Rachelle update

I just thought I'd let you know that I am improving. It is slow but I am and I am encouraged. The pain is much more under control with the pain meds, before it was bearable but there. I can go longer between doses instead counting down the last hour and waiting another hour for them to kick in. My back is not in pain it is my leg that feels like a charlie horse cramp in my bum, hamstring and calf muscles in my left leg. Standing is very hard on my leg, it doesn't take much standing to hurt. Walking is fine, sitting is okay it is all getting easier except standing seems to be the same. Thank you for all your prayers and fasting. I know that they have helped me. I also know that I wouldn't be able to rest like I have without help from my family Louws & Pews (esp. Tim & my mom) and my ward/neighborhood. I am amazed when I think about how bad I was. I have heard from people who have had similar injuries and they have all recovered, some with surgery another with physical therapy. I am optimistic I will also recover with time and hopefully without surgery.

Hoof to the Hills

The Thursday before all my pain got unbearable our elementary school had a fundraiser were we paid to walk and then had pizza and snowcones after. Here is a photo with the Cedar Ridge cougar before we started! The kids loved hugging him.

Girls and their stuff!

 
 

I couldn't resist when I saw these hats at boutique! My girls are so cute!

Gwen and her ball

 
Gwen loves balls and Granny gave her a new ball while mommy is recovering--see older blog if you don't know why! She's so cute we can't resist posting her photo!

Cute cousins!

 
Erika had Grandma Pew make this pretty homecoming dress, her guy friend helped her pick out the material but asked someone else! I say that's pretty cheeky! Anyway, not to let it go to waste we offered Taran's services. Taran and Erika are the closest cousins each other has. I used to babysit Erika when she was 3 and he was 1-1/2 so she and Taran are like siblings. Taran didn't seem to mind even though he is very shy in new and different situations. He may not always show it but he cares about his family! Tim and I hope they have fun, they are still gone but Provo is 30 minutes away! Cute cousins!

On the UPSIDE!

One of the blessings of laying around is that I finished my book club book--Three Cups of Tea. It's a definite MUST READ! I loved it. I didn't particularly care for the writer's style of writing but I love this amazing story of compassion and courage! If you haven't read it you are missing out!

Ohhh My Sacariliac!

Hey, this is an update. Most of my family knows I was admitted to the hospital last Saturday for extreme sciatic pain. It started Thursday morning with a sore leg--I had spent Wednesday making peach bread and peach syrup to get rid of all the ripe peaches we had from my parents' tree. I digress, anyway by evening I could tell it was worse so I did some yoga and found I did not have full range of motion without extreme pain. So I had Tim give me a blessing and went to bed after taking some ibuprofen. Friday I was still a bit sore but managing. I called a physical therapist to see if I could get in they set me up for Monday morning and told me I needed a referral. I called my primary care doctor and got an appointment for 3 PM. I was able to get things done I needed to but noticed I was popping ibuprofen every 4 hours. By the time I got to the doctor I was uncomfortable constantly--when I left I could barely walk. I did get the referral and a prescription for a muscle relaxant. By the time Tim got home with the meds I was writhing in pain, sobbing and unable to move. When the meds didn't work after 2 hours I told Tim he needed to take me to the hospital. He called my doctor they suggested the Instacare, meanwhile Emily rubbed my leg which helped a lot. Since I felt I could handle things a little better we went to Instacare. I refused to go in until they would see me--I was actually comfortable reclining in the car seat. Tim helped me hop in. They gave me a shot of Demerol and 2 prescriptions for a nerve pain killer and an anti-inflammatory steroid. I was able to sleep. But in the morning I knew I needed to go to the hospital (I had to crawl or slide on my other leg to get around for minimal pain) so I told Tim to take me after all the soccer games were over. We had everyone helping us with the soccer games Tim's dad, my mom and friends. Nate (my brother-in-law) took Timo and Izak to the BYU football game. My mom and Taran watched the kids while Tim took me in her car. Again I would not get out until they were ready for me, Tim convinced me to use a wheelchair. They gave me a shot of Demerol with something else and within 15 minutes the pain was going away. The ER doctor said that I probably had a ruptured disk but that they were going to do an MRI. They returned saying how unlucky I was since an ICU patient just went into the MRI and they said it would take about 4 hours until I could get in. I said that I was fine since the Demerol was working--I wasn't going anywhere! They took me where I could watch the BYU game and Tim ran home before the game traffic got out and took my mom her car. He got things settled and came back just before I got wheeled up to the MRI which ended up being only a 3 hour wait--I had them give me a shot to relax me since I am claustrophobic. It was very noisy even with ear plugs! I was fine and that was only for 25 minutes. They admitted me but said that I didn't need emergency surgery but that I had a herniated disk with a small piece of bone loose pushing on the nerve. They gave me morphine and food--I had not eaten since breakfast and they wouldn't let me eat until they knew for sure I didn't need surgery. It was around 8 o'clock. I slept okay needing morphine very so often. Sunday Tim came back with a bunch of my friends after sacrament meeting. It was great to see them, they had all been so worried about me. After church the Relief Society president and her counselor who are my friends came too. Later Tim brought the kids and my mom and sister came. Tim's parents brought dinner over so we were well taken care of--Saturday we got 2 meals from friends! By Monday morning I had my last Morphine shot at 3 AM and they told me once the pain was manageable (w/out morphine) and I could walk I could go home. So I started trying to walk on my leg with the walker that I had been using to go to the bathroom. By noon I felt I would be fine and they said that I could go home after the doctor visited me. Tim's parents visited that afternoon which was nice and I got some phone calls so I wasn't lonely. Tim picked me up on the way home from work--he had been with me in the morning then went to work later. My mom was here holding the fort down with Teresa's help, and our neighbors brought in a meal. I am doing fine, I still have some pain and I am numb in my toes and calf muscle. So Tim got me hooked up with a neurologist whom I saw today. He suggested a different pain killer. They will test me for nerve damage next week. He also suggested I follow the no lifting and minimal sitting and standing the hospital doctor suggested. Then I will start physical therapy next week--after my brother's wedding. If I don't think I am progressing enough over time--a few weeks I will need to consider surgery. He said that it is possible that it isn't a bone but a piece of the disk and that many people with this problem have had it resolve without surgery. So we will see. I am hopeful I won't need surgery. I am not worried about this situation. I have had so many offers of help from friends and family that I know we will be taken care of! I am glad I can go to my brother's wedding, that was my biggest concern!