Encouraging Songs - Week 4 (Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer)

I missed last week's song since I was in the hospital, so here it is! It's called Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer (May This Journey) by Keith and Kristyn Getty. 
"Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

(Chorus)
May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus draw me ever nearer"

I will post soon about starting school and how I'm doing!!

Home!

I'm home from the hospital! Thank you so much for your prayers. I'm doing better! I'll post more later.

Admitted to the hospital

This morning the abdominal pain woke me up and was almost unbearable. I couldn't get comfortable all night and was up most of the night. I wasn't hurting all night, just couldn't get comfortable. I finally fell asleep around 7 or 8 this morning and was woken up by the pain around 9:30. It was lower, and was more intense than it's been so we thought that the kidney stone was probably moving. My parents helped me get downstairs and we went to the same ER we went to last week. It was even the same doctor! I had blood work, a CT scan, and two ultrasounds and we still don't know the cause of the pain. No kidney stones are showing up. After all the tests and getting me more comfortable, I was sent home this afternoon. I was only home for a couple hours before the pain got worse again.

The ER doctor had talked about admitting me if we couldn't get the pain under control, but I had decided that I wanted to go home and manage the pain from there. But after being home for a couple of hours, I wanted to go back to the hospital. Thankfully the same doctor was there and got me admitted really fast.

So I'm admitted for pain control and hopefully more tests to figure out he cause of the pain. The ER doctor wants me to see a GI doctor so hopefully I can see him while I'm in the hospital. The rooms at this hospital are nicer than some hotel rooms! This hospital was built not even a year ago so it's still very new and beautiful.

Please pray for us to find the cause of the pain and for the pain to get under control. I'm thankful for a great ER doctor and nurses. I'm thankful that I'm able to be more comfortable with the pain medicine. I'm thankful that I have such a great support system who storms Heaven's gates in prayer for me. Thank you so much!

Great news, Kidney Stone(s) and an ER trip

First, I have great news! I went a little over 3 months without going to the ER! That's almost a record!

Also, other great news! School starts next week!! I'll share more about that later!

Wednesday afternoon as I was getting dressed, the left side of my abdomen starting hurting a lot. It was a very deep pain in the middle of my left side, and it would shoot through to my back. After a while, the pain started to subside, but it was still there.

Thursday morning when I woke up, the pain was still there, but it wasn't too bad. I decided to clean the kitchen and vacuum downstairs like I try to do everyday now, and that is when the pain got worse again. But this time, it was in my lower left abdomen. It had moved. I took more pain medicine but it didn't do much.

By Thursday afternoon, the pain was more intense so I decided to make an appointment with my primary doctor. Since it was late in the afternoon, they couldn't get me in until the next morning (Friday).

I picked my brother and his friend up from school and took them to Sonic since it was the first day of school! The pain was getting worse so I was trying to get to Sonic fast and get back home. At Sonic, I realized that I didn't have my credit card and didn't know where it was. Thankfully I had a couple dollars to pay for our drinks, but I started to panic. Once we got our drinks we headed home fast. I looked everywhere at home for my credit card. The pain was getting worse again but I had to look for my card. I spent at least 30 to 45 minutes looking for it. I finally found it buried deep in the seat of my car!

After searching everywhere for my credit card, the pain was still pretty bad. I decided to go to the after hours clinic so that I could be seen before the next morning. I just wanted to know what was causing the pain. Since I have pain meds at home, that wasn't the reason I went to the doctor. But it felt like my abdomen was going to explode so I decided I needed to be seen.

When I walked in, the lady checking me in didn't take my co-pay because she said I didn't look good and they might send me to the hospital. Great. I really didn't expect to go to the hospital. That's why I went to the after hours clinic so that I wouldn't have to go to the hospital! They took me right back at the clinic and the nurse said he thought it was a kidney stone. They did a urine test and the nurse immediately brought me the results and said to take it to the ER if the doctor sent me there. The doctor came in and asked me about the pain and said she was pretty positive it was a kidney stone because of the results of my test. She said I needed to go to the hospital to get fluids to try and get the stone to move. She didn't even want me to go home. I called my parents and off we went.

We went to the hospital that I went to first when the severe bone pain started in April. It was not a good experience because the doctor was so rude and wouldn't do anything for me. But since this was a visible, acute problem we thought it would probably be okay. It's close to our house and is the hospital that our insurance covers the most. It's pretty new which is why we haven't gone there except for that one time in April.

