Friday, December 23, 2011
From Bob
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We really do wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas. With all the different schedules, our family will be getting together tonight (Friday) for dinner and then we will exchange gifts. I love Christmas.
During dialysis this week, I spent a lot of time listening to Christmas hymns and carols. The story of Christmas is one of those amazing, mysterious, miraculous acts of God. God became flesh and dwelt among us. As I have "pondered all these things" in my own heart this week, I have thought of friends and acquaintances who have left Jesus in the manger. This beautiful story of the baby born in the manger has not ended. We do know that He grew up in favor with God and man. His message of peace and hope was met with a brutal death by crucifixion and He was buried in a borrowed tomb. Jesus overcame death and was resurrected. He is presently in heaven but will someday come to earth again, not as a baby, but as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
On Tuesday, I had an MRI of my spine. I was instructed to lay on my back on a
table that couldn't have been more than 6 inches wide made out of solid rock. Even with my significant loss of weight, it seemed like there was more of me off the table than on the table. Who thought it would be a good idea to have someone with a broken back lay on a skinny table, hard as a rock, and not move for 45 minutes?
As we were going into the room, Patra was told to keep my wheelchair outside the door for fear that the powerful magnets might suck the wheelchair into the machine. Am I the only person that thinks it's wrong that they won't let my wheelchair anywhere near this machine and yet they slide me INTO the middle of the powerful magnets.
This was by far the loudest MRI machine I have ever been in. When it was done, I told the nurses I felt like I had front row seats at a rock concert with a very bad drummer. To keep my mind occupied, I tried to keep beat with the MRI machine by singing Christmas carols. Only thing I could come up with was " Grandpa got run over by a " nasty little disease."
As they were about to slide the table into the machine, I was handed a "panic button." "PANIC BUTTON - REALLY? How many people panic that we need to have a "PANIC BUTTON?" Couldn't you come up with a better name, like "call button."
Received the results from the MRI. It showed compression fractures at T-10 and T-12. It also showed that I have fractured every one of my lumbar vertebrae. Yep, it showed fractures to L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4 and L-5. For " good" measure, it also showed a disc bulge at L-5- S-1.
Unfortunately, the doctor we consulted with Thursday afternoon did not feel that I was a candidate for kyphoplasty (where cement is inserted to stabilize the bone). We will continue with the epidural steroid injections.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.
This Christmas may we all give praise to God for the greatest gift ever given!
Dear God: Thank you for giving us Jesus. May we celebrate His birth by bringing you our sacrifice of praise. Please be with all of our friends who are walking through the "tall weeds." May they feel your presence in a special way. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Until next Friday. God willing.
Bob
From Bob
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We really do wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas. With all the different schedules, our family will be getting together tonight (Friday) for dinner and then we will exchange gifts. I love Christmas.
During dialysis this week, I spent a lot of time listening to Christmas hymns and carols. The story of Christmas is one of those amazing, mysterious, miraculous acts of God. God became flesh and dwelt among us. As I have "pondered all these things" in my own heart this week, I have thought of friends and acquaintances who have left Jesus in the manger. This beautiful story of the baby born in the manger has not ended. We do know that He grew up in favor with God and man. His message of peace and hope was met with a brutal death by crucifixion and He was buried in a borrowed tomb. Jesus overcame death and was resurrected. He is presently in heaven but will someday come to earth again, not as a baby, but as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
On Tuesday, I had an MRI of my spine. I was instructed to lay on my back on a
table that couldn't have been more than 6 inches wide made out of solid rock. Even with my significant loss of weight, it seemed like there was more of me off the table than on the table. Who thought it would be a good idea to have someone with a broken back lay on a skinny table, hard as a rock, and not move for 45 minutes?
As we were going into the room, Patra was told to keep my wheelchair outside the door for fear that the powerful magnets might suck the wheelchair into the machine. Am I the only person that thinks it's wrong that they won't let my wheelchair anywhere near this machine and yet they slide me INTO the middle of the powerful magnets.
