Update On Justin

As I mentioned in my previous post, Justin spent Father's Day with the flu and in pain from back problems. We are not sure if he had swine flu or not, but he definitely had some variety of influenza. Apparently they're either not testing anymore or they ran out of tests, but they told us to act as if it was swine flu and keep everyone in the family out of public for several days. So, after a late night trip to Walgreen's (sorry if we took germs to anyone there, but Justin was too sick to babysit) for Tamiflu, we pretty much kept the family quarantined until the following (this past) Thursday, including Justin. He was pretty sick, which he hardly ever is, and it took him a few days to get back to feeling decent. But that Tamiflu stuff is amazing! I came back from Walgreen's with it after 11PM, he took it, and 15 minutes later he started to feel better. Not great, just better. He was still pretty sick after that, but I think he was a lot better than he would have been without it (he gave me a pretty good scare earlier in the day with his airways beginning to feel constricted, but that disappeared after a little while). I really appreciate Justin's prayer that the rest of us wouldn't get it, and I am grateful for the prayers of others that helped Justin to get better and protect the rest of us, too. I was a little worried because pregnant women and little children are more vulnerable to serious complications, so I thank all who combined their faith with ours and helped us all get/stay well.

Justin spent the first few days after Father's Day trying to work from home (and wearing himself out--I kept telling him to go to bed, but he wouldn't until he got a headache and got dizzy. . .). He was also nursing his back, so he had to keep standing up and sitting down in different positions and places. We discovered that the passenger seat in the van had just the right amount of recline, so he spent the rest of his home confinement working in the van! We plugged his laptop into an extension cord, plugged it into the outside outlet, and he had internet access from the wireless router in our house! We opened all the doors and windows we could, stocked him up with water, and, since he doesn't mind the heat as much as most people, he was just dandy out there.

The first day back at work was miserable, and he only stayed half the day. He had been in a lot of pain all week, and I was really getting worried. After talking about it, we determined that he was overcompensating for his back and stressing other parts of his body, as well as the bad part of his back because he was trying not to put too much pressure on it. After he stopped overcompensating, he has felt much better since then, and has been able to do full days at work. He would still like a more supportive office chair, but other than that, it seems like things will be fine.

Now, about Justin's back and neck: he has four degenerated discs in his necks, and two bulging discs in his lower back. We don't know what we're going to do for his neck, but he's having spinal decompression on his back in the hopes that we can avert degeneration in that area (it's a newer machine that works better than the old ones). We really want to avoid surgery, which has the potential to be debilitating, and we don't want to do nothing, either. Justin's a strange guy: he's never really had the classic symptoms of degeneration, but his back did keep giving him problems lately (after he started an exercise/weights regimen). The chiropractor finally sent him for an MRI and that's when we discovered his problems.

For the first part of the treatment, probably a little more than half, Justin cannot lift, bend, twist, or exercise! Being very pregnant and scheduled for a c-section, this was not news I wanted to hear! However, if Justin is able to schedule his visits for three a week, he should be past the worst part before we have the baby (he is going to really push for it). I know our families and our neighbors will help out wherever they can, but I know Justin would really like to be functioning well when that exciting event arrives (especially since we have five other kids to worry about). I have to admit that I about lost it when he told me about his back and the treatment and stuff--I was absolutely overwhelmed and exhausted that day, and feeling that way and thinking about all the stuff we needed to accomplish this summer made me feel that it would be impossible. But I am so grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord. He reminded me that he never gives us more than we can handle and that he always "strengthens the back to bear the burden." I thought of my wonderful family members and neighbors who will be willing to help with what is needed, and I knew that things would work out just fine. I am also grateful that my two oldest are becoming great lifters, diaper changers, etc. Things will work out.

I have been blessed to be able to do what has been needed, and I didn't think it would be possible, considering how low my energy seemed. I am so grateful for the blessings I have been given. I also appreciate the insights I've been given into how worried Justin must be about the cost of all of this on top of the cost of my surgery and the baby and the new car we need, what his health condition means for his future, and so on. But wouldn't you know it, I think the thing that has made him the maddest in the short term is that all his work at the gym will be going "completely downhill," as he put it.

In true Justin-fashion, when his company paid for part of our Rec Center membership, he determined to use it to the utmost. He did so much research, trying to determine the best methods, exercises, and lifting techniques to get his body in shape and stronger in every aspect. He charted his progress faithfully, noting each improvement or stagnation, and marking those exercises that didn't seem to do much good or that seemed to aggravate problems. He would then look for a new exercise/technique to replace it. I wanted to spank him, though, when he decided to do a deadlift (you know, the thing you see weighlifters on TV do, except with more reasonably-sized weights). I was worried it would give him or aggravate back problems. Sure enough, it did! We're not sure if this is when the bulging discs occurred, but a couple times since he's hurt himself again doing other things, so it either aggravated a problem waiting to happen or caused the problem. The big stinker! Anyway, Justin is kind of upset that he will have to start all over again. I know how he feels. After I have surgery, my muscles go to pot because I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than the baby, go up and down stairs, or push things. It's frustrating after I'm given the go-ahead from the doctor to go home and try to go back to normal--everything seems so much heavier, and I'm already tired and drained from taking care of a new baby. It won't be easy for him, but I think he'll get back up to speed faster than he thinks.

So that's how Justin is doing. He just keeps plugging along, and I'm so grateful for him! But aren't we too young for this?