Car Accident's, Bachelor Degrees, and Stress OH MY!

Oh where to begin? Because so much has happened in just  a short time.

But I will start on Friday August 23, 2013 for this blog entry.  That afternoon I receive a call from my husband who was driving home from work.  He calls and tells me he has just been in a 5 car pile-up!  He was sitting at a red light stopped and a big Pickup truck 3 vehicles back driven by a young man who wasn't paying attention to what he was doing and was speeding, slammed into a truck, then that truck was pushed into another truck, and then that truck was pushed into my husband’s car, and then my husband’s car just bumps the car in front of him. 

the damage doesn't look that bad, but when looked at from inside the trunk and underneath it was discovered that the frame of the car was pushed into the truck

The young man was cited for causing the whole accident.  His parents insurance has taken full responsibility for the accident.  Jeremy’s car was a total loss due to the damage of the back of the car.  The Frame of the car was pushed into the truck when looked at from underneath, the car was a total loss.  So to make a long story a little shorter, we came to a deal with the insurance company and was able to purchase and 2010 Hyundai Elantra on Labor Day (Last Monday). 

our new car 

At the time of the accident Jeremy didn't seek medical treatment because he didn't appear to be hurt.  But 2 days later he started having problems with his neck and right leg.  I took him to the chiropractor this past Saturday and it appears Jeremy has whiplash and after the results from his 4 x-rays come in the doctor will be contacting us about a treatment plan.  I thank God it’s no worse than that. 

So we thought this accident was behind us, got a new car, getting treatment for the whiplash everything is good. NOT!!!!! 

After Jeremy’s Chiropractor appointment on Saturday we came home to find a Subpoena in the mail for Jeremy!!!!

Jeremy has to appear in court This Friday 13^th to be a witness for the city of Columbus.  Because the young man who caused this accident decided to fight the ticket he received.  So Jeremy plus the other 3 victims of this 5 car pile-up and along with the officer who took the report for the accident have been subpoenaed to court as well to give their testimonies on what happened the day of the accident. 

So Jeremy has to miss work, and loose wages because of this. And I’m sure the other victims have to miss work and loose wages as well.  It’s just victimizing the victims again.

The Stress Jeremy and I have been is outrageous.  I truly thought Jeremy was going to have a nervous breakdown over the past few weeks.  And I trying to take care of everything because Jeremy is at work all day and can’t be reached nearly ended me up at the Emergency room because I pushed my body so much it was giving out on me, and Crohn’s and Stress nearly took me out.  I literally ran places every day for 2 weeks and when I wasn't out running to get things done so we could get a new vehicle, I was home on the phone from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. nearly every day making or taking phone calls and responding and writing emails to the insurance companies, car dealers, and family. 

And the fact it’s still not over with and now Jeremy has to go to court this Friday is almost too much for me to handle. 

And to top it all off this accident was the 3^rd car accident Jeremy has been in, in less than a year!  The first accident happened on Sept. 5^th and it was my fault, Jeremy was a passenger.  The 2^nd Accident happened exactly 2 months later on Nov. 5^th Jeremy was sitting at a red light stopped and a woman who was drunk and also high on drugs hit him from behind.  The woman was also driving without any insurance.  So she went to jail and we had to pay out of our own pockets to fix Jeremy’s bumper.  Now fast forward to 9 months later and Jeremy is in this 5 car pile-up.

We thought we were going to get a break from catastrophe in our lives because the week of the accident, Jeremy officially graduated college with his Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Made the Dean’s List, and had just started his new job in Black Lick Ohio (an hour drive from our home).   We had our car paid off, were ready to start paying off some of our debt before Jeremy’s loans from college kicked in, in 6 months and if Jeremy’s job hired him on full time permanent we were ready to move to Reynoldsburg, Gahanna, or Black Lick. But now we are in more debt due to having to buy this new car and will be paying on it for the next 4-5 years, so we can’t pay off some of our debt like we wanted to before his loans kick in.  Our vehicle insurance has now taken hike due to us buying a newer vehicle, and now Jeremy will possibly loose a whole day’s wages because he has to go to court this Friday.  And we can’t move closer to Jeremy’s work because rent is 2-3 hundred dollars more a month than what we pay now, and with all these new expenses we just can’t afford it.

Oh and also due to all this stress and strain, Jeremy and I are nearly on the verge of splitting up. Our marriage is literally holding on by a thread at this point, and we are trying to hold it together and lean on God to help us through because only he can help us and heal what has been broken.

Our 6^th Wedding anniversary is coming up on Sept. 22^nd and I just praying we can hold on and make it to our special day. Maybe that will be a day for a miracle.

