Shot 💉 homework, burn baby burn

Dr. Cassius, my amazing physiatrist,
Asked me AGAIN to do this seemingly simple, but hard to find time homework.assignment. 

Since the last Marcaine injections he gave me made my pain melt away for 2 days, I felt I had to try.   (left T11, Left Psoas, right into the hip, ouch)

Set a timer for 20 min.  Write every fear, anxiety, worry, frustration down.that you can think of.  No spelling, just write. 

Then tear it up into tiny pieces, or burn.  I burn, because ita more fun, and I feel.more free to write.  I don't want anyone, not even grant, reading about my raw deep fears. 

Let see how many days i can make of the full 2 weeks I promised. 

-

Help us see miracles again

Our family would like to ask for prayers of any kind, and fasting for those inclined, next Sunday, March 29, 2015

Mark, Emily and Rachel recently started treatments for Lyme Disease.  They are expected to take 2-8 years

We have felt inspired to pray that the Lord will guide our family and our doctors to pick the right treatments for complete healing that fit each person's unique situation.

We know that the Lord can do anything.  If it is best for us, we pray that the treatments work quickly to eradicate the Lyme.

If quick isn't the plan the Lord wants for us, we pray that we will be shown the path.  We need peace, strength and hope to see and follow each of the paths we must go. 

Our family has seen miracles happen when those we love are united in prayers and fasting. 

Lyme treatments are most successful when they are rotated.  Each of the dozens of treatment choices take time to work.  We are preparing for many difficult weeks and hope for many good weeks. 

We ask that you keep us in your prays on March 29, and as often as possible over the coming months and years.

We still have much to learn.   Lessons learned from the past show us that physical challenges change when we reach out for prayers.

Thank you for your love and support,

Grant, Rachel, Alex, Emily, Kate and Mark Richins

When Life gives you Lymes...

Hi there,

How are you?  So, it's been a while.   Perhaps too long.   Hey, want to see how the kids have grown?

Yep, it's been a while since I wrote.

 Tough to write when pain and health is up and down.  When I can't bear being vulnerable to an unknown audience.  When I try so many new treatments that help, and get new names, new paths that turn out to be dead ends...or not dead end, but not fixing ends.   It's hard enough to learn, hope, work and fail to get better...but to explain it in a blog post would be misery. 

 

Why the change, why start sharing now? 

 

Because it feels right.  It feels like I should share, and collect hope and prayer to help me on a new name for my same old problems.  And because people I love tell me that my experience with pain has helped others who are in pain.  And I feel better when I read blogs of people who have chronic health, of all kinds.

We have Lyme Disease. 

 

We...

 

Marks test came back positive Dec 2014

Emily's Jan 2015

Rachel Feb 2015. 

 

So what do you do when life give you Lymes?  you make Mojitos.   



 

With friends like these, who needs perfect health?
Mojito Kit (Limes, mint and sparkling water)
from the brilliantly funny minds of Amanda and Kim

Lyme can passed by tick bites ( I had a lot in elementary school), mother to child, and partner to partner.  And Lyme is never just Lyme.  It comes with a whole basket of co-infections.  Party in a bite!

 

We have decided with our doctors, that we won't test the other family members right now.  Its expensive, and we think the burden of balancing another persons complicated treatment would be too much on us, on me. 

 

There you have it.  The latest.   Going out on a limb, covering my eyes, writing this post, telling people who are free to be judgmental, outside my control, outside of my tiny Facebook community, outside my church. 

We are asking anyone, of any faith or belief to pray with us in one week, Sunday March 29.  When I get the words right, I'll post it here. 
 

For now, I better hit publish before I chicken out again.