Two Journeys: One Heart Memoirs from April 14-16, 2022
LS & BC Health Memoirs – January 21-23, 2022
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries – 2021 August 25-28
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries 17-18 May 2021
LS Memoirs – 13-14 March 2021
March 13
545 woke with “God of the mountain” song on my mind. Feet & toes stinging burning. Sinuses congested. Headache – head feels like top is in vice grip and sharp stabbing pain at 4 o’clock. Whole body stiff and achy. A bit dizzy upon sitting up. Had to sit upright momentarily till spinningveased to use restroom. Joe rubbing my back feels wonderful. Lights bothersome.
Bible Reading: Joshua 9-11, Ephesians 6:10-19, Psalm 37:3-5, Joshua 1:9, 2 Timothy 2:15, Matthew 18:10
Breakfast: bowl of cereal
Used whole milk and within 30 minutes my sinuses congested severely. Had to take Tylenol sinus
Goals: prep for church tomorrow, bulletins, make muffins for SS, hospital visit
Making muffins wore me out. Single batch made two less of four dozen. Feel crash oncoming. Need to rest a while.
Symptoms: headache, muscle cramping/ spasming on rt side, whole body stiff and achy, stinging needle burning pain in feet & back, low back throbbing, sharp stabbing pain in my head at my 7 o’clock – only lasted a minute or so, blurry vision, brain fog, exhausted, sinuses congested, legs burning, rt hip throbbing, rt ear hurts.
Meds taken. Took 1/2 Benadryl & naproxen
Psalm 127:1-5 – Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Thankful: I am thankful for the children that God allowed me to be a mother to especially when doctor’s told me that I couldn’t have children. I claimed Psalm 37:3-5 trusting God would give me the desires of my heart. And He Did!
Striving to raise your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) is a difficult task. It is also a very rewarding one.
*Teach your children to love the Lord with all their being and to respect His house and His Holy Word (Deut 6:4-9, Proverbs 22:6).
*Help them hide God’s Word in their hearts (Psalm 119:11, Joshua 1:9).
*Show them how to study and apply His precepts to every day life (2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 19:7-10).
*Pray for God to surround them with angels to protect them from harm (Psalm 91:11, Matthew 18:10).
*Encourage them to climb every obstacle and become courageous followers of truth (Joshua 1:9, Ephesians 6:10-20).
*Motivate them to live lives of purity, kindness, and compassion that they may shine as bright lights in the world (Matthew 5:13-16, Philippians 4:8, 1 Timothy 4:12).
March 14
Woke momentarily not know where I was or what day it was. Kind of scared out of sleep but I don’t know what startled me.
I heard Joe say my name but he’s asleep. Woke with thoughts of needing to read scripture to LM when I visit her next but I’m not sure which to read. Prayed for her and all those God brought to mind.
Sinuses congested, tired, whole body stiff, achy, and throbbing. Headache. Skin hypersensitive – hair on face feels like razor blades.
Bible Reading: Joshua 12-15, Psalm 23
Feel so exhausted and lethargic today having hard time pushing myself.
Laid down after lunch to take nap. Crashed quickly. Alarm set for 2:30. Slept til 3.50. Had trouble mustering strength to get up.
Symptoms: whole body stiff and achy upon waking, sinuse congested, headache, brain fog, blurry vision, hands swollen & throbbing, stinging nerve pain through body, inner ears itch, lethargic, exhausted, stomach hurts, rt hip aches, Feeling of stabbing knife pain under rt arm but nothing is there, got cold suddenly…feet now freezing. Low back throbbing.
HK got excited when she saw in the Kids Corner of the bulletin the activity was about God’s Adopted Children. She exclaimed I’m adopted! My daughter quickly interjected, ” You’re adopted in God’s family too.”
I added “You’re adopted 2xs so you are chosen and loved” HK with grin from ear to ear emphatically shook her head yes.
Gave lady in church a birthday gift and placed it in her seat so she would see it when came in. She immediately came and found me to thank me. She made comment that I had given her a coloring book few years ago and she’s almost finished it. I totally forgot I had.
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries 26-27 January 2021
Jan 26
Every fiber of my being is screaming in pain! Bad thunderstorm passed through last night. Will have to take rx pain med to get about today. Sinuses severely congested. Post nasal drip causing cough. Headache.
930 received call from nurse. My retest came back negative. My theory worked! Now do I keep my quarantine or what? It isn’t over until Friday. Hmm?
