Counting Every Blessing

Hey everyone! I pray you are enjoying your fall. Is it just me or did fall literally come in a day? Seriously, it was in the 80’s here and then it just plummeted to the low 70’s to even the high 50’s. Where did my 75 degree weather go?! Anyway, that’s not what I’m here to write you about- you know the weather. Instead, I’ll share my heart with what God is doing in our lives.

So let’s start with this: you all know that Dan graduated from OCS and is now officially Lt. Dan! (See last post- and yes, he’s gotten at least 10 Forest Gump meme’s on Facebook alone LOL- no I did not post a SINGLE ONE.) Well, now he is in VA for training- till March. Logic would dictate that he would be put up into a hotel and that I would visit when I could (which I do anyway but I’m getting ahead of myself). However, upon arrival he was informed that he would be required to PCS (MOVE) to VA for training- oh and there’s no availability on base. (Are you seeing the panic here? Because there was slight panic…). So… Dan and I took a couple of DAYS (Literally 2 days) and found a lovely apartment about 10 minutes from base. Within 10 days we found our place, signed the lease and MOVED OUR STUFF to our 3rd FLOOR apartment. Shout out to our parents who didn’t complain once and were willing and happy to help us out.

Now that we’re mostly moved in, we really like it. However, we’ve decided not to fully unpack since we will be moving in about 5 months anyway… have to love living half unpacked. To give you an idea, our movies are in a tote and I have no plans to take them out of said tote just to put them back in the tote to move again. The good news is that even with only being “partially moved-in” I would say that it still has a “home” feel to it.

But would you like to know the best part? I (as in me, De) am not fully moved in. Instead, I have clothes here and things still in NC. So over the next few months I have to finish moving in with Dan. It’s been made interesting since I still have my port in my chest. I can live with Dan through the week but I have to see my mom by Sunday for a dressing change. So, it’s interesting around here to say the least. We travel literally every weekend.

HOWEVER, I have news for you all!!! Yes- I’m so excited I can barely contain myself. I am asking for prayer as I FINISH IV THERAPY!!!!!! Let me make this even better, On November 29,2018 at 8am I have surgery to NO LONGER BE A CYBORG!!!!!!!! Can you even comprehend this?? I will be able to go for a run and take a real shower- no more washing my hair over the side of the tub!!!!! I can’t begin to say how excited I am, and quite frankly I doubt anything I write could completely convey it.

So God has answered my prayers! I am finally going to be free of my port and back to only oral antibiotics to finish beating this Lyme beast down! But wait… there’s more news!!! Seriously ya’ll, God is blessing us in ways I could only dream of! So let me fill you in on our even more amazing news!

As ya’ll know, Dan is in the Army and one of the great joys (agonies) of military life is never knowing where you’re going next. For the last several months I have stayed with my family while Dan has been in training and now we are on the East Coast while he finishes his school for his new job. It’s been a long haul, but we’ve been waiting for orders to know where we’ll be living for the next few years. Seriously, the wait was agony and it was the day Dan was going to write his Detailer (Man who gives us orders) and request his top 5 choices with explanations. BUT GOD (ya’ll know this is my favorite saying)… BUT GOD went before Dan. He got orders!!

EUROPE!

That’s right! We’re moving to Europe for 3 years! It’s a dream come true and we’re beyond excited.

Thanks for sharing in our journey. Soon you’ll be getting stories from across the pond! We love you all and wish you enough.

XOXO,

De

 

 

The Results Are In!

Hey everyone! Life for Dan and I has been pretty boring lately. School has been consuming Dan and thus, I haven’t had the computer. Sorry it’s taken so long for me to update you. Although, to be fully honest I had to take some time to digest everything. Though, I have a lot to share with you medically, I also have some fantastic news. So let me start with the good, before I tell you what’s new with just me. 😉 (By the way, I’ve been writing to you for a while in my head… you just can’t read it till I put it down here…)

So to begin… Dan. You know, that loveable, crazy, amazing man I married? Yeah, him. Well, he has been working so hard- in fact he’s on his last week of  18 credits in 8 weeks. Ya’ll I can’t even express how proud I am of him for doing so well in all 6 of his classes. (Yes, 6 class at once for 8 weeks- I told you we haven’t had a life). While he’s been doing this, he has managed to take me to doctors appointments, visit my family in North Carolina, and somehow still help me a bit around the house all while keeping his grades up. Did I mention these are law classes? So needless to say, it’s been tough for him (keep those prayers coming please!). Anyway, once this week is over (finals are on Sunday) he only has one more class until he is officially GRADUATED!!! Let me say this again- HE HAS ONE CLASS TILL GRADUATION!!!!!! To say that we’re excited is a bit of an understatement. He’s been working so hard since I got sick to finish his degree, and it’s finally here!!

So that’s my fantastic news- just had to brag on my hubby for a bit. Now, to tell you what’s going on with me. 🙂 The good news is, I don’t have anything insane. Remember, the spinal tap? They tested for EVERYTHING. Fungus, brain tumor, bacteria- you name it they tested for it. Fortunately (yet unfortunately) the results are negative. There was nothing determinable in my spinal fluid. So my neurologist has put me on new anti-seizure medications (the first two caused allergic reactions- not fun) and has claimed that it is Lyme and Bartonella in my brain. Fun, right? I seriously thought we were done with this stuff.. guess not.

A couple weeks after the spinal tap, I got the final results form my Lyme culture… the one taken in February or March. As it turns out, I am not in remission. My Lyme and Bartonella are in full effect. Which ironically, was a relief to me since I’m still having balance problems, seizures, and I run into things (I promise I see the door frame but for some reason I still bump into it). Digesting that I’m not in remission like I had hoped, has been a process. I can’t say that I’m shocked, but I will say that I’m sad that this fight isn’t over yet. Two years is a LONG time for anyone to be ill. Dan has been great this whole time, though the spinal tap really freaked him out.

