Sunday, January 17, 2010

90 Day Challenge: Week 3

This has been a really difficult week to keep up with normal responsibilities, let alone reading challenges. I shared last week a little about my sciatica pain. This is a recurring problem. I have struggled with debilitating pain off and on for about 20 years, and this current episode has been extremely painful and long-lasting.

I saw the orthopedist on Tuesday. He gave me two Cortisone shots and a prescription for a muscle relaxer and a pain killer along with orders to stay off my feet for a few days.

You would think all that sitting would have provided ample opportunity for reading, but with the meds in my system, I have been sluggish and groggy. I have had to read in small increments and have struggled not to drift off while reading.

I should have finished all of Deuteronomy today; however, I have only read about 1/3 of it. I have decided to take one of my grace days, and not tax myself in trying to catch up completely.

Michael and Orville have stayed on schedule. The boys had to stay with my parents two days this week, and Orville took his Bible along and kept up with his assignments completely on his own. That was really encouraging and made his old, achy mom feel a little better. One of our goals with this challenge was to help him develop a daily reading habit. It seems to be working.

I found much comfort, conviction, and encouragement in my study this week. I have many things I would like to say but just cannot find all the words today. All of me is moving more slowly than normal, brain included. I have had to think much harder to organize my writing. Then, about the time I get a few sentences together, a zap of pain shoots through me and I forget where my writing was going. Lord willing, I will write more later. For now, I will just say that His grace is sufficient.

Blessings,
Dawn

You can read about how others are doing with the challenge at Raising Olives.

6 comments:

Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads said...

I'm sending (((hugs))) and prayers your way. I'm dealing with kidney stones at the moment, so I can (to some degree) understand the pain aspect.

I also fell behind on reading this week, but for different reasons. I should, Lord willing, be caught up by tomorrow.

Celee said...

Keep it up! I hope you have less pain this week. I had evening this week that I felt so bad I couldn't read. Thankfully, I've felt fine during the daytime. I really enjoyed Deuteronomy.

Heather said...

Praying for you. I am guessing it could feel like labor? Glad you are taking a grace day. Make sure and give yourself GRACE in the other areas of your life today- and make sure to defrost one of those yummy dinners from the freezer. PTL you have them!

homeschooldawn said...

Thank you ladies. Your kind words are encouraging. I am doing even better this morning but do intend to give myself grace in everything this week.

I praised the Lord every night last week for the food in the freezer. I know if it hadn't been there we would have been undernourished fast food eaters! :)

Heather, you're right. It's not exactly the same pain as labor but it is the same intensity. It's the kind of pain that when it hits, all you can do is feel it.

Thanks everyone for your prayers.

Unknown said...

If you can, google accupressure charts and you can find where to apply pressure to alleviate the sciatica. It does work, and Michael could be your practitioner. --Heather

argsmommy said...

Dawn, I'm so sorry I'm just now seeing this and hope you're doing better now. I will be praying for you!

BTW, that's great that Orville kept up with the readings on his own! What a difference it will make in his life to set that habit early.