It's Been a long Road

Since the beginning of last Summer (2007) we have been trying to get Cody off on his mission. He injured his back while working at a tire shop with his Uncle Paul. This along with a snowboarding accident and being dropped in a mosh pit added to his injuries. After seeing several Doctors a MRI was ordered and our worst fears where confirmed. Cody had not one but two bulging disks in his lower back. Pain and anti-inflammatory medication did little to relieve his symptoms. His initial paperwork was delayed as he attempted to improve the evaluation on his medical standing from a 'B' to an 'A'. When Cody and Cynthia came to visit for Christmas he was in so much pain that it required an ER visit the night they arrived. During his visit we arranged for a epidural steroid injection and he began to improve over the next several weeks to months.

Cody started working as a waiter at Applebee's and earned the rest of the money needed for his mission. On March 20th he received his call to the Wisconsin, Milwaukee Mission. It would have been nice to be there with him, but since Maren and I had moved to Alaska in September of last year we where on the phone when he opened it.

Cody had come to visit his brothers before leaving for the MTC, arriving in Ketchikan on the 6th of June. Maren, Cody and I flew back to Phoenix on the 14th to finish getting him ready for the MTC.

That is how it has gone thus far.

John