When Life is Hard!

That is the title of a book a dear friend gave me. James MacDonald, one of my favorite authors, writes it. He begins by saying “What separates us is not what we’re going through, because into every life tribulation comes. The great divider is, how we handle the times when life is hard.”

This trial has been a hard one and yes, it makes life hard, but I am so thankful for the many promises that God has given me to cling to. Jeremiah 29:11 “He knows the plans He has for you, plans to give you a future and a hope” Job 23:10 “When He has tried me, I shall come out as gold” God’s plans are far greater than my immediate problem or trial. I know that something good will come of this. He has brought me to a new level of dependence on Him. One that I never thought I needed. Boy was I wrong.

I take one day at a time. Struggling, frustrated and tired of being in this chair has been hard. Dealing with discomfort daily that’s hard. Everything takes so much more effort. Holidays... that’s hard when you can’t participate they way you did before. Watching everyone around you doing what you used to enjoy doing. It’s hard!

Another dear friend, shortly after my accident, encouraged me to write down all my blessings. That wasn't so hard. I didn't have tolook too far to see the many blessings that God provided for me leading up to this accident and after. I continue to be showered with them daily. God is taking care of my every need.

Some exciting news is that I have continued to increase my ability to move my feet on the treadmill. I have attached a video for you to take a look. I am still in a sling, but as you can see I am able to move my feet forward without any assistance. I am thankful and continue to pray that God will make me stronger and stronger.  Every week I seem to be getting stronger and I am able to do more than the week before. I pray that God will continue to give me a positive spirit and that I will be able to be used by Him in and through this trial.

“My grace is sufficient for you .” James MacDonald said “ The grace of Jesus is not fully seen until weakness is fully experienced.” I can’t get through this without grace from God.  “Exactly what I need to do is exactly what God wills for me to do – that’s the grace. It’s wisdom, It’s strength. It’s perseverance. It’s discernment. It’s faith. It’s courage. It’s confidence. It’s comfort it’s conviction. Good things always come as grace from God” He is the Grace.

Thank you to all of you that continue to pray, encourage and help me in practical ways. You are all on my blessing list and I know that God placed each and everyone of you in my life for a reason and He has an amazing plan for all of this.

BIG Hug Sandra

A great few weeks!

We took a family holiday from the 19th to the 27th. It was a great time to recharge and spend some time together. The real exciting news came the day before we left while Sandra was in physio. As she has explained before the therapy she is doing now is being suspended in a harness over a treadmill, her trainers move her legs in the motion of walking trying to retain her muscles. On the 18th Sandra was able to pull her right leg through on her own, just needed help placing it properly. Then on the 29th she did the same with her left leg. This new motion is being instigated from her hip flexer.
This is a big step, still a long way from walking independently but we are very excited with this progress.
Muscles are graded from 0-5, with  5 being an able bodied person and a 3 is being able to resist gravity. From the very beginning we have been told "we can't make your muscles go from a 0 to a 1 but once they are a 1 we can make them a 3." Some volitary movement clearly puts her at a 1 or 2 on the scale, now we just need more muscle groups to engage.
Please continue to pray for continued improvements, Sandra's MRI on November 28.
Mike

So much to be thankful for......

So how are we doing? It's a good question that we get asked a lot . Under the circumstances we are doing well but it is a continual adjustment to our new life. 

Sandra has recovered well from her surgery at the end of June. The removal of the hardware has eased her upper back pain and improved her range of motion.

These are great improvements that we are thankful for but she continues to be in pain everyday. Sandra has burning or twitching all the time since her injury. The burning can be in her thighs, her feet  or anywhere in between or all over. She continues to resist taking medication to ease the pain, as they all have some sort of side effect. These side effect can effect the outcome of her recovery, dulling the nerves while they are still try to sort themselves out.

On the therapy side of things Sandra has progressed to wearing a harness that supports her weight on a treadmill. This is exciting to watch her "walk" with assistance. The harness supports her weight and her therapist help in moving her legs to simulate the walking motion on the treadmill in hopes of engaging her muscle memory. It reminds me of a child's development, just at a slower pace, initially after the accident we were excited to see Sandra sit up unassisted, no small feet for having zero trunk. We then saw her move on to crawling in Detroit this was also very difficult for her to do, and actually difficult sometimes to watch her struggle with.  These are simple actions to us but incredibly difficult for her.  

Last winter Sandra moved to assisted standing at our kitchen counter, then to moving (swinging) her leg forward and back, side to side. The story isn't over yet, we (mostly she) presses on working for every bit of recovery she has seen. 

We have so much to be thankful for. Sandra has started back with acupuncture with a new doctor and although she has only had 3 sessions she has started to feel a difference in her pain level. Also, on Friday she received a phone call and has been accepted into the functional MRI trial. This is a huge answer to prayer! We will go to the civic Tuesday and have a meeting to find out more details. God continues to prepare the way for us. 