1130 Joe picked up grocery order from Wal-Mart. 2nd time I’ve done it this way. Both times had several substitutes. Not happy but I can live with them. I still prefer in person shopping only doing this way due to quarantine. got very dizzy. Had to sit a spell til it calmed down.
200 went with Joe to pick up Jordon so I could take his car home. Stopped at Ulta for Dezirae. Just that little bit wore me out. Had to rest for a while when we got home. Gonna have to work on building back up my stamina.
Made dinner – taco stroganoff. Used Instapot to brown beef, saute onions, & melt cream cheese. It has been big help. Loving this God given thoughtful gift. Exhausted. Sat to catch breath and rest a bit before serving dinner. Guys came home from hunting as I sat down. Joe sweet enough to serve me. Told him just a little bc I’m not feeling well at moment. Kinda of feel like I took several steps backwards with this covid junk.
Jan 27
Been awake since 7:30. Rough night. Restless. Severe indigestion and much pain made getting comfortable near impossible. Fell asleep sometime after 2am.
Woke exhausted and hurting much. Headache. Eyes watery.
Coughing ensued around 8am. Applied Vicks to feet again. Took morning meds plus Tylenol Sinus.
Researching treating pain naturally. Came across following that seem to be worth researching further.
http://www.doctoryourself.com/arthritis.html
http://www.doctoryourself.com/arthritis_II.html
I have found on my own trials that the more C I take the less I hurt, but I haven’t figured proper amount for self yet. Going to try to learn more about juice fasting.
Folded and put away load of clothes. Wash load. Put load in dryer. Another load in basket to fold. Don’t have any more energy. Feeling weak and dizzy. Need to rest a while. Dezirae working on schoolwork.
Laying down while listening to rejoice radio.
Forgot to open curtains. Dark in room. Went in room to do something don’t recall what. Forgot the fan was near end of dresser near door. Bumped into fan almost fell and in trying to catch myself I knocked the tv & DVD player onto the floor. Ended up yelling Oh no! Dezirae came to check. Told her I was okay and attempted to tell her what happened except forgot what to call item under tv and called it a vcr instead. Picked them back up and checked to make sure they were still working. Thought I broke them. Ugh.
Dezirae helped with dinner. I couldn’t get the chow mein cans open. Cooked rice in Instapot.
After dinner, I was so wore out that I ended up crashing on couch for about an hour. Now will be up for a while.
Headache eased. Tired. Sinuses getting congested. Rt ear hurts. Skin feels itchy. Cold but no fever. Low back hurts. Rt hip throbbing. Lower lft leg tourniquet tightening feeling with tingling & numbish to toes. Lft foot freezing while rt foot is just tingly & firey pins & needles. Neck sore. It cracked several times today when I turned it too far to side. Collar bone cracked couple times today each time causing moderate pain in chest lasting for about an hour.
Upon taking night meds discovered I forgot to take morning meds. Ugh. Took additional C, zinc, & a melatonin. Taking naproxen to ease pain for sleep. Also applied sleep lotion.
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries 24-25 January 2021
Jan 24
1149 almost forgot to write today. Had very rough night. Body had trouble regulating temperature making me very uncomfortable and difficulty staying asleep. Forgot to take last night’s meds. Woke up coughing but not as bad. Whole body normal pains. Muscles randomly twitching through body. Multiple headaches some near migraine.
Decided to finish up Scripture Journaling for month but scheduled post for next month as to ease stress. Only could work on it half hour at time then rest for hour or so bc each time increased headache. Looking forward to Neuro test results in hoping it’ll explain why concentration on things increases headaches.
Sporadic coughing through day. Took cough med for bed. Drank bunch of liquid which caused multiple runs to bathroom.
Spent half hour working on college class – Doctrines of the Bible. That gives headache too – reading and answering questions. Ugh. Something I have to work through. Taking Excedrine migraine to see if it’ll ease headache.
Used my nasonex to dry up sinuses.
Jan 25
112a wide awake. Purposely didn’t take nap so I’d be tired even after unrestful sleep yday. Ugh!
Turned to try to get comfortable. Ribs on lft side got caught taking breath away with pain. Once I got them loosened muscles in lft started cramping. Got them calm and did same thing to rt side. Ugh.
954 CDC says that a person after 14 days is no longer contagious even if they have symptoms. Nurse said she tested positive 21 days afterwards. She waited a week then tested again and was negative. Just because you test positive doesn’t mean you have it. It just means they detected virus proteins. Frustrating.
