everything. It is long so feel free to skip it :)

My RSD has gotten worse. It started in my left knee and has now moved to my back, arms, wrists and hands. I have been in quite a bit of pain lately. So much so that I haven't been on the computer a lot due to the wrist pain. It hurts to type this. 

We found a doctor close by who uses ultrasounds, a TENs unit and laser acupuncture. I went Wednesday and have another appointment today.

The doctor said to wear wrist braces to help compress the nerves. I have two larger braces and two smaller braces. I have one of each on in this photo.

And after fighting it for awhile, I finally went gluten-free. I'm on day 3. I was already dairy-free. We stopped at TJ Maxx after the doctor's appointment Wednesday and I picked up a ton of snacks. I'm also eating raw spinach, strawberries, carrots and grilled chicken. 

My life is truly blessed. I know God is using the RSD for His good. I have people all over the world praying for me - Spain, India, Ethiopia, Tanzania and of course here in the US. 

I am not sure why I have RSD or if it will ever go into remission. But I have great doctors who are trying to help and an amazing husband. 

That same husband said it was time to get an adjustable bed. I use to sleep amazingly well. About 9-10 hours a night. Now I sleep an hour and wake up in sweat. I'm usually up from 1am to 4am in pain. Then I take a sleeping pill and get a few more hours of sleep. It is not fun. I have to do wash every morning from all the bedding and clothing I sweat through. 

Here is my "old" bed which was purchased just a few years ago. It is a basic memory foam but it was getting hard to get up from it. After buying the new bed, we listed this on Craiglist and without a half hour, it was sold. We delivered it the next day to a single mom of a disabled 10 year old girl named Chloe. Chloe was so excited with her new bed. We also included 5 sets of sheets, a heated mattress pad, a down mattress cover and a bunch of other stuff. The mom called me that night and left a message saying how happy her daughter was with her bed and how she appreciated everything.

And now the story of the new bed. We stopped at the first mattress store and was told that an adjustable bed was going to be about $6,000. Yikes. We quickly left. 


We left that store and we were driving to another mattress store and my husband suddenly pulled in by a dumpster. LOL. We weren't even close to the mattress store we had in mind. 

He said that he noticed a store and wanted to check it out before I got out of the car. (Getting out/in of the car is a major undertaking since I now have a wheelchair.)

He jogged back and told me that it was going to be a "God moment". I got out of the car, went around the front of the building and was greeted by the owner. She told us that they leased the space and were now moving out of the building. The building was being sold to a medical company. They needed to sell as much as possible.

And...they had several choices of adjustable beds! After trying out almost every bed in the store, I knew what I wanted. I then found out that I wanted the most expensive bed in this store. Oops. 

 

The lady gave us a great deal. My adjustable frame/boxspring, mattress, two pairs of sheets and delivery cost less than 1/3 of the first store! Plus, they would deliver it THAT NIGHT! In less than 4 hours of entering the store, I would have a new mattress in my room. 

 

Isn't it gorgeous? I'm in love with my new bed. My favorite feature is the massage mode. I didn't even know there were beds that did this! Plus, it is much higher off the ground which allows me to roll off the bed instead of standing up and hurting my knee.

 The owner gave me two sets of sheets. She only had gray and ivory and I took one of each. The gray color worked perfectly in my room! 

The next day I found a white Ralph Lauren bed skirt on clearance for $20. It was king sized and so I just cut out the middle, tucked it into the boxspring and it works perfectly.
 

My husband's 91 year old aunt called me this week. Her cousin had chronic back pain and a doctor in Pittsburgh was able to help her. I called the doctor and was told to send in my MRIs, medical paperwork and a write up of my RSD. They will review it this Monday and call me on Tuesday if the doctor takes my case. A lot of doctor's don't want to work with RSD patients since there is no cure.

Instead of just sending everything in a plain envelope, I took the time to include my photo and wrap the packet in tissue paper. I wanted the doctor to remember me.

Later today we will be having a memorial for my father-in-law who passed away two weeks ago. Dean was 88 years old and was ready to go "home". We are at peace knowing he is in heaven. Instead of a funeral, we are doing a memorial celebration. 

I made up several photo collages of the barns Dean made over the years. These will be hung in the church basement where we are having the reception party after the service. 
 

 Other photos will be placed in the middle of the tables as centerpieces. 

My husband & his father. I believe this was taken in the early 1990s.

My husband as a child. He was just one years old here! He seems rather big for a one year old.

My father-in-law, Dean, is on the far left.

Another of my husband. How cute is he?!?

My husband and his dad posing for the camera

During the memorial service we will be having questions and prizes. We wanted to do something different. The prizes will include some of Dean's favorite things: Oreos, peanut butter cookies, screwdrivers with screws, a Bible, several handmade hammers (made by my hubby), more candy and ice cream scoops.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty miserable. I didn't sleep well and had two doctor's appointments. I knew I was in for a long day. 

The mailman delivered the mail just 5 minutes before we had to leave. There was a large box. I wasn't expecting anything. I opened it up and I still didn't know what it was.

Then I read the letter. One of my blog readers, Jen, sent me a gift! Actually, several amazing gifts. She read my blog and took her family on vacation to one of my favorite places on earth - Anna Maria Island. As a thank you, she sent me this incredible box. 

THANK YOU Jen! Taking the time to write to me and send me something touches my heart. You are an amazing person. Please know YOU cheered me up yesterday when I needed it. We already used the water bottle. Everything is perfect.

Jen sent a fun printed Thirty One brand tote bag which completely matches my home and my wardrobe, a water bottle which doesn't spill when tipped over, several packs of baking cups, three OPI nail polishes, a cross stretch bracelet and several notebooks. I have no idea of how a "stranger" knows me so well. It was like we were best friends for years. Jen, you picked out the perfect gifts! Thank you again.

 Also this week (I told you this was going to be long!), I spent time in the hammock. I cannot stay in one position for long but it was the perfect evening.

I love Bob Ross! When I am awake in the middle of the night, I turn on the TV to distract myself from the pain. Bob keeps me company. His voice is soothing. 
 

Look at the book I found this week. I almost got it but I held myself back. Instead I took a photo and texted my sister.
 

And lastly, a haircut! I have been cutting my own hair for over a year. I didn't have the energy to go and almost cancelled. But I really wanted something to make myself feel better. My hair dresser trimmed it and then thinned it out quite a bit. Now I can wear it on the top of my head without a headache. Woo-hoo!

My doctor yesterday prescribed two new medicines for me. One is to help with nerve pain and is used by a lot of RSD patients. The other is a fetanyl patch. This will allow me to stop taking oral pain medicine and is stronger than my current pain regime. Please keep me in your prayers as I adjust to the new meds. 

This was a lot of typing and it took me several hours. I truly appreciate all the prayers and thoughts that you have sent. I may step away from my blog for a few days to let my wrists have a change to hopefully get better. Thank you to all my readers!