ouch..

Pleas pray for me today! I am in a lot of pain.
Thank you!
~Becky
By the way the procedure went very well.

Another blessing....

Yesterday was long for me. The boys were much better than the day before, but my pain was worse. My friend Jen brought dinner over for us and it was delicious!! I am excited to eat it again for lunch today!:) Anyway, please keep me in your prayers as I am going to have my first cortisone injection done this afternoon. I am so thankful that my Dad will be able to take me and my in-laws are going to watch the boys. The plan is to drop them off aroung 1:15 and be at my appt. around 2. I am a bit nervous because these injections were very painful when I experienced them 6 years ago, but the payoff was tremendous.
I came across a "thankfulness journel" that Aaron and I kept when we were going through this the first time. I had forgotten that when the injections were administered, in 2002, our insurance was aweful!!!! and we had to pay thousands of dollar's in the end for the service. (It is considered an outpatient surgical procedure.) This time around we only have to pay a $25 co-pay ~ PRAISE GOD!! One of the entries I read mentioned how thankful and relieved we were to pay our last installment of a 13 month pay-off process from the procedures. I had completely forgotten. God blessed us GREATLY as we struggled to keep our heads above water with the medical expenses which seemed to pile up and at the time we were living off of Aaron's server earning's and generous gifts from our parents.
I am so thankful for the many lesson's God taught Aaron and I in the first 2 years of our marriage. I have often heard people say that the first year of marriage is the hardest, but that wasn't the case for us. I thank God for making Aaron the man he is. I know that neither of us wanted for my back to go out then (OR NOW!), but everyday I am thankful that we serve a God who is in control of all that is going on in our lives.

Here's the plan

I finally got in to see a pain management doctor first thing this morning. This is how the Lord has anwered our prayers...
~The doctor, (Dr. Manocha), is great! He actually listened to me and took plenty of time to answer ALL of my questions. I found him to be extremely approachable and patient.
~ He thinks that going through with the cortisone injection's is our best plan for now. This is a huge answer to prayer because back surgery requires a much longer recovery period with much more therapy afterward. Also, the injection's will not remove anything from my body, this will allow us to have more option's later.
~ Later this week, Dr. Manocha will be off work for vacation and will not be back in the office until the second week of March, however, the scheduler was able to work me in tomorrow afternoon at 2:15 for my first injection!! Praise the Lord!
~So, that is where we stand. Please pray for my procedure tomorrow as last time they were very painful for me.
Thank you for your continued prayer support!!
Sincerely,
Becky Dell

What a great gift...

Today my friend Erin came over for the majority of her day to help me with the boys. She brought her two little men over so they all got to play together, I got to take a long hot back, have adult conversation and on top of all of this, she brought us yummy lunch and even made us dinner. Thanks so much Erin!!

FYI...

Just in case you hear something through the grapevine...
I had to take Collin to Children's Urgent Care around 6 tonight. It turns out he just had a minor dislocation (aka nursemaid elbow) and the doc was able to quickly put it back with minimal discomfort to Monkey.

Thankful thoughts

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP THAT IS FORMING BETWEEN NOAH AND COLLIN.
The pic of the boys cuddling with a blanket on the couch "happened" because Noah climbed up, covered himself up, scooted over to against the back pillows and shouted "Come cuddle with me Baby, PLEEEAAASSSE!"





I AM THANKFUL FOR A GODLY, WONDERFUL AND SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND WHO LOVES ME AND IS AN AMAZING FATHER TO OUR BOYS!
The middle pic is from Aaron's work party at Dave and Buster's a few weeks ago. We were dressed for our roles in the murder mystery dinner.




I AM THANKFUL FOR MY SWEET MONKEY!
This child is so much like me IT'S SCARY! He is changing so much everyday. His favorite things to do are: buckle his highchair straps, try to dress himself and jump with both feet off the ground. He seems to learn new words and phrases daily. Some of his favorites right now are : row row row boat, Elmo world and (my fav!) he said "love" back to me this morning when I told him I loved him. He is such a blessing!






I AM THANKFUL FOR MY BEAUTIFUL NOAH!
Noah will be 3 in just a few weeks and already the two year old seems to be long gone. He is more and more independant everyday and he LOVES to be a cowboy. My mom recently went to Arizona for work and bought Noah a really nice leather belt with cowboys, horses and mountains carved into it, well, Noah thinks it is the best thing ever. When we took him for his pics on Tues night, I had planned on him having a Thomas the train theme in the pics, but as soon as I put his "cowboy belt" on him that changed. He asked to wear his boots and hat in the pics and I couldn't resist!! The pics turned out great and it really captures where he is now in his life. I am so glad he is my son!


