Happy New Year!

Twenty-two minutes left in the year, according to my clock. This year has certainly been one of both outstanding highs and miserable lows, but we've pulled through. Mom has been doing slightly better in the sense that she is eating some, drinking about as much as she needs to, and able to go for longer and longer walks. She has come up the stairs twice this week, though she usually needs help getting back down. She still gets feeling really faint and has tremendous headaches. She went to the chiropractor's yesterday, but she was feeling so faint by the time she got there that he had to see her in the office instead of being able to get her to the table. He made a few adjustments and says there is much more to do, but Mom says she's had more headaches since the adjustment than she was having before. Hopefully one of these days--soon!--we'll hit on something that will help her.

Meanwhile, thanks again for all of your love and support. We appreciate every note, kind word, meal, and visit we received (and everything else, too). We have really felt the love of God through each of you this holiday season. So here's to God and His blessings, to you and your kindness, and to another year on this beautiful earth--may it bring greater joy and many blessings to all.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! It has been a miracle that all of us, including Dad, are enjoying the season and excited for Christmas, even with all of our trials at the moment. Mom is doing slightly better (or at least, not any worse) than she has been, and I'm sure what we got her for Christmas will put a smile on her face tomorrow morning! I hope all your kids let you sleep in past 5 AM (6 if you're lucky!), and that you can all remember and be grateful for the true meaning of Christmas. Thanks for your support, and God bless!

Slight Decline

If anything, Mom's been feeling a bit worse lately. It's getting harder and harder to get her to eat or drink much of anything, though we're trying to make every bit count by getting her things like ensure and protein water. Things are rough, but we're hanging in there. We're all enjoying the Christmas season, albeit not the traffic or weather. Thank you all so very much for helping us to HAVE a Christmas, and for all your continued prayers and support. We really are so grateful, even if we are a little too busy to show it properly. Hope you can all enjoy the holidays with the ones you love, as we are!

The More the Merrier!

It has just come to our attention that some people may be under the impression that Mom doesn't want any visitors. Exactly the opposite is true! She loves having visitors, and keeping her spirits up is just as (if not more) important than anything else right now. Please feel free to come say hi for as little or as long as you want to; if by chance she's sleeping, we'll let her know you stopped by and knowing that you care will make her smile. There isn't a whole lot to do when you're stuck in bed like she is, so she loves having people to talk to. If you like, you can give us a call beforehand just to make sure she's alright.

Again, thanks for your support. Please help us spread the word, and kindly correct anyone who might say she doesn't want visitors. Love you all! You have truly been blessings in our lives this Christmas season.

Not so great...

Mom hasn't been doing so well the last couple of days. She's been in a lot of pain and eating less than even what little she had been. She's still drinking only half of what the doctor says she needs to be drinking in order to not end up back in the hospital, but she's so nauseous she can hardly keep water down, let alone any food. She informed me far too lightheartedly that she has lost another 20 pounds in the last 2 weeks.

As far as the doctors go, her primary doctor has ordered another slew of tests. However, we have to wait for Medicaid to go through before those tests can be done. Medicaid says it is going through as fast as it can. The neurologist needs a whole bunch of paperwork from other doctors Mom has been to or she won't be accepted as a patient, so it sounds like that's on hold.

This whole ordeal has been taking its toll on the family. We are all rather worn emotionally, which seems to make even day-to-day tasks stressful and difficult, but we're trying hard to keep the Christmas spirit in our hearts. I know many of you know what that's like, and even if you don't, we all apologize if we have seemed ungrateful, short, rude, forgetful, or anything else. Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers--they have helped and continue to help us in this trial.

Left in Confusion

Mom had an appointment with a neurologist this morning to get some tests done. They were prepping her for the tests when the neurologist came in and asked why they had ordered these particular tests. In fact, we had been told that SHE ordered them. Apparently, between the doctor's office and the neurologists', the wrong tests were ordered. We were, luckily, able to get our down payment back, but no tests were done.

She also had another appointment with the ophthalmologist. That appointment was conclusive that there is nothing wrong with Mom's eyes. It's good to rule out some things, but we're still left with no answers. The doctors think they're getting close; hopefully we can get in for those neurology tests again soon, and the right ones this time!

About the same...

Mom went to see the ophthalmologist yesterday. Everything he checked was completely normal; they have a field vision test scheduled for Tuesday, just after her appointment with a neurologist in American Fork (hooray!). The mere exertion of having to get out of the house took its toll, however. Mom had to be taken to the car in a wheel chair, and we barely got her inside without a collapse. She is continuing to eat relatively well.

