Remembering the day my life changed - 13th February 2001

Ten years ago today, an event occurred that changed my life  ... a man called Mr Eljamel drilled into my skull.
From the age of 14 I developed a condition called trigeminal neuralgia, a condition where the facial sensory nerves are aggravated by the blood vessels in the brain, leading to excrutiating and unpredictable facial pain. I used to describe it like having agonising pins and needles or an electric shock to the face. I was on and off medication and always in fear that I would have another attack.

Over a decade the pain became worse and more frequent, even the most simple thing caused pain ... eating, brushing my hair, licking my lips, walking, talking, the wind. Those of you that have known me that long know much this illness limited my life. By my final year of university I was in and out of hospital and on a cocktail of so much medication I could not walk straight and had double vision.

Then on February 13th 2001, Mr Eljamel, a wonderful neurosurgeon, drilled a dime size hole into my brain behind my right ear. He then moved the peskey blood vessels away from the nerves and put teflon cushions in between them to prevent further aggravation.

 

Since that day I have been pain free and my life has changed. Without that surgery my life would look very different and I would not be able to do what I do. I am occasionally reminded by an ache in the dent in my skull, how much I have to be thankful for.

Some people are healed through miracles, but I was healed by the skill of a surgeon, which is no less of a miracle to me - that this man had the skills and talent to operate and the technology existed to do what he did, skills I believe were God-given.

(Check out these videos of the same surgery I had ... or maybe not if you are too squeamish! They have condensed hours of surgery into 1-2 minutes.)

      

I choose to celebrate and remember this event in my life. I am so so thankful to my friends from Felsted, St Andrews and my family who walked with me in that season ... they were patient and loving as they cared for me, prayed and fasted for me, sat with me and visited me in hospital.

This was the time in my life when God became more real to me - I knew he was with me everyday and understood when no-one else did, I knew he felt my pain and was my strength and hope. Although I would not wish the pain on anyone, it drew me closer to God and ushered in a new season of my relationship with him, so for that I am thankful.
I know God uses all things for our good and his glory, that he works in truly mysterious ways and can take the most painful of situations to reveal himself to us.

Comments

[Natalie Bardwell]

Cool blog Jo! It's looking so good! Can't wait to see you in person!