So what is to be done now with my Lyme/Bartonella? My current Lyme doctor has me on a new antibiotic. However, I’m not feeling any different. With Lyme, if you feel like crap, it’s killing the bacteria, if you feel fine… it’s not doing anything. Unfortunately, I feel fine currently. I have an appointment to see him at the beginning of August and hopefully create a treatment plan. If he doesn’t know what to do for me, then I will have to make an appointment with a very specialized doctor in Washington, D.C. Ya’ll, I don’t want to do it- the cost is enormous, but I know my health is worth more. So, please pray that my local doctor can figure me out.

As for our fun adventures. We’ve only had one since we last spoke. Dan and I spent the weekend of the 4th in North Carolina. It was great to see my parents and we also got to catch up with our friends Kevin and Rachel. Did I also mention, that one of my best friends, Beka turned 25? Well, she did and so we were able to make it to her birthday party! (That was the main reason we went to N.C…. shhh don’t tell the others 😉 ). It was really warm, and Dan had a ton of homework but it was still great to be able to spend time and see everyone. It’s hard when you live so far away from some great friends and family. (Though, we are blessed to be 15 minutes from Dan’s parents and oldest sister.)

Anyway, that’s been our life. Dan in school, me doing what I can to help him and processing what to do for me as our time here will come to a close soon-ish. We’re praying Dan gets his contract soon (August..?) and that the transition to officer goes smoothly for him. Though, we’re not sure when he would be leaving for OCS (Officer Candidate School). When he goes, I will be able to stay behind, and hopefully function lol. I do have a friend who is willing to move in with me when the time comes so that way I’m not alone and she can help me do things I can’t (mowing, vacuuming.. anything loud).

For those of you who have been praying for us these past 2 years. THANK YOU. We always feel so blessed when someone tells us that we are in their thoughts and prayers. I ask that you would continue to pray for us as we continue to navigate the medical waters for me. Also, please pray for Dan as he finishes his degree- senior-itis is REAL. We love you all and thank you for sharing in our journey.

XOXO,

De

Birthdays, Broadway, and Boring Days…

Hey everyone! I have really been slacking on the updates. Partly because we’ve been busy (yes, I have things I can talk about- what is this?!), partly because I’m processing, and partly because well- as you know, Dan is in school and hogs the computer. 😉 However, since we last spoke I have aged a year (yikes), Dan and I jumped in the car with some friends from N.C. (okay they came to us first) and we went to New York for the day and saw a Broadway play (bucket list item), and that’s where the fun ends. I have gotten more news from the doctor (the test results are in) and Dan has been trying to keep his head on straight with 18 college credits in 8 weeks (this is why I haven’t updated)- just to name a few. So keep reading if you want to know about the ridiculousness that is our lives. 😀

Okay, so let’s start with my birthday, since that’s fun and quick. Dan and my parents surprised me with a party at a restaurant in Gettysburg. They posed it as “just a family dinner”- but when I got there everyone was there. They even did this last minute. I felt so loved and so blessed- the extrovert in me definitely needed the time with everyone. So again, to everyone to came out – I know I said it there but THANK YOU! It was truly amazing.

A few weeks later in the middle of March, Dan and I already had planned with Kevin and Rachel (friends of mine from college that are now Dan’s friends too) to go to New York to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. The original plan was to spend the whole day in New York, but the reality was that we ended up just spending part of the afternoon there because the day was SO. DANG. COLD. Seriously, in the 20’s, and if you know me- I have an autoimmune disorder that causes me to literally not handle the cold. However, driving to New York, we all agreed it was weird to not see the twin towers and once we got to the city, we got through the tunnel, and tried to find a place to park…with no luck. Then we took a wrong turn just to go right back out the tunnel back to New Jersey- all within 15 minutes. LOL. Kevin, Rachel and I, thought this was hilarious. Dan, who was driving.. not so much. But this turned out to work in our favor.

Have you ever heard of Hoboken, New Jersey? That’s where we ended up parking. You probably have. It’s the home of Cake Boss. In fact, we parked right around the corner from Carlos Bakery, and just happened to spot it. So of course, we stopped. Yes, the cupcake I had was amazing. And yes, the place was packed- but we weren’t going to not stop. Our next stop was to go find one monument before the show, but instead we went to the Hard Rock Cafe and hung out for a while (2-3 hours for dinner) since it was right around the corner from Broadway. Then we went and enjoyed our show before driving home that night. It was a long night, and we all forgot about the “spring forward” thing, so we made it home at like 4am.. needless to say, we slept in.

Rachel and I outside Carlos Bakery

All of us outside the Theater after the show.

Just before Kevin and Rachel came in, I had gotten my test results from my Lyme culture. Or rather, the first part (it runs up to four months, so something else could always pop up). I have active Bartonella. My Lyme may be in remission but one it’s lovely co-infections, is not and Bartonella is no fun- so my doctor has put me on a 500mg antibiotic. To be honest, so far I haven’t felt any different and I can’t even tell I’m on the medicine. But hopefully at some point it will kick in and I will have some relief. My Lyme doctor has also requested that I see a Neurologist, so we’ll see how that goes. Anyway- that’s where we’re at… it’s not a lot of fun and I just want this to be over, but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.

On a happier note, Dan and I did get to get together with some friends and go see Beauty and the Beast the weekend it came out, which was a blast. I personally enjoyed the movie and thought they did a great job with the live action- but nothing replaces the originals (ahem, I’m looking at you Cinderella…). Anyway, since then we were pretty much on lock-down here at the house with Dan in school. He is working at a sprint pace to finish school- he can see the finish line now, and just wants it to be over and done. If it all goes according to plan, he will graduate in July. Can you believe it? With a Legal Studies degree, no less! Yes, I’m a proud wife.

But last week we did have some visitors (no I didn’t get photos because I was busy spending time… oops). We haven’t seen them since JAPAN! Kevin (a different Kevin) and his wife Jordan and their newborn came in for a day or two while they were on a road trip! It was so amazing to catch up with them again. We talk online, but it’s never the same. This was the first time we’ve seen them since they’ve had their child or since Kevin has become a civilian. It was really a wonderful time together, and I’m glad we got to have the opportunity to be on their list of people to see while they’re doing this road trip.

