Back x-ray update

It's been eight weeks since I fell off my bike so my chiropractor suggested we take a couple new x-rays to see how my bones are healing.  He thinks the bones are showing good progress, but are not yet completely healed.  Since he gave me a 12 week estimate initially, I'm not disappointed.

Interestingly, he noticed something else that had escaped his attention eight weeks ago.  It appears that I broke two vertebrae instead of just the one we previously noticed!  As you can tell in the image below, T7 has a wedge shape similar to T9, which is indicative of a compression fracture.

After (May 2012)

Fortunately, two broken bones are treated the same way as one, and my prognosis has not changed.  I'm grateful for noticeable progress in flexibility, strength, and comfort, although I suppose I'd agree that my back doesn't feel completely healed yet.

Before (2009)

For reference, I've included this image of that same portion of my spine three years ago.  If I hadn't seen my name on the x-ray film, I'd have a hard time believing my back looked this good!  Thanks to all who have been praying for my healing through this episode.

More than you wanted to know about a bicycle crash

Since it's still pretty fresh in my memory, allow me to tell you a bit about the results of my carelessness on my bicycle.  I was enjoying a delightful bit of exercise last Monday evening, riding pleasant roads with enough elevation change to be interesting and yet not overwhelming.  A little over half way through my ride, I started down the hill near the west end of Tullamore Road, and looked forward to the rest it would provide for at least the next half mile until the effect of its slope would disappear.

Although I knew there was a fairly sharp corner about halfway down the hill, I neglected to brake until much too late.  By the time I reached the beginning of the turn it was apparent that I would not be able to brake hard enough to stay on the road.  My odometer indicated I reached 36 mph, which was probably just before I began braking.  My path took me to the far side of the right turn where I rode along the guard rail on the left side of the road for a short distance before I was catapulted.  The view of the guard rail below is similar to the last view I had before I closed my eyes.

When I stopped moving and opened my eyes, I was about forty feet further down the road, about fifteen feet down a grassy slope on the other side of the guard rail.  I couldn't see my bike, my helmet was falling off my head, and my back felt stiff just below my shoulder blades.  I climbed up the grassy slope to the road and sat on the guard rail while I tried to stretch my back and push the broken pieces of my helmet together so it would fit on my head.  Since my bike wasn't on the road, I concluded it must be near where I landed in the ditch, so I climbed back down the slope and found it about ten feet further downslope from where I landed.  After I carried it back up to the road, I was surprised to find everything intact on the bike (except the chain which had simply jumped off the chainring) and no damage evident anywhere.  Equally amazing to me was my observation that my only apparent missing skin was on a few fingers of my right hand.  My legs and arms had no cuts or abrasions at all!  After thanking God for preserving my transportation home, I climbed aboard and started down the rest of the hill toward home.

After riding about a half mile, something unfamiliar about my vision made me realize I had lost my glasses in the fall.  As long as there was a small chance I might find them, I had to go back and look.  I knew the probability that I would find the glasses was very low, so I entreated the Lord to bless my efforts and bring me to them.  I searched about half of the area where I had come to rest for about five minutes before the glasses were visible to me again.  God was thanked again.  Now that I had all my possessions, I climbed back on the bike and started the ride home again.

I didn't know the source of the stiffness in my back while I was riding, but it was apparent that I could not comfortably expand my rib cage as far as normal, so my breathing was not as deep as I desired.  X-rays taken by my chiropractor the next day allowed him to diagnose a compression fracture of my T9 vertebra, which is identified by the yellow arrow in the image above.  You can see that vertebra is not as square as the others around it, and is tapered toward the front.  Fortunately, the damage to the bone is concentrated toward the front of my body and not toward the back, and I have no symptoms indicating any damage to my spinal cord.  Several sources indicate spinal cord damage at this location can lead to paralysis below the waist.  Again, I'm grateful for God's mercy in limiting my injury.

It wasn't until I looked in a mirror when I got home that I realized my head was bruised and scraped in this colorful manner.  This picture was taken less than two days after impact, so the color is more severe in some places while less severe in others, but I think you get the idea.  My left shoulder showed similar bruising, and my left ear was pretty beat up, so it was apparent I probably first made impact with earth on those parts of my body.

