Of all the nerve! (otherwise entitled "I'm on pins and needles" or "The Queen gets her crown")

My week in a word: NERVY!! Is that a word? Should be if it isn't. My entire week seems focused on these tiny, ever present, amazing messengers all through our body. Glad for nerves, don't get me wrong. After all they are signals that something is awry...something big or most of in my body lately, something little. Isn't is shocking (that word is carefully chosen!) how one tiny thing out of what can cause stop a body in her tracks? Well, as you know, I've been walking hand in hand with some nervy friends who keep trying to remind me about some discs in my back and some muscles in my hips that aren't quite right. Oh, such faithful companions they are! And I've done so many things to let them feel they have permission to STOP SHOUTING! Chiropractor, massage, muscle relaxers, essential oils-all with some limited help, but nothing long lasting.

So, I've added a new weapon: acupuncture. Yep, needles. I was actually really excited to try this out! I've been interested for years and just never tried it. So, when my spinal doctor recommended it as an option, we booked an appointment immediately! I've now been five times. The results: horrible! Each time, I end up feeling worse than when I came in. She's adjusted the location of the needles, gone shorter times, not added current, all kinds of things. Nothing has helped. In fact, the last time, my back hurt in ways it hadn't since the days right after the initial spasms in my middle back. Have I mentioned how TERRIBLE those spasms were??!! Like NEVER again, please God I beg you, kind of terrible. So, for this latest acupuncture session to bring up hints of that kind of pain, was enough for me to say "Zaijan"! (Goodbye, for you non-Chinese speakers). I believe that acupuncture really does help a lot of people. Just for some reason, right now, I'm not one of them. But it's not been a total loss, Michael and I have had a lot of giggles as he asks me if I "wan Chineee ur" (want Chinese herbs) and counsel me (like the acupuncturist did) to get a smaller "pur" (purse):-) Seriously, the gal was super nice, needles just aren't for me right now. So, cross that one off of the list!

In addition to my nervy expedition into Chinese medicine, I also got another first this week. Your highness, The Queen, got a crown!

I'm sure you are all thinking, "At long last...the crown! Must I now bow to her? never turn my back on her? Let her binge watch The Crown on Netflix?" Well, no (except maybe the Netflix part). It's unfortunately a much less regal crown of the dental variety. Yep, a crown on my tooth. Said tooth has been starting to crack, for years actually. When I went to the dentist in October, he suggested replacing the filling of the tooth in front and then putting a crown on the tooth behind it (that had a crack.) After all, we don't want the tooth to actually crack and break apart. Well, that's true. But I also didn't want to shell out hundreds of dollars before Christmas! Not my idea of "A Crown for Christmas" (shout out to the Hallmark movie). But Tuesday, Jeffrey and I went to the dentist (He got his teeth cleaned. We thought he had four huge cavities-after he confessed to not brushing his teeth for like a MONTH when his ankle was broken! Gasp!! But I had a concussion at that point...no reserves to ask my 18 (!) year old,  "Hey hun, brush your teeth today?" Turns out, those "cavities" were thankfully just old fillings that were starting to fade.) 

Back to the Queen: I had said crown applied to said cracked tooth. Numb mouth, funny smile, drool, the whole bit. But I figured by Wednesday morning, all would be awake and well. When I was leaving on Tuesday, the dentist let me know that if it's aching, there could be a bite issue, so don't let it keep hurting; just come back and he would shave a little here and a little there and voila! bite corrected, pain gone. But alas, that was not to be. 

Wednesday came, tooth ached and felt like electricity when I chewed on that side. So, I called and made plans to go back on Thursday for him to fix what was ailing me. Cue the Advil. But at this point, I'm still full of hope that things will be better on Thursday. I return Thursday morning (before the last awful acupuncture appointment), he fixes my bite a little and it doesn't zing when I bite on that side. However, my nervy companions decide to continue to linger in my mouth. And throb, throb, throb. Cue more Advil.  Call the dentist back. I go back on Friday. More shaving, less zing, hope slightly returns. But still my mouth continues to ache. At this point it's been days since I've chewed on that side of my mouth. But I'm thinking "Surely once this ache goes away, it'll all be ok." Nope. More throbbing, more throbbing, cue more advil. And now it's the weekend. Cue the crying, cue my sweet husband hugging and consoling me, cue to fervent prayers for relief. Cue more Advil. Cue the Extra strength Tylenol because the pain is so bad and I'm already taking the maximum amount of Advil advised in a 24 hour period and still not getting relief. Cue the hours at night that I'm awake because the throbbing in my tooth is taking a long time to respond to the Advil. 

So here I am. Still dosing more meds than I've had since my accident, in as much pain as I was following the accident, all over a tiny temporary crown on my tooth! So tomorrow, I head to CC with meds in tow and prayers for grace to put a smile on my face. Throughout it all, the words of the song "Take Courage" are rolling in my heart and soul:

Take courage, my heart

Stay steadfast, my soul

He's in the waiting.

Hold on to your hope

Let your courage unfold,

He's never failing.

So through it all, I believe that God is for me, He is able to heal me, He is always with me and He hurts when I hurt. In the meantime, I'll keep praying, asking, taking meds, using essential oils, and calling the dentist for help. I'm also seriously rethinking this verse: Revelation 3:11 "I am coming quickly, hold fast to what you have. Let no man take your crown". Because, really, if you want this crown..you can have it! :-)