This past week has been busy, we did get to see Nick and Jen (this is the first time we’ve seen Nick since he’s been home from deployment)- they came up our way from the D.C. area for dinner. Also, dan has had a class all week for the Navy, and I have been home alone during the day, which has given me time to help him with getting school readings done (since he hasn’t had time). So Dan has been really busy trying to get homework done. He has two classes about to end, and three that he’s smack dab in the middle of (so finals and mid-terms are lining up perfectly for him), so he’s really stressed out.

While we do things occasionally, most of the time we’re at home- Dan is neck deep in school and I am probably sleeping or doing something around the house.. or bored. This has been a very difficult season for us as we continue to wait for all the answers on my health, plan for the future, and overall try to stay positive. This has been a long road, and it doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.

For those of you who are praying for us, thank you- those prayers mean more to us than us than words can express. Please continue to pray for us as we move forward with my health plan, and as Dan finishes up school (his senioritis is really kicking in). Pray for wisdom for my doctors since I am not feeling any better on my medicine (they will need to change up the regimen). Finally, please just pray for Dan, ya’ll- I can’t express this enough, Dan is in the muck with me everyday. Chronic illness is really hard for the person going through it (obviously) but I think it’s harder on the caregiver because Dan can’t do anything for me but love me, and pray for me and help me around the house a little bit more than normal. He’s handling this really well, but just please pray for him. 😉

We love you all and thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

XOXOXO,

De

Learning True Love… A Valentine’s Update

 

 

Hey everyone! Thanks for keeping up with our journey. I know that I’m not always the best at writing lately, and truth be told it’s because I have a lot to process (I’ll explain- I promise.) But also, I don’t want to bog you down with “well today I woke up at 2pm and laid around watching Netflix because I had about as much energy as a sloth”. It’s a far cry from what anyone wants to share about their life and a farther cry from what someone else would want to hear. Don’t fret- for those of you who have been praying, I will give you an update on my health. But please allow me to share what’s on my heart first.

My husband. Ya’ll know about Dan- and if you have had the pleasure of meeting Dan, then you probably have never forgotten him. He is charismatic, funny, and can make anyone around him comfortable. He also has a smile to that’s to die for. We have had a LOT of time together these past 19 moths (yes- it’s been that long that I’ve been ill- and yes I’m still counting… no, I don’t have a time frame of when I’ll be better. But that’s not my point here… bear with me) and it’s something that I’ve truly cherished. The time we’ve had is something that most only get when they’re retired. We wake up together, we eat together, we get groceries together, we do errands together, doctors appointments together, cook together, I mean you think of it, we’re rarely apart unless Dan has some weird training thing or an errand that I simply don’t have energy or the desire to do. This is unheard of for a young couple in their 20’s and yet it is something that we’re able to do because the military understands that I cannot live on my own. Some couples, would be sick of each other by now, but we are grateful- yet it’s a hard situation.

Dan looked at me the other day driving down the road, and very casually said “You know I will never leave you, right?” I replied, “Well, yeah.” He said, “Good.” And thus began our conversation which I probably took for granted. My husband is truly a superhero. The woman he married, the young, vibrant, energetic, perfectionist who is super capable has gone through a lot these past 19- months (you know that). But standing beside me the whole time was my strong but worried, loving husband. He never once wavered, never once left my side and I even remember him carrying me around the house so I could still have some independence. My husband has shown me what true love looks like. He’s not always great at romance with flowers, and candlelight dinners. But he has never once let me walk this very long, hard road alone- even when it gets hard for me he is behind me pushing me and telling me that I am stronger than I think.

When I was young, I thought love was always in feeling. I thought it was the teddy bears, flowers, candles and romantic dinners. Now, my opinion has changed. Love to me is my darling husband who every time I have a random chest pain gives me the most concerned look. Love is him snuggling up next to me to keep me warmer because my Reynolds Syndrome is acting up and I’m like an ice cube. Love is him telling me that they will stop the xy and z problems and that I’ll get my health back and even if I’m never 100% back, that he’ll love me just the same, that is true love to me. I just needed to let you know how blessed I truly am. 🙂

In case you didn’t know, I love my husband. 😉 He really is a super hero- I swear, and not just because the back of his uniform looks like a cape. (Sorry, that was corny, but I had to..) Anyway, I’ve been sitting on this information for a while. I needed some time to absorb it, understand it, process it, and go to the doctor to figure out what we’re going to do about it. My Lyme culture came back negative. Normally, this is where I would jump up and down and throw a party and say “Beasties beaten!!” and claim remission. But not this time. This feels different, I don’t feel better. In fact, one day I was without my anti-seizure medication and I started to convulse again- not good! Therefore, I know something is up! Back to the Lyme doctor I go- luckily he’s amazing and doesn’t think I’m making this up.

Basically, here’s the scoop: When I had my Lyme culture taken, I was only off antibiotics for 4 weeks, however I had been taking antibiotics for over a year- meaning I was still probably more antibiotic than human at that point. So, he wants a Lyme Culture redo and to check me for ALL co-infections (it’s a LOT of blood)- I haven’t done this yet, because my sleep cycle is a little wonky and I need to be awake in the morning, since the bugs are more active in the afternoon. He believes that my Lyme could be in remission but that I could have a co-infection(s) that are making things difficult.

One reason he thinks it’s a co-infection in the brain is because of a test he does for balance. He tests the equilibrium to see if you will catch yourself or if someone else will have to catch you. To give you an idea, I have NO balance. To perform the test you stand with your feet together, arms to the sides, head back, eyes closed. You should have your equilibrium catch you and not fall- I’ll fall. Last time we did this at the Dr.’s – Dan had to catch be because the Dr accidentally let me go too far- oops. 😀

I’m also now on a new thyroid medication. Praise the Lord!!! I’m praying that this helps with the sleep problem and the energy of the sloth problem. (If you thought I was kidding in the intro- sorry, I wasn’t.) My anti-seizure medication has also been upped and may need to be changed depending on how things go. So, overall I’m a bit of a mess but we’re working on patching me back up. My Lyme doctor is amazing and everyone in this area trusts him- I just have to wait for my test results, which I can’t get until I go get the blood taken, which I can’t do until I wake up. It’s a vicious cycle.

