Day 1...Survived

I survived it. Gary did too. So did my Mom and my sister, who had the very important job of praying. I've got so much scar tissue in my spinal column from so many previous needle sticks that it is very hard to find a new place to go into without hitting scar tissue, which makes a painful procedure worse. Praying was important, and it worked. The needles went in relatively easily, all things considered.

So, this, my longest day, is finally over. I didn't sleep last night, so it was a very long day. The procedures haven't gotten any better, but they at least weren't any worse than I was expecting. I am very sore tonight, with a few more bruises on my back and in my arms. I am radioactive, I am beyond tired, and I can't sleep. One of the tests tomorrow requires no more than four hours of sleep tonight.

I'm slugging double shots of expresso. No sleep last night coupled with this day means staying awake tonight is not going to be easy, even on a caffeine high. Sigh. But this, my worst day, is over. The tests tomorrow won't be fun. One of them involves 22 needles going into my scalp and the back of my neck. Another one involves even more pokes, more than I can count, all to figure out just what is happening in my brain.

It will be a mark of today to tell you that nothing tomorrow will come close to what happened today. I'm not looking forward to it, but neither am I dreading it. It's just routine, and I've had both procedures scheduled for tomorrow quite a few times in the past.

My mom tells me so many people are calling her, praying for me and asking about us. I can't tell you how much it means to me, to have that little bit of home way up here, so far away. Thank You. I've gotta go find more caffeine now.
Signed,
Bruised, Battered, But Not Beaten....