Update on Scotty at Mayo Clinic

     Hello friends! Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to you for all the prayers for Scotty as he is here in Rochester, MN at the renowned Mayo Clinic. God has been answering our prayers and we are thankful for many blessings! We are truly honored that you care and are supporting us in love and prayers.

     As we are on this journey, I just wanted to share a brief history and update because sometimes it can be hard to piece it all together. Basically, Scotty is here at the Pain Management Clinic. This is an intense three-week program for people who have chronic pain with no other options for surgery or medicine.  The  goal is not to necessarily relieve all pain nor to find new answers for the condition at hand, but to help the patient reduce medicine and learn practical methods to live a quality life with as little pain as possible.


                                    Some of the caring staff at the clinic

     Scotty’s back pain started over 20 years ago as he was injured playing football as the quarterback at Evangel University. He has had four major back surgeries. One was a fusion down low at L5 S1 and another surgery was a fusion with hardware placed in the mid-back at T11 T12. The third surgery took the hardware out after a few years. And the last surgery was a total-disk replacement back down to the lower spine. The operations were performed by doctors with the highest qualifications around the country including Dr. Ziglar at the Texas Spine Institute for the total disk replacement. And yet, none have cured the injury. In fact, there is not only  spine damage but there is also nerve damage, arthritis, degenerative disease, and scar tissue that adds to the pain.

     Consequently, we have tried numerous medicines, herbal oils, vitamins, hot tubs, topical creams, acupuncture, chiropractors, massage therapy, physical therapy, and a dozen other things we would say were “unusual but worth trying”! While some of the remedies do give relief, it only lasts momentarily at best. This is what has led us to the Mayo program.  We have accepted that outside of a miracle, which we are believing for, we have done all we can do.

     To this point, Scotty has completed two out of the three weeks of the program. The staff is excellent and we know they are offering the best possible. While most of the tools taught we are already aware of and apply, there have been enough new things to give us hope. However, it will take weeks if not months to see results on a measurable scale. So, we trust the Lord and are doing our part to utilize the information we have been given.
    
     Overall, Scotty is doing well. God is helping him. To be honest, it has been very challenging physically and mentally, especially at night as he is off all meds and working to “retrain the brain” on how to deal with the pain. There are many other lifestyle details he, and all of us, are learning that is part of the process. In fact, the older two girls and I attended a two-day training to learn what we can do to help. We are all working together for optimal results.


The girls in class (7 hrs/day) learning how the body handles pain and how to live with someone in pain. 


     One blessing is that Scotty has been able to still preach on the weekends in various churches and will do an upcoming youth event this weekend. Honestly, I stand in awe of the Lord equipping him for these because of the struggle going on physically. But God is greater than our own ability. For everyone's trials, we can rest assured that "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Isaiah 40:29 

     No matter what you are struggling with in health, loss, hurt, financial concern, addiction etc. God is strong when we are not. We are unable to control our circumstances but we are able to fully depend on the Lord for every moment. When we suffer, our main focus is to trust He has allowed it for purposes beyond our knowledge and will help us. 

     Whatever you may be facing could be a time of challenge, but we want to encourage you with Isaiah 41:10. “For do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand!”

      Again, thank you for your love during this time. We are on Day 13 and appreciate all the prayers for the next 8 days and the weeks to follow. Believing for healing and victory! 


With the girls praying for God to help us while we praise Him for all He has already done.





Comments

  1. Praying for all of you. I know all of you mean so much to so many! God's hand is on your life and for we are praying with you for strength and courage and believing with you for healing and victory as you walk through this!
    We love you guys.
    Cliff, Lisa and Erinn Craig

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  2. I would really like to hear afterwards if you felt like the three week stay was worth it. I know you don't know me Casey, but Scotty has been an inspiration to me as a Christian living in chronic pain, in regards to keeping the faith. I am nearly homebound with my pain and my doctors also feel as if I have tried everything. Is Scotty a candidate for a nerve stimulator implant?

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  3. Has anyone talked to you and Scotty about Neurostimulation Therapy? I have been dealing with recurring back issues for over 45 years now. For the past two years, I have been living with severe left leg pain. The pain manifests as sharp pain in my left groin whenever I cough or sneeze and I also experience severe cramps in my left ankle that greatly disturbs my sleep patterns. To a somewhat lesser degree of pain, I also get tingling in both legs. I too have tried a variety of therapies without much success. My orthopedic surgeon finally ordered a MRI which revealed that my L5-S1 disc has completely disintegrated and the vertebrae are fused together with arthritis. Additionally, it was revealed that I have lumbar stenosis, lumbar bone spurs, degenerative disc disease and a bulged L4-L5 disc. My orthopedic surgeon sent me to a neurosurgeon and he sent me to a pain clinic here in Springfield for a 7 day neurostimulation trial to see if neurostimulation therapy would work for me and hallelujah, I got immediate pain relief. I was totally free of pain! Currently, I am waiting (once again in pain) to have surgery to have the neurostimulation permanently implanted. It looks like that will happen next month. Please know that you are all in my prayers.

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  4. Hello,
    I attend JRC and suffer with chronic back pain. I have met you briefly before in the old bookstore a few years ago. I have had fusions and have an implanted neurostimulator. It helped greatly for a few years until another disc went bad. It still helps with some of my pain, but not all of it. There are days it is hard to even walk here at the house. I have reached a point similar to Scotty, with no real options left on the table. Like him, we have tried about everything under the sun, some of which were pretty "out there". Ha! We have actually looked into the program you all are participating in. I would love to visit with you both at some point and get your thoughts on your experience. I am beginning a ministry/website for those suffering with chronic pain, and hope to have the website up and running in a few weeks. I have felt this calling from the Lord for several years, but finally got the courage up to be obedient. My prayer is that the website helps those in pain to be encouraged and strengthened. I will also share insights I've learned to help them navigate their daily lives. I hope that one day we can meet and encourage one another. I will keep you all in my thoughts & prayers. May this program be a great success and help to Scotty. Becky Stepp (bstepp2047@gmail.com)

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  5. Casey & Scotty,

    You never cease to amaze me! It is evident that it is the Lord who is sustaining you. Your family is such an inspiration - we love you!

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  6. Scotty & Casey, I pray the Lord uses these wonderful people at the Mayo Pain Management Center to provide you with the help you need to deal with your chronic pain. I have heard great things about their program and am excited you are there. You have fought the fight for so long and I pray God uses Mayo to provide you with the tools needed to obtain daily victory over your pain. Karen and I love you guys!

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  7. We have enjoyed getting to know your family and I will continue to pray for you all as time goes by. Thanks for staying with our La Quinta and keep up the great work. You all have blessed me and I will miss your girls! I have signed up to watch all your youtube channel videos so keep them coming and heal quickly and God Bless you Scottie.

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