Thank you to those of you who are praying for Dan and I. We appreciate it more than words can say. Because of my seizures, we have had to cease going to church due to the loud sounds, lights, crowds, frequencies, ect until I get them controlled- it’s been very draining on us. The Lord created us both as extroverts- we NEED people, so we are doing our best to get our fellowship in elsewhere and get our worship in at home until I can go back. Please know that we love you all, we appreciate your prayers and your support- this has been a really long, hard journey on both of us and we know that it’s not over yet. We’re grateful that we serve a God who sustains us and gives us just what we need as we need it.

We love you all and wish you enough. Happy Valentines Day!

XOXO,

De

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Years Down… Forever To Go

Hey everyone! So this past Wednesday was mine and Dan’s 3 year anniversary! Can you believe that?! At least it was the 3 year mark for when we officially became husband and wife for the military. It’s hard to believe that we wouldn’t officially live together until October of that year (despite having a large wedding in August) and in a whirlwind we would end up where we are today.

When we got married everyone told me that “time flies when you’re having fun.” I didn’t think it would go this fast. I have been so blessed to be able to savor my marriage so far, especially when I wasn’t supposed to be able to have so much time with Dan due to deployments. (What can I say? Getting sick has had SOME perks…) Some people say that they couldn’t spend all day everyday with their spouse, I say that I am sad for the day that Dan will return to work. Our time together has been something that I have cherished since it is something that doesn’t happen to everyone- even if the circumstances to get here weren’t great.

This past year has been one that has required great patience for both of us. I haven’t enjoyed being homebound and Dan hasn’t enjoyed being in school consistently. However despite the boredom, frustration and overall annoyance of chronic illness we have done some things to enjoy our year. So I’m going to give you the top things this past year of marriage. 🙂

This past year we have:

• Moved into our place Stateside!
• De got a PICC Line
• Dan has been stuck in school.
• Attended Dan’s best friend’s wedding! (Congrats Nick &Jen!)
• Been to D.C. so much we don’t need a GPS anymore.
• Took a family vacation with De’s family.
• Had a weekend where ALL of Dan’s siblings were home.
• Dan got to go to the Army vs. Navy game (De was jealous).
• We learned to love each other more deeply.

We have been so blessed this past year. It’s been an overall quiet year, but a tough year. My health has been such a journey for us and we’re grateful for those of you who are along with us for the ride. 🙂 Thank you for your continued prayers for us as Dan continues to sacrifice and take care of me and for me as I push through the daily frustrations. We have truly been learning sacrificial love- and Dan has been amazing this past year as I have gone from a wheelchair to walking again, to the PICC line (ya’ll, he REALLY struggled with that), to having chest pains randomly (still do lol), to dealing with my seizures- he is just amazing, I am SO BLESSED.

Anyway, we love you all- thanks for celebrating our marriage with us. Sorry this post is a bit on the sappy side. 😀 I just thought I’d share what’s on my heart. I guess it’s true that love is just gets sweeter with time- because it really is sweet. Thanks for the prayers and we’ll keep you posted as we continue our little life adventures.

XOXO,

De

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Many End of Year Adventures of Dan and De

Hey everyone! So I have a fair amount to catch you up on! Can you believe it?! Our holiday season hasn’t been super boring. However, I haven’t been that great at documenting it on camera. What can I say? You win some, and you loose some. So, I have some good stories, but I don’t have great photos. Sorry. It is what it is. To be honest, it’s taken all I have to keep my head above water, or so it seems. My energy level has taken a dive with all the holiday stress, but hey- it’s a learning curve. Dan’s been handling me and my lack of abilities beautifully, he’s simply amazing and makes me rest even when I don’t want to. Have I mentioned how amazing he handles the fact that I’m chronically ill, even when I don’t want to admit it to myself?

Anyway, Thanksgiving was spent with Dan’s side of the family, which was wonderful. His mom cooked and the food was amazing. Compared to my family (There’s four of us when it’s just the immediate family, and by four I mean it’s mom, dad, Dan and I.) Dan’s family is HUGE. He’s the youngest of four, and while his brother is in Texas, there’s still a crowd. So it’s always fun. We got to catch up with some family from out of town and see our young niece. All in all, a very successful Thanksgiving.

Two days later we embarked on our Christmas gift from my parents. Yeah- being an only child has it’s perks and Dan is now experiencing some of them. 😉 We went on a family vacation. It was super enjoyable. We enjoyed some time on the beach and while we weren’t always around one another, we did get to enjoy some family activities. My grandfather and step-grandmother even joined in on the family vacation. In the end, we all agreed that it was the most relaxing vacation that we have ever taken. Though, it probably had something to do with the fact that we all came and went as we pleased, we were all adults and there was PLENTY of food.

Dan out on the beach.

Loving the beautiful views.

Went for a walk out by the water.

Once we got back, I barely had time to breathe, okay or that’s what it felt like. Because a few days later was the Army vs. Navy football game. Now, if you know us personally or read the blog regularly, you’ve figured out by now that Dan is in the Navy (for now at least). But this year, he had a special opportunity to go and volunteer at the game itself! Please understand that out of the two of us, I watch this game religiously, he could care less but yet because he is the service member, he gets to go volunteer and gets the free seats at the game! Yup, that’s how unfair life is. I must admit though, on game day, I wasn’t too mad since I had a party with some girlfriends and he got to freeze his butt off out in the cold. 😉 Dan ended up coming home early, and we lost the game (first one in 15 years- just saying) but it was still a really fun day, and I’m hoping to have another football party next year since it was so much fun. 🙂 Who knows, maybe it will become a tradition for us.