Testing a theory. I’ve been using nasonex (1 spray each nostril in pm and only in am if needed). Used it last night and this morning. Retested this morning. I can come out of quarantine after 1/27. Joe can come out 1/23.
700 suddenly feeling lethargic. Temp 99.5.
1100 fell asleep now awake but tired. Heachace. Neck hurts. Body aches more than normal. Hands throb. Feet tingle. Lower left leg numbish & tingling. Cough. Took cough med over counter. Night meds. Vitamin C 2k mg & zinc. Using Sleep lotion.
1130 bottom just dropped out. It’s raining hard. Taking Tylenol & melatonin.
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries 15-16 January 2021
Jan 15
1228a still wide awake. Brain hurts but not slowing down. Light sensitivity. Took Excedrin migraine. Night meds taken plus extra C, Echinacea, & zinc.
The added stress on my brain from the neuro testing last week really did a number on my immune system and overall health. I knew I’d be down for days from pure exhaustion but I didn’t consider how it would affect me physically. Ended up sick like my husband. I’m praying its not Covid…feels more like a bad case of the flu.
Still waiting for results of Joe’s covid test. Quarantining stinks but then again I haven’t had much gumption this week either. It’s hard enough fighting to recover from LS let alone top it with flu like symptoms and a sick hubby. Yuck! This too shall pass.
it’s hard…extremely hard…especially when you’re in midst of it. Reminding myself…
Psalm 73:26-28
My flesh and my heart faileth:
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
I haven’t felt much like Bible study this week either being frankly honest but I have kept up with my Bible reading & devotional app.
Read Genesis 46-50 & Psalm 119:25.
Need to work on adding next Scripture journal to blog. Have it partially finished. Maybe I’ll have energy to work on it tomorrow.
Chilling burning sensation in between shoulder in back radiating thru shoulder blades to mid back region. Cramping in let abdomen center chest area…hurts painfully.
Diffusing thieves in room to disinfect the air.
800a woke to bad headache. Muscles twitching randomly thru body. Eyes sensitive to light. Entire body stiff and achy. Sinuses congested with slight bloody nose. Taking migraine rx to ease head pain. Chilling burning sensation that starts at base of neck travels down spine to mid back.
1220p Received call that Joe tested positive for Covid. Whole family must quarantine for 14 days. Ugh! I have to go get tested now.
100 something feels weird in my eye. I take my glasses off to discover the nose piece fell off my glasses. Ugh.
1000p just spent half hour looking for my glasses repair kit (Jordon was helping me stay on target). He found $10 in one of my old wallets. Cool! Dezirae comes to see what we were doing only to remind me that I had one in my purse. Screws were too big. Ugh! Now I’m flat exhausted.
Getting bouts of nauceousness.
1120 drinking hot chammomile tea in hopes it’ll help me sleep tonight. Taking 2nd dose of C, Echinacea, & zinc. Tylenol sinus for the sinus headache & night meds.
Jan 16
1145 whew I slept a long time. Must of needed it.
Woke to feeling like my arms and hands were about to explode. Burning stinging sensation thru body. Head hurts. Woke from strange dreams …
100 a friend dropped off a large pot of wedding meatball soup. It’s so delicious!
Low back & rt hip is throbbing like an infected toothache!!! It’s hard to move.
Chronic back pain
http://www.doctoryourself.com/stenosis.html
630 asked family if they wanted brownies. Joe told me I wasn’t cooking bc I needed to rest. Asked Jordon to make some cookies.
930 applied pain patch to lower back.
1100 patch area starting to burn some. Not sure if that’s supposed to happen or not.
1130 sat to use restroom and lower back snap crackles and popped! It hurt but I am able to move little better. Lower rt back & but area throb intensely. Why does it have to hurt so much!
I’m not taking it anymore. I’m going to bed. Maybe my body will wake in better mood and less pain tomorrow.
Ate on the soup all day and still have a lot left. It was big help as I was in no shape to cook at all today.
I hurt so bad I can’t even lay on my back in bed!! Attempting to lay on stomach.
Took pm rxs, zinc 50mg , C 2k mg, Tylenol sinus.
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries 25-27 December 2020
Dec 25
1130 bahaha just discovered the asparagus got left out and is already rotten. Have to back up and punt. I’m exhausted and getting grouchy.
330 finally able to lay down. Tummy hurts. Family picking up house while I lay down.
Invited two guys for Christmas dinner. Both were very appreciative for the food and fellowship.
Overall had a good day. I’m hurting something fierce and need some sleep.
