CindyFrench-stranger than fiction stories

about facing life with hope and confidence, no matter the diagnosis

Archive for the tag “multiple surgeries”

13 Nov 2011

A New Pacemaker/Defibulator

Over the last three months or so, I had noticed that my husband seemed more and more fatigued and short of breath. These were symptoms of his previous heart problems –although I hadn’t known them at the time. He is supposed to see the cardiologist every six months, but now he had just gotten bumped for the second time which would make it twelve months. I SAID NO TO THIS!

Sometimes, well most of the time these days you have to advocate for yourself or you need someone to do it for you. I called and got the doc’s nurse- he’s my cardiologist too- explained what I was seeing and requested they see him sooner than later. The first time they called the appt was a wk away, then suddenly we were going the very next day! And I say thank you Jesus, because I was right. His ventricles are all on a different electrical pace not in sync, which if we don’t quickly fix it, his heart will wear out or just kinda tear apart.

Well what man do you know that just says ” sure doc, take care of the problem?”
No, my husband has to start talking about timing and money and he’s not sure he wants to go thru that surgery again!

So my request is for prayer for him. For God to calm his fears and his heart. For God to supply the money needed above and beyond what medicare and his supplemental ins cover. For God’s timing with the surgery. And of course for God ‘s guidance of the surgeon and his hands.
For me, that I will keep it together and live my faith in front of (and even behind closed doors) all that I come in contact with. That this time would be for God’s glory because someone somewhere will come to know Him because of our witness.

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19 Mar 2011
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God has spoken to me and I’m not kidding

Anyone who has read my blog of the last year and a half knows of my journey. So please bear with me while I recount the last 2 wks. Two weeks ago, our pastor gave a sermon on stories and used my life verse, ll Cor 1:4 as the text.  The jist of it was that really our life is not about getting there–the destination, it is about the journey. It’s about our experiences, our sphere of people we interact with (whether we want to or not), just everything that touches us. The Bible says that EVERYTHING that comes to us is filtered through His fingers. So for all my life I have asked, Why did you give my this body Lord?  Why did I have to have this happen to me? Why can I not stay well? Why do I have to live with constant pain, Why, Why, Why? So how could my loving, gracious all powerful holy Father let this all happen to me? First I believe you really have to go to the Word of God for answers, for comfort, for knowledge, even for help in my believing, but unbelief too. This isn’t something that you get from self help books or even counselors–this is between you and holy God. So as I was studying in Isaiah in my weekly lesson, in one chapter it kept saying “in the womb I formed you” over and over and at first I grumbled but then I remembered in Psalms where God said He knit my innermost parts together and in Jeremiah He says that he has a plan to care for and prosper me. Then I went back to my life verse and as I began to read it, God began to tell me why. I never expected an answer!  Afterall, He is God of all and doesn’t have to explain anything he does. But this is what he told me.

Cindy, I love you. I have loved forever and will always love you. Nothing will separate you from my love. My child your life has been a series of stories, sometimes miracles that I have done, so that whenever you meet someone  there will almost be instant rapport because you and  that person or their loved one has gone through  the same physical trial you have and you know exactly how they feel and so can offer comfort. Physical issues and pain bring people together along with other things you’ve experienced. I know that you have been going through the trial of affliction and that you have had to come through a lot of losses in the past 3 years but my child, now you are truly dependant on me. My child, you must trust me for my promises. and then He said it again, Trust me.

So now I wait for Him to act on those promises. But I will never again complain about my body-all I will do is look about in anticipation of who the Lord is going to bring to me to share and comfort with!

Posted in 4 spritual laws, aspergillus fungus, asthma, bankruptcy, Bible study, brain tumor, breast cancer, breast reduction, cervical fusions, christian, chronic fatigue, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
02 Jan 2011
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Another New Year!

Survival, that’s what 2010 was about. That and hopefully starting a turnaround. Not just in business, but in life and all it touches. I will be 60 this year in June! I hope to celebrate with my sisters in St Simon. I hear all the time that your years are just a number and you are only as old as you feel, but I know that a certain amount of my energy, my will is gone. Sucked out of me by the stroke or the continuing health issues? Whatever it is, I can honestly say I will never be just what I once was. But then I look at that person and I am not sure I would want to go back to her either! Business ruled just about my every thought and was impossible to “turn off”. My corporate standings were always on my mind. Money wasn’t an issue (gee, that was nice) but again at what real cost of my spirit?

