September Sunday Morning

As September fell away to make room for October, there was a lot going on here at These Nine Acres. Changes are taking place here at the farm. Leaves are beginning to change color and twirl to the ground in the breeze. The last of our pumpkins are turning orange on the vines. The tomato and pepper plants are beginning to slump and offer their last few pieces of fruit. The barn cat's, the horse's, and the dog's coats are beginning to thicken. Our black walnut trees are heavy with thick green nuts falling to the ground. The squirrels are digging and burying food like crazy. All signs that my favorite season is finally here after an unbearably hot summer.

Changes have been going on with me as well. As I mentioned in my birthday post, I am back in full blown treatment for Lyme and co-infections. The good news is that I seem to be tolerating treatment much better this time around. I am still struggling to feel anywhere close to normal and healthy, but I am not deathly ill like the first time I went through treatment. I am not sure why it is different, but I am not complaining. The last time I ended up in the hospital, so I am fine with it going smoother this time around.

In addition, after my trip to California, I had to have surgery again to battle this jaw infection I have been fighting for over a year. Despite antibiotics and an apicoectomy, the infection never was resolved. No one knows for sure, but I believe Lyme and the co-infections, are partly to blame as it has been researched that these infections will hide out at the base of teeth roots. Then, they can wreak havoc on the bone in your jaw, causing bone loss and teeth loss. So, as a last resort, I had to have surgery to remove two teeth, clean out the infection in my jaw, and replace the missing bone with two bone grafts. So, last Tuesday I had the surgery. It will be a long healing process (I have membranes covering the two bone graft areas along with stitches criss crossing the areas to hold the protective membranes in place. I will have this for three weeks and then the stitches and membranes will be removed. Next, I need to wait to see if the bone grafts take properly. If all goes well, months and months down the line I may be able to replace the teeth I lost with implants, but that remains to be seen. I am still dealing with some pain from surgery and some bleeding. I thought the bleeding was taken care of, but I must have moved around too much this weekend and my heart rate got elevated, causing the surgery sites to begin bleeding again. So...I will be trying to keep still a little longer to allow healing to take place. Rest, rest, rest. To be honest, I am sick of rest. I know everyone wants rest, but me?  I just want to get moving again. And really, with 4 kids, it is very difficult to be still.

So, there is the complete health update as of today. Who knows about tomorrow. I would appreciate prayers that healing would take place in my jaw, that the bone grafts will take properly, and that the surgeon got all the infection out. I am losing weight again due to only being able to eat soft foods and with my already restricted diet, it is tough to find things I can eat. Prayers are for sure welcome.

Thanks to everyone who has reached out and offered help with the kids, offered to bring food, and help with house duties. Brian, my teens, and the twins have all been pitching in to get the heavy lifting/vacuuming/etc. done so I don't have to risk bleeding again.

I hope you all have a wonderful beginning to your autumn. Today is sunny...that is a delicious thing, even if I am just resting.

xo