Big Week

Well, this is the week for the performance. As I write this Liza is still at Dress Rehearsal, the kids are sleeping, and I've been laid up all day with a bad case of strep throat. There is one more rehearsal on Thursday, and then one performance on Friday night, and two Saturday. The props are done. The dances are choreographed (many of them brand new). Just a bit more practice and cleaning before the curtain is drawn. Please pray for Liza because she is going to be feeling the lack of rest, extra stress, and pain that will accompany dancing. After this weekend, she will have a good while off from teaching and dancing. During that time we hope to finalize some of the headache management. Please pray for her. Thanks.

Working through the Pain

Although, we feel like we've gotten down the road toward some resolution, Liza hasn't realized any of that resolution yet. And the next week and a half will be difficult. That is because her studio, school, and professional company are putting on an original ballet performance of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at McCullough High School next weekend (May 30, 31). You can go to http://www.balletexcelsior.org/ for more details.

This extra work and passion has really caused these tension/vascular headaches to get a little worse. She came home last night and was in a bad way. She's trying to finish and clean all of the dances and is actually dancing in several as the White Witch. By her own admission, it's a little easier to be a Witch when you're in constant pain. So please pray for her these next ten days or so. She is looking forward to taking the whole month of June off to try and recover and de-stress, that is if the children cooperate. They obviously know something is still wrong with mommy and continually swarm her when she is at home. We know that is the case because it is very different when it's just daddy.

In the meantime, we are starting to contact some neurologists so that we can get moving with the pain medication and other meds in an attempt to break the cycle of headaches. Thank you so very much for your continued reading of this blog and your prayers on our behalf. You have been such a blessing to us all.

The Official Word

We've just arrived home from the doctor's office and we think, at least now, that we've received some encouraging reports. So first of all, thank you for your prayers. Let me break it down.

Dr. Comair came in and was his normal quiet, comforting, and attentive self. He asked a bunch of questions about the exact nature and location of Liza's headache pain. He then went on to explain that this type of headache was in no way related directly to the Chiari - or now, lack thereof. A Chiari-type headache comes on strong and fast, usually when an individual is lifting something or straining in some way. It then dissipates rather slowly. Liza's headache is more pressure-related, and manifests itself constantly behind her eyes and on the top of her head. Dr. Comair was certain that there was some other cause.

As the conversation continued, two types of headaches were discussed: tension headaches and vascular headaches. It is Dr. Comair's opinion that Liza is suffering through a cycle of the two types, both of which can cause pain in the sufferer for an extended period of time - Liza's headache is now almost 6 weeks old.

He then explained how the vascular and tension headaches play off of each other and repeat in a cycle - likely beginning with the extra tension Liza experienced around the several Easter dancing performances in which she participated. This tension headache led to a vascular headache which likely manifests itself in pressure-style pain.

He then took us in his office and showed us the extensive MRI images from before and after the surgery. The difference was noticeable even to our untrained eye. I think he was quite proud of his work. He also explained away other potential causes that we feared, like a leak in the incision site of cerebral spinal fluid. He actually almost chuckled at this serious question and assured us that there was a zero percent chance of a leak. He showed us on the MRI where the leak would be easily detected. That was very reassuring.

One final cause, which combined with the other headaches, began to make perfect sense. He also showed us in the MRI images how the cerebral portion of Liza's spine is also TOO straight. She asked if it was because, as a dancer, she was trained to straighten her spine. He agreed that might be true, but more likely a trained dancer that is highly aware of their body would only slightly straighten their spine beyond the NORMAL curvature that is expected. The spine normally curves three times, slightly in at the top, slightly out in the middle, and then in again near the base. This curve actually supports the weight of the head and shoulders. Without it we would all be in severe pain when we stood or sat upright. Liza's neck is apparently too straight, which is a sign that her muscles are still very much in the healing process and are "spasming" quite severely.

His prognosis: go back and see the neurologists that we saw a few times before meeting Dr. Comair and he will prescribe some medication that will help relax the muscles of the neck and another to help break the cycle of tension/vascular headaches. This will hopefully bring some relief to Liza's pain and help her neck muscles continue to heal.

