.cynlee

gallery

I had to go away and though it was for health reasons, at the time, I wasn't sure what it was that was ailing me. So on this wet and chilly day, I decided to try an upload with a few words to explain my absence. The last time I wrote, I was certain that I had Lyme Disease Arthritis, since I had a history of the disease and positive serology tests. So back in November of 2009, I came home from a walk with my husband, decided to read while lying on my bed, but once there, was not able to again get up and walk without pain. I did have the chills and fever of the Lyme Disease, but after two months of chiropractic and continued deterioration in my condition, I had a CAT scan which showed that I had lost some of my lumbar spine to an infection. I spent 2 weeks at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, MA where they did biopsies and other tests to discover the organism responsible and begin treatment. I was found to be one of 18 people in the medical literature who had osteomyelitis (bone infection) with Group G Streptoccocus. I was put on an antibiotic to which the little beasties were found to be most sensitive and the journey lengthened for months afterwards with 4 weeks in a rehab hospital and six weeks of at home IV antibiotic (administered by my loving husband, who also spent long 12 hour days by my side in the hospital), nurse visits and instructions for getting around from physical and occupational therapists. In early April, I developed double sciatica which confined me to bed for two months, which was no doubt a blessing in disquise, because 7 months from the date of my incapacity, my two vertebrae had fused into one naturally. Otherwise, I would have had to endure several surgeries to fuse them with screws and bolts. I had lost 70% of one vertebrae and 40% of the one next to it.~~~~~ Now I have one vertebrae where there were previously two. God has been with me through the whole ordeal and when I thought I would not or could no longer cope with the pain, the confinement or the uncertainty, I would push my walker about the house late into the evening, talking to Him out loud and on the morning following, I would have less pain and greater hope that with the patience He was giving me, I would make it. Today, I continue to deal with peripheral nerve impingement in the area of my L4 and L5 vertebrae, but with the PT and the walks I have been instructed to attempt (3 twenty minute walks a day), my muscles should tone and pull everything into place and I will be as fully recovered as I can be. I may always have some sort of pain for the rest of my days, but that is little enough to serve as a reminder that while every life must endure difficulties and hardships, I have been blessed and am grateful, for many others suffer far more than what I have endured.~~~~~ I wish to thank so many of you, my special friends, for your continued support and prayers. I can sit for short periods in a hard chair at the computer, but I will not be able to offer the time and the commenting that I once was able to do. I would like to come and see, and I have seen already, how so many of your works have gotten to be so good and when I see one that I can comment on, I will try to do so. I am told that it takes a full year for complete recovery. I'll see. But, for now, I only have a few butterflies and flowers to offer the site, for in almost ten months, I have snapped but a few handfuls of images. God bless you all. His love is infinite, as is His beauty.