A few prayer requests for the next while

1) Sandra will continue to improve and therapy goes well

2) The MRI trial will go well and be of great benefit to Sandra and others

3) Sandra's pain and spams will decrease, 

4) improved sleep for Sandra 

5) God's direction in our housing needs 

Happy thanksgiving, we do have so much to be thankful for don't we. Wishing you all a relaxing weekend with your friends and family. Mike

Change!

I've been getting a little bored with my physio therapy so we decided to switch it up a little. For the past few weeks instead of staying at home, I've have been going to the clinic. It’s been interesting and very different. They place me in a harness that supports me, putting me between even bars that I hold onto. Then I try to lock a knee, shift my weight over that knee and move my other foot forward. Although I can’t move my foot forward, my therapists do it for me. The idea is to stimulate the brain into thinking that I am in hopes of waking up some nerves. It’s exhausting but I am hopeful that this will be worth the effort. 

We are also looking into starting water therapy. It will be a little challenging getting ready for the swim but it’s been known to be very beneficial as there is zero gravity. A lot of people are able to move more muscle groups in the water than they can on land.  

I am still using my FES bike and am able to bike 50 -60 miles a week. My muscles are getting strong and my cardio is right up there. I may have the strongest legs that don’t walk. But I am ready, whenever God is ready to glorify Himself through healing me completely.

Please continue to pray that God will continue to give me what I need for each day and that I will be able to honor Him in my actions and thoughts. That one day soon He will heal me completely and allow me to walk again. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement and most of all your prayers. 

Big Hugs Sandra     

I Choose Joy!

I have to be honest and say it’s been a little more difficult the last few weeks for some reason. I’m struggling to be thankful in all things, to choose to be joyful.  I’m not looking for the reason why, I just want God to heal me completely. While in the process of Him doing that I am trying to honor and glorify Him in all things, which at times is easier than others.

So, what does God do? He gives me a verse to encourage me. While doing my devotions I read James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” My devotions was entitled “What happens when you choose joy”

Like the first century followers of Jesus, we have to be taught that trials are what God uses to develop our endurance. Unless we've been told how God works, our response to trials is likely to be anything but JOY. Trials …troubles, or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy and happiness in someone’s life.  And I am supposed to choose JOY? It doesn't come naturally. Knowing and doing are two different things. Knowing what God can do with trials isn't the same thing as doing life with that knowledge. It’s our privilege to respond to God’s work through the testing of that trial by choosing joy.

There are so many things we can choose, anger, discouragement, bitterness and or sadness. But JOY is a much better choice! Not JOY for the trial but for what the trial will accomplish in deepening my faith in God.  All of these feelings will produce endurance but I desire the endurance that will deepen my faith with my Heavenly Father.  

So “I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” Phillippians 3:14 I’m praying that God will teach me to count it all joy because I know that joy improves the possibility of endurance. I also know that I can’t do this alone; I need the strength of the Lord to help me to endure. Nehemiah 8:10 “for the Joy of the Lord is your strength” I pray, that He will give me the strength to endure and to be joyful through it. That others will also see that joy and hope that I have in Christ Jesus. Although hard at times I'm Choosing JOY!

Hugs Sandra 

Follow Up!

I just had another follow up appointment with Dr. Chow on Thursday. I started off by having a xray done and than Dr. Chow reviewed it with me. He was pleased at the results. Everything looked good and solid. The bone grafts have taken and healed well.
He encouraged me to continue to do as much physio as possible as the next 2 years are crucial for any type of recovery. Even when I'm not doing Physiotherpy I can be focusing on trying to move my legs and feet. Sending the signal down as much as possible. Activating the nerves as much as possible. Motor function goes down from the brain while sensory function goes up. So while I'm trying to move I'm rubbing my legs to help encourage the sensory nerves. 

He has been telling me about a doctor who is doing a trial at the civic. Functional MRI. This can tell you what activity is being passed through the spinal cord. Dr. Chow feels I would be a good candidate and is going to recommend me to her. He is hoping that I would hear from her with in the next month. This is a real pray item as this could really help me in knowing more as to what is or isn't working. I am scheduled to see Dr. Chow again in Nov. 

Thanks for all your prayers and support. Please be praying that I will be able to participate in this trial and that my motor and sensory function will continue to heal. Praying that God will heal me completely and that one day soon I will be walking again. Hugs Sandra

Cottage Life...for Real!

As time goes on my pain has been getting better and better. Keeping up with my physiotherapy has helped keep my shoulder and back stretched out. This past week I find that I've been able to be a little more active and not having to take my pain medication as much.

Mike is off this week and we are spending our time up at the cottage. One of the goals I have been working towards in Physio is to strengthen my core enough so that I would be able to try kayaking. Well I was able to do it! 

Yesterday, Mike, Julia and Carla got me into a double kayak and I paddled with Mike all the way to my sister in laws cottage. This is about 1 km round trip. Today I was back in.  Not only does it feel great but it’s a great work out as well. I was also able to get in for a swim; it was very comfortable and relaxing, just to feel the water around me.  Who knows what the rest of the week holds.

Thank you to all who have been praying for me. I know God has a perfect plan for my life, I pray that healing me completely is part of His plan. 

Hugs, Sandra

I actually was able to paddle for both of us part of the way!