Home SWEET Home!

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow...I was discharged from the hospital on Saturday with a CPK of 1018 taken the day before. This is a 7000 reduction of CPK in one month- pretty significant! I can't believe I was in in-patient for over one month. Wow...how I've missed MY family, four walls, my bed, and normal food. I so enjoyed just the drive home. It was great to be in a car and see the outside world. I was up and at 'em early on Saturday. I wad so giddy to get out of there! I was able to shower, dress and. pack my bags without help from a nurse. Yes, it took me a loooong time, and I won't be winning any "efficiency" awards any time soon- but it's encouraging to see a little independence. One of my goals before departure was to be able to sit up and get myself out of bed by myself which I am able to do now- with a lot of effort though. So...yay me! David even asked if I minded if we stop at the grocery store on the way, and I was so excited about the possibility of being in a STORE (something I've not been in for at least 6-7 weeks), I said, "Yes! lets go!!" I've never been so thrilled to motorize down the freezer aisle- David had to tell me to "come on"! Ahhhh, the little things in life :-)

Today, I had a very long awaited "first date" with my main squeeze. Of course, it involved chips and salsa, and it was great! (the company wasn't too bad either-wink wink!). Lets just say I learned a few things about myself and what it takes to be handicap accessible and how it wears me out to get ready. We then proceeded to the rheumatologist who treated me with the IVIG. Isn't that romantic? Thank goodness he's starting to reduce my oral steroid again, and pending insurance approval and setting up an in home infusion company, I will have my next 3 day IVIG treatment sometime later this week. The rheumy was very encouraged with my progress and CPK combined with some increased strength. He told us that he was looking over my records prior to the appointment and was thinking my CPK would be back in the 5000 range (because my CPK was rising even when he discharged me from hospital) and he would have to rethink treatment options. Well!! Did we surprise him!! I keep telling him I'm going to better than new when all this is said and done AND that is what happens when people pray!

I start out-patient rehab on Wednesday. This out-patient rehab is 10 minutes from home, and I will receive PT/OT three days a week. Honestly, this was not what I was hoping and even praying for. David and I were hoping I would receive in-home health, but the more we thought through it and listened to the staff and understand what I would really be getting, we felt it was in my best interest to get me stronger faster with the more intense therapy of out-patient. Convenience isn't always best- in most areas of life, too!

Praises!
*Thankful for prayer warriors- many I don't even know! Better appreciation of those who've been through dark times due to their empathy and letting my family know they are praying and providing help and encouragement
*FaceTime with family in Texas Saturday nite while they did Christmas mid-January due to having to postpone their Christmas celebration because of caring for me. Grateful for a generous and flexible family!
*Girls are seeing tangible answers to prayers- slow health improvement, God's provision through family/friends/church through meals, carpool, letters/calls/texts, 3 financial donors (and 2 were anonymous!), helpers lined up if needed when David is gone, David's work schedule, and insurance coverage.
*I even got a couple of bulls eye on our new wii archery game- pretty good little work out trying to raise up my arms...lol!

Requests:
*No infection to spread in a bummed out/in-grown toenail. Antibiotic...do your thing!
*Insurance coverage of all IVIG treatments and approval of infusion company.
*Transition for all as momma bear is back home...
*Regain strength through PT/OT
*Discernment with meds as steroid reduction occurs.

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS POWER that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."