I had planned on writing more and including more pics, but my back is changing my plans, so I will just list a few more things and be done... (in no particular order)
~ Parent's and In-laws who are always there to help.
~ Friends.
~ A loving supportive church.
~ Provided meals.
~ A loving & supportive sister.
~ Cards and phonecalls.
~ PRAYER!!
~ A loving God that keeps His promises.
~ So much more!!
Thank you all for loving and supporting me through this!!

To blog or not to blog... that is the question.

Okay so the answer to my question is - to blog. :)
Today has turned out to be an okay day even though I have been in quite a bit of pain.
I feel so loved and suppported by the sincere outpouring of love from so many people that have offered to bring us meals or take the kids so I can have a break. A couple of people have even offered to clean or go grocery shopping for us. WOW! I am amazed. For those of you who know me well, you probably know that I like the feeling of control ~ especially when it comes to matters of my home and children. Well, I have been stretched to the limit in this area lately and I am learning so much about myself in the process.
Today started kind of ruff, especially for little Collin. He has recently gotten over a cold and I thought he was out of the woods, but today he was rubbing his ears and he actually used the words "ear hurt" so I promptly called the doctor and we were able to get in late this morning. Poor guy! He has an ear infection in both ears. OUCH! The upside is, Aaron worked last night, leaving home at 9 pm and returning at 4:30 am today, so he was here to watch Noah and I actually got to leave the house with only one child in tow. This is good news because since my back went out I haven't left the house with both boys because they are much more agile than me right now and I am afraid of not being able to keep them both out of harms way. Anyway, it was nice to get out of the house and spend time alone with just Collin. When he is away from big brother he seems much bigger than when the two of them are side by side. We went to CVS after the doc appt to fill his RX. It was challenging lifting him in and out of the cart, but it was do-able. I came home to a wonderful hot meal prepared by my hubby and then all 4 of us took a nap.
Now on to Noah... he just wasn't his normal self today. We have chalked it up to growing pains. He spent the majority of the day resting and saying that he didn't feel good. He ate like a teenage boy, was in good spirit's and he took a 4 hour nap that would have lasted even longer if I didn't wake him us to eat dinner.
Tonight we ventured out to the mall for Noah's 3 year pics and the event almost did me in. The pics turned out great, Aaron did all of the heavy lifting. We promised Noah a trip to the pet store to see the puppies if he cooperated and that is the part that took a toll on me. I felt that a walk would do me good, but the short distance from JCPenney's to the pet store by Sear's (Fairfield mall) almost did me in, not to mention the walk back to the van.
This brings me to blogging. I am tired, but laying down hurts too bad right now, so here I sit. Posture in check, core tightened, lumbar spine pressed firmly into back of our office chair and feet planted firmly on the floor. This offer's some relief, more for Aaron than me no doubt. He must have trouble sleeping next to my twisting and turning as I search for the most comfy way to lay.
I had forgotten about this part of back pain. The lack of sleep really SUCKS! I have dark, puffy circles under my eyes and the energy level is no where near what it was about a month ago when all of this started up. I often wonder how I get through the day with 2 busy boys and I rest in knowing that God's grace is not only sufficient for me, but for my boys too. He has not only promised to supply my needs, but also their needs. I think too much of myself. I think that I am the only one who can take care of my boys and meet their needs, but that is not the case at all. The same God that is leading me through this "tough patch" is also holding Noah and Collin in His arms and leading them as well. Last Sunday we sang a song that talks about how, as Christian, we long for "holiness, faithfulness and righteousness" and how they are all we need. The chorus goes on to say, "take my heart and mold it, take my mind and ( insert something I can't remember right now) it, take my will and transform it to Yours to Yours O' Lord", that has been my prayer all week. I know that God has a plan for me and for my family. He will carry me through just as He has carried me through every other difficult time in my life. I rejoice tonight knowing that even if I wake up tomorrow and the pain is still there - or even worse - God is there. He will take care of me and the boys. Even if I experience another sleepless night, He will provide the energy to get through the day. Praise God!!!!!!!!
Anyway, that was my day.

Last night....

Yesterday, during church, I started to experience quite a bit of pain. I was actually unable to remain in the sanctuary. We were supposed to go to Aaron's brother's house to celebrate his birthday, but due to my pain I opted for Aaron to drop me off and go to the party without me. Collin was asleep, so Aaron put him in bed and he and Noah went to the party. I was able to sleep for about an hour until Collin woke up. I managed to get Collin downstairs, he walks the steps by himself- thankfully(!!), and he climbed into his highchair for lunch. I was unable to take care of him so I called Aaron and he and Noah came home. Well, once Aaron got Collin cleaned up from lunch, he took the boys to their room and let me sleep off the meds for another two hours. I felt as though things had calmed down and we watched a little tv (yippee for the gift of the Cosby Show from my parents and sister) and Aaron bathed the boys and we both put them to bed. Aaron went to bed about 9:30 (I know, I know... a real party animal!!) and I stayed up to read my Bible and do some stretches. After almost 1 hour of stretching, the pain reduced again and the feeling of spasming subsided. I laid on the floor for a while longer trying to decide if I could in fact make it up the stairs to our bedroom. At around 12 am I made it to bed. I couldn't help it. I started crying, from the 13 hours of constant pain coupled with exhaustion and sadness that comes along with not being able to take care of that which God has entrusted me with. Aaron woke up and asked me what he could do to help. He ended up rubbing my back for over an hour. We actually talked about a lot of the changes that have become part of our current life and how far we've come from the first go-round with my back. He is such and encouragement to me and I am so thankful to have such a loving, caring and selfless husband that daily shows me he loves me.
Prayer needs: I think the first prayer request on my list is that the boys will continue to handle my lack of mobility well. Secondly, that the pain will subside and God will do a miraculous work in my back. Third, that we continue to trust in God through this difficult time.
Thanks for reading and praying!!

