Updates...

For all of you that were expecting updates as far as Justin's surgery or diagnosis I am sorry to inform you that there are NONE. He did see the surgeon after his MRI and the surgeon reviewed the two MRI's and he wants to be sure before he does anything. To make a long story short he is sending Justin for a second EMG, because he doesn’t trust the doctors who did the first one! Basically he thinks that the EMG is wrong because although it confirms the pain and symptoms Justin is feeling they do not match with the MRI. So as we left that appointment Justin was hopeful that the EMG would be soon and he would have answer's; however, as we have come to find out the EMG cannot be done until the 23rd of December. Meanwhile Justin is in even more pain than before and he now he is not sleeping at night. So the hope we had for him to have some relief is gone instead all we have is the little comfort in maybe they can find an alternative solution besides surgery but to be honest at this point we have no idea what that could be and for how long it will work. The surgeon agreed that Justin needs surgery he has advanced aging in his spine as well as other things going on, but he is very apprehensive about doing very risky surgery on a 31 yr old healthy male. He would feel better doing it if he was older... as good as that is it is just as bad because the bottom line is the same - he needs surgery. We feel that because he is otherwise healthy now and because he has access to some of the best doctors in the military why wait till a time when the circumstances will change - why postpone the inevitable.

Okay enough of me rambling about that... it is what it is and unfortunately all we can do is wait! Now on to the next part of the doctor updates. I had my urology appointment yesterday and they basically told me that "they don't know" and "it is above them". They said my body is doing something weird that the tests cannot explain and that the stone guy (my last DR) was the best chance I had and "if he didn't have answers then they sure don't". They said they don't see anything bad as far as kidney functions or disease so basically I just have to deal with the pain and stones and if I can't pass them to come in and they will keep doing the lipotripsy (sp?) to remove the bigger stones. They did offer to send me to Walter Reed to the stone expert but I decided that right now I will just deal with it and if I need to go I can always get the referral then.

So that basically should give everyone the updates on what is going on medically with us. Katelyn is doing great- thankfully. She is getting so big and every day she is doing something new and exciting that makes Justin and I just sit back and smile. She is still collecting money for her friend, Erin. I think she has a little over $300 right now. Thanks in part to the patrons of Big Boy and a poker game Justin put on with a couple of his buddies. We still have lots of exciting fundraising ideas that we are moving forward with.

Last week we went to a fundraiser that 3 teenage girls put on for the Buckles family it was Basket Bingo and they did an amazing job. It made me tear up a few times to see what amazing individuals these girls were already becoming. It is so good to witness first hand a community of people coming together to help one another, to help someone they don't even know. With all the bad things that we see and witness it is so inspirational to see good things.

We hope that everyone is doing well. We miss all of you and we hope that you all know how important you are to us. With everything going on it is so good to have such amazing friends and family to turn to.