Doctors' Appointments (Toben)

I wish I had kept a running list of all Joanne's doctors appointments up to this point. Since leaving Spalding on May 13th I would guess that Joanne has had about 50 appointments. Between PT, OT, speech, physiatry, GP, orthopedics, orthotics, ENT, accupuncture and massage therapy Joanne has been through a seemingly constant series of appointments. Fortunately there is a team behind Joanne and between her mom, dad and I we have managed to get here there and back to all these appointments. I tell you what, I am thankful for Joanne's iPad which gets a lot of use in waiting rooms around the city of Denver.

Today we have two appointments: accupupuncture and cardiology.

Joanne hates acupuncture, and I can see why. I always though acupuncture involved tapping a needle just through the skin to make contact with the nerves that run through our bodies. Not so. The needles go deep! Some of them are up to four inches long and go a 2-3 inches deep into Joanne's muscle tissue. They are very, very fine needles, but still...

And then after the needles (up to 40) are all in place, Dr, Fan (the acupuncturist) hooks some of them up to a little box that pulses electricity through the needles. I honestly thought that acupuncture would be a kind of peaceful, Zen like experience. But it isn't.

The first time I took Joanne to Dr. Fan I made the mistake  laughing because she looked sort of like a porcupine. Joanne was not amused so to make up for it I asked Dr. Fan to hit me with one of those needles...which he did...right between my eyes. And he really dug it in there too!  It didn't feel Zen-like. It felt a lot like having a needle jabbed into your face. So at least I have a tiny little sense of what Joanne is going through. Not pleasant.

But it is having some positive effects. It seems like with every visit Joanne recovers a little movement. She can move her arm a little and I have noticed a lot less constricture in her shoulder. She has also been able to move her fingers some. That is very cool! The needles are working to connect her brain to her should, arm and hand to remind her brain and appendage that they are supposed to have a relationship with each other. She has also been able to wiggle her toes. And when she does these things we cheer! If you had told me a year ago that I would be applauding someones toe wiggle I wouldn't have believed it, but a toe wiggle gets quite a response these days.

The cardiologist: this will be our first visit to one of these. To this point no one has been able to figure out why the stroke happened. So we have see a LOT of doctors to try to find out why and if there is any risk for something like this to happen again. I think we all live with a little niggling though in the back of our minds that not knowing means we are susceptible to another one of these. There is the logical part of the brain that says, "surely this couldn't happen twice!" but there is another part that says, "if we don't know what caused it we can't be sure if it'll happen again."

So off to the cardiologist we go. He is a good friend of a friend and is going to see if Joanne's heart has anything to do with what happened. Turns out that Joanne has a very small hole in her heart which is suprisingly not uncommon. And other doctors have ruled it out as the cause of the stroke--the hole is too small to make a clot of that size. But we want a second opinion on that. No one who has given us this opinion is an actual cardiologist. So we're going to check this box on the list of people who might give us some insight.

The last appointment of the week is the best: massage therapy. Now getting a weekly massage may sound delightful, but Brooke (the massage therapist) really works Joanne over. They identify the problem areas and then Brooke digs in. Don't get me wrong; Joanne loves Brooke and her massage sessions and they do "bliss her out" but they are incredibly therapeutic as well as pleasurable.

Other news and notes: Audrey is going to Spokane with my folks to see Bethany for Parents Weekend at Whitworth. Audrey is so excited she can hardly stand it.

Emma is going to the theater with Joanne's dad on Saturday. They are going to see the sequel to the play Annie. They get to dress up and everything. Emma is excited to go.

As for Joanne and I, I expect we'll take a walk/roll or two, drink some coffee, have some conversations, do some reading, play around on the computer/iPad/iPone, and generally pass the time in each others presence.

That's a whole other experience that deserves a post--the power of just being present.

Prayer requests:

1. Joanne is having surgery on December 5 to elongate her achilles tendon. Bummer! She will but in a cast that can't get wet of can't bear weight. Think about that for a minute. No walking and no showers without getting a trash bag and some duct tape involved. This will be a challenging time for Joanne and the rest of the family. She'll be in that cast for 6 weeks! Not sure how we are going to make it work but I know we will. This experience has proved that we can rise to the occasion as a family. But pray that the result is worth the pain and discomfort and that at the end of it, Joanne will be able to start to walk normally again.

