IT'S BEEN FAR TOO LONG…..

4/14/13

Hello too all. My apologies for seemingly having disappeared from the face of the earth. After my last post months ago I had many different topics I had planned on blogging about. Then POOF… not a word.
As some of you may know I have a severe chronic condition called Spinal Stenosis with Degenerative Arthritis. About 18 months ago I had a spinal fusion done. My pain was fairly well controlled with medication. I had been doing very well since my surgery, then out of no where I seemed to fall back to square one. I was flat on my back in bed in the most excruciating pain for almost 8 weeks. I needed help with even the most basic functions, such as putting on my shoes, getting up off the bed or couch, even picking up a gallon of milk. Luckily I have the most wonderful children and husband. They met my every need without complaint.
Now during all this my husband was and still is traveling for work. He is only home 6-8 days a month. I still had to get Bridget, aka Gidget, and Michael aka Meat to and from, dance, Lacrosse and other various activities, grocery shop and all the fun stuff that goes along with being a parent. I even had to take 2 trips to Atlanta, Ga, which is about a 4 hr drive for Gidget's dance competitions. (I have no idea how I managed that at all) One trip my husband drove 12 hours from NY back to NC, then had to get back in the car drive to Atlanta because I couldn't. We spent one night in ATL, then 9 hrs at Gidget's Feis, drove back home, then my husband had to get back in a car and drive 12 hrs back to NY. He is definitely a trooper. He never complained once, but he did have a few grumpy moments. Gidget also had a Feis in Charlotte, which we we sat at for about 6 hrs. I am proud to announce though that Gidget has been working her butt off and earned her final 1st and is now a CHAMPION level dancer. It is a gigantic accomplishment. What she has accomplished in 2 1/2 yrs takes most dancers 4-6 yrs. She has not stopped smiling. So traveling in pain was worth it.
Fortunately I am FINALLY feeling much better, the pain clinic has since switched my medicine, and though I still have pain, it is quite a bit more tolerable and I am functioning. I am one of those people that when I am not feeling well I just shut out the world and fall off the grid. Basically I become anti-social. 
So let me try to bring you up to speed, I had a CAT scan and it showed the reason for my increased pain levels are due to significant narrowing in my L-3 to L-4 of my spine. Fortunately I won't need surgery at this time, but will most likely in the next 1-2 yrs. Not a surgery I am in any hurry to have again. I have had a few surgeries in my time, but the spinal fusion surgery was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. It made Natural Childbirth feel like an amusement park ride. 
Now that I am feeling better, I am ready to get back to my life. I do have quite a few topics I want to do blog posts on. Even though I fell off the grid, life moved on and lots has happened. I am looking forward to sharing what has been happening, some of the changes that have taken place in my family, what changes are yet to happen. Lots of good stuff that I hope you will enjoy.
So again, my apologies to those of you who are following me, and those that may pop in from time to time. I hope that this finds all of you well.
God Bless,
Kimmie