Testing, Appointments, Waiting Rooms... Left and Right!

So, I'll update you on my stuff first since I'm self-centered and the world revolves around me. Haha! Just kidding! Just to get it out of the way, I guess, since it's a bit boring but still exciting for ME. We finalllllyyyyy got my penicillin test done. Results were supposed to be back Monday, MAYBE Tuesday, but no one called me. So yesterday I called them to see what was up. She checked on it and called me back to tell me that the test came back NEGATIVE! So, I'm not allergic to penicillin which is great because now they can put me on a 2nd antibiotic. I believe that penicillins work slightly better than than the alternatives so hopefully it WILL work this time. She said that they'll clear it with the doc today and get it called into the pharmacy. So, I'm hoping I can start it on Friday buuuut... usually stuff takes forever so it might be next week. :( Oh well! It's been 10+ years so I think I can handle a few more days.

Anyway, there are health issues in my family left and right and it's pretty much NUTS. The last few conversations I've had with my family members are basically updates on my health, updates on their health, updates on this or that blood test, or "I have a _____ appointment next Tuesday and a ____ appointment in 2 weeks". Blah Blah BLAHHHH! I just have to keep remining myself OVER AND OVER:

2nd Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

As well as the verse that my Blog title is based on:

James 4:14b

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

In other words, the WORST thing that's ever happened to us here on earth will eventually be a blip on the radar... a mist that vanishes after a few seconds. It's hard to think of it that way since some things are so meaningful and some things even CHANGE the course of our lives here on earth forever. It's not that we're meant to forget these things or categorize them as "meaningless". It just means that when we meet God face to face, the troubles of this earth will not compare to the blessings he has for us, ETERNALLY. No more tears, no more pain, no more losing loved ones, no more surgeries, no more brokeness.

The downside... we're left waiting. Here on the scum (earth). I know there are instructions in the bible for us while we wait, but sometimes I forget about those. My heart just wants to be done with it and on to the good stuff, ya know? But I guess that is the battle I'm faced with that will eventually make me stronger and NOT tear me down no matter how much it feels like it will.

Jamesie had some weird symptoms going on a couple of days ago. Really bad instant migraine-like headaches and his eyes looked strange. Lynae got worried and figured it was shunt failure. The best thing to do was to get it checked out IMMEDIATELY, because if it was shunt failure he'd have to get into surgery as soon as possible to avoid too much water on the brain (which could actually cause brain damage if it's not taken care of). After a couple of days at Sutter Memorial hospital in Sacramento, they're releasing James today. He started acting normal again for at least 24 hours, and his fever went away for good. He didn't experience any more "episodes" of the headaches and googily eyes. They did a couple of tests on him including a 3 hour MRI last night. Everything looks normal and since he's feeling better, too, they're going to release him today. I'm glad he's all better! Lynae will be watching him closely after they get home to make sure he really IS all better. They've gone in before convinced it was shunt failure, got turned away and sent home, and was back two days later for surgery for shunt failure. Sooo, needless to say, it was definitely the right choice to get him thoroughly checked out at Sutter. They're going to see the doctor next Tuesday sort of as a follow up to all of this stuff, as well as his last surgery he had earlier this year.

My mom has also been feeling pretty yucky for several weeks now. It mostly started with "dizzy spells" here and there, eventually becoming more frequent. In the last few weeks she's had an MRI and some other testing done. They're still not quite sure what's going on with her. We don't know if it's stress/anxiety related, hormone related, or something more serious (hopefully NOT!). I've been worried about her, mostly because she worries about everyone else and I think it makes her symptoms worse sometimes. Luckily a few days here and there in the last week she's been able to take a break and get some much needed rest. I just really, really hope she gets better soon and that she doesn't end up with a "mystery disease" like me that takes 10+ years to figure out! My parents also both have some sort of cold/throat thing going on. My dad has been really stuffed up and coughing and my mom has had a really red sore throat.

Anyway, it's been quite tiring keeping up with everyone's latest "health status" and sitting here worrying about everyone, and worrying about myself. I realize that it COULD be worse and we need to be thankful for the health that we DO still have. Just seeing some of the other Lyme patients that I did hyperbaric treatment with made me realize that there are other people suffering from Lyme that have been hit much harder with it than I have.

Anyway, that's enough about that for now. We're still waiting on word about our CHIP home application. We actually have no idea when we find out whether we've been selected or not, when they're planning on building the houses, or really ANY info regarding any of that. The one thing we know is that we'll get something in the mail telling us one way or the other if they've accepted our application. I can't wait to just KNOW! :) I hope we get it.