Stone-Free & Fully Vaccinated

 I can't believe we are already well into the month of April; 2021 is flying by! This year has been going well for me, although, I have been hospitalized twice. In February, I started having pain in my left flank, and I was pretty sure it was due to kidney stones. This isn't my first bout with stones, so I knew the signs. The pain got so bad that I actually had my mom take me to the Emergency Department on Valentine's Day. After doing a CT scan, the doctor discovered that I passed a 6mm stone from my left kidney, through the ureter, and into the bladder. No wonder I'd been in pain! I was admitted to the hospital and I stayed for two days. 

A couple of weeks later, I had a telehealth appointment with my urologist. She is a stone specialist at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, and I know I am in capable hands under her care. She told me that I had a lot of other kidney stones in my left kidney, and she needed to do surgery to remove them. (I tend to produce a lot of tiny kidney stones, the size of granules of sugar, which only grow larger if they aren't removed.) My doctor was actually taking a vacation (her first in over five years), but she squeezed me in to her already busy schedule before she left. 

My surgery was on March 12, and it was supposed to be outpatient (however, that didn't happen). The good news is that my surgery went very well, and my doctor was able to remove all of the kidney stones in one surgery (she thought she might have to do it in two surgeries). The bad news is that I always produce infectious stones, and I had a bad kidney infection that was resistant to all oral antibiotics. SO, I ended up being hospitalized for an entire week, and I had to get a PICC line in order to come home, since I was on IV antibiotics for 10 days. All's well that end well, though. Even though I never look forward to being in the hospital, and away from all of the comforts of home, there were a lot of blessings, and things could've been a lot worse. I'm very grateful to be stone-free again, but if my past track record is any indication, I'm sure this won't be my last experience with kidney stones.

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I also received my two doses of the Moderna vaccine in March. I prayed and prayed about the vaccine last year, and I asked Heavenly Father to inspire the scientists working on the vaccine, and to help them know just what to do in order to create a safe and effective vaccine to protect people against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. I do believe my prayers were answered, and I truly believe that this vaccine coming about so quickly can only be described as "miraculous." I love how scientists around the world were working together with a common goal for the good of humanity. 

I'm grateful that I was able to get the vaccine, and that I didn't have to travel a far distance or have to wait in long lines. And I'm grateful I didn't have a bad reaction, either. My mom and my sister, Chandra, both felt lousy the day after the second dose, but it only lasted about 24 hours, which is a small price to pay for the protection and peace of mind having the vaccine brings.

Gratitude: Day 6

Happy Thanksgiving! I've saved the best for last on my week of gratitude posts (I skipped the first day, which is why there have only been six). There aren't sufficient words to express my profound gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Just like the sun warms and gives light and life to our planet, Jesus gives light, warmth and meaning to my life. There is no pain, sickness, disability, disease, loss, addiction or any other bad "thing" that you or I could or will ever experience that Jesus has not experienced first. He was resurrected after His crucifixion, and I know one day I will be resurrected, too! I don't know if other Christians believe this, but I know some day in the next life our spirits/souls will be reunited with our bodies, and there will be no more disabilities, diseases or imperfections. This fills me with so much hope and joy!

"He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life, and eternal life in the world to come." (– The Living Christ)

Gratitude: Day 5

I am grateful to be alive! Last week marked the 17th anniversary of my car accident, and while I would never have chosen this life, I'm grateful for my accident and for the trials that resulted from it. It was a catalyst for personal growth, and I'm a much better person now than I was 17 years ago. I've said this before, but I'll say it again... I would never go back and change things if the trade-off was giving up the personal growth and everything I've learned on this journey. I'm grateful for my God-given gift of joy that has enabled me to carry on with a grateful heart and an eternal perspective. God is good, and He knows what I need!

Gratitude: Day 4

I'm grateful for family! I love my sisters (all six of them) so much! I wish they lived closer, but I'm grateful for our family chat, email, and video calls that keep us connected. I'm especially grateful for my sister, Chandra, who lives here locally. I ADORE her, and no matter how much time we spend together, it's never enough. I never tire of her! Here are all of my sisters, except Kristin:

Of course, I have to mention my gratitude for my angel mother. She has devoted her life to caring for me, and she does such a fantastic job! I'm glad we get along so well, since we have to spend so much time together!

Finally, I'm grateful for my nieces and nephews. I always wanted to be a mother, but since that didn't work out for me, being an aunt is the next best thing. I love my nieces and nephews—all 26 of them! My sisters are doing such a good job raising them, and they are growing up to be such good, smart, funny, talented and caring people. Family is truly a blessing!

Gratitude: Day 3

I'm grateful for assistive technology and for the brilliant minds that create it. With so much that I physically can't do, it's nice that using a computer is something I can do, thanks to assistive technology. Even though I can't use my hands to type on a keyboard or move a mouse, I can use my voice to dictate emails, give commands, and use something called a head mouse to navigate around on the computer. I spend the majority of my free time on my laptop each day, and there's very little I can't do on a computer that an able-bodied person can. It gives me back some of the independence I've lost, which feels great!