After 12 years of haphazard half done Bible studies, I have spent the last 5 years committed to formal study and what a change it is affecting! Continuous changes in me and hopefully my thoughts, behavior, work ethic, treatment of others sometimes surprise me and fill me with hope that God can and is working through me. One of my study passages in Isaiah 30: 20-21 “Althought the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more…Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, this is the way, walk in it.”  Surely this is God reassuring me of the last 2 very hard years, yet his promise for leading for my future. Happy New Year!

Posted in christian, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, life stories, rheumatoid arthritis and tagged , , , ,
02 May 2010

These Last Nine Months

I noticed today that my love of cooking and planning a good dinner has come back to me! I’ve shared some recipes previously.  This is amazing because up until the last 3 or 4 weeks, my husband has been planning, cooking and serving us. Not that this was a bad thing, but he has his basic things he can fix- I like a lot of variety with a lot of fresh vegetables. As I have said before, we eat mostly fish and some chicken and occasionally some beef. Every now and then, I”ve just got to have a cheeseburger and no one does them better than Dennis! Even Chili’s can’t beat him and they are good! Besides hamburgers, he still needs the occasional pot roast, or smothered steak with peppers and onions. But he has been really good to accept all the fish and seafood we’ve been having. I’m lucky he likes it as much as I do.

I’ve also started back at keeping my house. Cleaning up as I see a room that needs it, I feel like I have been rejuvenated or re-born. This afternoon, I worked at cleaning up my office. Now I think that a clean desk is the sign of a sick mind, so you know it really needed attention, but it was good to put some things away and reorganize others. I am back working full time now and enjoying it more than ever! That is really something considering I ‘ve been doing this since 1979!

God is so good though to keep my business bright and fresh. I never know who I’ll speak with that day or where they will be located. It is amazing that by praying over my work, I literally watch God bring the right people to me out of the hundreds I might have spoken with! Some are just so perfect that I could never have arranged  all of the circumstances, the backgrounds of firm and candidate and ultimately their joined goals like God can! I wonder how I ever did this without praying over my work before I started a search. He certainly blessed me in spite of me!

So what happens next? I know I am not completely headache free. That probably means more nerve blocks in my future, but at least they are working for longer periods now. I know I have cataracts to get taken care of, but God willing nothing else major!

Posted in christian, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, Creativity, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment
12 Apr 2010

Easter and The Next Weeks

I got surprised at the end of a magnificent service on Easter morning. I couldn’t stand up, couldn’t lay down, couldn’t talk -the sudden pain in my left upper chest was so bad. I mean the worst pain I have ever felt! Of course, everyone, including  me thought I was having a heart attack-all the signs were there. Our family friend, a pediatrician took my blood pressure which was very high and gave me a baby aspirin. Someone called the paramedics. So here it is, Easter morning, I think, what a fine morning to go to be with God and see my parents and aunts and uncles who have gone on before me, along with the 3 children I lost in my twenties. I am ready, except for seeing the anguish  on my husband’s face and then thinking of my children and grandchildren who were expected the next night for spring break! But really, all I could do besides thinking in little bursts was how bad I hurt! Like never before, it was! As I described it to my cardiologist today, he thought that I might have had a seizure of sorts of the heart and the way the lungs rub against them. I didn’t write down what that seizure was called, but I can guarantee you, I’ll know it if I feel it again. The other possibility is that my hiatal hernia decided to spasm. Who knows? Now I have meds for both-we’ll see what happens. The worst part was having to go to the hospital-one that didn’t know me or my history. I learned very quickly how important it is to have the doctors who know you and your story. I was very fortunate that I had a really good PA who listened to me and what I would and would not do in regards to the status of my heart. I passed the tests enough to get out of the hospital Monday night and my kids arrived right after I got home. My first born daughter made a shrimp pasta extraordinaire and salad for dinner. I went to bed early having only slept 3 hours at the hospital…

I must say I wondered why God had let me go to the hospital. It was certainly inconvenient. But there were two times when I just knew that I was there to pray and lift up people. One was Marion. She is in ICU, has a broken neck and what sounded like pneumonia when we were waiting for the angio-CT scan. Then there was a toddler that was being worked on feverishly by the helicopter crew–I don’t know what the problem was-just that I needed to pray. I did pray, do pray for them still…

More about life in general next time….

Posted in heart attack, hiatal hernia spasm and tagged , , , | Leave a Comment
20 Mar 2010

Relief! Finally!

