Category: Illness and Health

Posted on in Aging, Faith, Illness and Health, Thanks, Yield

Ooh, Ouch!

Writing will likely be sporadic this week. I have to stop taking the prescription for arthritic pain for 4 days. Then on Tuesday I am having a lumbar epidural to try to relieve pain in vertebrae 4, 5 and 6. Or is it 3, 4, and 5. All due to bulging discs.

Regardless what numbers the doctor knows and is skilled. Just think of the most sore place in your body and put a big needle there with steroid medication. Ouch is right. SO grateful I learned LaMaze breathing during 23 hours of labor these many years ago. It really helps with pain during an injection such as this.

Conscious (or patterned) breathing used to be the hallmark of Lamaze childbirth education. For many, it’s still an important way to stay relaxed and on top of their contractions. It’s true that conscious breathing can help you relax and feel less pain during contractions. There’s no “right” way to breathe in labor, despite what others may tell you. Slow, deep breathing helps to manage the pain of contractions. But the right way for you to breathe is whatever feels right to you. Issues like your number of breaths per minute, breathing through your nose or your mouth, or making sounds (like hee-hee) with your breaths are only important if they make a difference for you.

It may help you to have a visual focus to accompany your conscious breathing. You can recall an image with your eyes closed, focus on a picture or special object from home, keep your eyes on your support person or simply stare at a spot on the wall. You may also find that as labor progresses, faster, shallower breathing—like a dog gently panting—feels better. https://www.lamaze.org/lamaze-breathing

I was going to show you a photo of needle they will use but it just creeped me out too much. So if the posts are sporadic this week, just remember to pray for me please: that the injection will do its work, that the doctor and I will both be calm, that the rest after the injection will move me more quickly towards a more pain free life. Thank you.

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Illness and Health, medical treatment, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Worship

Will You Breathe Deep?

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Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Faith, Illness and Health, Journal, medical treatment, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Elisabeth and Lilias

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Posted on in Art, Book quotes, Faith, Illness and Health, Listen, medical treatment, Nature, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Elisabeth Elliot

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Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Illness and Health, Journal, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Worship, Yield

Lectio 365

This app really helped me focus on the Lord during my recovery. Bob and I had first been introduced to the practice of Lectio Divina while at the Episcopal church.

The app Lectio 365 is inspired by the “practice of Lectio Divina. Each morning the devotional follows the simple P. R. A. Y. rhythm:

P:ause to be still.
R:ejoice with a Psalm and R:eflect on Scripture.
A:sk for God’s help
Y:ield to His will in your life.

“On Sundays you’ll take a break from the normal routine to pray a different kind of Sabbath prayer. 

“The app celebrates heroes of faith on Feast Days, marks significant moments in the church calendar, and welcomes guest hosts throughout the year.”

They also offer an evening version that differs in text from the morning one. I found myself using that evening version while trying to fall asleep in the recliner. It was quite helpful for turning my eyes to the Lord and finding a place to relax in His arms. It is so easy when in pain to clench against the pain, and finding release from that clenching is such a relief!

Here is one thought I recorded in my very few journaling notes during that time.

The Greek text uses a word which can mean breath, spirit, or wind. So, ‘the wind blows where it wishes’ can also mean, ‘the Spirit breathes where He wishes’. The Spirit, like the wind, is unpredictable. I cannot control Him. Sometimes the Spirit blows like a gentle breeze. Or He may come as a hurricane. I have to accept that I’ll never know what He might do next. Lectio 365

The Spirit breathes where He wishes. Yes, Lord, please breathe on me I pray.

24-1-12 Molly’s Journal

Looking out the window by my prayer chair I was able to watch the toy pinwheels as the Lord of the wind made them dance. He is always with us!

Rest in His love and consider changing up one of your devotional practices for a bit. He is able to meet us wherever we are, but there are times when we fall into a rut spiritually and can use a boost from a change of format. Try some thing new a for the remainder of the Lenten season. You might find new meaning to your relationship with the God of our Fathers.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Illness and Health, Just do it, Listen, Music, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Forced to Wear A Sling for Six Weeks

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Posted on in Aging, Faith, Illness and Health, medical treatment, Music, Nature, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Joy and Restricted Movement

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Posted on in Aging, Faith, Illness and Health, medical treatment, Prayer, Thanks, Writing Life

Recovery Week 3-1/2

January 31 I dictated to Word: Even dictating A blog post has been difficult. After I dictate I must go back to edit and correct. Since I am confined to this sling my right hand is basically useless. Reaching out to the computer mouse is out of the question.

