Another Update and a Plea for Prayer

Time for another update: Last Saturday I thought I might just be tired, I had a hard time scrubbing a pan as I was doing dishes, I just felt like my hands were a bit weak, but thought nothing of it... since then it has progressed to my arms and legs... Here was a funny this morning scenario getting ready for church. I was taking a shower (which kinda makes me dizzy because it is hot and in a small place) and I REALLY needed to shave my legs, so I did not look like a woolly mammoth at church and my boots are still in storage from the move (there was no way I had the strength in my arms or the flexibility in my legs to put on nylons) as you can imagine shaving with double vision, weak arms, and heavy legs was quite an experience... I just had to laugh at that one, hope you can too.

Monday (after blogging) I talked to my best friend Kara, she is a respiratory therapist (and an amazing friend), we were talking about what I was going through and how I was feeling. I told her about my speculations of what I might have and we both came to the conclusion that it was sounding more and more like myasthenia gravis (when she studied about it in school it was referred to as the up down disease because the symptoms start at the top and work their way down). Right after that I got a call from the Ophthalmologist, Dr. Beaty (she has been AMAZING!!!!) I told her my symptoms and she said: Have you heard of myasthenia gravis? I said that I had and she said that we needed to get me into a Neurologist to get a diagnosis.

Tuesday we heard from the Neurologist and my appointment is tomorrow. The rest of the week I pretty much rested, my WONDERFUL MIL and SIL came down and took care of the kids for me on Tuesday and Wednesday so I could rest, and then came down and took them over night on Friday. That was so so so kind, and helped so so so much. I never knew I could be so tired... I don't physically feel sleepy, but my muscles just kinda give up on me.

On Friday I read a Conference talk from April that talked about how the Atonement covers illness (and everything else). It has been so helpful to me. Here is my favorite excerpt:

Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire.”

But really everything was put into perspective for me when I talked to my sister Janice. She lives in PohnPei Micronesia, and we have been keeping tabs on each others health. She has had a strep infection that is resistant to antibiotics for a month now.... She has had all the symptoms I had when I had rheumatic fever 2 and a half years ago (I know I have some WEIRD medical history) and this past week had to be put on IV Antibiotics, she is not hospitalized but went to the hospital twice a day to receive treatment and then the rest of the time she spent with her best friend Kjiersty (who happens to be a doctor). Kjiersty and her sweet family fasted for me, and today I returned the favor... Kjiersty has a younger sister (Hayley) who's husband lost his job 3 years ago so Kjiersty and her husband Jeremy bought them a medical coding company for an income. They have 5 young children and the baby is a special needs child who has to be held all the time. Janice was training Hayley on medical coding. The other night Hayley had a heart attack or stroke and is now in a medically induced coma. Kjiersty left the island (and her husband) took her 2 young children across the world to take care of her sister and her family. It amazes me how fast the world can change and our trials put into light.

I am grateful for this experience of being sick (I hate using sick because I don't feel ill), before I had been focusing on the things that I missed, like being able to pick up and hold my kids (I still can but conner feels like he weighs more than a tank), but now I am so grateful that I can hold my family. I am grateful to know that our Savior knows us. One thing the talk mentioned was how the Savior could have experienced our pain through revelation but He chose to experience it Himself, I am grateful to know that the Lord knows ME, and that he knows Hayley and her family. Really when it is put in perspective, I do not need to fear the Neurologist or the future, whatever it may be... I just need to have faith, and be excited to see this as an experience where I can gain the education I came here to acquire. ... but I am still hoping for good news tomorrow.

P.S. Please pray for Kjiersty and Hayley and their families... I know that it helps, I have felt your prayers.