This was by far the loudest MRI machine I have ever been in. When it was done, I told the nurses I felt like I had front row seats at a rock concert with a very bad drummer. To keep my mind occupied, I tried to keep beat with the MRI machine by singing Christmas carols. Only thing I could come up with was " Grandpa got run over by a " nasty little disease."
As they were about to slide the table into the machine, I was handed a "panic button." "PANIC BUTTON - REALLY? How many people panic that we need to have a "PANIC BUTTON?" Couldn't you come up with a better name, like "call button."
Received the results from the MRI. It showed compression fractures at T-10 and T-12. It also showed that I have fractured every one of my lumbar vertebrae. Yep, it showed fractures to L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4 and L-5. For " good" measure, it also showed a disc bulge at L-5- S-1.
Unfortunately, the doctor we consulted with Thursday afternoon did not feel that I was a candidate for kyphoplasty (where cement is inserted to stabilize the bone). We will continue with the epidural steroid injections.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.
This Christmas may we all give praise to God for the greatest gift ever given!
Dear God: Thank you for giving us Jesus. May we celebrate His birth by bringing you our sacrifice of praise. Please be with all of our friends who are walking through the "tall weeds." May they feel your presence in a special way. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Until next Friday. God willing.
Bob
Comments
It is hard to even imagine what that MRI was like. We have heard stories about those, but you did the best description ever heard. You paint such clear pictures of each thing you tell us about.
Your description of our Jesus is a true, scriptural one. To have JESUS is the BEST any of us can ever have. True many think of him only as a babe in a manager. Thank our wonderful LORD that HE is MORE and that HE chose to die for us so that we can enjoy HEAVEN and being with HIM forever.
Thanks for your picture of that very PERSON today.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your beautiful family.
We had our family Christmas last night. It was wonderful for us all to be together and enjoy our place in our earthly family as well as in our heavenly family.
We continue to pray, praise and LOVE you, both.
See you in January.
Lex and Linda
Pat Jeffares, Donna, John and Chelsea
(pjeffares@tampabay.rr.com or pjeffares@geico.com)
Steve and Debbie
Ted & Carol W
Thanks for your Christmas message. We all need reminding to slow down and remember why we celebrate this season. Enjoy the holiday with those beautiful grandchildren. We send our love to all of you.
~~Mary Lib
and thank you again Patra for making that special effort to come to Jim's service. We will miss him so much. I will send the cd over as soon as I get the extra copy.
As always, i find your stories most inspiring. I just love your attitude and the way you begin with good news and end with the best gift we've ever been given. I am still fighting the good fight and you lift my spirits each and every day as I pray and think of you on your journey down this VERY crooked road.
If anyone reading this needs an MRI in future, it is fine to use cushions such as an egg crate for the bed, cut down to size for the MRI table. Also, most places have wedges for under your knees to reduce pressure and rolled towels for under neck. I INSIST on these tools before I will get into a machine, I have learned the hard way, too.
I'm wondering if you are a candidate for an implanted pain device that dispenses medicine. It could provide some relief, I hope. Just an idea, and I am so sorry you are suffering this way.
I have reunited with a friend I met at Rockway in 7th grade and found great healing through music, for my brain. Somehow, listening to that music that was popular when we first began to notice the other sex is working miracles for me now. This friend serenades me most nights for about an house, utilizing you tube and Pandora on his end, and I get the pleasure and healing from the music. Absolutely wonderful.
As much as I love life, I am ready to leave the pain behind and meet our maker when he calls me. I know you are, too. In the meantime, here is a prayer that you will have the best possible days, with as little pain as can be. I want you to be able to enjoy each day and know that is near impossible while in intractable pain. God, please comfort Bob, and Patra, and show his physicians how they may best alleviate his pain.
Sending much love and healing light, Dottie Braselton Carson
Love.,
Dottie