This is just part of what has happened in less than a month, I will continue this update in my next blog. And luckily it is happy news and I can’t wait to share it with you.  

Scriptures that Help Me Through The Worst Days Of Fighting Crohn's Disease

Below is a list of Scriptures that I read when I am facing the worst days in my fight against Crohn's Disease.  You will notice that they are all from the book of Psalm.  The Psalms have always been a great comfort to me from the time of my late teens and even today.  The words of David are so honest and just plainly say what he wants to say while in his hour of distress and they always bring me hope and help me through the days that as I call them, "days I have to ask God to help me to just keep breathing."  I hope they help and inspire you.

Psalm 34

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸ The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psalm 40

Faith Persevering in Trial

1.  I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.

² He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.

Psalm 41

³ The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;
You will sustain him on his sickbed.

Psalm 57:1

 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.

Psalm 69

¹⁷ And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in trouble;
Hear me speedily.

¹⁸ Draw near to my soul, and redeem it;
Deliver me because of my enemies.

 

²⁹ But I am poor and sorrowful;
Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.

Psalm 91

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Psalm 94

¹⁷ Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
¹⁸ If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
¹⁹ In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

Psalm 103

1. Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
³ Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.

Psalm 107

¹³ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
¹⁵ Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶ For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

Psalm 116

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

1. I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
² Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

³ The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

⁵ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
⁶ The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 118

¹⁷ I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the Lord.
¹⁸ The Lord has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

Psalm 121:1-8

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

1. I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
² My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
⁸ The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

JMC Vlog Episode 38: JMC VS Hospital Billing Dept. JMC Wins

This episode covers our continued fight with a certain hospital billing dept.

This Most current incident with this billing department involves one of the employees taking money out of our bank account illegally without our authorization to force payment on a bill that we had already paid off. We share our fight from July 17-July24th to get our money back and also to talk to a supervisor so that this NEVER happens again and that action be taken against the person who did this to us.

We also share tips on how if this ever happens to you, how you can win this fight. Because no one should be bullied or harassed for paying their bills.

People Like You Will Be The Death Of ME!!!!

After waiting a month to do an MRI on my pelvis and abdomin to see what is going on inside me.  I ended up having to cancel the test yesterday because I was too sick to hold down the 3 bottles of barium they wanted me to drink to do the test.

And finally after 14 months of telling my GI doctor that even though I am on zofran (anti vomiting meds) they don't stop me from vomiting every day at least once a day.  So FINALLY yesterday since I was so sick and had to cancel the test he did a med change and put me on phenergan suppositories up to 4 times a day. So Jeremy helps give me this medicine since it is taken through the anus and not the mouth.  But it has a done a wonders for me in just 24 hours.

Our plan for this new medicine is for me to take it around 8p.m. at night and then Jeremy set an alarm for 6 hours later and give me the medicine again. Because doing this last night allowed me for the first time in years to sleep soundly through the night.  I woke up with no nausea or vomiting or even the slightest stomach pain! And for the first time in years I feel rested.

So we are praising God for this medicine and hopefully next the doctor will change my Crohn's medicine so we can get the other symptoms like diarrhea, fatigue, extreme intestinal pain under control.

                               

Now let me move onto why I name the title of this blog "People Like You Will Be The Death Of Me!"

As I began taking the first round of the new anti vomiting medicine, Jeremy made a post on his facebook about the new med change and how we are hoping this new med will relieve some of my symptoms.

About an hour later, a woman who is on Jeremy's friend list, but has NEVER EVER written him, spoken with him or anything, is a complete stranger writes something like this as a comment to Jeremy's post "Miranda needs to stop all her meds....There is a man I have read about his name is.... he had and incurable disease....the doctors put him on all these meds that only hurt him.....He finally went off all his meds.....told God that if you heal me God I will serve you for the rest of my life.....Miranda needs to do this and also buy these 2 books and try these 2 diets and she will be healed"

I nearly exploded! For someone to say this is RIDICULOUS!!! THE WOMAN HAS NO IDEA WHAT MY DISEASE IS OR ANYTHING! SHE ALSO TALKED AS THOUGH I WASN'T EVEN A CHRISTIAN AND IF I JUST SERVE GOD AND DEVOTE MY LIFE TO GOD I WILL SURELY BE HEALED!

I gave my life to Jesus Christ at the age of 12 years old, I am preachers kid so I was in church before I ever came out of my mommy's womb.  I have been actively working in the church and using my gifts for God since I was 15 years old when I started playing drums for churches. LONGGGGG Before I ever got sick.  I was serving God, the Church, and my community up to the day I got sick 6 years ago.  My job outside of church was taking care of the sick and dying, I was an STNA State Certified Nursing Assistant.