The healing is going well but I forgot how slow it could be.

9 days with no sun says our weather man. However, Buffalo gets less sun than we do!

24-2-6 I am into the fourth week in sling. This is very difficult. When I take the sling off I find myself using my hand in ways that cause pain. Likely I should just keep it in the sling! There is a cacophony of moans and groans that accompany my life right now. I’m only taking Tylenol, no pain prescription, but yes shoulder pain is my companion.

Physical therapist says I am doing really well. I persevere with the prescribed stretches every few hours.

I am finally sleeping in my own bed instead of the recliner. For the first two weeks I used the electric ice machine pretty much continually. Now I only use ice packs as needed when the pain flares.

Me trussed up with sling and ice machine both strapped on!

I am so grateful for good books that hold my attention and keep me in the chair. I suppose I should have kept a list of what I have been reading. Oh well, let’s see, Louise Penney Kingdom of the blind, Joe Pickett I think the author is Box. Then a story about an animal entitled Now and Then. Read Jack Reacher book that was made into a movie. Partway through the book I realized I’d already read it but I continued because I could not remember the details. My neighbor Ginny brought me Crimson Phoenix which is the first in a series of three. I am now on book 2 which I got free from the library on hoopla.

Perhaps the most helpful has been a book by Elizabeth Elliott about suffering. I bought it several years ago but never started reading it. It really hits home right now.

Jigsaw puzzles have also held my attention though placing pieces with left hand is a challenge. As is eating with left hand!

I also began a new medication for the psoriasis. It is a biologic which they say lowers my immune system so whenever Bob takes me out in public I’m trying to wear a mask so I don’t pick up anything else. Physical therapist agrees this is a good idea. Though I was immunized, if I should contract the flu, vomiting would not be good with this shoulder recovering.

The Lord continues to uphold me and I am greatly encouraged every time I go back to Philippians 4 and think on such things that strengthen me. We finally have a return to sunshine and milder temperatures in the low 50s. Daffodil leaves began emerging in January and continue to get taller! Indoors, the amaryllis has been opening flower after flower and that cheers me immensely!

May you be blessed with an increase awareness of His presence within and about you!

Posted on in Aging, Family, Illness and Health, Prayer

Post-Op!

So this is the first post I’ve tried to write or rather dictate sense shoulder surgery. It will be quite a while before I can type again. I have to wear the sling for at least five more weeks. Surgery went well, thank you for your prayers. Bob and I could still use prayers as we navigate the ups and downs of having him do everything to run the house and me being not so helpful with just one hand. The weather here has been winter brutal and walking the dog four times a day has zapped his patience and taken a lot of his joy away. So pray for us as we continue to navigate this path to recovery

The doctor found not one partial tear but two partial tears in the rotator cuff one was vertical and one was horizontal. He repaired both of those. One side of the biceps muscle was disconnected from the bone and it will stay that way. He said that’s why it’s called the biceps; my arm will use the other part, the one that’s still attached. I have been able to reduce the pain medication by half. Physical therapy has begun and I do the stretches twice a day at home. As long as my shoulder does not freeze up I can attend physical therapy just once a week. If it freezes I’ll have to begin twice a week. All in all things are looking up.

Sadly, my recliner only has controls on the outside of the right armrest. That means to adjust the chair I have to reach all the way over and under my right arm and down on the outside of the chair to try to find the right button. I think electric recliners need to be required to have adjustments buttons on both sides. Just an observation. Trust me if I ever replace this chair, I’ll be sure to shop for one with buttons on both sides preferably inside the armrest.

Friends and neighbors have brought us gallons of soups.  Some of the soup is now in the freezer as we could not possibly eat all of that before it would spoil. Delicious stuff! There have been 3 flower bouquets and a get well soon balloon. We are grateful for each of them.  I pray that winter has not been too brutal where you are. Regardless of the caterpillars or the Groundhog predictions winter it is. I will say the moon was very bright on the snow at midnight.

Thank you for reading the blog even in my absence.  This post is likely full of typos. I receive an e-mail notification every time someone reads it and it cheers me. Blessings, Molly D