Rough Night...Better Morning (Another Angie Post)

Monica had a very rough night. She was on heavy pain medication, so she was in and out of consciousness a lot. Dan describes it as haunting, and it's a good description.

Whenever she was awake she described the pain as excruciating. In the middle of the night, she began experiencing numbness in her right arm and leg and a burning sensation in her heels, along with a lot of pressure in her skull. Miserable is an understatement.

This morning, Dr. H came in and said the numbness was symptomatic of spinal fluid build-up, so he performed a lumbar puncture to relieve her pressure. He removed 26 cc's of fluid. The norm is 15. She is feeling much better now that the pressure has been relieved, but she is concerned it could build up again and that they may have to put a shunt in. Dr. H said that barometric pressure can also impact fluid build-up, and Monica is especially sensitive to changes in weather, so that may have been a factor in the pressure.

When I came in the room after Dr. H performed the puncture, he looked over at me and said, "She is such a brave woman." It's at that point I fell apart.

She is.

So very brave.

This morning in pre-dawn darkness I read these words to her:

"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed."
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
(Isaiah 54:10)

Our Almighty Father, Creator has given her breath, our Savior has brought her new life, and our Holy Spirit is ministering comfort to her. I can see her peacefulness in the midst of struggle. That is evidence of your prayers interceding for her. She is so grateful.

Dan is here now, and Monica is eating her breakfast and drinking coffee and seems more chipper than she did at all yesterday.  I love sitting here watching Dan and Monica interact. It is beautiful.

She is so loved.

Y'all are loving her well, too.

Would you continue to pray? She is desperately asking that this fluid build-up would not happen again. It is scary and overwhelming, but she is resting in the steadfast love of the Lord.

Thank you.