I was immediately taken back to a room instead of going to triage and being sent back to the waiting room since it wasn't crowded! The nurse came in and helped me change into a gown and then she hooked me up to the monitors to take my vitals. She said they just had a lot of people come in so it would be a while for the doctor to come. It wasn't too long though. I was so nervous that it would be the same doctor as last time. Thankfully it wasn't the same doctor! We went over my history and told him what was going on. We told him that the after hours doctor sent me there for fluids. He said that fluids really don't help get kidney stones to move faster. Great, so the after hours doctor didn't know what she was talking about? He also said drinking lemon juice hasn't proven to help like everyone thinks. But I'm going to try anyway! It can't make things worse! So apparently different doctors have different views on what helps kidney stones move faster. This doctor didn't think that fluids help.

After telling doctors my history, medicines, and things I'm allergic to, they usually get less friendly. Not all of them, but a lot of them. The doctor Thursday night wasn't rude, but he wasn't real friendly at first. It all has to do with two words. Lyme Disease. Even if I'm not there for that problem, it always has to do with how I'm treated. But for acute issues, it's usually fine because it doesn't have to do directly with Lyme.

He ordered another urine test even though I brought the results from the one at the after hours clinic. But they always want to test for themselves. He didn't want to do a CT scan unless we really wanted one. We know it's a kidney stone so doing the CT wouldn't change anything, it would just expose me to more radiation. We told him how many CT scans I've had because of all the cysts, endometriosis, gallbladder problems, and appendix problems so we all agreed that I didn't need one unless the pain got worse.

The nurse brought my shot of pain medicine while waiting for the results. It was intramuscular (not in an IV) because that usually lasts longer, but it takes about 20 minutes to kick in. I didn't really think I would get pain medicine since I just came for fluids, but I definitely didn't turn down the pain meds! I was hurting a lot. Right after the nurse gave me the shot, someone in the ER started screaming so loud! She immediately ran out to go see what was happening. It was kinda scary! I hope they were okay. Twenty minutes passed and I really couldn't tell a difference in the pain.

Then the doctor came in with the test results. He confirmed that I had a kidney stone. And guess what? He was a totally different person!! All the sudden, he became the nicest doctor ever! He was talking to the nurse and realized that I have been on pain medicine at home, which means that I would need more pain medicine than the normal person because my body was used to it. He even said if the pain was too bad they would admit me to get it under control! I was so surprised that he was willing to admit for pain control! Where was this doctor when we really needed him last time?!

He said he would go order more pain medicine to get me more comfortable. It was like he was a totally different person! He was so nice and even stayed in my room to talk for a while. He even started joking around! Because of my history and medicines I'm on, the doctors are always suspicious. So once he confirmed that I really did have an acute problem, he treated me how he should have in the beginning. He was never really rude at the beginning, but you could just tell what was going through his mind. Since I wasn't there for Lyme problems, he never questioned us about it, but I knew what he was thinking. But it could have definitely been worse, and once he saw for himself that I have kidney stones he was great! It's just ridiculous how doctors treat you because of two words (Lyme Disease). They jump to conclusions without even talking to you.

So the nurse came to put my IV in and give me more meds. Since he didn't want to do fluids, I didn't have an IV since the first shot of pain medicine was intramuscular (in the hip). It was a new nurse because they had just changed shifts. She was so nice! She has been a nurse for over 35 years and has worked in almost every area of nursing. I told her that I was going to school to be a nurse and she told me not to give up! She said if I could get through nursing school, I could get through anything. I kinda laughed because she had no idea what I have already been through. I told her where my good veins were for the IV, but it still took two tries to get the IV in. We didn't even mention my port this time. I just wanted a peripheral IV. She gave me more pain medicine in my IV and it helped a lot!

The doctor came back in and I told him I was feeling better! He said it was okay for me to go home as long as my pain was better, so I got a little more medicine and then got to go home! I still can't believe he would have admitted me if I was still in a lot of pain. Yes this kidney stone is painful, but I've had worse pain where I should have been admitted but the doctor didn't want at admit me.

He did say that it could take a week or more for the stone(s) to pass. I didn't realize it could take that long to pass. Since we didn't do a CT scan, we don't know if there is more than one stone, where the stones are, or how big they are. I kinda wish now that we would have done a scan in the hospital just to know more.