Dec 26
730 rough night. Woke several times. Whole body aches deeply stinging to bones. Headache. Woke from strange dreams. Tummy hurts. Nerves sting deeply all over body. Type of pain that’s not easily ignored and makes it difficult to move. I’d rather sat in bed all day, but I know that can’t happen today.
1200p Joe took me on a date. I suppose our waitress was having a bad day bc her service was horrible. I enjoyed the company though. I love spending time with the love of my life.
Kids went out to have fun at mall. They came back with gifts for Joe & I. Fire Stick for Joe & necklace for me.
8p family went to see Christmas light at Colonnades. Gave family in middle a thank you and some homemade orange marmalade. He look surprised we brought them a gift.
Jakob proposed to his girlfriend. She said “Yes”.
1155p attempted to braid hair. Hands cramped quickly making it difficult to finish. Arms cramping and fatiguing out. Intense chore. I miss being able to braid my own hair without pain or assistance.
Dec 27
630 woke from strange dream tired (I was actively either pursing something or being pursued. Not sure which.) Whole body aches. Minimal pain in feet upon standing. Low back and upper body hurt the most. Sinuses congested. Lots of nasal drip down back of throat.
815 sudden allergy attack almost made me puck. Took Tylenol sinus and nasonex. Feel weak and exhausted.
1000a in a very sarcastic mood. Don’t know why. Lol. Enjoy seeing the kids today. Supposedly one of the kids school bus driver knows me. Name seems familiar, but I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
11a trouble focusing on music. Brain feels overtaxed and tired
1150a suddenly exhausted and sleepy
236 upper body and arms sting. Need a nap.
Lightning Strikes Journal Entries 20-21 June 2019
June 20
5:00a- woke in severe pain in rt hip & headache.
6:00a- took Naproxen, Joe applied pain rub to rt hip area – still throbbing
6:20a- applying ice pack to rt hip. Feet throbbing. Pain increaseth causing tears to leak out eyes.
6:49a- lft ear ringing, head pounding, neck hurts, arms aching
8:30a- took nap. Head still pounding. Took migraine rx. Legs throbbing, neck hurts, rt hip throbbing, muscles spazzing randomly throughout body
1:00p- took 2nd nap.
2:00p- been hard to maneuver bc my legs feel like lead bricks today. Don’t know how to explain or cause. Migraine has eased. Still have slight headache. Things prepped for VBS mtg tonight (I think).
Feeling lethargic and weak presently.
Making D.E. drink. Maybe it’ll give me enough energy for rest of day.
4:00p- leave for church. Kids going to help with mission house. Recvd call letting me know Dr Shouppe, my chiropractor, passed away this morning. 🙁 He was one of only Dr’s that cared about my recovery.
11:55p- wide awake. Lower legs throbbing, tingly. Lower lft leg tourniquit tighten feeling. Lower back & rt hip aches, muscles randomly twitching thru body, neck hurts, hands ache, skin itchy, feet cold, head hurts
June 21
7am- woke from nightmare. Neck & rt hip throbbing, headache too. Muscle randomly twitching.
9:30a- going to The Explorium as family today.
4:30p- saw new Dr today. Joe & I really like him. Very thorough. Did neck xray. Multiple muscle spams down spine from neck to lower back. Throat culture to check type of yeast in order to know how to treat. Took time to ask questions and listen.
He’s surprised that other Drs haven’t done much testing that should’ve already been done. Started today with neck xrays, throat culture (still battling thrush), fasting labs next week. Because I still battle vertigo, he said I most likely have inner ear damage.
Changing pain rx. Wants me off Naproxen as it could be a contributor to the thrush. Keep up with homeopathic/natural remedies for thrush. Increase Echinacea. Glad I’m taking it.
Said other Dr should’ve treated me more strongly in beginning for thrush. Said there’s other things they should’ve already done but haven’t. Dr wants copies of file from other Dr. I told him not sure wants in my file and explained what neurologist suggested. He was appalled. Told him they want to put me on botox, dementia rx, & antidepressants and I refused bc after research I felt side effects would’ve magnified symptoms. He said I did right for me.
Dr willing to learn and work with me treating one thing at a time. He’s okay with me using natural remedies. Dr says I have a good attitude considering all I’ve been thru…lucky to be alive. Told him I told Dr that God still has a purpose for me. Dr said, “He must have bc you’re still here.”
I thank the Lord for answered prayers!!!
6:00p- exhausted! Resting until friends come in from out of town. Going to meet them for dinner.
11:20p- had good visit. I’m exhausted.
