I was just laying in bed on a rainy Sunday morning when I realized that it's been six months since the gorgeous day that we were married up in Michigan and I haven't updated the blog in FOREVER! So, here I sit watching the sky drizzle rain, wondering how long the boys will last if the 4:30am-1pm fishing adventure is getting rained on.
First, let me explain exactly why I had to put my blog updates on hold so quickly after starting them. Once we arrived in New Zealand, we left a few weeks later for our honeymoon in Samoa! We had an amazing time, and I found another country that I would visit anytime! I will definitely have to post a special "honeymoon" blog soon, which was my initial intention upon our return to New Zealand. However, God had other plans, and I definitely was not prepared for what occurred during the next three months of our marriage!
A few days after returning home from Samoa, Boaz and I went out to a local shopping mall to do some window shopping. I wasn't sure I wanted to go because I just "didn't feel right" but he insisted to get me out of the house. Once we arrived at the mall and started walking around, I quickly noticed that I couldn't read the store signs. I felt like I was wearing those "drunk simulation" goggles they used for our Don't Drink and Drive seminars in college. The next morning, we set off into Auckland to find the US Embassy and begin the process of changing my name in my passport. As we walked along the ports, my vision was slowly getting worse and worse. We found ourselves in a doctor's office later that afternoon, and the months of learning the New Zealand medical system began.
After consulting his medical books and running many tests, our general practitioner made a few phone calls and sent us immediately to the eye specialists. The next few weeks are somewhat of a blur for me as I slept for most of it, but my very own episode of "House" began. I had many possible diagnosis like Bell's Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Cranial Pressure and one of my favorites-an extremely bad sinus infection. I was put on a few different medications to rule out symptoms, had many blood tests, and two MRI's. There was even a week or two when the specialist thought he knew what it was and wanted me to have a spinal tap just to confirm. I questioned that one and since I was told that it wouldn't give me a diagnosis, I decided not to put myself through that one.
I was finally sent to a neurologist near the end of December. She confirmed the specialist's assumption of Miller Fisher Syndrome, and ruled out his worry of intra-cranial pressure. She basically said I was lucky because my body didn't react as badly as it could have, and I didn't loose the mobility of my arms and legs while I was sick. She said I was on the mend, and all I had to do at that point in time was stick it out. She took me off all the medications that I was on, and told me that I only had to take over-the-counter pain killers as needed. I most likely contracted a virus of some sort when we were in Samoa, and in fighting it off, my body starting attacking the nerves in my head and around my eyes.
Finally, the peak of the "House" episode was presented to us. She asked if I would be willing to be the case presented to the medical students at the hospital that week. Unfortunately, they already had a case ready for the students to investigate, but lucky for me, I was on downward slope.
It took until just about the end of January/beginning of February for my eye sight to slowly return to normal. Did I mention I was sporting a very fashionable eye patch over my glasses this entire time? Yep, that was me...the girl that everyone stared at in the grocery store!
Boaz and I didn't realize that we would be living out our marital vows in full so quickly, but I definitely realized how blessed I am to have him with me during that time. I know I wasn't the most pleasant person to be around some days, and I battled with understanding why God would allow me to go through such a trial right after moving around the world and getting married. But, Boaz was there every step of the way and our relationship is stronger because of it.
The only thing I really did during the time that my eyes were messed up, was go into Glen Innes (where our church is) work on our Christmas display, and attend our regular church events. We have been studying the book of John during our Sunday services and near the middle of my "eye episode" we were spending time in Chapter 11. After my own daily devotional of chapter 11, I discovered that Jesus told his friends Mary and Martha exactly the words that I needed to hear to fully understand what was happening to me. When Jesus heard from the sisters that his friend Lazarus was sick, he simply replied, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."
Now, Lazarus was dead at this point in time and Jesus was able to use his death as a way to show the glory of God when he called to Lazarus in the tomb where he was buried. Lazarus responded to the call of Jesus, arose and walked out of the tomb to live the rest of his days. After reading this, I made the decision that I was going to use my illness to the best of my ability to make a seemingly bad situation into a way to bring glory to God. I tried to stay positive, and Boaz helped tremendously with that.
Finally, I was able to see when I woke up in the morning. At first it would only last for a few minutes, but it gradually increased to a few hours. After about a week or two, I was able to see from morning to night. I had an eye doctor visit at the end of February and he was amazed to tell us that my eye sight was completely back to normal and that I no longer had any swelling in the back of my eyes. I think he was seriously thinking that he would be scheduling surgery for me when he scheduled that appointment a few months prior.
It has taken a few weeks longer for me to fully start to feel like myself. I didn't realize just how much this illness took out of me. I started working out again a few weeks ago, and I had a hard time simply walking a mile. However, I have been working out for a few weeks now, and I'm starting to get my pre-wedding stamina back. I have also been cleared to start driving again, so I'm slowly taking on the New Zealand roads! I think I may even take my first solo drive later this morning, and head to the mall while the boys are fishing...
Wow...I just wrote a lot more about my eyes then I had originally planned, so I think I might need to change the title of this blog from "Six Months Already!?!" and try to write an 6 month update later this week. So keep an eye out (no pun intended)...it's coming! I'll be sure to include some pictures too!