Since my leg and bicycle showed no indication of contact with the guard rail, I believe the front wheel of my bicycle was probably stopped by some object on the ground while my momentum carried my body over the guard rail in a half flip, ultimately landing on my head.  Since my shoes were clipped to my pedals, I think my flying body must have pulled the bicycle over the guard rail behind me, and as I hit the ground and rolled, the bike must have detached from my shoes and flown over my body down the slope of the ditch.  I don't think my left foot released from the bike pedal easily, as my shoe and its cleat are both damaged in a manner that would suggest a lot of force was required to separate them.  I wish I could have witnessed all the gyrations my body and bike went through, as I think it would have been very interesting to watch.  Again, I'm grateful that God mercifully spared me contact with the guard rail, as I believe my injuries would have been more severe had I hit it.

This view of the inside of my helmet shows the cracks in the front (right side of the image) that resulted when the full weight of my hurtling body forced the helmet into the earth.  I had no dirt or grass stains on the front of my body after the fall, but once I removed my jersey at home, I could see it was covered with dirt and grass stain skid marks on the back.  That evidence suggests I may have quickly rolled on to my back and/or slid down the slope of the ditch primarily on my back.  Given the type of damage to my vertebra, I believe it happened when I first made impact with my head.

Four days after the crash, I returned to the scene to look for more evidence of what happened.  The video below documents a good bit of what I found.



Looking over the scene made me even more aware of God's mercy through this incident as there are plenty of objects I could have contacted that would have caused much more damage than what I suffered.  My chiropractor informs me that my vertebra will require 8 to 12 weeks to heal completely, which should be enough time to remind myself that carelessness sometimes has painful consequences.

Reformation Day Faire 2011

Although I didn't capture every aspect of our church's Reformation Day Faire with a photo, here's a sampling of the activities.  As you can see, we all enjoyed the beautiful, sunny, 70 degree weather this year, especially since we had our share of clouds and rain last year.

Greg Boyd was back again this year adding atmosphere with numerous tunes played on his bagpipe.

Knight Mathias and I spent several minutes contemplating all the ways one might slay a dragon.

 

Elder Price was busy sketching portraits again this year, and he seemed to never lack a subject.

 At the Town Square, the coloring table was popular with the young artist crowd.

Candle making was also as popular as ever in spite of the fact that there were two tables set up for this activity.

I'm not sure what Sarah Auer was trying to communicate at the bag sewing table, but Gretel assures me that that is simply the way Sarah communicates.

The chess and checker boards were as busy as ever, even though the elder Degenhart didn't compete this year.

Gretel and Hannah strolling the grounds in an attempt to have a private conversation.

A new caber made its appearance this year, and I happened to get a shot of the same dad I photographed last year.  His form is not as impressive in this photo as it was last year, but his kilt and matching socks are much more striking than his costume from last year.

Finally, a shot of Lily, Karen, and Tara amusing themselves during the Highland Games.

Heard today...

... at the American Vision Midwest Conference at Providence Church in Morton, Illinois

"Your view of the future determines how you live in the present."

- Gary DeMar

"Your children were ordained by God to be born in your home."

- James McDonald

"You can't destroy a Christian civilization unless you destroy its economic power. You can't destroy its economic power unless you destroy the family."

- Bojidar Marinov

"The church has bought into the lie that government's resources are unlimited, and that God's resources are limited."

- James Lansberry

If you weren't there today, you missed Gary DeMar speaking on the importance of eschatology on how you live in the present and a biblical view of Ezekiel 38-39 and Matthew 24. James McDonald emphasized the importance of training our children by our words and our example to the end of establishing the next generation. Bojidar Marinov explained how socialists have been attacking the institution of the family in Europe for centuries, and defined what socialism can and cannot take away from us here in America. James Lansberry spoke on God's ability to work through his church, and the vision some believers have for wresting back from the government what belongs to God.