2. Joanne is still in pain much of the time. We are looking for a non-narcotic solution. Please pray that the doctors will be able to figure something out to relieve her pain.

3. Please pray for a super-natural peace and energy to come over us. It is so easy to get  downright discouraged and depressed. We need a boost to get us through these days!

Toben

Comments

[kimberly]

I miss you all so much! Wish I could be there. Sending a virtual hug to and prayers to heaven.

[Holly]

I've been following this blog since before the stroke.. you all have continued to be in my prayers. Praying for healing... always room for more healing :)

[Dionna]

Thank you for the update and the specifics on the accupuncture. I am more informed now as I held previous views on it like you did.

I also hope that the cardiologist has wisdom and discernment and can point ya'll in the right direction for some answers.

[D'Ann]

Not trying to get "all in the business", but just wanted to throw in a suggestion. I have heard that some birth control medicines will put you at risk for blood clot and stroke. I actually know someone that had a mild stroke due to birth control. If Joanne was on any type of birth control medication at the time of the stroke it may be something to ask the doctors about.

[Kimberly]

Thanks for the update. My son broke his arm and he got a water proof cast put on so he could shower and swim. Not sure if that is available with Joanne's cast...my be worth asking about. We will be praying.

Kimberly

[Gail]

Praying for comfort and patience as you g through all this. My daughter broker her heel in a car accident and could not put weight on it for 8 weeks. She had a scooter that she rested her knee on and pushed it with her other foot. Maybe it's something Joanne can use?

[Michal]

Thanks for all the details about your busy weeks and prayer requests. I'm studying to be a massage therapist which is an incredibly challenging course. Your appreciation for Brooke will give me encouragement as I once again hit the books because I, too, want to provide "incredibly therapeutic" touch.

In Hebrew, my name means "brook." :)

Thank you for standing in the faith together with your wonderful family and many other Team Joanne members. It's a privilege to follow from afar.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25

[Wendy]

Thank you for continuing to share your story. Countless people continue to pray for your family. Hang in there! Cling to the saying, and title of an old hymn, "One day at a time". Truly, just one. day. at. a. time.

Hebrews 10:23, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."

Hebrews 13:6 "So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Substitute what can "acupuncture" do to me? : ) Or what can "discouragement" do to me? Nothing/noone can take away your heavenly crown, your prize!

[Susan]

They make a "cast cover" that you can put on and take off over the cast.You can find them at most drug stores. My husband was in a cast for numerous weeks and this allowed him to shower. We did the trash bag and duct tape until we found this life saver. Good Luck.

[Jessica]

I have been following your blog since Joanne stroke and have been praying for your family. I am so glad to read the updates and her progress. I work on a rehab unit and it is so encouraging to see her continue to make gains. Just a tip..try Glad Press and Seal on the cast. It works better than the Trash bag! :)

[Carrie Hester]

Thank you for this update. It puts it all into perspective for me. My "weariness" is absolutely NOTHING compared to Joanne's daily walk. I am sooo thankful she continues to believe in God's plan!

[Jennifer]

There was so much in this post so first, hopefully a little smile at least- when you mentioned being happy about the toe wiggle, it made me think of "Princess Bride"- sorry about the "almost dead" reference to that particular part but he did overcome it. And I am hoping that some of the suggestions put forth here by others about the cast/showering situation will work out- a good shower is such a blessing!

Enjoy being present with Joanne and her with you and can't wait to see the post about being present! Joanne- you're a tough woman following a GREAT GOD- looking forward to seeing you walk after the surgery!

[Sarah]

Toben - my husband recently had foot/Achilles tendon surgery and was in a cast for 8 weeks...no weight bearing and unable to get it wet. We got a bench for the shower (which you might already have) and the real lifesaver was Saran Wrap. The doctor told us to Saran Wrap the cast. Then I pulled a trash bag over it, duct taped the top and there was NO way it was going to get wet. With just the trash bag or a cast cover (which we tried) it was getting wet. The Saran Wrap totally kept the water off. It allowed him to sit on the bench in the shower. That was huge. Sending many prayers to you and Joanne, always.