Here is what I wanted to tell this woman, NO ONE IS IMMORTAL IN THIS WORLD! No one will get out of this world alive! We ALL are going to die of some kind of disease or illness.  God Will NOT heal our bodies completely from disease and illness while we live on planet earth, because our bodies are mortal and will die, but God can and does ease my suffering and sometimes it is through the medicines I take, along with his healing touch.  I KNOW I WILL BE HEALED COMPLETELY FROM ALL DISEASE AND SUFFERING, THAT IS MY FAITH IN ACTION THAT ONE DAY I WILL GO TO HEAVEN WHERE THERE IS NO MORE DEATH, NO MORE SUFFERING OR PAIN.  But for now that is why Jesus said he would send the COMFORTER (Holy Spirit) to help us through these hard times we face in life.

To tell God that I will only serve him and give my life to him IF he heals me, is LUDICROUS AND A SMACK IN THE FACE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR! For even Jesus had to suffer and die to save us, if HE OUR GOD WAS NOT IMMUNE TO SUFFERING, PAIN AND DYING HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO NOT GO THROUGH A SMALL AMOUNT OF WHAT HE WENT THROUGH?!

FOR ME TO STOP TAKING MY MEDICINE, STOP GOING TO DOCTORS AND CONTINUING TO TRY AND FIND THE RIGHT TYPE OF TREATMENT TO HELP EASE MY SUFFERING, WOULD BE THE SAME AS GIVING UP AND SAYING I'M GOING TO COMMIT SUICIDE!

I will NOT stop fighting this disease! I will NOT allow people like you with your CRAZY FALSE DOCTRINE to hinder me! Because God is the author of Wisdom and Knowledge and he gives it freely to those who ask (Read 1st and 2nd Chronicles about the life of Solomon) and I know God, has given my doctors, and nurses knowledge even if it is a small amount (because my disease is such a question mark to many doctors on what to do) on how to help me and ease my suffering, through different treatments and medicines that are out there.

Everyone Jesus Miraculously healed from physical ailments even death, inevitably died in the end of something else that afflicted their bodies.  NO one is immune to death! Only Through Christ do we have hope that when we die we will be given new bodies that will live forever.

But for now, I will continue to do my ministry work whether it be a lot like I use to do or a little.  But I will continue to serve God and hold on to the Promises he has spoken through his word.

That is what I want to say to this woman......However, I could see this woman going over to Joni Earekson Tada's Page and tell her to get up out of her wheelchair and just walk after over 30 years of being in a wheel chair and in the face of her disability serving God all this time.  That's how crazy this whole thing is.  But the woman is now blocked and deleted and will never be allowed to spew her craziness on me or Jeremy ever again.  But I have to wonder, when this woman comes to the end of her life, and she is facing death will she still be trying to make deals with God, like she has told me and I'm sure so many others, and try to hold on to this world that has NOTHING to offer us and is NOT our home? Or will she reach out to the Savior and allow him to guide her home and to a new body that will not die and that you will not have to supposedly wheel and deal for a miracle?

JMC Vlog Episode 37: Colonoscopies, Endoscopies, Dermatologists, and MRI's

haven't done a vlog in 6 months because of my health continuing to deteriorate. Warning there is no good news about my continued fight with Crohn's. But the good news is God's grace is sufficient and my faith is stronger than ever before and I thank God that one day my suffering on earth will be over and will go home to heaven.

A Poem Sent To Me About How Crohn's Disease Makes My Friends and Family Feel

Today I received the below poem from my Facebook Friend Virginia who is from Colorado.  The poem was originally posted by another of my facebook friend Sabine who lives in Ireland and through these 2 women I was blessed to read just how much my disease affects my friends and family.  This poem truly puts into words what it is like to watch someone you love fight and suffer from an incurable disease.  

My friend Virginia is fighting Leukemia and at times what she and I go through with our diseases is very similar as to what the diseases do to our bodies. I have never met Virginia face to face, but we are always there for each other when we are having a bad day and need to vent and write someone.  She has had a very hard time of watching and reading what I have been going through, because there are more treatments out there for cancer than there are Crohn's disease.  And Cancer gets alot more attention than Crohn's because there are more people who have it.  I am just one of 700,000 people in the U.S alone who is fighting Crohn's/Inflammitory Bowel Disease compared to the millions of people who are fighting cancer in the U.S.  