And that's about it. We are encouraged by the MRI images and that there seems to be no negative results from the surgery itself, other than the continuing recovery steps, which are both necessary and difficult. Now we are going to try to make yet more appointments to bring more resolution to Liza's struggle. Thanks again for all of your concern, prayers, and thoughts. Continue to pray that she would be able to rest more - which is a big key, sleep better, and that our wonderful children would cooperate which this plan. Many blessings.

Today is the Day

Well, about 1:00 PM, Texas time, we will be headed down to Baylor College of Medicine to meet with our outstanding neurosurgeon Dr. Youseff Comair and his wonderful nurse practitioner Shirley Sebastian. We hope to get on our way toward some answers and take a substantial move in pain management today. Please pray that our visit is productive, encouraging, and pleasant. Thanks for your continued concern and prayers. More after.

Headache at the Zoo

Well, after an attempt at sleeping in, Liza offered the possibility of going to the zoo today with the kids, seeing as it was absolutely beautiful outside. The rest of us happily agreed.

It was really a lovely day. The kids haven't been in well over a year and they were both old enough to be much more involved and aware. The only problem was the one that has been plaguing our family for the last five weeks - mommy's headache. It was especially bad today for some reason.

Just one more week until our meeting with Dr. Comair and Shirley (see earlier posts). We hope to get some answers and get something to help her with the constant pain. But mostly, we need the answers. Meanwhile, we're trying to make some more massage therapy appointments to help with the pressure. Please keep praying and enjoy some pictures of our precious (most of the time) children. Actually they are quite brilliant and precious all of the time, we just have been struggling with attitudes a bit lately. Parenting.

Still an aching head

Liza is still suffering with the constant pain in her head. When I came home tonight after a long day of work she was about to go to bed and simply said that the pain was killing her. She is getting very tired and weary of the consistent inability to feel normal. Please continue to pray that she sleeps, the pain resides, and we find answers soon. Thank you for reading and especially for praying. I've seen many of you in person recently and your encouragement is truly a blessing.

Recent Ups and Downs

Hello my fellow blog readers. I apologize for not writing more consistently as of late. I unfortunately might have to resume my authorship post more frequently in the near future.

The last few weeks (four plus to be exact) have seen Liza struggle with some more severe symptoms. She has been suffering from a terrible pressure type headache that centers in the area of the surgery. This pressure headache has been constant, and when I say constant, that's what I mean. She wakes up with it and goes to bed with it. Sometimes it gets worse throughout the day and other times it just stays level. But it has not gone away in over a month. The medication we have available doesn't seem to help at all so we have been seeking answers elsewhere.

About ten days ago now Liza went and had yet another MRI. This time they took pictures, with and without intravenous contrast, of her full head and then of her neck and spinal area. I picked up the CD of images as soon as they were ready and mailed them to our wonderful neurosurgical team and waited for their call. As it turns out, Dr. Comair was extremely pleased with the pictures and even said he was "quite proud" of the work that was done. The pictures of Liza's spinal area around C1 and C2 are now perfect - nothing wrong at all. That's good news on the one hand. But why the headaches? The good Doc couldn't answer that right away.

So while the team reviews her case, we wait for our appointment to see them face to face yet again. That appointment is not until May 19th. So in the meantime, we would covet your prayers for Liza's health and continued healing, and most especially for freedom from the intense pain of these pressure headaches.

Many other things have been happening in the mean time. Andrew and Izzy are both doing very well and getting very "grown up." They are learning so much and have been enjoying the outdoors and actually each other lately. Andrew's first year of preschool is almost over and he has enjoyed it very much. Izzy has been privileged to attend a few "baby" ballet classes as a special treat and we can't seem to keep her from dancing. I think she wants to be just like her mommy. Andrew, as it turns out is just like his daddy. LEGOs are his new favorite toy. I have all but wrapped up yet another semester of my Masters work and have officially begun my Thesis work. I'm still working at the restaurant here in town but hope to be in ministry very soon.

Well, I think that catches us all up for now. Be watching for more frequent posts in the near future. I'll keep you up to date on all things "Liza." Please continue to pray for her. Many blessings.