What a week! So busy with work-yeah! I do love what I do! Helping people find a new “best job”. Helping the client find someone who so “fits in”. I believe it’s a gift that God has given me! All along, I am often able to share Jesus’ story, because it is so much a part of me and what I do!

So this week on Wednesday, I had another nerve block for the occipital neuralgia. This time, I was given different drugs and it was so much better. Even the night time was better-which had so far been the worst time. It also has worked so far!! Very little headache, no dizziness. On Thursday, I went to the gastroenterologist for my biopsy results. Thank God, we had decided to check out the nausea, vomiting, and burning I had been having. This  was NOT related to my head! It seems that I had polyps in my throat and stomach. The biopsy said that I have ulcerated, inflamed tissue. Thank God, no cancer. Still, I will have to be checked once a year from now on.  Truly between the great nerve block and good biopsy, I have just been giddy with thanksgiving! Hopefully the worst is over now!!

So in looking back over the last six months, I can see how even with “rare”, physical issues, the hand of God was on my life. He had a neurosurgeon “standing by” with my first surgery. He gave me a wonderful scalp/skull surgeon for the 2nd surgery so that my head is not deformed after all the biopsies taken, He has given me new friends to call on, sympathize with, understand with. And finally, allowed me to see His love  through my Pastors and church family. He has shown me again His love and care even in providing my successful work, so that the bills can be paid. God is Great!!

Posted in brain tumor, cervical fusions, christian, dural arteriovenous fistulas, gastrointestinal reflux disease, life stories, occipital neuropathy, parietal foriminas, surviving major health issues and tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
06 Mar 2010

2005 A Year of Drastic Change

I mentioned in my last post that I had my last cervical fusion in 2005. It was August, I had produced enough sales in July and August to give me  great billings for a year that had been very slow and difficult so far. I was driving to Atlanta when my neurosurgeon called with my MRI results. For the first time in my dealings with him, he sounded anxious and concerned. I had a disk that had herniated into the spinal cord among other things. He told me not to lift a grandchild, or anything for that matter and to walk around like I was walking on eggs! If things got worse, I could have been paralyzed! Needless to say, I was really careful that weekend!

I came back home and began to plan for the surgery. I wasn’t particularly concerned. I HAD done this twice before! The great thing about this time was already having and working from a home office–frankly, I didn’t think I’d miss a step!

I really did fine with the surgery. I remember walking around the floor that first night,  but sometime during the night, I knew even as I lay asleep that I was in trouble! I couldn’t wake up! That was my last conscience thought for THREE days.

My husband found me not breathing the next morning. In a panic, he yelled for help, not remembering my living will-which was ok-but soon my room was filled with doctors and nurses and senior staff. They apparently tried a lot of things to get me to awaken once they had me breathing again. Nothing worked and I was moved to ICU. ( I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during all this) At any rate, I spent three days on a narcaine drip, sound asleep. My husband said that they kept telling him they were doing everything possible.

When I awoke, I had been moved back to my room and to my surprise, I had no voice! Also trying to eat, I choked on everything, even liquids! Apparently I had suffered a stroke, had a paralyzed vocal cord and the little flap over my esophagus and trachea didn’t work right and so I was choking. Pretty quickly, the paralysis was diagnosed. I had a specialist who came in and showed me how to eat-with my head turned to my left shoulder and pulled down as low as I could. I could only handle soft things, or thickened liquids and I couldn’t call for help with no voice. They also hooked me up to all kinds of monitors that went off all the time, but no one ever checked. It was not a good time.

One would think I would be devastated, but honestly God was closer to me than almost any other time in my life. I have so much scripture underlined with margin notes of that time in the hospital. Nights were the worst. Dennis had to leave me to work and I couldn’t sleep much because of the meds I was on. The following are some of the scriptures and notes that I made and I cherish now.

First, there was confidence that I was going to be healed…I thought my neck…God knew my voice, mind, and eating abilities…Psalm 41:3  The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. Aug 8, 2005.

Also I had been praying for a real hunger for His Word and the next day, God gave me Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you O God. My souls thirsts for God, for the Living God. When can I go and meet with God?…little did I know that soon I would be able to only do that!

The rest of the scriptures are pretty self-explanatory-night prayers, claims for my voice, worship.

Psalm 42:8 By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is within me-a prayer to the God of my life.    11 Put your hope in God for I will yet praise HIm, my Saviour and my God.                                                                                                                                                                         Psalm 43:2-5  You are God my stronghold. Send forth you light and you truth , let them guide me let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place you where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. Put your hope in God for will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God.        