Virginia has begun posting things about Crohn's disease on her facebook and is one of my great supporters on facebook/social media.  Thank you Virginia for sharing this poem and allowing so many to know how you and others feel as you have to watch me fight against this disease.  

 

I watched you suffer
Watched you heave
While you leaned forward and poured
Your broken spirit
On my compassionate soul
I wanted to reach out
Reach out and touch your heart
My dear and only friend
Oh how it pains to see you fall apart

But the ties we had
The lies, the sighs
Have become your living wake
As I tried to heal your spirit
And blessed it while it ached
The weariness worn on
Has got you like a curse
And I, my sweet, unforgotten friend
Fear I may still know worse

Happy Birthday Miranda you have a new incurable illness along with the Crohn's Disease

I have finally forced myself to write a new blog and update on my condition and what has been happing since my last blog post when I was prepping to go into the hospital for my Upper GI and Colonoscopy.

March:

Had to stay 2 days in OSU hospital to prep and have my Upper GI and Colonoscopy.  Was one of the worst hospital stays ever because I was so violently sick trying to drink that horrible stuff to clean me out and prep for the tests.  Had to be given shots of pain meds and nausea meds every 4 hours.  My blood pressure and pulse got out of the control and they had to hurry and get me blood pressure meds in me to get it regulated again.

Finally got through the prep for the tests and the next day I had my procedures done.

The Results: Crohn's is not as bad as it was on my first colonoscopy almost 2 years ago they were actually able to finish this one when before I was so inflamed from the Crohn's being out of control that they couldn't even get the scope into my small intestine.  However, the Crohn's is NOT in remission and is active where my small intestine and large intestine meet.  Also I have ulcers through out my intestines, and I also have internal hemorrhoids.  So the Humira injections have helped a little but after 8 months of being on it there is no change and I am still running to the bathroom 6-10 times a day, diarrhea, vomiting, severe stomach and abdominal pain to the point at times I can't hardly walk or do anything but lie in bed until it passes.  I'm still not able to eat much other than noodles, potatoes, carrots, breads, applesauce, chicken, fish and rice.

Also In March I had another Gastric Emptying Scan to see about the Gastroparesis diagnosis.  The results showed that my stomach is slightly delayed at digesting my food, but not slow enough to officially diagnose me any longer with Gastroparesis, so that diagnosis has been removed and I am no longer on medication for Gastroparesis.  It appears all problems with my stomach are caused due to acid reflux and Crohn's.

April:

In April I had the STAPH Sores Return on my body that I have been fighting for 4 years now.  I went to a dermatologist and he says I have basically chronic STAPH infection and there is no cure for it.  The only thing to do is try and keep me away from people who may be caring STAPH and exposing me to it. Use a extreme anti bacterial wash once a week when the sores are under control and not flared up for the rest of my life and when they are flared use it every day until they get back under control again. And also use prescription antibiotic topical skin creams to heal the sores.

So when I was diagnosed with this new chronic illness, I had to immediately go off my Humira injections to help my Crohn's disease for a month.

I was finally able to start them back up again just this past Saturday after 4 weeks of being off it.

Oh also I'm in a fight basically with my GI doctor because he is now even after doing the colonoscopy and endoscopy and there is the proof that the crohn's is NOT in remission and still out of control. He believes, "that you need to see a psychologist and get cousneling, for your pain." He is saying that all this pain and my symptoms are all in my head and that he doesn't understand why I'm in so much pain and still having such severe symptoms.  UH maybe because I have ulcers in my intestines, and active Crohn's disease along with internal hemorrhoids.  All of which would cause pain when Poop is grinding against them.

So when I go back to see him at the end of June, this may be my last visit with him and we may have to again look for a new GI doctor, because if he doesn't do a med change and try something else to try and get me into remission so I can have some kind of a life again.  I'm done with him.  I've been seeing him for over a year now and he's only done one med change and the Humira is not getting me into remission and I feel no different after 8 going on 9 months.

This is already my 3rd GI doctor in 4 years and it's really sad because this doctor specializes in Crohn's disease patients and is at what is suppose to be one of the best hospitals in the whole U.S.A So where do you go from here when you're already suppose to be seeing the best?

My 32nd birthday is a week from today and I don't even care at this point. I'm too sick to do anything to celebrate it.  You really don't feel like celebrating your life when you have a incurable disease that has taken your life from you and now you have just been diagnosed with another incurable condition and will have to fight STAPH and possibly MRSA infections for the rest of your life, and if it gets too severe it could kill you with the way my immune system is so compromised if my body doesn't respond to the antibiotics.