It's been awhile since I've shared on my blog, and this post was not at all what I had planned to share about, and certainly not as much, its long, yet here it is...... and so I'm hoping that my story may resonate and bring some hope to others who may be gong through something similar. If it strikes a chord let me know, I'll do my best to share the journey.....because for me anyway, it's just beginning.
In August, I underwent emergency spinal surgery to remove a fractured disc between L3 and L4. The disc had shifted and was pressing directly on my spinal cord, leaving me unable to sit, stand, or walk, and in excruciating pain from my back down the right side of my body—all the way to my foot. It was terrifying, and the pain was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I had surgery on a Sunday morning, and that moment marked the beginning of a long road to healing.
Anyone who’s had spine surgery knows recovery isn’t quick
or easy. But I’ve been so incredibly blessed and grateful to have my amazing
husband, family, friends, and a loving community who immediately "circled
the wagons." They lifted me up in prayer, sent words of encouragement,
made visits, and even delivered delicious meals—every bit of it made a
difference.
I also can’t say enough about my wonderful, skillful
neurosurgeon and his team, and the kind and dedicated nurses and hospital
support staff on the 2nd floor at LGH. The great care didn’t end at the
hospital—once home, I was supported by an outstanding team of visiting nurses,
occupational therapists, and physical therapists who have been walking this
journey with me.
I'm still recovering. It’s slow, often painful, and
filled with ups and downs—but I feel the power of the prayers and love
surrounding me. And each day, I’m doing my best to take one step forward.
Before all of this, my beloved and I had planned to
return to Medjugorje with Deacon John in 2026. For a while, I wasn’t sure I’d
ever be able to climb Apparition Hill again. But my faith in God and in His
healing power is strong—and we’ve gone ahead and booked the trip.
Funny enough, the last time I climbed that hill, I did it
with a torn meniscus in my right knee—which I didn’t even know I had at the
time! I wish I could say that was fully behind me, but earlier this year, I had
3½ vials of fluid drained from that same knee and got a cortisone shot. I
originally thought I was having hip problems, but thankfully, that doctor visit
led to the MRI that caught my spinal issue in time.
Like I said… it's a long story.
I pray for acceptance. I remind Him—and maybe myself—that I can’t
do this without Him. I surrender it all and ask Him to use it as He wills. Most
of all, I ask Him to stay close. Because it’s only by His grace that I’m
getting through.
The nights are the hardest. I’m limited in how I can move,
and since I’m not steady enough yet to handle the stairs on my own, I’ve been sleeping
downstairs. Our only bathroom is on the first floor, and there’s just no way I
could manage the stairs in the middle of the night right now. I’m working
toward it—hopefully in another few weeks I’ll be there. It’s hard being apart
from my husband at night, but moving our bedroom downstairs just isn’t
realistic, so for now, this is how it has to be.
One unexpected blessing: we have two back-to-back weeks at
our timeshare that we hadn’t planned to use this year. But after talking with
my nurse, OT, and PT, they all thought it would be good for me to get
away and rest. So here we are, spending a few quiet days in the mountains. And
let me tell you—we have been so blessed by this little change of
scenery.
As in the wee hours of the morning, I sit here, by the warmth of the fireplace and surrounded by peace and beauty, I continue to
pray:
Lord, use what I’m going through. Let it not be wasted. Let it draw me
closer to You. And please—stay close. I need You in all of this.
But here in the mountains, my beloved has been witnessing firsthand what my
nights are really like—restless, painful, and full of challenges that don’t
always show during the day. He told me he thinks I’m minimizing the pain,
putting on a brave face. And maybe… I am.
But in my heart, I’ve been thinking: Isn’t this just
normal?
At least for someone recovering from the kind of spinal surgery I had?
I’ve been doing everything they’ve told me—faithfully
following the “BLTs”:
🚫
No bending
🚫
No lifting more than 5 pounds
🚫
No twisting
I’m transitioning from the walker to a cane now, and even
doing some short walks unaided in safe areas, using walls or furniture for
support when needed. The walker stays close by—because falling just isn’t an
option. My spine still needs time for the scar tissue to fill the space where
the disc fragments were removed, and that can take 6 to 8 months,
sometimes even up to a year for full nerve healing and mobility.
That’s why physical therapy is so important—motion is
medicine right now. But I’ll admit it: I might be pushing myself a little too
much sometimes. I just want to move forward.
After another tough night last night with little to no
sleep, I finally reached out to my neurosurgeon to check in about what I’ve
been experiencing. I suspect he’ll say it’s all within the normal range of
recovery—but honestly, I need to hear it. And I think my husband does too. We were scheduled to go back in for a follow-up in a couple of weeks, but his office called this morning and we are going in tomorrow. I’m hopeful it will bring
both of us a little more peace of mind.
But now I have a dilemma, I had planned to make a nice batch of Italian cookies to bring to him and his office on my next visit. And that isn't going to happen tomorrow. So it will have to wait till I'm a bit further along in my healing.
This journey has been anything but easy. But I’m walking it—with faith, with gratitude, with support, and with the hope that every day brings me closer to healing.
It feels like its been a long journey already, but one filled with grace, healing, and so much love. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with me. Please keep those prayers coming—I can feel every one of them.
And yes—we are going on another pilgrimage to Medjugorje in August 2026!
If you’re interested in information about the trip or thinking about joining us, the flyer is attached. We’d love to have you with us on this beautiful pilgrimage.
And if you have any prayer intentions, let me know I will add them to my prayer journal.
I am bringing my prayer journal from our pilgrimage to Oberammergau in 2022 and our pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes and Medjugorje last year so if you have reached out before, your intentions will be gong with us. And we will pray for your intentions at our daily masses, when we light candles and we will be taking your intentions with us and praying as we climb up Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain.
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