So the game was on Saturday, and then on Tuesday we were gone again, so this was a week and a half after being home I think, if that. We had to go to New Jersey this time. Can you believe that? What is in New Jersey you ask? Dan’s Command Christmas party. Yup, we had to drive there for that. Now, military events tend to scare me. There’s a lot of pomp and circumstance and formality, so I tend to try to look nice, be quiet and mind my manners. It works well. Especially since at this command I’m the wife who is really sick and my husband stays home and takes care of me. Dan and I don’t really know anyone here and we won’t get the chance to know anyone since Dan isn’t really working here, it’s just how this duty station will go, no big deal but it does make these type of events more awkward.

Before the Christmas party though, Dan had mandatory training. This left me in the hotel room all day. Part of me didn’t mind this since we had just been on vacation, had a football party and then driven to New Jersey, I needed the rest- all the rest I could get. I’m learning that I can’t do all the things I want to do anymore. My body likes maybe one big event per week and that’s about it, after that I need lots of sleep to keep up. However, there also wasn’t any food around. So this created a major problem for me. By the time we got to the party, I was struggling to stay my perky, well mannered self. In fact, at one point I’m pretty sure one of the other couples heard me say to Dan that I was going to eat my arm- oops. Oh well, they would have been in the same boat if all they had was a little bit of Starbucks early that morning too!

Luckily Dan and I sat with his division, or basically people he knows and because I go wherever Dan goes, I somewhat know when I’m not in the car. I also got to meet some of their wives, which was a nice change of pace for me. Unfortunately the food left much to be desired for us and caused me to become physically ill. So Dan and I had to leave early. However, we still made the most of the evening by going to Outback Steakhouse for “real” food.

Finally, about a week later we come to Christmas. Can you believe all this? I told you we’ve been up to a lot. Just before we were to leave to spend Christmas with my parents, we met up with Kevin, my friend from college and now Dan’s good friend. He was in D.C. for training so we did dinner and dessert at a different location. Dinner was at an awesome restaurant that sounded like a family Pizza place but totally wasn’t, instead there was white table clothes, people in business attire, and a wine bottle art piece in the middle of the restaurant. The food was fantastic, but pricey, so we decided to take dessert elsewhere.We ended up at a pub that had coffee, specialty drinks and some awesome desserts. It was fantastic! At the end of the evening, we had to take Kevin back to the metro, which wasn’t a big deal- but here’s where things get interesting. Dan put his wallet on top of the car (something he NEVER does), put his coat in the back and then got in and drove off.

As we get on the on ramp to the highway, we hear a thud, and figure we had run over something. Dan asks what the sound was and Kevin says that something is laying in the road. Dan continues driving. We drop Kevin off and say we’ll see him later and then we head back home. Luckily, I have to use the bathroom so Dan starts looking for a place for me. When he finds a gas station, he decides to fill up and this is where things go south, fast. I come out of the restroom only to be half scared to death by my darling husband who informs me that his wallet isn’t in the car or on his person. We then realize the horrible reality before us, the thud we had heard on the on ramp was Dan’s wallet! We’re 45-minutes away, and we have no idea if the wallet is there. The wallet has all of Dan’s personal information, government ID’s and Christmas money we were given. Yup, this is really happening and it could only happen to us. Then the worst sinks in, we can’t visit my family if Dan doesn’t have his driver’s license, which is in his wallet.

So we decided to take a risk and go back to see if we could find it amongst the on ramp. But which on ramp was it? We text Kevin who’s phone was about to die and we begin to pray. Luckily Kevin has an awesome memory and could help us out and we between him and ourselves we remember where we were. Now time to backtrack. Dan gets off the on ramp and pulls off to the side, and against all odds we spot the wallet! Even more amazing we found all the cards and documents untouched including the Christmas money! God is so good! It was truly a Christmas miracle. Needless to say, Dan is making copies of everything in his wallet.

Now, Dan and I spent Christmas with my family. So it was just the four of us, which means that it was pretty quiet. We played a lot of games, had some great food, went to Christmas Eve service. However, our favorite part was confusing my father about his Christmas present. We bought him a creeper for his garage to help him work on his cars. The box was over half my height and just a big rectangle, he couldn’t figure out what it was, and we didn’t allow him to see it until Christmas Eve. I kept telling him “it’s something on your wish list.” To which he would reply, “I didn’t know I had a wish list.” And then I would sing, “I know what you’re getting for Christmas…” over and over again. Needless to say, it was fun. Mom enjoyed getting in on dad’s fun too since she knew what we got him, and she knew what her main gift was (mom doesn’t like surprises, though I still got her a small surprise- a Mr. Tea man who relaxes in her mug for her loose tea, yeah it’s funny) and could enjoy teasing dad. All I can say now is, sorry dad but you’re too easy to pick on.

Mom and dad spoiled us as always, we didn’t get as many material gifts this year but- as you read above, we got a vacation. A fully paid 5 day vacation. I got memories and my parents got us an ornament from the vacation for our tree, which was super sweet. It was also nice to collect memories over things.Hopefully it’s something we’ll consider doing again.

As we are going into 2017, Dan and I are excited for what’s to come. However, 2016 was a truly unique year for us. In 2016 we:

• Celebrated our 2nd year of marriage.
• Moved back to the United States
• De got a PICC Line put in and taken out
• De’s had a roller coaster in health
• Dan has been busy in college
• We took our 1st family vacation
• Dan was in one of his best friend’s wedding
• We went to my college best friend’s wedding
• We’ve been able to spend more time with family
• Dan got to see the Army vs. Navy game in person

Hopefully 2017 will bring on many fun adventures. Thanks for sharing in our life with us! We love you all and wish you the Happiest of New Years!

 

 

 

Thankful Thoughts

Hey everyone! It’s been about two months since we last had a chat, and I figured it’s about time to give you an idea of what’s going on in the life of Dan and De. 😉 I mean, you just live to know all about our lives, right? Just kidding, I just know that a lot of you are praying for us- which is something that we cherish more than words can express, so I want you to know what’s going on and why I’ve been quiet.