If you missed it, I'm sorry for you, but I guess you could try again next time.

Heard this evening...

"The more you learn, the more humble you should be."

- Kevin Swanson, speaking at the American Vision Midwest Conference at Providence Church in Morton, Illinois

Mr. Swanson's lecture emphasized the book of Proverbs as the foundation for any education as it is dedicated to inculcating wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. One doesn't have to look far to see the lessons of Proverbs lived out in society around us. When commenting about how the leaders of some churches in Colorado have embraced the homosexual movement there, Mr. Swanson quoted Proverbs 28:4a, "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked...." "Do you know how America got to be the way it is?" he asked, "America forsook the law!"

Come join us on Saturday for more challenging teaching from God's word.

Reformation Day Faire, Day 2

Saturday started cloudy and rainy, but the weather didn't dampen our desire to celebrate the work of the Lord in the Reformation of the 16th century, and anticipate his reforming work in our time.

The banner is still performing faithful service on its third outing.

Sir John Walsh (aka James McDonald) shared his observations on William Tyndale's role in the Reformation, and his impact on the culture around him.

Meanwhile, Charlie was hard at work preparing his tribute to the work of the reformers through the medium of crayon and coloring book.

This was the only time I was able to get a photo of Kevin Swanson standing still. Some favorite KS quotes from this weekend:

"Revival lasts for a short time. Reformation lasts for generations and means our children and grandchildren walk with the Lord."

"What the government controls, in general, it destroys."

Caleb, and his little brother Joshua (not pictured), got new matching costumes this year, placing them firmly in the running for the "Cutest Kid in a Peasant Outfit" competition.

Lily and Karen were also sporting new clothing. This time they're dressed as mid 16th century Flemish peasants... and very cute Flemish peasants if you ask me.

Because it was raining at the start of the Market Square, all the booths were set up inside. That did not dissuade the Degenharts as they took on the world on the chess boards.

Lily and Gretel had help from Ashly on the first shift at the bag-making booth -- and had plenty of customers. I think the kids must be catching on as no one sewed their bag to the tablecloth this year!

After the Market Square, the rain let up enough to enjoy the Highland Games at the park. Here's Gretel cautiously observing the hoop rollers while she readies herself to unsheath her dagger should the need arise.

The security squad also enjoyed new uniforms this year, blending 16th century fashion with 21st century electronics.

The caber toss was as popular as ever. In this shot, someone's dad shows excellent form, making one wonder if he has Scottish ancestry.

Peter also showed good form, and intensity almost as great as all the competitors behind him! You'll have to enlarge this one to appreciate the expressions on the faces of the onlookers.

The next generation of caber tossers looks on with varying degrees of interest.

As always, the English country dancing on Saturday evening was very popular. Thanks to all who joined us this year, and a warm invitation to all you others to join us next year. Thanks for visiting the blog!

Reformation Day Faire, Day 1

Charlie Zahm blessed us with his music again this year, beginning with this concert this evening. The afternoon sessions featured teaching from Marcus Serven and Kevin Swanson, but unfortunately, I wasn't present to photograph or enjoy those presentations.

The crowd was large, but not yet packed to the limit.

Although this is a bit blurry due to the low light conditions, you'll have to trust me that this guy sings really well.

Mr. and Mrs. Castle enjoying the concert.

Here's Elder Price busy with his portrait service. Business was already brisk and the weekend is just beginning!

Part of the cry of The Reformation: Sola Fide, by faith alone.

I'll try to get more photos tomorrow, and hopefully comments that are more insightful. Thanks for visiting!

Providence Independence Day Celebration

The Sanford family once again graciously invited the entire church to their home for our Independence Day celebration (on the 3rd this year). Although the temps were warm, the shade trees in the yard coupled with a light wind made for delightful weather for an afternoon and evening outdoors. Of course, what made the day truly delightful was simply being together as a church family, as evidenced by the following photos...

Geneva, who like the other two-year-olds, couldn't get enough of the sliding board.

Ruth, pensively looking for a playmate.

