Back to BigHouse!

In case I haven't kept you updated with texts or on facebook, here's the update: I saw a neurologist at Vanderbilt on Wednesday and he said the only thing he would try would be a short dose of steroids - in hopes that my headaches would be responsive and the pain cycle would be broken. He even said they could be gone for good! Of course after 86 days of headaches, that seemed just a LITTLE too good to be true! But the other good news was that I could stop taking Topamax, the medicine I hated with a passion b/c of the side effects and it never did anything for my headaches. So Thursday I woke up without a headache, ate without getting a headache afterwards, and felt so good that I decided to run! Laying on the couch for weeks will take a toll on your muscles, however, so I only ran about 6 1/2 of the 20 min run and had to walk the rest, but it didn't give me a headache, and that was the real test. Friday I felt even better than Thursday and I got serious about packing my suitcase! I had an appointment with Dr. Maynard in the afternoon. He was glad I was finally feeling better and said it was fine for me leave the next day, which was my plan. The diagnosis was "intractable headache" which basically means a headache that never goes away. More like a fancy name for the symptom than whatever happened to cause it, but I'll take what I can get I guess. And whatever they call it - it's gone now! Hopefully for good. Saturday morning I helped Dad install their new microwave (which took 3 tries, no big deal) then hit the road for Georgia. Rainy drive but I loved seeing the mountains in Chattanooga! I got to hang out with Katie and Jess and Kevin for a while in the afternoon - helping Jess and Kevin pack up for their move to their new apartment (in Katie and Chase's complex - I'm SO GLAD I made them be friends! I just love all four of them! Especially together.) Saturday night Jenna and Trent hosted a Welcome Back from the Dead Shindig for me and I got to see lots more of my favorite people there. And eat Trent's awesome cheeseburgers and Jenna's flop cake (also known as Nanny's pound cake I think). Sunday I got to go to church and sing in the choir and then went back to Jess and Kevin's for the moving adventure. I haven't felt like I've contributed much to society in the past two months, but after making a few hundred trips up and down the stairs and feeling every bit of it this morning, I'd say I'm making a great comeback! I drove back to Opelika Sunday night. Grandmom was sure glad to see me and called Blake and Micah to report that I had gotten home and looked a lot better..."not so pale" apparently. :) I missed her a lot too. I got see Julie who'd just gotten back from the beach. Such a great weekend! I love seeing so many of my people! Today I went back to work!!! It was great. There's a lot going on at BigHouse - and a lot coming up in the next few months. I was glad to see the kids and the volunteers - they had made me a stack of Get Well cards while I was gone. :) So sweet! The kids have all grown so much in month I've been gone - I know it doesn't seem possible, but it's true! Anderson is doing all kinds of adorable things - like he figured out how to gurgle his milk, which is hilarious. And he has the cutest laugh! I got to eat supper with Micah's family, which was nice too. It's good to be home. It's good to be putting my life back in order. Praise God for what He's done in my life in the past 91 days. It's been way harder than I thought imaginable, but our God is faithful. It bothers me when people say, "God never gives you more than you can handle" because that is nowhere to be found in Scripture. But He does invite us to come and find rest in Him when we are weary and burdened (Matt. 11:28). I'm so thankful for the countless number of you who have prayed for me through this ordeal. I needed your encouragement so desperately. And I needed you to be strong in your hope and faith when mine felt small and weak. I wish I could share all the Scripture that I've been learning over the past several weeks...here is one of my favorites: "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through Him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 I love that because of Christ, we have the assurance of EVERY promise of God! And especially that of our salvation! I just love it. Thank you, God, for 5 days of no headaches, letting me see so many friends, and go back to work at BigHouse. My heart is full and happy!