Life goes on

     The end of that last entry made it sound like I was dying, soon,  I am not!!!  Christmas went on as sort-of normal, seeing everyone and answering lots of questions about a disease that I still don't know much about and just trying to figure out life and treatment.
     During their time home, Jodi and Trevor had Benson's baby blessing.  It was a fun night, one that the 2 of them worked very hard at making just right.  A lot of family, on both sides, came together on the Saturday, following Christmas, and gave a name and a very nice blessing to little Benson Trevor Flint. 
    

 Cute family photos from the blessing night.

     After Christmas I did get my first "infection", probably just being around sooo many people, it was just a normal cold, but I couldn't get over it, I ended up on 2 different antibiotics, but it's a little scary  now knowing that I can't even get over a simple head cold without medicine.  I now know too what having a decreased  immune system means. It won't be my last of such illnesses.  At work I was wearing a mask for almost 2 weeks. Just call me China Women.

     We all know that answers to prayers come in so many different forms.  I know I've had prayers answered, but never as a bolt of lighting or a loud voice from heaven.  so there have been times I wasn't paying attention and the Lord probably thought 'well if she's not going to listen, then what's the point'.  Anyway I have always had problems with my right knee.  3 years ago I had the meniscus repaired, it help the pain for a while, but the swelling would continue along with pain that would truly limit so many activities, and just make me so frustrated and I'm sure it did Kim too. I would get it drained every few months and maybe a cortisone shot  a few time a year.  With the MM my orthopedic Dr. told me he was very reluctant to keep draining it, because of the risk of infection with each drainage.
     There was a weekend in early February that I actually had pain and swelling in both knees, this was new.  I didn't even go to church, I stayed home and kept them iced and elevated.  That's all I could do.  I was sick about work the next day with the pain and inability to hardly walk.  I just don't miss work, I just don't, I think my whole family is like this, our mom was such an example about work and through everything she went through for years she just kept working.  Anyway I didn't know what to do.  I asked Kim and Gordon to give me a blessing.  I think deep down I just wanted the pain to go away and be able to walk better.  After the blessing, I of-course felt the same.  Gordon left and I just cried, something I do a lot of.  But I suddenly knew I had to go to the ER and get them drained.  I hate the ER, everything about it I hate.  I didn't think at first this was the answer AT ALL to the blessing.  We went in and we did the usual wait.  Eventually I was able to get both knees drained, no Cortisone shot, I went home swearing I was never going back, no matter how bad I was, I hate it.
     But the Dr. gave me a piece of advise that no one had ever told me.  He said there was a Natural Anti-inflammatory, Turmeric (the spice in pill form) that can help a lot of cases like this where the swelling and fluid just keep coming back for no apparent reason.  I walk out of the ER at 3am, Kim and I both went to work the next morning, and I went after work and got some Turmeric.  It is now May, and this is the absolute longest period of time I have ever gone without server knee pain and wanting them drained. The Lord gave me the answer.  He gave me the confirmation that I needed the ER that night, he gave me a Dr. that cared enough to give me advise and not just treat the problem, I was with a patient husband who continues to be understanding, caring and does his very best to not show frustration, something I don't do very well.
     I've never asked for this disease to be taken away from me, but I do ask to be able to hear the still small voice that will be there when I need an answer or patience or understanding of what step I need to take next.