M R Why????

Okay here's the skinny...
I had an MRI done on Monday and it revealed that my back has in fact worsened. One of my discs is worse and therefore, I am going to see a pain management doc on the 26th of this month. I am tired of the process already, but this is how it works. I wish I knew why this is the path God has placed for me to walk down, but I can only trust that He is in control of the situation. Please pray for wisdom for the doctor as well as patience for Aaron, Noah, Collin and me. I am so thankful for my parents and Aaron's parents as they are helping so much with the kids. I am also thankful for our church family as they are faithfully lifting us up in prayer as well as asking me how I am feeling. The encouragement I am receiving this time around is amazing! Thanks also to Pam (from church for providing an amazing meal for our family that lasted for 2 dinners and one lunch!)
Love to all!
Becky

Here we go again

Some of you know that my back is not feeling so good these days. I went into spasm on Sunday evening after the superbowl for more than an hour. For those of you who have never experienced spasms, I compare them to when I was having contractions when I was going into labor with Collin. Here is an update I posted on my church's prayer chain. Please pray for our family as it seems that everyone suffer's when Mommy is not feeling well. Pray also for our parents as they are assisting with childcare for upcoming tests and doc appt's. Thanks...
Here is the latest information on my back.
I was able to get an appointment with my family doc yesterday. I was prescribed prednisone(an oral steroid) a muscle relaxer and oxicodone. I am scheduled to have an MRI on Tuesday afternoon to see what is actually going on. I have a long history of back problem, as many of you already know, however, this new pain is on the right side of my body which is not my standard. Please pray for clarity as the doctor's read the results of my upcoming tests. If the results indicate further herniation or increased buldging of the dics, (historically 2 herniated discs and 1 buldging with the added bonus of degenerative disc disease), I will most likely undergo a series of 3 - 4 surgical injections of cortisone (another steroid) in the epidural space along my spine. Although the procedures are painful they have worked in the past and by God's grace I have been free of spasm from May of 2002 until last Sunday evening. I thank you all so much for you prayers and kind words of support. Please rejoice with us for the proactive support and care of my family doctor and insurance that will allow me to get proper treatment in a quick, seemingly uncomplicated manner.
Sincerely,
Becky Dell

Coupon crazy!

New addiction... COUPON'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My wonderful friend, Erin, made mention of a fellow blogger's site written by a mom of 2 who has a great desire to teach women to be good stewards of the money God has given them. That being said, the site ROCKS!!! I have been a long time supporter of coupons, but I wasn't aware of all of the options there were as far as coupon's are concerned. Here are some of the deals I have gotten over the last few days.
CVS
- Pepsi 12 packs were 3 for $10 ( not that great of a deal so I would have normally passed it by - stay with me!) I bought 6. Total : $20. Now for the fun.
I used a $4 off a $20 purchase and then received a $10 credit (using the CVS swiping card) good toward any purchase. SO I ended up only spending $6 (+tax) for 6 12-packs of Pepsi.
Meijer
- Post cereal is 4 for $7. I bought 4 boxes and used 2 $1 off coupon's. 4 boxes of cereal for only $5!!
- Jane cosemetics are but 1 get 1 free this week. I printed off 6 $2 off any Jane cosemetic purchase from a link on the site and I ended up getting 2 foundations and 2 eyeshadows FOR FREE! I used one coupon per product even though they were B1G1. Woo-HOO! I printed off 10 more coupons today and I am going back to Meijer to get more free make-up!! (Cost without the coupons or B1G1 offer would have been almost $15.)
Walmart
I printed off a coupon for $2 off honey bunches of oats w/ choc. cereal. At wally world the cereal is only $2.26. I bought 3 boxes of cereal for less than $.90. I wanted to print off more of those and go to Meijer to get the cereal completely free, but their site wouldn't allow me to print anymore.
Anyway, the site is www.moneysavingmom and it is full of advice on saving money at the grocery. Even if you are not a mom, you would greatly benefit from the site!!
Ok, done for now! I have to go shopping!!