Neck Surgery Scheduled

TJ has neck surgery scheduled for October 8th at around 10:45 am and we are very happy to have this scheduled. To bring you up to date on what has happened since the last update to get ready for the surgery. TJ had an EMG where they stick needles in your arm into the nerves that are inflamed, wiggle them, then send an electric current through them to see how the nerves respond. It was lots of fun. (NOT). A neurologist who was new to walked in and said, “It’s worse” and walked out. He also two advanced MRI’s that indicated that he has a narrowing of disks in his neck at two vertebrae leading to the severe pain and weakness in his right and now left hands. Specifically he has a small herniation at C7-T1 and interbody spurring and annular bulging at C5-6. It has made daily life challenging as he has been in significant pain making it hard to sleep and almost any activity that involve his arms hurts. He also has difficulty buttoning small buttons or lifting anything as heavy as a half gallon of milk. The actually surgery is a bilateral C5-6 foraminotomy and Right C7-T1 foraminotomy. The surgery should last about 2 ½ hours and is considered minimally invasive. Here is a link that explains the procedure: http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article554.html . After the surgery he will need to take it easy for a month and can expect as full recovery as he will get in three months. He should be feeling pretty good by the first anniversary of his discharge from the hospital in January!

TJ had an echocardiogram a couple of weeks ago to determine why his pulse has been so high. The results looked great so he will not need the holter monitor. The doctor made a copy of the results for us and I felt like I was holding a miracle in my hands looking at it last evening. The reason listed for the echo was a “ruptured papillary muscle” and the results indicated normal heart function with mild mitral and trace tricuspid insufficiency. While we knew about all this in March, the wonder of it still makes me catch my breath. The doctor feels the reason for the rapid pulse is deconditioning from the hit in December. After his neck is fixed we will feel more freedom to push past the elevated pulse knowing that everything in his heart is looking good.

Last weekend Jon removed the remaining base cabinets in the laundry room and removed the remaining sheet rock to check behind it for mold. We are confident that any possible mold issues are taken care of (since there is nothing left to take out down there!). I am still feeling a lot of fatigue which according to the allergist may last a few months after the repeated exposures I have had. Jon and Steven have been incredible in helping with this big project.

This weekend, TJ’s brother Jon with some others are hoping to finish the siding and painting outside our house. It is going to look great! Jon is a saint- he and others have been here several Saturdays and evenings to paint and work on siding. We are so grateful for their help!

While life continues so have some challenges, God is always good and has showered us with blessings! In his leadership blog TJ recently wrote, “It is a gift to fully understand what it means to live by faith. When we have reached the end of ourselves and have nowhere else to turn but to confidence in a good, all powerful, loving and holy Father, we have received a great gift. It is at that point that what we believe in our head becomes truth in our bones! The gift is wonderful because "without faith it is impossible to please God."

Prayer requests:

Successful surgery with full recovery of function, strength, and pain relief in his arms and neck.

An uneventful recovery

A rapid return to full energy for me.

Praise for all the amazing things:

Resolution of clolt

Normal heart

Incredible support from our personal family and spiritual family!