A PRETTY BAD YEAR

~ Virginiabennett

Hi everybody! First I want to say, I have missed you all so much! Second, I want to reassure you that we are not going dark. Instead, I want to explain what happened.

Back in September 2019 I started getting a funny sort of annoying pain in my left hip. I made an appointment with my physiotherapist and started to go twice a week. My therapist believed that my piriformis muscle was acting up. Two months later, my treatment plan was complete, the funny pain was gone, and I felt great.

Until I didn’t. 

About a week after my physio was over, the pain came back. My therapist had given me some stretching and exercises to do, so I promptly tried doing them to no avail. The pain was only getting worse. Eventually, all I could do to alleviate the pain was lay flat on my stomach. I could no longer stand, sit, lie down, nothing. The pain was so excruciating, like being stabbed in the backside over and over again. I’ve given birth. This was worse.

Off to emergency I went where they explained that I had severely injured my piriformis muscle and that now it was grabbing hold and squeezing the nerve located right beside it, the sciatic nerve. They prescribed muscle relaxants and heavy painkillers. I went home feeling like I was dying. Fast forward a couple of weeks and things were looking up. The muscle relaxants were helping incredibly as were the painkillers. I could walk again. I couldn’t lay down other than on my stomach, or sit down, and I still had to be careful not to trigger it again, but I was mobile and the pain was more manageable.

Until I fell.

Ugh. Back to emergency, back to excruciating blinding pain. More muscle relaxants, more heavy painkillers that gave me hallucinatory dreams, back to thinking I was dying. Weeks went by. Things again were starting to look up. I could walk again, I could even sit a little bit on my donut pillow. A friend asked if I would sew up a doll outfit or two for her girls for Christmas. I figured why not, I could sit on my donut and sew for short periods.

Apparently not.

Back to emergency I went. Back to sleepless nights in agonizing pain. This time the doctor did not prescribe anything. Instead, he looked me in the eye and said, “Go home, lay down and don’t move. Don’t do anything.”

I was like, “For how long?” He was like, “Until it heals.”

So, that’s where I have been ever since. One good thing after my last relapse was that something changed, so I am now able to lay on my side instead of flat on my face. That means I sleep better now. I can walk again now as well but there has been a lot of nerve damage, my leg swelled up to twice it’s size and my toes were turning black and purple, so I had to go to emergency again for an ultrasound in case there was a blockage. The swelling is going down now. I’m not fully out of the woods, but I can walk a bit now. Still not doing much of anything, so the Little Miss and the Big Mister have had to cope on their own without me for the most part. One bonus is that I’ve missed all of winter. I can’t sit to drive, so I haven’t left my house besides trips to emergency since last September.

All that awfulness aside, there have been other things that have been keeping us from our blog that have been more frightening than just injuring my leg.

Back in July, someone in my family very dear to me was diagnosed with a very rare, scary form of cancer, so we have been so worried about that. Luckily, treatment seems to have gone very well and is now over. We are just waiting on the all clear, but it’s looking very positive, praise God. ❤

Next, my dad slipped and fell on the ice this winter. He is now in the ICU with a broken neck and a broken back in several places. He can’t breathe on his own, and he is paralyzed from the neck down. My dad is my best friend. I have been trying to come to terms with the great likelihood that he won’t survive. It is breaking my heart into a million pieces. He’s three hours away, and I’m still injured, so I can’t even travel to go see him, to say goodbye. I know that in all things God has a purpose and a plan, and I trust in Him. We’ve been praying everyday. ❤

So, like I said, we do have every intention of continuing our little blog once all of this nightmare is over. Ever since I got injured, our dolls have been a real source of light in the dark. I don’t need my legs to enjoy them.<3

For someone who is used to being quite active like me, it’s been a real challenge to be completely bedridden, but I’m not going to let it bring me down. In fact, I was able to write a lot over the past few months, and now I am nearly finished the first book in a new series that I have been writing. Who knows, maybe one day I might be able to say that I wrote it one winter lying face down in excruciating pain.

This too shall pass. I love you all.

Keep smiling and have a crafty kind of day. 🙂 ❤

31 thoughts on “A PRETTY BAD YEAR”

