Greetings from Within the “Cone of Uncertainty”!

Hi all.

The uncertainty above refers to the way they forecast hurricanes – southern FL is currently within that “cone” for Tropical Storm Erika. The term always sounds a bit odd to me, though. And I often feel like I live within a cone of uncertainty with respect to many things, including the treatment of my neuropathy.

I thought I’d write a bit of an update from last week’s surgery. The procedure went well, though took about twice as long as anticipated.  Luckily I was in a propofol sleep through much of it. (I will have to say that I really don’t understand why anyone would want to use any of those drugs “recreationally” – I hate the weird dreams during and the fuzzy feeling afterwards.) The device rep did initial programming for my unit in recovery – I was a bit out of it. The results of that programming were options that didn’t pinpoint the correct location very well and that extended way to far from my feet. So the weekend and beginning of the week were a bit discouraging given fuzziness, pain (in my back from the procedure) and lack of any good neuropathy relief from the implant. The rep refined and reprogrammed the unit on Wednesday with much better results – not perfect, but some relief. This is the hard part – knowing what realistic expectations are plus allowing time for healing and for learning how to use this system in the best manner possible.

Writing to thank people for their prayers is also difficult because I don’t want to disappoint anyone, cause anyone to question their (or my faith), and just want to report total immediate healing, but the reality is that sometimes the “healing” is chronic, just like the pain or the illness. I expect to make a good recovery and I hope to find that this implant will allow me to cope with pain and to return to Mexico. But this takes time. So please continue praying so that I patiently work through all of this without discouragement or depression. Also that I’ll be patient and compliant with my physical restrictions (it’s easy to forget that you are not supposed to bend over to pick something up, etc…). I made a trip to the store yesterday to get a few things in case Erika does choose to visit our area, could put them one by one in my cart, could get the young man to load it into my trunk, but then when I got home, I had to take it 5# at a time into the house – a good number of trips! But only 7 more weeks of these restrictions! (Plus I get to finally take a shower tomorrow!) I’m hoping to get some online coursework done in international health and some much needed reading done in areas of medicine, health, and missiology during this time.

So that’s what’s going on. Thank you all for your many kind notes and wishes, and for your prayers, and please continue praying that I will learn healthy coping and use of this device and will be able to fill my time with useful pursuits.

¡Mil gracias!

Cindy

Prayer Request

Dear Friends,

I’ve been reading through the OT history books, and this week came across the story in 2 Kings 4 about Elisha and the widow with the small amount of oil as her only possession, but with creditors at her door. Elisha tells her to go ask her neighbors for jars – ask for many, not just a few. And then the sufficiency of her oil to meet all her pressing needs comes about through the participation of her friends.

As many of you know, I’m not always the best correspondent – I keep putting off writing till the end of the story, but the story just keeps on going. (I guess I need to learn to write serials rather than complete stories!) But that denies you all from knowing what’s going on, and providing your prayers, which can be seen as similar to the how the neighbors in the story were able to participate and be a part of what God was doing. For that I apologize, and hope that I can improve in the future to ask for many to participate, not just a few.

This goes for prayer partners too. I know you all are faithful prayers, but I haven’t always provided you with information to guide your prayers. But I’m feeling that need acutely as I contemplate surgery this Friday, August 21. As many know, I’ve been dealing with idiopathic neuropathy for nearly 15 years now, and no longer have normal sensation in my hands or feet. Numbness is one thing, but I’ve also developed severe intermittent pain in my feet from the condition (no normal sensation but loads of horribly painful sensations) that has interfered with activities and life in general. I feel like the woman in the gospels who is described as having sought care from many doctors and they’ve not helped and she is even worse after all their ministrations! Well, I’ve tried all of the medications, therapies, and surgeries trying to ameliorate the pain, with no success. The last thing left to try (at this point in time at least – still hoping for medical research to find other treatments) is an implanted spinal neuro-stimulator – kind of like TENS right to the spinal cord. It doesn’t treat the pain as such, but creates a competing sensation to overload and block the neuropathic pain sensation. If you’re interested in knowing more, you can check it out at www.poweroveryourpain.com. I had a trial of this in July with some benefit – not 100% but enough to make it worth trying the permanent implant.

So that’s what I’m scheduled for this Friday. It was originally scheduled for September 11 but they got a cancellation, so I’ve been running around like crazy to get all the pre-op requirements done and to get my house ready for living for 6-8 weeks “from the middle shelf” (as my Mom put it after her stroke) – I won’t be allowed to bend over, reach up, twist, or lift more than 5-10 pounds to allow everything to heal in and not move the spinal cord electrodes.

I might be a “holy and consecrated missionary” (cue for all my friends and those who know me to laugh) but I am a bit anxious. This is a big thing and has a big impact on the rest of my life and on me getting back to Oaxaca in January. So I ask for your prayers – for calmness, for ability to get done what needs to be done and to not stress over the other, to have a good and uneventful procedure and recuperation, to have patience during my middle shelf time, to have persistence and organization to get some needed study done during that time, and to have good pain relief and the ability to return to Oaxaca in January. Oh, and you could pray for the surgeon and the OR team and the guy who programs the unit and modifies it as we seek the best settings for relief. Feel free to pray for my Mom too – it’s hard on her not being able to be with me or really help, and because of back restrictions, it will be difficult to take her places or bring her to my house for dinner, etc… during this time.

Well, this is quite long, especially after not having written much in the past few years. I promise to keep you informed of my progress. And I thank you for your faithful prayers and support, even when I have been less than faithful in my communication.

¡Mil gracias! Y ¡Muchos bendiciones de nuestro Dios a todos!

Cindy Hoover

(aka Oaxacadoc)

PS – those who are wondering about Clancy, Oaxacadog, during this time, well, she’ll be living it up as the princess she thinks she is at my cousin’s friend’s house, being spoiled rotten.