A walker, a Science Fair, and a brand new baby.

Helloooo, bloggy friends!  So much for my New Year's Post on my WORD OF THE YEAR...consistency!  I haven't accomplished my word on my blog.  The nice part of having a word of the year is that you can pick it up again at anytime...so here I am! 

I have a couple of rrreeaaallyy good excuses on my non-consistent blogging.  One is still a secret, miracle in the making.  I can. not. stand. it. when. people. do. that. to. me.  However, it has thrown our family into a bit of a whirlwind, required mucho adjusting, and I will disclose the details as soon as I can. 

My other is that I have ruptured a disc in my spine.  It has been officially named the L5 and my neurosurgeon explained it as an extremely significant rupture.  I whole-heartedly agreed with him on the extreme part.  I did this on February 26, one day after our 17th Anniversary.  I woke up Sunday morning to begin our Get Ready to Go to Church Marathon, bent over to pick a book off of the floor...and BAM, WHAMO, WHITE-HOT KNIFE IN THE BACK - PAIN!  The kind that makes you instantly break out in a sweat and the cold chills at the same time.  I screamed (you might have heard me)  CLAAARRRKKK!  I have never seen that man wake up so fast on a Sunday morning.  I also woke the rest of the house.  I can laugh now, I was not laughing then.  I also managed to damage a nerve down my entire right leg.  My foot instantly twisted out to the right so that when my feet were placed together they formed an L shape (L is for Lisa, Lance, Laura & LaTrisa - couldn't resist), and my right foot and leg went totally numb, but yet was still able to feel pain down to the tips of my numb toes.  I have birthed three boys.  I can not recall crying one tear during any moment of labor.  However, I think I cried all day long on Sunday.  The pain was beyond intense.  Clark took me to the ER where they quickly started an IV to get the pain meds in, but they honestly didn't help much.  I kept asking for more.  My nurse was very willing and giving.  He probably kept giving me more pain meds in hopes of stopping the tears.  After Xrays, an MRI, and about 4 bottles of medicine picked up at the pharmacy, I got to come home. 

I became very good friends with my walker.  I am not ashamed of it, well, maybe a little!  But it comes in so handy!  I have made much progress.  The first few days the pain was incredibly intense.  My foot has finally started to straighten out, and I have 2 toes that are not numb and half of my leg is no longer numb.  If I have to sit up straight too long, I begin to get what I call "wooden leg" and the leg decides that it is not going to cooperate with me, and then I have to drag it along for awhile.  I am still having muscle spasms in my leg and hip, and the nerve seems to quiver and ache when I have been on it too long.

Due to the fact that I am unable to sit straight up, and do not have much power over my leg, I have not been able to drive.  I decided to try today while my mom was in the car with me.  My leg does not have the strength to hold itself up to the gas pedal, and will not listen to me when I tell it to press on the brake.  I never made it out of the garage.  I begin physical therapy on Monday.  I am nervous about this.  I am a wimp and fearful of more pain.  But hopeful it will help me to regain complete mobility.  I return to a new neurosurgeon at the end of the month, and please help me pray that I will not need to have surgery.

I must tell you that my MOM has been amazing during these past two weeks.  She has taken the most excellent care of me and my family.  She has done it all.  Helped me hobble around, cooked, cleaned every nook and cranny of this house, bought groceries, washed laundry (we have an unbelievable amount of laundry), picked kids up from school everyday, taken Riley for shots, ironed, and ironed and the list goes on and on and on!  We have kept her busy!  I do not know what we would have done without her.  I LOVE YOU, MOM, and appreciate ALL that you have done!

On a lighter, non-complaining note...I had another great-nephew born this week.  He is beautiful.  If my back wasn't so bad, I might try to steal him away from Amy.  There is nothing sweeter than a new born!  I am so happy that Andrew Michael Gomez is safely here!

AND (this is for the grandmas and aunts and cousins that read my blog mainly to hear how the boys are doing  :)...), Avery won 2nd place in the Science Fair tonight.  I am super proud of him!  Riley is doing great - aced another Math Test this week.  Landry has read the entire book of Matthew since the beginning of the year and is starting on Mark.  Love those boys of mine!

Thank you to the many of you that have been praying for me!  I am amazed by the love that you all have shown me with your comments!