Merry Christmas!

We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

We have been blessed beyond measure in 2010.
Love,
Eric, Sarah & Evan

Update on Mommy...

I just finished my 6 month/year end appointments. I can't believe it has been 1 year since my MS diagnosis. My MRI scans showed that there was no change - 12 lesions remained the same so... it appears my shots are doing their job. For that, I'm thankful as with all the stress this year I was afraid it would be worse. I take a weekly intermuscular injection called Avonex that I administer myself on Friday nights. I drink lots of water that day and set the shot out around dinner to get to room temperature and take Tylenol PM and go to bed once I give myself the shot. The next morning I feel very achy which is the flu like symptoms from the shot. If I'm able to rest and take Ibuprofin Sat. morning, by 10 I'm ready to go. Mostly my legs and feet hurt and at times go numb. My eyesight also does funny things here and there. Anytime I'm extra stressed something happens. During Evan's last hospital stay during the first day I started experiencing this horrible pain in my hip and it lasted for about a month. Hospital stays have been when I've noticed the big things - numbness, vertigo, etc. So... as far as a 1 yr. post diagnosis update goes, my MS has NOT gotten worse. The shots are not fun but, also not horrible (the needle is 1 1/4" and 23 gauge (YIKES). The "it's not cancer, just MS" phase has worn off and now "it's just MS". Other appointments were for a 6 month follow up with a lung Dr. concerning the cancer scare. The CT Scan proved that it wasn't anything to worry about which is good because worrying makes MS worse, sigh. The urologist showed that the 10 stones I've had for 3 years are all still staying cozy in my kidney but growing so it was decided that lithotripsy would be done to break them up. Last Wednesday I went in outpatient surgery for the first of 2 surgeries that will be needed to get rid of these things, as they only do 1 kidney at a time. The surgery was more than I thought it would be. They did my right kidney and zapped 5 stones. When I woke up it felt like I had strep throat and someone had kicked me in the back. They said they had a hard time with the tube and it looked like someone had cut my throat up. It worked though... I've been passing little stone fragments every since. I go in for my follow-up tomorrow and to schedule the 2nd surgery for the left kidney. Might as well get it all done this year! So, that's how Mama has been doing as far medically goes. Life is Good! Well... Life is Hard but, God is Good! And I mean that! I can't tell you how many times the lyrics to the song below has come to my mind the past few months.

You turn the key
Then close the door behind you
Drop your bags on the floor
You reach for the light
But there's darkness deep inside
And you can't take it anymore

'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you
And sometimes living is all you can do

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

You start to cry
'Cause you've been strong for so long
And that's not how you feel
You try to pray
But there's nothing left to say
So you just quietly kneel

In the silence of all that you face
God will give you His mercy and grace

Jesus never said
It was an easy road to travel
He only said that you would never be alone
So when your last thread of hope
Begins to come unraveled
Don't give up, He walks beside you
On this journey home and He knows

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good