2015 Family Reunion

This is the family picture from our 2015 Whetten family reunion. Missing are Jeana, Julieanne, Cedric, Christopher and their respective families - although Julie is represented by Lindsay, with her husband, Adam.  This picture was taken about 30 minutes after the baptism of Carson, in the black vest.

Sciatica: Concluding Chapter

This is the end of the story about my issues with sciatica.  After the first epidural in January, I never experienced any dramatic improvements.  The pain has gone away but the muscle in my left foot will not support my weight when the heel first touches the ground.  But over time it has slowly improved.  I completed about 7 weeks of physical therapy; I began chiropractic therapy with a trusted friend; I began exercising 3-4 times a week during lunch.  There was a 2nd epidural at Emory Spine Clinic in the spring, followed by a CAT scan (my choice - but not necessary), and a consultation with a surgeon.  The surgeon said that in this case where there's no pain, there's only 10% chance the surgery would help and it would not be a simple surgery.  I asked what will happen?  He said the body will learn to compensate.  On the chance that something could have changed since the MRI in January, we agreed I should get another MRI.  I did.  He checked it out and came back with the same answer.  It will slowly get better and eventually I'll be going on long hikes and running again.  Thank you for your prayers on my behalf.

The end.
(Let's move on to more interesting things)