There are so many more-but I can not write them all here. But believe me, the Psalms are a great way to get to know God.

Posted in cervical fusions, christian, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, sleep apnea, surviving major health issues and tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
06 Mar 2010

A Little Backwards…

In thinking back to previous years and incidents that have defined my life, I realize that I am either defined by the year’s medical crisis, a new baby, or God’s specific calling and teaching. The last specific time I wrote about was the neck surgery in 1995. I had another fusion in 1997 and again in 2005. I actually have really good motion for my head in spite of the fusions. Of course, I worked very hard in physical therapy. Again, I was working, leading a successful office for MRI. I loved what I did and felt such a responsibility-to my staff-to my clients-and to my candidates. Over the course of the 90′s I was very privileged to be in the top ten status with our company. I was very thankful as I did have different physical obstacles to overcome, but knew that they didn’t interfere with the business. On the other hand, what might we have accomplished without my constant medical crisis’?

 The next few years, I suffered my first serious asthma attack which I barely survived and an aspergillus fungus in my sinus that was slowly killing me! These are such weird, off the wall ailments. Then there was RSD (reflex sympathetic dystrophy) in my back and a strange infection in my breasts after having more reconstructive work done. I look back at all this and I am amazed:  1. that I kept having so much stuff happen to my body  2. that they were strange, unusual ailments  3. except for God’s intervention I wouldn’t be here today.

Posted in aspergillus fungus, asthma, cervical fusions, christian, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, life stories, surviving major health issues, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
06 Mar 2010

And One More Thing!

Just when I thought I might be getting better–I’m not.  The last two days, I have worked-had full days as a matter of fact, but the headache is once again getting worse. I am back to 2 percocet at a time again and I am having breakthrough nausea even with the compezine. 

I went to the gastroenterologist this morning after a week of worsening heart burn. It has gotten down to where much of what I eat and drink burns me. The thought is that six months of daily vomiting could have damaged my existing hiatal hernia further or started an ulcer. I am scheduled for an endoscopy next week to see. In the meantime, I am taking another drug-this one for Reflux.

My asthma is better and I am tapering down my steroid dosage. Still, looking at my round face, I can tell the side effects! In three weeks, I’ll take the “gold standard for diabetes testing” so they can tell me I have diabetes! I mean it, have you every heard of anyone that had so much wrong with their body? I honestly don’t know if I am just wearing out my parts or if maybe something something so systemic-like diabetes-or my asthma-is the culprit! I guess I will be finding out!

All these feelings after such a precious time Wednesday night with my pastors! I did hope for an instant miracle, but I can see that this is not to be, at least for right now. Still as I re-read the devotional sent to me last year and which I saved, I continue to be reminded that God is not punishing me. I do believe He is using all this to prune me, but also to touch those others that come into my sphere who are also sufferning. Every day there is just one someone who needs to hear Jesus’ story and how it’s impacted my life and can impact them as well.

Posted in brain tumor, christian, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, diabetes, life stories, parietal foriminas, Suffering loss, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
04 Mar 2010

Anointing and Prayer

I guess it’s a terrible thing when we seem to go to God last for healing. I know I have certainly exhausted the circle of doctors, medical centers and the internet for help, treatment and information. I have prayed all along as have so many others been praying for me too, that I know we weren’t ignoring God or His Great Physician role, but I wasn’t exactly embracing it either.
So, today we got serious and with my pastors around me, they prayed specifically for my healing while anointing me with oil as it says to do in James 5:13-15 “Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master (Jesus Christ). Believing prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven-healed inside and out.” [The Message version]

We talked of how Jesus has used my infirmities of which there are so many-to connect with others suffering the same thing. I had just been praying to be stronger, thinking I could do more if I were stronger, but Pastor Craig pointed out that when I am weak, Jesus is strong! How could I ever forget that? Yet that wasn’t my focus-yes it was on me and how I felt. I am very tired of pain and nausea and very tired of being so tired! Sometimes I have to sleep most of a day just to keep up! I have certainly wondered to what purpose that was! However, I must acknowledge that when I have to take the time to sleep, God always seems to make up the time for me. Even today, working out of bed on my laptop and cell phone, I accomplished more than some days when I am in my office all day on the phone. So yes, I am blessed and humbled by His care for me even in the details.

I do know that God heals miraculously. He has healed me before as that was to His purpose. I hope it is again.

Posted in brain tumor, christian, chronic fatigue, Creativity, life stories, rheumatoid arthritis, surviving major health issues and tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

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