The good news is, there isn’t much to report in regards to my health. So, I’ll give you a quick overview and then get to some fun stuff. 😀 So here’s the load down. I’ve been having some weird off-the-wall type symptoms. We’re talking head scratchers here. The one that had me totally freaked out is that I experience random chest/ heart pain and it’s pretty intense. Don’t worry, we’ve had a whole gambit of testing done and they can’t tell me what’s wrong. SO… basically I’m fine. It freaks Dan out though.LOL. I’m still having neuropathy in my feet and my hair is seriously falling out or at least that’s what it feels like.Oh, and I can’t forget my random little seizures- they’re my constant friends. Don’t worry though, you can’t tell when I have one, my eyesight just goes and for those of you wondering what it’s like, imagine having glasses to see and then taking off your glasses and EVERYTHING is SUPER blurry and you can tell where things are and that something is there and what color it is, just not fully sure what it is… THAT. So if that’s as bad as it gets, I’m not complaining. 😉 I’m starting to get my fiery spirit back and while I can’t wake up at my desired 5am, I am usually up by 9am- which is an improvement from 1pm! So hey! I’ll take it!! So, am I getting better? Yes, slowly- like a sloth. Do I feel back to “me”- not really. I feel like there’s something I’m missing, but I’m still waiting to hear back if my Lyme is still active or if it’s in remission, and that will determine a lot about further treatment and where we go from here.

Now for the fun stuff- told you it would be quick on the health! This week is Thanksgiving, and it’s had me thinking a lot about how thankful I truly am for this crazy little life that Dan and I have been given. It hasn’t turned out anything like we thought (we thought that we’d be in our 2nd year overseas…) but everything has worked out for our greater good. I’m grateful for those who have been praying for us, those who have made meals for us, who have encouraged us and those who have simply walked along side us during this incredibly long journey and are sharing in our life with us. This blog was started to share our overseas life with you, and instead has simply become our mundane everyday life and how I’m doing health wise (let’s face it, it was scary last year- I have photos to prove it). I’m thankful for all of it. I’m grateful for a husband who makes me laugh and who provides for me and is studying like crazy this year (yup, that’s pretty much all Dan does). While right now our life is boring, I’m grateful for it. Do I miss walking the streets of Tokyo and going to eat Ramen? YES! I won’t deny it at all. But I’m so grateful to be back home with those who love us and to see friends and family who we didn’t think we’d see for three years at least.

In fact, a few weeks ago, all of Dan’s siblings were in town. Yes, we live near one but his sister from Connecticut came in with her daughter (her husband couldn’t make this trip) and his brother flew in from Texas. To give you an idea of how big of a deal this is, the last time everyone was altogether was at our wedding, just over two years ago. So my mother in law was thrilled to have all her kids home, and of course we got family photos to commemorate the occasion. These are the kind of things we miss out on when we live far away. While the reason we’re home isn’t a “good” reason, our time here is precious and we are cherishing it.

Now, I told you how much I cherish my husband our relationship. To give you an idea of “us” and how we are…just the other night Dan and I were driving home and the heat in our one car apparently isn’t the best (this was news to us). If you know me, you know I HATE the cold, and I’m not happy about winter making its debut. I’m REALLY not happy that I saw flurries and it’s only November, and I’m a wimp. Dan on the other hand is a human heater and can take the cold with a grain of salt. For some ungodly reason it doesn’t bother him. The following conversation ACTUALLY happened. I seriously need to record our conversations because I’m not exaggerating this…

Me: Dan it’s cold, turn down the air until it warms up. (I have the sweater he took off OVER my head like a hat.)

Dan: It’s not that bad there’s just a twinge of cold. Like when you take a bath and the water is warm but there’s just that twinge of cool water.

Me: That’s called cold water and AC! Turn it off I’m freezing!

Dan: (Laughing) That’s pretty good, okay.. okay.

*Waits a few minutes to turn back on the air to check it out*

Me: *Exasperated* Now it’s warm with a twinge of cool air!

Dan: At least it’s a twinge in the right direction.

Me: *Shakes head* I can’t win.

Folks, our lives may be super boring right now but we can at least entertain ourselves. Even our spats are funny. We certainly do have little everyday adventures. I’m thankful for my husband and the little life we share- even if it’s nothing like what we planned, I think it’s better than we could’ve planned.

Thank you for sharing in our adventures, the exciting ones and the boring ones. Thank you for your prayers and your support. Please know that we are truly grateful for you and we hope that you enjoy your peaks into our little life. Hopefully soon we’ll be back to having adventures and being more interesting. 😉 We’re sending our love and we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Until next time,

De

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like An Arrow: Going Backwards to Push Forward

to the Hey everyone! It’s time for another update from us. 🙂 There’s been a couple fun things that’s happened since we last spoke, so I guess our lives aren’t ALWAYS boring- but to be honest, for us it’s mostly been boring and a lot of sleeping. Sleep seems to be the main event of our lives, to give you an idea- I sleep at least 12 hours a day and up to 15 hours. Dan sleeps 9 or 10 hours a day usually (he’s still not feeling the best), so for us to actually get out and do things can be a challenge, simply because we’re just trying to fight to get out of bed.

Anyway, we were really blessed a few weeks ago with an awesome lunch date. It was one of those “once in a lifetime” kind of things. Part of our Japamily came to the United States and was only a few hours away from us, so they met us for lunch. That’s right, they flew half way around the world and met us for lunch and some shopping. We felt special. The last time they saw us, I wasn’t hardly able to stand on my own and while I still have seizures and I get tired, I am doing far better now than I was last year when I left. Our time together was precious to say the least.

Mrs. Esther had taken me under her wing when I was in Japan and showed me how to get around a bit off base, and Dani is like a little sister to me. Dan and I both talk to Dani frequently still via Facebook, but it’s not the same as getting to see them face to face. When we were waiting for Dan to get off the boat and trying to figure out what was going to happen with me health wise, Mrs. Esther gave Heather a break and helped to care for me. So to see them again was truly beyond words, and Dan and I hope to see them again.