The bottom line is that though Mom is home from the hospital, we don't want to give anyone the false impression that she is better. We continue to need your help and support as we try to find the problem so that we can treat it. Thanks for all of your continued love and prayers.

Little change...

Mom is still happy to be home, but there has been little change. She is still in quite a bit of pain. She has oxygen to use when she needs it, particularly at night. She did make it out of bed this evening to watch "The Blindside" with my brother Jeshua, which is good. She has an appointment tomorrow with an ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) who will perform some tests and make sure her eyes aren't the problem.

Home

Mom was released from the hospital today. She is now at home where we have a plan to take care of her until she can see the neurologist and hopefully get some answers. She is still in a lot of pain and on multiple medications, but she is as happy to be home as we are to have her home. Though she is still weak and dizzy, she is eating and drinking enough that we don't think fainting will be a problem. She is able to get around with help. We thank you for your prayers on her behalf; please keep praying, especially that the doctors will be able to figure out what's wrong so that we can get her back to the crazy, wonderful person we all love!

Monday Update

There is little change in Mom's condition. The doctors still don't know what to do, though we have a recommendation for a good neurologist in American Fork. Mom's current doctor says she might be able to come home tomorrow, if he can work out a plan for managing Mom's pain, nausea, and dizziness at home. She is eating and drinking more than she has been the last few days. Even if she does get to come home, we aren't out of the woods yet, to succumb to a cliche. The doctors still need to figure out what's wrong to be able to treat the cause instead of the symptoms. Right now, though she is feeling better, that is mostly--if not completely--due to the long list of medication she's on at the moment. Dad feels good about the neurologist, and we hope to be able to schedule an appointment to see him very soon.

Sunday Update

Mom has been up and walking around a bit today. She is weak from laying in bed but she is getting a little stronger. She's still on multiple IVs including fluid and steroids, but she's getting a little more food and liquid. Tomorrow morning, Monday, the doctor says he is going to have a few other doctors come take a look at her and do some more tests. The other doctors are specialists in various areas. Hopefully they are feeling of our prayers today and will be able to find the problem!

Thanks again for your prayers, love, and support in this trial. You are each greatly appreciated.

Catching Up

Mom has been sick for over seven months. The initial symptom was a severe, constant headache. This headache became progressively worse to include dizziness and instability, as well as nausea. She hasn't been able to eat much for quite some time, and has lost about 50 pounds in the last two months. She's been mostly bedridden for a few weeks. We have been working with many good and competent physicians in trying to find the source of these problems. A plethora of sundry tests have been taken, and we hope to get to the bottom of it soon. However, nothing has indicated anything out of the ordinary as of yet. A set of three MRIs over a year or two has deducted that the tiny cyst in her brain has probably been there her whole life and is not causing any problems.

On Thursday, Mom had a lumbar puncture in which they drew fluid from the inside of her spine. The test came back completely normal, however, the test caused her great pain. Later that night, she couldn't move her back without excruciating pain. Dad and I attempted to help her--practically carry her--to the bathroom. She was able to brush her teeth before she said she was feeling faint. Her color drained quickly and she passed out cold. We were able to quickly and safely lower her to the floor, and Dad was able to wake her up after we made sure she was breathing. She didn't know where she was or even who she was, but after talking to her for a while she understood. My wonderful Aunt Lynda, who had driven out from California earlier that day as a surprise and arrived at the perfect time, helped us to make the decision to call 911. The paramedics arrived shortly, and soon Mom was taken to Mountain View Hospital in an ambulance.

The doctors said that Mom was severely dehydrated, which probably added to the reason for her faint. They put her on an IV of fluid, which seemed to help, but Friday in the hospital was awful. Mom was hardly responsive, in a lot of pain, and just plain "out of it." The great nurses were able to give her some sleep medication along with her morphine and other anti-nausea drugs, and she slept well.

Saturday she was doing really well. They have the nausea under control, but that has given way to stomach pain whenever she eats or drinks anything. She was able to sit up on her own without passing out. She was joking more like herself. The only new development is that the Morphine seems to be getting to her--while visiting with Jan Christensen, Mom was trying to think of how to politely tell Jan that there was a big yellow stain on her blouse. Sister Christensen was not offended, and also not stained. Later, Mom asked Aunt Lynda to get rid of the big white butterfly that kept flying around. This morning, Sunday, Mom told me that she'd watched cartoons on her wall all night.

Mom is in good hands, and where she needs to be. We are receiving an outpouring of love, prayers, and help from all of you, and thank you for that. We are hopeful that today's fast will help the doctors discover the problem.