“I am the Lord, I have heard you calling. I am your God, I
have seen your tears, I AM! I AM! Soon all will see My glory thru your
weakness, soon all will know My Name throughout the land. I AM! I AM! I AM THE
LORD!”
June 15, 2012 I went in to yet another doctor, Dr.
Matsunaga, a local guy recommended to me by a friend at church. Having been to
multiple doctors over the past 6 months that were unable to help me walk
without severe pain I had little hope that his treatment would be effective. My
husband had scheduled a trip to Deep Creek, just the two of us, for the weekend
& I secretly prayed that I would be able to walk for our trip. Dr.
Matsunaga is a pain specialist & he treats people with RSD (Reflexive
Sympathetic Dystrophy) or its newer term CRPS (Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome).
He said he was going to give me a shot in the region of my tailbone that was
intended to stop the pain going down my leg into my foot. If it helped then my
diagnosis would be CRPS & he could treat me with these shots of steroids,
saline & pain medicine. He said I may need the shot a couple of times to
get the pain message turned off & return to my previous level of function.
He also said if it didn’t help immediately but felt better in a couple of days
it was more of a lower back issue & the steroids were helping that. Either
way, I should have a pain relief & a diagnosis.
I was a little skeptical because it sounded so simple. I lay
on my stomach waiting for the injection hoping against hope that it would help.
I began to feel a warm sensation down my leg & foot as the medication made
its way into my system. I laid there for a few minutes & then he asked me
to stand up. THE PAIN WAS GONE! I could stand (a little wobbly since I hadn’t
walked in 6 months) but I stood on 1 foot, my right foot without pain. I
couldn’t even believe it! I thanked Dr. Matsunaga & his assistants for
their treatment with a polite hug & a grateful smile. DJ & I calmly
walked out of the office & wept tears of joy in each other’s arms outside
the office doors. Across the hall was a cancer treatment office & people
looked at us with empathy. Even in the elevator, as kind people attempted to console me, I tried to explain that my
tears were tears of joy not sadness, tears of relief from the constant disabling
pain. We had finally found an answer, I had CRPS but there was a treatment & possibly a cure as the shots built
upon one another if I went in as soon as I felt pain.
We drove home, I walked up the steps, I cried. We went to
the pool to pick up the boys (a friend of mine was babysitting the boys at the
pool)…I walked through the gate of the pool & embraced my boys. I cried as
the boys leapt up & down saying, “Mom, you can WALK!” I took a little hand
& walked back to the car & more tears fell. I had been holding in my
fears & anxieties about my future in for so long & the tears came out
everytime I did anything that I used to not be able to do without great pain.
DJ
& I had a wonderful time in Deep Creek walking along the lake, enjoying God’s
creation & each other. Since that time I have had another shot &
scheduled for my 3rd shot this week. I may not return to running
& leaping in the immediate future but I am walking & able to care for
my precious family.
Thank you all for your encouragement, kindness & prayers
extended to me & my family through this whole ordeal. I am overwhelmed with
gratitude.
I Samuel 12:24 “Be sure to fear the Lord & serve Him faithfully with
all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.” He has done
GREAT things for me!
We are back on the adoption trail now & excited about
what God has in store for us. I am not back to work as I am not sure I can
stand for 12 hours just yet but I have been able to be the camp nurse for a few
local church camps which has been just as good for me as it has been for my
boys that attend. I have been enjoying my “legs” so much that I am not really
on Facebook much or blogging often, however, I will update on our adoption
journey.
Remember to treasure each day for it is a gift from God, as is your
family, friends & whatever health you may have. Cherish it all, make the
most of each moment, WALK in your calling!