Let’s see, there’s more. 😉 I’ve recently had a health setback. But it sounds more like an advancement. I’m off all medication related to my Lyme. This is because I went to the ER for a seizure that lasted for 3 hours. The good news is, there’s no brain damage from the seizure (that’s always the concern), the bad news is, they can’t seem to figure out how to control my symptoms, even with all the medications and the PICC line. So my doctor has decided to see if my Lyme is still active, but to to do that, I have to be off medications for a month and then go through a Lyme culture (blood test where they’ll actually grow Lyme- it’s really cool and the most accurate Lyme test available) next month. So until then, I get a break from my 20+ pills a day, and I’ll take it, even if it is most likely temporary.

It’s been a weird time being off meds. I can tell something is off with me, but it’s hard to fully put my finger on it. Sometimes I ache, sometimes I don’t. Some days I have energy, some days I have none. I expected to feel a lot worse, but it’s only been about two weeks, and I’m just now starting to really go downhill, so it will be interesting to see how the next 2-2.5 weeks go.

I’ve had some energy and when we had Beka and Keke come to visit, I felt somewhat normal even, just more tired. It was great to see them, it had been far too long. We went to Gettysburg and did some wine tasting. However, the day out in Gettysburg wore me out so the next day we had to tone it down and just do lunch and a little shopping here locally. I just can’t do things like I wish I could. Luckily my friends love me despite not being able to do everything we wanted to do, and they work with me.

Finally, just the other night Dan and I were able to see Lee and Tina, my youth pastor and his wife who are now missionaries in Haiti. Lee officiated our big wedding in August of 2014, and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen them. They had a large open house at a local church, so Dan and I were able to go and catch up with not only Lee and Tina but a couple other people from the area that we haven’t seen in a while. It was truly uplifting and great to see them.

So, to those of you who are faithfully praying for us, thank you. Please continue to do so. It’s a pretty crazy ride that we seem to be on with my health. I never know what’s coming at me next. Dan has been a real trooper through all this, it’s not been easy to watch the good days followed by bad days. Please continue to pray for us as we both are under the weather and it is difficult when both people in the household are sick at the same time. Also, please pray for wisdom for my doctor as we progress with me treatment since I am not responding the way he thought I would or as quickly as he had hoped- hence the essentially restarting with the Lyme culture coming up, which has me nervous. Please pray that Dan and I would continue to be brave in this very long trial that, in all honesty can be very scary at times, that regardless of how we feel, that we would continue to put our trust in the One who is in ultimate control and that He would use this for His honor and glory. Thank you for walking along side us during this journey.

Until Next Time,

De

 

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When the Going Gets Tough

Hey everyone! It’s been a couple weeks since I started my IV treatments, so I figured I’d let you in on how things were going. 😉 Plus, I have a great story for you. Life here has gotten even more boring, if that’s even possible. But that’s okay, Dan’s been doing his best to make the mundane bearable for the both of us- especially since we’re two extroverts trapped in our house.

So, the first week of IV treatment was rough. Really rough. I had to get used to the routine of getting the main antibiotic out of the refrigerator about an hour before I needed to actually inject it so that it could warm up. Also, the treatment itself just seemed to completely wipe me out. But thankfully, I have alarms on my phone that help me out with this, and Dan helps me schedule things around my treatment times.

Now it’s been a couple weeks, and my energy level is still low, but it is improving. I no longer sleep ALL day. So that is a praise. I’m still having a lot of symptoms, and I’m not back to where I was when I first saw this new Lyme doctor, but I know he’s on the right path. I think it’s funny that I have to go backwards (or at least it feels that way) in order to go forward. Hopefully as the weeks continue to go by, I’ll continue to improve and maybe one day I’ll feel like a real human again.

Well, now for the good stuff. 😉 I have a great story. To understand why this is funny, you have to grasp how I do my IV injections. First, I have to sanitize my hands (duh, it’s IV stuff), but then I have to “pop the seal” of the syringe. I was told I could feel it “give way” and usually, I can- at least with most of them. But not my antibiotic. So, I was trying to get used to this new “giving way feeling”, on my second day- but this particular syringe was super stubborn, until it wasn’t. All of a sudden, the black cap comes off and antibiotic comes spewing out like water out of a fire hydrant and it shoots straight up and begins to hit my ceiling! I realize what is happening, and stop it but not before 1/4 of my medication is gone.

At this point, it is dripping down on me, my coffee table, and praise God- my CLOSED mac. I can’t clean it up because my hands are sterile and I have to get my antibiotic, or what’s left of it, in my body. But two things are going through my mind. 1. “Oh my gosh, it’s dripping from the ceiling! It’s actually dripping from the ceiling!” 2. “…. That’s supposed to be going IN my body right now. What do I do?” So once I realized that I couldn’t just scoop it up and put it back (it doesn’t really work like that), I got myself together (chuckling at the sight of all of this) and called for Dan. Dan thought I was kidding! It took me calling a couple times for him to come save me from being dripped on. It was a mess. Once I was done, I got to clean it all up, but I really wish I could have had a video on to have caught my reaction. Oh, and the cap on the antibiotic landed in front of the coffee table- Dan found it on the floor somewhere.

Anyway, on a more fun and less “sick day” kind of note, Dan and I did have a visitor, two actually. My mom came in for about a week and gave Dan a much needed break from taking care of me. It was really nice to get to spend time with her, and she was a HUGE help around the house. She made us meals and froze them, and even got things set up once she left that people are now bringing us meals to help us out since I don’t have energy to cook (and I can’t lift more than 10 pounds) and since Dan is still not feeling quite right and is tired, he hasn’t been up for cooking either. She also helped me clean my house (something I physically just couldn’t do thanks to my IV kicking my butt) and took me out a bit since I was tired of my four walls (THANKS MOM!) It was a great week with her.

Then the weekend came, and my friend Kevin was in training for his new “big kid” job in DC (he’ll be working in NC but training was in DC). So during the weekend, he came to visit Dan and I. Kevin is essentially like my brother, and Dan really enjoys talking and hanging out with him. It was a great weekend. The boys got to talk games and Pokemon Go, and Kevin and I got to catch up and remember some fun times back in college. Honestly, our time was too short but hopefully he’ll be back up this way before too long for some more training and we can get together again.

