Where do we go from here?

After 587 days, we finally have a diagnosis...LYME disease.

Now what?

 

 

Well, the first step is in finding a doctor that knows how to treat Lyme disease.  Our current doctor stated that he could help us and begin treatment, but our best interest would be to find a doctor that actually knows how to treat Lyme.

 

After searching and questioning...and praying...We have an appointment with a doctor that specializes in treating Lyme disease.  This new doctor is 2hrs 45 min away, but well worth the drive.  From what we have read online and the information that we talked about with other Lyme patients is that treatments vary and most are long-term.  The longer that you have had the disease, the longer the treatment will take...which involves mixes of antibiotics in different forms: oral, IV, & even injections.  On top of that, special diets and supplements that help your body to recover from the high doses of antibiotics.

 

Kami has been dealing with an active infection for 587 days.  Her test results show that this infection is throughout her body and she has a severe case.  What does this mean?...we do not know for sure.

 

  Please pray with us as we have our first appointment with the Lyme disease doctor on June 6th.!

It's Official...We have a diagnosis!!!

Yes, we do!   The test results came back overwhelmingly positive for LYME's disease!!! 

Kami's test results came back showing positive results in 5 of the 10 areas screened for Lyme's disease.  In the doctor's own words, "You most definitely have a highly active infection of Lyme's disease...and yes, this is the reason for all of your symptoms and problems!"  Then he gave us a group hug!

This has been a long road and one filled with tests, trials and even tears.  Yet, we have seen our mighty Father work throughout all of this!  God's grace has sustained us and we look forward to what He is now doing in our lives.

We will know more about the course of treatment in the next week or so, but for now, we just wanted to share our praise with you...

 

Thank you for continuing to pray for our family!!!

This could be the week!

During our "medical" adventures over the past several months, we have traversed the up & down emotions of having our 'hopes up' that a diagnosis was just around the corner.  But only to be disappointed that all results have come back negative again.  Please don't misunderstand, we praised the Lord for every result, especially those results that said, "There is no cancer!"  

But some of the potential illnesses seemed to fit the pattern...the symptoms...and were treatable!  So, when the doctor would mention one of these illnesses and that he ordered a test to identify this possible illness, we secretly became excited....hopeful...planning our future around this diagnosis and the thought that my wife would soon be out of pain and full of strength & energy.

We are currently on the threshold of having to make a major decision as our 1-year medical furlough's end looms just around the corner.  We are fully confident that our God is in perfect control, knowing that He will place us exactly where He wants us to be... Ecc 3:11 "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time..."

This week, I have to admit, we once again find ourselves with our "hopes up" ...Is this the week that we get a name for this "mystery" illness?  Is this the week that we can begin to get Kami the medication that will place her on the road to recovery?  Is this the week that God shows us His perfect will for our future endeavors? 

Please be in prayer with us...for this is the week that the results come back for Lyme's disease.

It's Official...College Here He Comes!

It's been an adventure all along the way! 

 

There were times of coaxing, prodding, pushing...and that was just to get him out of bed on school mornings!  There were times where Josh was on his knees begging for another day off...and times when Kami and I were on our knees begging for another day off!

 

But this Friday night, there was no prodding or pushing, but there was a momma.. simply wanting just one more day of school because she wasn't ready for it to all be done this quickly.

(Joshua's graduation was this past Friday and we were able to celebrate with so many of our friends and relatives.   We are proud of all he has accomplished in these short 17 years!)

(I can truly say that I will miss my "right -hand-man" when he leaves for college.) 

(Walking down the aisle.)

(Giving his speech...He became emotional during his speech...let's just say that there wasn't much of a "dry eye" in the pews either!

(He did it!  Diploma delivered and tassel moved!)

(Pastor Strange and Joshua...they have such a great relationship!)

(One last family picture while we are still all together under the same roof...)

 

Congratulations Joshua Patrick Gimenez!

Golden State Baptist College...Here he comes!

 

Kami's Special Day...

This past Friday, we celebrated Kami's Birthday! 

 

(She is trying to spend as much time with Joshua before he leaves for college this September!)

 

Kami is one of the most unique ladies that I have ever met and I am blessed to have her as my wife.  She has had 11 doctors' appointments in the last 14 days.  She is exhausted, in much pain, and yet she still tries to be a blessing to other people.  Her life is all about "others"! 

 

Even as her birthday was approaching, she wanted to celebrate in an unusual way.  This year, she wanted to celebrate her birthday by doing a project called "Random Acts of Kindness."  Basically, on your birthday, you do random acts of kindness correlating to the number of years that you are on your birthday.

 

However, Kami was just too exhausted and in too much pain to coordinate her plan.  That's when her mom and sister jumped in!  They planned the entire event as a surprise for Kami!  They picked her up Friday evening without telling her what they were going to do.  Then they proceeded to deliver paper-good supplies to the Ronald McDonald House which operates entirely upon donations.  Then they taped zip-lock baggies with dollar bills and Bible verses to the soda/snack machines at the hospital as a blessing to folks.  Then they handed out coloring books and crayons to the children at the emergency room and Sudoku puzzle books to the adults! Then afterwards, they took her out to eat dessert in celebration.

 

It was an event that wiped her out physically, but one that she wouldn't have traded for anything!  I love this fun, loving, always about others, first-class lady! 

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A significant mass...

"A significant mass"....those were the latest words from yet another of Kami's doctors. 

For several weeks now, Kami has been having a growth on the bottom-front of her foot.  We thought it might be just a callous but it was getting larger and starting to cause problems. 

She mentioned this to her doctor at her last appointment and he referred her to a podiatrist.  After careful examination and x-rays, he said that she had "a significant mass" and that it was not a callous. 

It was alarming to him in two ways:

Firstly-  This is not the first tumor that she has had to appear.  If you remember, she had 3 removed from her left arm/hand this past February.  He wanted to make sure that these others were not malignant.

Secondly-   This new mass in her foot was large enough that it is displacing the bones in her foot.  So he injected it with a steroid and told her to come back in 3 weeks to check its size.

The exciting news to Kami was that he told her to go shoe shopping and to buy some new shoes that would support her foot better and ones that are comfortable enough to wear even while at home! 
(Shoe shopping!!!  Are you serious?  I didn't know that could be a doctor's prescription!)

I do have to admit though, that shoe shopping does help a sick girl to feel better!!!