Update & Happy Sweet 16 Michelle!

Hi everyone!!

I apologize for not keeping the blog updated more frequently! Life can get so busy... Especially after coming back to life after 6 years of not being able to do anything, I sometimes find it very hard to pace myself and time just gets away from me... I want to go/see/do everything all of the time! ;)

I also recently started taking several classes online through a local university and that has been keeping me pretty occupied. I am loving it, especially my Anatomy/Physiology class :)

However, even with all of the new life excitement, there is never a dull moment around here...

I had a little incident.

The story isn't that interesting or exciting. My electric wheelchair broke and while it was being repaired I was given a loaner chair to use. Long story short, I wasn't used to the speed settings on the new chair... So when I went to go into my house I bumped both of my feet into our sliding glass doors.

Yeah... not my finest moment :(

Anyway... though I didn't hit very hard, it was hard enough to flare up RSD symptoms in my right foot, and pretty quickly.

I began having tremors, increased painful sensations and not being able to control the movement of my foot/ankle. Even though I only banged my toe, the bruises spread to the entire foot.

Within a week the foot looked like this:

That is the really weird thing about this condition...  I hit both of my feet equally hard, yet only my right foot developed the symptoms.  RSD is a really confusing, bizarre and complicated disease.

(Right foot with RSD, Left foot perfectly fine)

After talking with Dr. Cantu and sending him some pictures of the foot, we knew it would be necessary to go back to Monterrey and go inpatient for a while on a continuous ketamine infusion to stop the process and so Dr. Cantu and the ketamine could fix me once again.

Thankfully the treatment was very successful! I feel very fortunate that it works for me as well as it does.

The pain is down to a much lower level, the swelling is less, the tremors are gone, the bruises are fading and the movement is slowly coming back! I am sure with continued patience and water therapy, it will return.. And hopefully even better than before :)

Because I name everything, I now affectionately call my foot "Footnando"...after Dr. Cantu (Fernando).

I'm not sure if he really appreciates that or not :).... But I appreciate his compassion and continued efforts to help me get 100% better more than he will ever know!

In other Stevens family news, Katherine also went through a very rough flare with her Crohn's disease this past month and had several visits to the ER for symptom control. She is on new medication and seems to be on an upswing for now... Please pray that it continues!

Also this past week we celebrated Michelle's Sweet 16!! I can't even believe my little 'baby' sister is 16!! And is driving!! And is a Junior in High School!!

It's so surreal, in my mind she is still 10! Even though my life stopped during the years I was so sick, it certainly didn't stand still!

Michelle, I love you beyond what words can ever express. I couldn't have asked God for a more amazing baby sister. I can't imagine my life without you and I am so blessed and happy that I was finally able to celebrate your birthday with you! I am proud and honored to be your big sister.

Well, Thanks for checking in on me and for keeping me and my family in your prayers! It means so much.

If you could please keep our neighbor, Christian, a special little 6 year old boy,   in your prayers too. He has a rare neurologic disease, called Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) that has now taken away most of his physical abilities... but not his sweet spirit!

And also my dear Mexican RSD friend, Estefy, who is still in the hospital and really needs pain relief.

...and for everyone else suffering with horrible pain and diseases and a cure for them all... I personally know of way too many people in need of relief right now.

God bless!

Jessica



PS-I am always saying I wish I could find a way to personally thank everyone who helped make my new life possible, and I think I may have found a way...Stay tuned!  :)


"Rejoice in all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying." -Romans 12:12 (NLT)

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