So there you have it folks, another glimpse into our everyday life. It’s gotten pretty boring for us. We’re just going through this medical adventure the best we can, and we’re trusting that God has a purpose and a plan for this crazy mess. It’s been very hard for us at times to see the bright side, but we continue to lean on each other and ultimately the Lord as we progress. Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for us through this, it has not been a short journey, nor is it anywhere near over. I realized recently that I have been sick for over a year now. So Dan and I are truly grateful for those of you who continue to faithfully lift us up and build us up and we ask that you continue to pray for us. Sending all our love.

Until Next Time,

De

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Catch Up

Hey Everyone! It’s been far too long since I last posted. I’m sorry I’ve been off the grid. I figured I better catch you up on the boring life of Dan and I. Ok, so it’s not always boring- or not really boring- but it’s somewhat boring or more like alarming. I guess I’ll just have to back up and explain and then you can decide for yourself what our little life really is- because I think it’s a combination of boring and odd. 🙂 But hey- it’s Dan and I, what can you really expect?

Since we last talked, Dan and I are officially moved in at our little half house. We love it here, and it really does feel like home. My friend Jamie even came over and helped me make my washer and dryer (which was given to us) look pretty with contact paper (can you say Pintrest project much?) along with a cubby thing I have as you walk in the front door- it’s SUPER cute (photos at the bottom of the post if you want to see it lol.) and she was super sweet and bought us a house warming gift- a plant. This is truly a test for me because if you know me at all, you know that I can’t keep anything alive- so I have named the plant Penelope, and yes, I talk to her often. She’s out our front door now in the lovely planter Jamie gave us. 🙂 I think Dan is convinced I’m going to kill her.. but I’m determined to make her live.

Aside from little projects, and finishing settling in, I’ve been able to see a couple of friends. Including my friend Anjoli who I’ve been talking to online for years (we lived in this area a long time ago but then went separate ways for college and kept in touch)- ok so I know her in real life people… but it’s been years since I’ve seen her in person. Well, a couple weeks ago we were able to have lunch together before she moves out west to start her O.T. job. (I’m super proud of her!). I’ve also been able to see one of my best friends Emily who has moved back into the area from Illinois. She even “babysat” me one day while Dan had training (I’ll explain in a minute, so hold your horses there). But it’s wonderful to have people around again and be in a country where I can understand everything happening around me.

Now questions about health. I get asked “how are you doing?” a lot. That’s a hard question to answer. Please understand that I was doing really well at one point, but here lately, I have seemed to taken a downward turn, and furthermore apparently Dan has decided to come along for the ride with me. Ok, so now let me backup, and pause and then press play for you. 🙂

Starting with Dan; he wasn’t feeling good a couple months back but decided that it would just pass on it’s own. It hasn’t. Now we go to Walter Reed Medical Center in DC a LOT for him. However, doctors are actively working to try and figure out what is happening. (Please be praying for him- we know it’s something in his GI area- he’s having difficulty eating, loosing weight, and he’s in pain a lot). Pretty much the doctors right now are telling him to eat healthy (which he does anyway- he eats what I eat…no white flour, sugar, ect), and to be careful about exercise (too much and it can make his stomach distended… it’s really weird). So hopefully soon we’ll know what’s going on with him.

As for me, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. Chronic illness and myself are not friends and this is something that I am not fond of, but will have to learn to live with… and manage… and hopefully prevent from happening again. Anyway, at one point I was working out 5-6 times a week (against doctors orders- but I couldn’t take this resting thing anymore) and I digressed pretty quickly. The doctor quickly told me that I am only to work out a max of 3x a week… yay (can you hear my sarcasm??). I was doing OK, but then it seemed out of nowhere I was getting dizzy and my vision (which I’ve been having issues with) would go completely blurry. I’ve been “loosing my sight” (I mean it gets REALLY blurry) several times a day. One day, I was up over 30 times, and ended up in the ER- that was bad just because the seizure meds they gave me actually made me feel worse than loosing my vision (go figure). So I went to my doctor, and now I’m on a higher dose of seizure meds until I can go back to my Lyme doctor to talk about Babesia (a co-infection of Lyme- something that can come with Lyme). So for now, I loose my eyesight a lot and poor Dan has to keep a pretty close eye on me because my balance is off as well (part of the fun of this), oh and I’m tired again. Just when I was starting to think I was a real girl again…

So Dan has had a couple of things to do with the Navy where he is gone all day and I’m not really supposed to be there (and I don’t want to be there at all). So the one day Jamie came and got me. She had me and her little sister (who was recovering from a double concussion) and so she had fun confusing us as to where we were going next. And this last time, Emily came over and picked me up to babysit me for the day. I went back to her house to help her with her work (they moved the office from Illinois to PA and it’s been crazy) so I did some basic administrative stuff that I love. It was a nice day out, and Dan didn’t have to worry about me while he was at training. 🙂 I’d say it’s a win-win.

Overall, I’d say that Dan and I are essentially turning into 80-something year olds. We’re doing the best we can given the cards we’ve been dealt. The last couple months haven’t been the easiest, nor do the months ahead look like smooth sailing- but we know that all things will work together for our good. For those of you who have been praying for us- we thank you, and ask that you continue to do so- especially now that both of us are ill. There are also a lot of decisions that are coming up and I am asking that you pray for wisdom for us as we try to figure out the best plan for our family. All I can really say is, we make life interesting-  it is one big adventure for Dan and I. 🙂 Thank you all for your love and support- I promise to try and be better about keeping you up to date about what’s happening in our lives, especially since we are now in a brand new type of medical adventure. 🙂

 

 

My lovely washer and dryer… THANK YOU JAMIE!!!

The cubby I was talking about… Thank you Jamie!!

Jamie took me to see her sister in a play (The Addams Family) when she “babysat” me one day.