Mr. Niesen in a rare moment when he found a chair to sit in. His level of activity makes the rest of us dads look like couch potatoes. Okay, maybe the rest of us ARE couch potatoes.

Mr. Castle and Mr. Vest doing little to dispel the notion that the rest of us are couch potatoes. Actually, they had just finished dinner and were thinking fond thoughts of dessert.

Micah and Johanna in a deep and stimulating conversation with Elder McDonald. Evidently little Henry has never heard anything quite so shocking!

Elder Price wondering why the dessert was moved inside so early.

Ashton, after donning colonial garb, felt the muse come upon him and demanded an opportunity to read the text of the Declaration of Independence.

And last but not least, little Caleb who is showing evidence that it's close to bed time (since he's clutching dad's pants leg).

Thanks for visiting!

Heard today...

... at the American Vision Midwest Regional Worldview Conference at Providence Church in Morton, Illinois.

"You will not change the world as President of the United States; you will change the world with the heart of your little boy." -- Kevin Swanson

"The question is: Who is teaching the fear of God in the chemistry classroom?" -- Kevin Swanson

"Charity never, ever belongs to the state. Every time we send a brother or sister to Caesar for help, we rob Jesus of glory." -- James Lansberry

"Stealing from your neighbor is wrong." -- James Lansberry

Heard this evening...

"Politicians are like dirty diapers: they need to be changed -- and often!"

- Gary DeMar at the Midwest Regional Worldview Conference at Providence Church in Morton, Illinois

Gretel's Baptism!

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." -- Romans 6:3-6

This past Lord's Day was a memorable day for our family in that Gretel was baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and our family became members of Providence Church. Praise God for his grace toward us, and for our dear church family at Providence.

Reformation Day Faire

Even though our Reformation Day celebration comes a week before the official anniversary this year, we celebrated with gusto again this year with over 400 participants.

I know this is last year's image, but the sign really hasn't changed, so the only difference might be the number of leaves on the ground.

One new feature this year was the temporary wall we built around the entrance to the church building. I think it would have been even better with sentries and archers behind the battlement. The knight with the cell phone in the doorway kinda spoils the effect in this shot. For that matter, this may be the only castle you'll see with handicapped parking so close to the door.

Charlie Zahm provided musical inspiration on Friday and Saturday. You can find Mr. Zahm in several videos on YouTube that demonstrate how powerful his voice is.

On to the Town Square on Saturday where the chessboards stayed busy with impromptu matches. Here, two generations of Degenharts take on the world. Rumor has it the elder Degenhart simply used the chess matches as a diversion while he stole his opponents' money bags from under the table.

Prince John, aka King Castle, demonstrates the time honored skill of candlemaking over a Coleman camping stove. John's costume was so impressive one naturally addressed him as "your majesty."

Not to be outdone, Princess Grace knights Sir Emil before the Battle of the Boffers. No, Sir Emil was not allowed to use that sword during the boffer war, and yes, he does have an earbud and microphone on his left ear (presumably so his comrades can warn him of a surprise attack behind him).

The checkerboards were just as busy as the chessboards as the young men sought to sharpen each other's critical thinking skills.

Never one to miss an opportunity to pick up some pocket change playing for tips, our lonely piper was back again this year. Unfortunately he was unable to bring the junior corps along, contrary to my expectations.

Karen appears to be delighted about something as she readys herself for her next customer at her wheat weaving booth.

Lily and I trying to stay in our "happy places" while we thread needles and tie knots at Bag End, our felt bag making booth.

Princess Elisabeth showing me her best courtesy. One is humbled to receive such an honor.

Gretel reluctantly modeling her new gown that Lily created for her. I say "reluctantly" because there were at least three people in the sanctuary that may have been watching while we took this photo. Sometimes a dad just has to be firm.

I'll close with this image of Sir David and Lady Annette from the kingdom of Bull Valley.

My photos are not representative of the entire celebration as we had several lectures by Douglas Bond, Marcus Serven, and James McDonald that composed the real meat of the weekend. You can purchase audio of the weekend at Resounding Voice, and watch videos on YouTube courtesy of Douglas Bond and others.