  1. Dear Friend of all of us, I had no idea until this evening what you and all of your family members were working hard to cope with. None of you needed to add in falling, and I sure hope that it never happens again. One of the silly concepts that medical people use nowadays is the question, “From 1 to 10, where would you rate your pain?” Describing pain accurately simply isn’t possible, so I generally answer something like 23. Oddly, none of those medical people seem amused, but I enjoy myself anyway! I deeply hope that each of you will continue to mend and your lives will become more calm and pleasant again. I’m especially glad that you’ve been able to continue creating despite pain and suffering. Being able to create anything is such a wonderful blessing, don’t you think? I am happy to add your family into my prayers, and here are my wishes and hopes for good sleep and healing for each of you.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words. Reading back on this post always makes me tear up as it was such an awful time for me. Luckily I have my angels in the doll community like you and so many others. They have gotten behind me like a doll army praying, and I have seen such wonderful miracles through them. You all are truly one in a million, each and every one of my dear readers, you included. When I had nothing but darkness and trauma, I could come and be with my dolls and my doll friends in this cozy spot of light. I am still dealing with a lot, so bear with me. I used to post a lot more before I was injured. But things are looking up. God is healing me and He also worked miracles for my dear dad who was beyond saving according to doctors, but is now booting around in his electric wheelchair his old self again just minus his legs. As for my family member who had a deadly scary and rare cancer, in which we were told only very few survive, well they are now completely cancer free. God is an amazing all powerful force, but a praying circle of doll ladies is absolutely unstoppable too. 😊❤️

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  2. I’m just getting caught up on blog reading and just now seeing this. I’m so sorry to hear about all of this Ginny!! As someone who has regular bouts with chronic pain, I feel so bad for you, I know how awful it can be and how helpless it can make you. Sending continued good thoughts your way!!! (((HUGS)))

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    1. I am just seeing your comment now! Thank you so much for your thoughts and hugs! I am feeling a lot better now that the worst of it is over. I am trying to stay positive through all of this. One thing that I do have is so much support from my doll community. I do stop in at your blog regularly. I love to read all of your doll reviews and the fun things that you have going on! It’s such a bright part of my day. I will be sure to comment more regularly now that I am feeling better. ❤ Keep on being awesome and I hope that life can get back to normal soon for everybody. 🙂

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  3. Thank you for the update and so sorry to hear about of this. We have also had to step back a little on our blog to get somethings in order so I understand. Keep up the faith and god will help you through it. We will send prayers your way.

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  4. Oh, I am so terribly sorry. I sit here with tears pouring down my face. I am praying that God pours out his love and comfort upon you. So much of what you have relayed is very relatable to me, except I lost my daddy and then became horribly ill. It took months to recover. Life can be so difficult. But, thankfully we know there is more…..so much more. I am glad that you were able to write, and there will be brighter days ahead for you. So glad you let us know, so we can pray and intercede upon your behalf.

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    1. Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts. It’s been a really rough time, so I am so grateful to have friends like all of you in my corner. Tomorrow is another day. ❤

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  5. On I am so very sorry that all this has been going on with you!!! Sounds like you are living in Job’s life! I have been in excruciating pain before too, when nothing seems to help so I will really plead to our mighty Savior in your behalf!!! May Jesus reach down with His healing power and restore you and yours💕💕💕🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

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    1. Our God is an awesome God. ❤ I know He hears our prayers because He has sent me wonderful doll friends like you. I am so grateful. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. They mean so much. ❤

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  9. Oh goodness what a ride 😳 I’ll be praying for you and your family!❤️ (and congratulations on almost finishing a book, that just feel pretty good 🙂)

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    1. Thank you so much for your prayers. It’s very much appreciated at this time. And thank you about the book. It’s the start of my newest series and I only have one and a half chapters left to write. 🙂

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  10. Oh dear Ginnie, I’m so very sorry to hear this. Your poor dear Dad! How awful that must be for you, not to be able to see him. My hubby had severe sciatica pain recently, and so did my Mom. Fortunately his chiropractor was able to help him heal and now if he remembers to stretch, he is OK. My Mom learned the stretches too, and so far that is OK, only she is undergoing tests on her heart. It really helps to lift each other up in prayer, so I will try to remember to pray for you and your Dad and your current situation. May the Lord undertake for you and shower you with His love and grace and comfort.

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    1. Thank you so much. Your thoughts and prayers mean so much at this difficult time. ❤ ❤ ❤ There are no words that can heal a heart when losing a beloved parent. It is a pain like no other.

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    1. It doesn’t seem real to me either, besides the horrifying pain, that was very real. But everything has been just happening, one terrible thing after another. It all started when I turned 40 last year in July. It’s like everything just went downhill after that. Thank you so much for your prayers. I know God is listening. ❤

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    1. Aw thank you so much. I’ve been a bit of a wreck this year, physically and emotionally. But I’m pretty tough too. And God is on my side. Thank you for your prayers. ❤ ❤ ❤

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  13. What horrible trials you have had to endure for months, you with your leg, and in add your poor dad. I think very hard of you, and I wish you a lot of courage. I pray that God will finally send you the sun in the darkness of these past months, as much for you as for your dad.

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    1. Aw thank you my friend. Your lovely words make me smile. You are a beautiful soul and I thank you for your prayers. God will make a way. In everything He is good. ❤ ❤ ❤

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