Jami's Chiari Connection: 6 Weeks Post-op and Doing Great!

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

Mom Lippencott (Helen), Ross & Me

I have so much to be thankful for that I can't even express it all. My mom, Bob's mom and I have all had health issues this year and are all recovering thankfully. What I've gone through gives me a whole new level of gratitude for my life, family, and friends.

My Mom, Mitzi

I have an amazing husband who loves, encourages, and supports me. We have a great life together and we have so much to look forward to. I have two amazing adult children who make me so proud and grateful. Thank you God for this life!

Bree, Dean, Bob, Jami, Ross & Manami

Turning Point

I feel like 6 weeks after surgery that I am finally at a turning point where I am feeling so much better, have more energy and feel like I can get back to some normal activities. Today after spending the morning pretty active in The Children's Ministry I was a bit tired, but didn't come home and crash like I did the last two weeks. I also felt like I could walk up and down the halls checking in on classes and sharing with the children. I don't remember sitting down while I was there today like the last two weeks. This last week my symptoms have been very mild and hardly present except for late in the evening when I'm tired. I can see improvement everyday and looking forward to my neck healing, building more stamina, and the day I don't have any nerve issues. I think it's very possible and soon!

When someone has Surgery for Chiari there is no guarantee that the symptoms will disappear when nerves have been compressed for so long. We have to be patient and hopeful that in time the nerves will return to normal and we'll find relief. Bob made an analogy that is simple, but so realistic and helps put things into perspective. He said just imagine if you parked your car on a garden hose for five years and then moved the car. The pressure would be off, water may be able to flow through a bit better, but how long would it take to return to the normal shape and function? It may take a long time and it may never be like it was originally. So this helps so much to think about how my nerves are taking time from so many years of compression and to think that in six weeks I've seen so much improvement. How long have my nerves been compressed? Well that's hard to say...from birth? Maybe from my twenties when I first started having bouts of extreme fatigue? Or maybe the last 15 years or so when I've had nerve issues on the left side of my body? Hard to say, so much is still unknown about Chiari 1 Malformation; I do know that things really exploded for me in the past year. The great thing about our bodies is that unlike a garden hose they have the ability to repair and heal damage that has been done.

Sharing in the Children's Ministry

Encouraging the Children

Today I wanted to share with the classes in The Children's Ministry about how much they have encouraged me by all the cards they wrote to me when I was in the hospital. I decided to display the cards and a thank you sign at our welcome table. I also went into each classroom from 1st grade through PreTeens to share with them about how much it meant to me to receive cards from them when I got home from the hospital. Samples of the cards can be found if you scroll back on the blog...they're just adorable and put a smile on my face just to think of them.

I shared with them the scripture that has been on my heart and that I've shared with so many during this Thanksgiving time.

How can I (we) thank God enough for you in return for all the joy I (we) have in the presence of our God because of you? 1 Thessalonians 3:9

I wanted the children to hear how much their encouragement meant to me. Also I wanted them to remember that one small card to encourage someone can have such great value to the that person. To never underestimate how much encouragement can help someone get through a challenging time.


PreTeen class

I really didn't expect to be talking to all the children about my brain surgery, but somehow it got around to them when the were making the cards and now they have so many questions. I shared with them at the level they're at and answered their questions simply. Then I encouraged them to ask me if when they see me if they have any more questions.

I decided to show the older children the picture of my incision right after surgery and then show them how it looks now in person so they could see how I've healed. I shared with them one of my favorite scriptures:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

It is quite amazing that all of my neck muscles, and skin have been cut and now you can hardly tell it after 6 weeks...just amazing when you think about it!

It is a bit horrifying, but I think there are great lessons to be learned in these real life situations. God is working and can help us to overcome and come through challenging situations with the help and support of others. I also want to show them that we can be grateful and joyful and continue to serve even when facing health challenges.