Thank you for your continued prayers, notes, and support. After just about 6 months of healing, my collar is off! My bones had a burst fracture so think of it kind of like this (   ), but it should look like this (). Well, kind of - best I can do with basic keyboard symbols.  At the last CT exam, it showed that the top bones were definitely coming back together, which was great. It also showed that it was unlikely the bottom part of the bone would re-attach because it was so far away and not aligned. The surgeon said that was fine - often in fusions, they cut out the back part of the vertebrae. The most import part was the front of the bone to protect the spinal cord, I gathered. Anyway, at this CT exam, both parts of the bone are growing back, which is fantastic! The bottom is not totally aligned, but it is attaching. So this is great news! I thank my mom, Connor, and Rory for making sure I did NOT lift anything and rested enough so I could get this result ;)

With the neck brace off, I am working on my range of motion. I am also working to get stronger because I am a ton of pain currently. More with the collar off than on. I am doing my best to work on my PT exercises and rest. Right now, I can do about an hour of work or an hour of sitting and then need to take a decent break by resting and supporting my neck,  I know that slow and steady will win this race. I am also being taught patience and that asking for help is okay;) I am constantly reminded that it is not my timeline I am on, but God's, which was/is a place I needed a little bit of help on in my life.

Another thing that became pretty apparent when I took the neck brace off was that I have lymphoedema in my neck. Some of it has deceased since the collar has been off, but it is still there. Rory thinks I look like a turtle. He has also asked me how I am sucking in part of my neck and pushing out the other. I wasn't doing that particular party trick at the time - LOL. Lucky for me, I have long hair and can kind of hide it. However, my mom is still helping me with washing and doing my hair so most of the time, I don't worry about it and have my hair pulled back. It's a good thing I think turtles are cool. I am starting massage therapy for this issue on Monday and I hope it helps. 

Some of you may know this, but I keep taking what I call my "narcoleptic" naps in the afternoon. Unfortunately, they aren't at a consistent time or after a particular medication so it is hard to figure out why they are happening. But, I'll fall asleep for 1-3 hours and barely anyone can wake me up from these episodes. Connor and Rory sure do try. Sometimes I have wacky responses to their attempts to wake me up, which makes for some funny afternoons. My pain management doctor cut the amount of muscle relaxants and nerve blockers that I am taking in half. It has been hard to tell if the plan is working because I am still narcoleptic napping quite a bit. I am attributing it to my body trying to heal, my body attempting to rid my lymph nodes of toxins, and lack of sleep at night. I am hoping by the time I return to work, we'll have it figured out - ha, ha. Narcoleptic napping is probably not the best teaching practice.

The doctor has cleared me to drive at my discretion due to me still taking narcotics. He wasn't so worried about my lack of range of motion just my narcotic use . He said just move your body and rely on your mirrors - LOL. Well, I decided to drive to PT yesterday, which is less than 5 minutes away. It was the scariest 5 minutes of my life! I was cursing all the people out walking and riding bikes in the beautiful weather. How dare they scare me by moving on the sidewalk! I felt like I was in an episode of the old Nintendo Paper Boy game and some dog was going to bolt out in front of me or an old man was going to pull out without looking. I should mark myself home safe from driving. It is going to take some time to get used to driving again.  So if you see me out rolling, I'll be like an 80-year old on a Sunday drive, hands at 10 and 2, and head on a swivel best I can. Feel free to mock me at your leisure.

The plan is for me to return to work on May 1, work part time for 2 weeks and then teach the rest of the year. This is definitely not how I wanted to spend my first year teaching. But, at least I will be a little bit more prepared for next year. The administration and teachers at Northwood have been beyond kind to me about this and I am very grateful.

Thank you again for your love and support. Please keep those prayers coming. I appreciate you loving on me.

Jen