HOME AGAIN, BUT FOR HOW LONG...

We have been home for one week now.  Isaiah is still recovering from the Norovirus.  Now, he is currently fighting off a severe sinus infection. He's had problems with his sinuses since last year, but they have been hesitant to treat them because of how sick and weak he was last year. We are hoping that after 2 weeks of antibiotics, his sinuses will clear up.  He's been having trouble with breathing, increased retching, choking, and gagging because of all the post-nasal drip.

Isaiah has had new problems come up during this last hospitalization.  In the next few months, we have to follow-up with the following: neurosurgery (due to his tethered spinal cord), endocrinology, ortho/plastics for his hand, ortho for his hips/knees (due to possible calcifications on his knees), urology (due to continued urinary retention), IRP/Intestinal Rehab Program, pulmonology, and more.  This makes for many phone calls and trips down to CHOP.  It's exhausting for Isaiah and for me.

Please pray for me right now.  The last car accident on October 17th, where we were hit head-on, left me with 2 herniated discs in my cervical neck at C6 and C7.  The herniations have caused severe pain, numbness, and weakness down both of my arms.  Plus, they have caused an increase in migraines and neck pain.  Since the accident, I've had to go to physical therapy 3x/week, rehab/chiropractor specialist 2x/week, and I get 20-30 lidocaine injections into the muscles of my neck and back every other week.  Driving aggravates the herniations, so needless to say, driving to my therapies and to CHOP multiple times is not  comfortable for me.  Also, this type of injury can completely take me out of my nursing profession altogether.  I love caring for people.  I have trained extensively to care for people.  And now, I may never be able to do it again.  As of right now, I cannot even pick my boys up.  Talk about cruelty of life...we were home only 1 month exactly when this second car accident happened.  We just finished 3 months at CHOP where I couldn't hold Isaiah because he was hooked up to equipment, nor did I get to hold Josiah often because of the frequent separations.  Then, I get hit, and I still am not able to lift/carry my boys. The most frustrating aspect of this whole mess is that the 3 of us (Isaiah, his nurse, and me) in my car were injured, and the man that hit us walked away from the accident.

Please also pray for the nurse that was with us.  Her name is Alisia.  She is a wife and mom of three, her youngest also having disabilities to overcome.  Both of her knees slammed into the dashboard of the car and she had to have surgery on her right knee on January 10th, due to a torn meniscus.  She has been out of work since the surgery.  Please pray for a quick recovery for her.

Please forgive us for the late Christmas/New Year cards.  Things just have been overwhelming. Thank you again for your continued love and support.