I'm supposed to move into the dorms for college on Saturday! Please pray that the pain stays under control and that the stone passes very quickly! Classes start a week from tomorrow so I really need for the stones to be gone before Saturday! I'm so excited to move into the dorms and start school again!

Even though this is very painful, it's so nice to have a problem that is a visible, textbook problem that has no controversy. I still can't believe how different the doctor was until he confirmed that I had a kidney stone. But, that's just what I have to deal with, just because of the name of the disease that I have. It's not right or fair, but it's the way it is. You would think that I would be used to that after more than three and a half years of being treated like that, but I'm not.

I'm going to see my primary care doctor tomorrow about the kidney stones. I need to be all better by Saturday!

I will update again soon and tell you about school this fall! I'm excited! Thank you so much for prayers. Please keep praying!!!

Encouraging Songs - Week 3 (10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord))

This week's song is called 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Matt Redman. Again, it's very simple but so powerful. I love how it talks about each season of life and how we have 10,000 (and more) reasons to praise God. At the end of the this post, I put the link to the song on Youtube so you can listen to it! Let me know what you think!

"Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
Lord, I'll worship Your holy name

Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

Encouraging Music - Week 2 (Steady My Heart)

I love this song. It's by Kari Jobe and called Steady My Heart. Hope you enjoy! I have included at the bottom a link to the song on Youtube so you can listen to it if you want! The Youtube video is not mine just so you know. Just one I found on Youtube. 

"Wish it could be easy
Why is life so messy
Why is pain a part of us
There are days I feel like
Nothing ever goes right
Sometimes it just hurts so much

But You're here
You're real
I know I can trust You

Even when it hurts
Even when it's hard
Even when it all just falls apart
I will run to You
Cause I know that You are
Lover of my soul
Healer of my scars
You steady my heart

I'm not gonna worry
I know that You got me
Right inside the palm of your hand
Each and every moment
What's good and what gets broken
Happens just the way that You plan

And I will run to You
You're my refuge in Your arms
And I will sing to You
Cause of everything You are

You steady my heart"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neaWjFWfdGI

Encouraging Music - Week 1 (Long Way Home)

As I've talked about many times, I love music. It's so encouraging to me. If I can't sleep, I listen to music and it helps me relax. I have decided that every week, I am going to share a song that is encouraging to me! 


This week's song is called Long Way Home by Steven Curtis Chapman!


Steven Curtis Chapman's music is so encouraging and honest. He and his wive have three biological children (I think), and then they adopted three little girls from China. A few years ago, one of their little girls that they adopted passed away after accidentally being hit by a car by one of their other kids. She ran out behind their son's car and he didn't see her. I can't even imagine what they've gone through. Since the accident, Steven Curtis Chapman has written very honest songs about his faith and the grief of losing his precious daughter. I love the honesty and hope in the songs. 


Long Way Home is one of his newest songs. The song is led by a ukulele and has a "beach-like" sound. It's very simple and relaxing. Here are the words. 


"I set out on a great adventure,
The day my Father started leading me home,
He said there's gonna be mountains to climb,
And valleys we're gonna go through

But I had no way of knowing
Just how hard this journey could be
Cause the valleys are deeper
And the mountains are steeper
Than I ever would've dreamed

But I know we're gonna make it
And I know we're gonna get there soon
And I know sometimes it feels like
We're going the wrong way
It's just the long way home

I got some rocks on my shoes
Fears I wish I could lose
They make the mountains so hard to climb
And my heart gets so heavy with the weight of the world sometimes

There's a bag of regrets
My should've beens and not yets
I keep on dragging around
And I can hardly wait for the day I get to lay it all down

I know that day is coming
I know it's gonna be here soon
I won't turn back even if the whole world says I'm going the wrong way
Cause it's just the long way home

And when we can't take another step
The Father will pick us up and carry us in His arms
And even on the best days
He says to remember we're not home yet
So don't get too comfortable
Cause really all we are is just pilgrims passing through

Well I know we're gonna make it
And I know we're gonna get there soon
So I'll keep on singing and believing what all of my songs say

Cause our God has made a promise
And I know everything He says is true
And I know where ever we go
He will never ever leave us
Cause He's going to lead us home
Every single step of the long way home

Keep on, were gonna make it
I know we're gonna make it
We're just taking the long way home"


I'm thankful for people like Steven Curtis Chapman who are so honest in the songs they write. I hope this song encourages you too!