Transitional Rehab Center and Health Update

This past December I learned what a "Transitional Rehabilitation Center" was! The beginning of December I went in for surgery on my low spine--I had what was called a bilateral pars defect...which is where there the little "processes" (bony segments) that come off of the main bone column of my spine were fractured on each side. We'd tried physical therapy, bracing, medicine, time, injections, and everything but they wouldn't heal on their own and the pain wasn't going away, so they went in the beginning of December to put rods and screws in to hold things in place and to make a graft as well for the bone to grow together and fuse a couple of the vertebrae together. I had the surgery done, but things didn't go quite as planned with going home after a few days of being in the hospital; and so they sent me to Pine View Transitional Rehab where I stayed for about 5 1/2 weeks!
I was pretty nervous at first, not knowing what a transitional rehab center was...Honestly, I thought it was going to be like a nursing home, but this place was not at all what I expected! The staff (all the nurses, food staff, the rehab staff, and everyone) were all super nice, I had my own room (which was huge and super nice), and everything was nice....They had a menu they'd bring each week with what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which was all very nice food--dessert and everything), I would go to physical therapy and occupational therapy for at least an hour each every day (that would get tiring but the staff was awesome and hilarious), they had activities everyday (Sunday was probably my family and mine's favorite which was always donuts and hot chocolate for all the visitors and everyone :) ), they had a nice fireplace area to go sit, and since it was over the holidays they had Christmas trees and things all decorated and  up everywhere! My family was SO AMAZING...they would come in ALL the time to visit and make me feel not so homesick (especially being over the holidays)!!!! My nieces and nephews made me TONS of pictures that we hung up all over my room, my sisters would come and sit and visit, help me with things, and stuff (and when I was able to go out once a week for so long, they would take me out on little trips), and my AMAZING mom was there almost every single day (I think there was only like a few days she missed and it was because she might have had to work extra late--otherwise she'd come straight from work and visit, over the weekends, and everything)...she would help me with my hair, play games, bring me movies and clothes, just sit and visit, and everything!!!
Here are a few pics from this "adventure":
My niece's Ashley (Janeice's daughter--on the left) and Abbie (Jill daughter--on the right) bringing me pictures they drew...so cute--I loved laying and looking at all of them taped up in my room!

My sister Jessica and I...it was her birthday while I was in the rehab center, so my family all came out to me so that I could celebrate her birthday with them!

My neighbor Peyton and I...my sweet neighbor Kate came out with her cute daughter Peyton to visit, and Peyton just crawled  up and layed next to me in bed

All of nieces and nephews with me...(from the left Jeremy, Justin, Jon...three of Jodi's boys, Abbie...Jill's daughter, Sammy...Jessica's daughter, Ashley and Corey...Janeice's kids, Jace...Jodi's other son, Kaleb...Jessica's son, and then I'm holding Nixxon...Jill's son)

Barkley and I (my mom brought my dogs out to see me ...they ran and jumped straight up on the bed) :)

My nephew Nixxon (Jill's son) and I

My nephew Jon (Jodi's youngest son) and I



Then, after coming home the end part of January, I was home for about a month, and then ended back in the hospital and then back in the rehab center. I was diagnosed with what is called Arachnoiditis...this is where the nerves in my spine, instead of running freely up and down your spine, mine (in one area along a couple vertebrae--where the surgery was) have stuck to the side of my spine along the bone. So they tried remicade, physical therapy, no physical therapy, different medications, steroids (which is why in these pictures I may look a bit different--a little more "swollen"), and everything to try to help to pull these nerves off the bone and fix this. I was in the hospital and rehab center for about a month this time--coming home the end of March.

Here's a couple pics from that time around:

My cute nephew Nixxon (Jill's son) came to visit...I love his smile--it lights up his entire little body and the entire room!

Gotta love IV's and blood draws

Quick pic in my room

Since than, I've had some up's and down's health ways--with being in the hospital a couple of times (no more being in the rehab center), but things are going pretty well right now! We're getting things stabilized and under control! The arachnoiditis hasn't gone away, so they're looking at putting in what is called a nerve stimulator to help with the pain and things. The nice thing is that they can do a trial before impanting a permanent one, so they can test it to see if it will work or not! So I'm supposed to go in for the trial the middle of August. Otherwise though, things are going well. I know that we go through things to build us up and make us stronger (although trust me, that does not mean I do not have my days where I break down and get frustrated, cry, or things), I look at things that others go through and I'm grateful that I have what I do, and I know more than anything that the Lord has blessed me with AMAZING family and friends who constantly help to strengthen me, build me up, and help me through anything and everything...they are my part of my daily tender mercies whom I love DEARLY!