Moving Forward...

Sorry I haven't updated this in a little while, but here's what's been going on...
I've been in my brace and using my crutch still since my last entry (trying to keep my hip stable and things). A few days ago I met with one of my doctor's, Dr. Blackham, here in Ogden--at McKay-Dee Hospital--and it was a tough visit, but there's still good that comes out of it!!!
We sat down and talked about all of my joints, how painful and unstable they are becoming, what I'm supposed to do to be able to go to school (up on campus) again, sleep well at night, and just function. That's where the hard part came in: He just looked at me (with that look of a 'I really don't want to have to tell you this') and told me that there was nothing else he could do, everything I was already trying was all that he could think of, that this is all part of the disease process, that I have--with my complications and things--the worst case he's ever seen (which I didn't particularly want to hear that), and that, sadly, it's only going to get worse! Hard to have to hear, right?! :(
Well, here comes the more positivie side to it--the silver lining that I needed to try and find: Dr. Blackham suggested that I try and get into a doctor at one of the clinics that worked/specialized more with Ehlers Danlos patients. Of course none of those clinics are around here really, so I made a phone call. I called Dr. Byer's office at the University of Washington, up in Seattle, because another doctor I had seen down at the University of Utah had told me about Dr. Byers. His office called me back today, and guess what...I have an appointment with Dr. Byers on Tuesday October 6th!!! I'm exciting! I know that they're still might not be any exact answers to come from this, because as of right now there is no cure, but it'll be nice to meet with a doctor who's doing research on Ehlers Danlos, who might have some ideas, and who might be able to help me have a little bit more of a functionable life!!!
My old seminary prinicipal my senior year of high school, Brother Bell, once told me two things that have always stuck with me and that I'll never forget...The first was: "The Lord knows what you can handle and He will help you through...Pray as if everything depends on Him and live as if everything depends on you." The second was: "The power within you is greater than the obstacles in front of you."
I'll admit that some days I have a hard time believeing that I am strong enough to deal with the things that I am faced with, but I know that when I turn to the Lord and do these things that Bro. Bell has told me--praying to Him like everything depends on it--I can feel that power within me grow and He does help me through those obstacles in front of me!