Isaiah 40:31 says that "They that wait upon the Lord will find new strength, they will rise up on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."
I can't say I have any more energy than I did 4 months ago.
I CAN say I have about 15% less pain now.
I can't say that my auras, confusion, and stress are any less now.
I CAN say that I have long term solutions, support, and medicine at my disposal.
I can't say that i'm any more confident in my body to heal itself.
I CAN say that it's ever more apparent to me how much God holds every inch of us together.
God has taught me a few things these past few months. Patience, diligence, to listen, to express my feelings better verbally. He's taught me that i'm oh so weak without him. That actions have consequences, even if they are down the road a bit. I know all of these are fairly simple... but i've needed them.
I left camp for 4 months (not the length I expected) to get some medical issues worked out. As you might know over the past years i've been struggling with infections and migraines fairly commonly, and than on a daily basis (which you probably didn't know) headaches, cloudiness, dizziness, tiredness, foggy mind, sore neck and back, and depression. I went home to figure all of this out because it had rendered me almost useless at Camp Homewood. It has been a whirlwind or appointments. WOW!
I have seen a Family Practitioner, Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, Message Therapist, Physiatrist, and a Neurologist.
I had an MRI, a CT Scan, 2 X-rays, and 10 different blood tests.
All of this... the conclusion.
I have been developing Migraines since I was a kid and the concussions i've had have been triggers to bring the migraines out worse. With these migraines comes something called an aura. An aura is a precursor to a migraine that presents itself as a small headache with dizziness, blurred vision, foggy thinking, light sensitivity, and all around uncomfortable feeling.
Once I have a migraine these aura symptoms increase and the pounding inside my head gets intense, the pain behind my eyes increases, and sharp pains shoot down my neck and mid back.
As you can probably guess this makes it quite hard to work.
The Neurologist, my family doctor and I, through a little experimenting have come up with a short term semi-solution for the summer until my check ups back in Kamloops in September.
Don't hit my head. :)
Get exercise and stay healthy.
Take vitamins, fish oils, and supplements.
Get into a good sleep routine... one that doesn't change. (very tough at camp)
Avoid stress, anxiety, MSG, and people that are annoying. (all migraine triggers)
Drink more water and less coffee.
Take drugs.... the ones the Neurologist gave me. Valproic Acid. Which is actually an anti-convulsant and mood stabilizer used for people who are bi-polar and less commonly schizophrenic *yikes.
For me though it will help keep the Migraines at bay and tame down the aura and depression. It hasn't completely gotten rid of everything, but it is an optimistic change. When I do get a bad Migraine I have something called Sumatriptan that will knock it out.
So...
Where I fit into camp this summer with these... "limitations" is still a little up in the air... all I know is that wherever that is, I will give my all... and glorify The Lord through it all. I will bless those kids with all i've got.
Thank you all so so much for your support and prayers over the past 4 months and in the future.
Another prayer request... these past months have been a killer financially for me from the travel, to the meds and appointments, to getting my wisdom teeth out. God has provided the right amount for what I needed, and now i'm left with the bare minimum for living this year and saving for "important life events that involve another person in my life of the opposite gender".
To put it honestly... i've cancelled my internet at camp... (at the coffee shop now)
and I do not have the funds for truck insurance. I will be buying a cheap bicycle instead. :) and a good helmet.
God WILL provide.
ALL THAT ASSIDE!!!
I've had an awesome time with my family these past months... watching Lanny grow up...
sharing in Andrew and Brittany's special day... playing with Kiriah and Calla and Liz...
Having late night chats with Mom and Pops... enjoying the College and Careers group and seeing old Kamloops friends... it really was a treat through all the tough days.
Now i'm back at camp and we're amping up for a busy summer... there is so much I have to update you on... but i'll save it for another post... which will be more frequent.
BACK TO WORK!!
I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!
-Josh
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