Category: Blog

Guest Post
I arrived in the ICU this morning to find Michelle, much in the same condition she has been in since Wednesday evening. A little background, before I get to the main reason for this post. She had a temporary (5-6 day) lumbar drain put into her spine, and a running stitch into her original incision. The drain (10 cc/ml) every hour, helps remove the pocket of fluid that sits on top of her head. The stitch will hopefully tie her incision tight, and combined with the relieved pressure allow her wound time to heal/seal together, so she doesn’t leak anymore CSF.  They plan to turn the drain off on Monday.  Let her rest for 24-48 hours, retest the shunt, and see if there is any leaking. While I am optimistic there wouldn’t be leaking on Tuesday, it’s the days after that (usually at home and following a nights’ sleep) that are the true test.
I digress, she is not feeling well at all.  The draining causes her extreme headaches, and this time it is coupled with nausea. She is pretty much sedated for most of the day without much wherewithal to who is around.
Typically I shy away from blogs, social media, etc but felt compelled after seeing Michelle’s phone filled up with hundreds of unread texts, calls, face books posts etc this morning.
Obviously , we have been seeking so much prayer over these past two months. So let me provide some ways your prayers have been answered, and hopefully encourage you knowing that God continues to work in so many ways.
Seizures:  Michelle has not had a seizure, that we know of, for the last 40 days. After having days in which she would have in upwards of 10 this is tremendous hope that her last tumor surgery worked as you have prayed.
Walking: on Wednesday before her lumbar procedure, Michelle and I had the chance to walk around the DOU ward. No walker, no wheelchair.  She looked liked she was ready to run. Where typically I held her arms while she walked, instead we held hands as she walked for the first time in months.  🙂
Family health: as you can imagine, the burden has been falling on our immediate family, as Michelle has been in the hospital for 33 days now. Over the last two months no one has gotten ill, been unable to perform their needed roles, or any other unanticipated incumbrance. Other than some difficulties with our oldest’s ego and competitiveness the children have been wonderfully adaptive.
Food: never before have we eaten so well. The meals that have been provided, both at home and hospital, have been so appreciated. I can’t tell you how nice it is to not have to worry about cooking. Those days where we need to grab a quick bite have given much insight into the best hamburger joints in north Anaheim. Try Farmer Boys……….
Home Care: I could go on all day, but this needs to be said. Given the need for me to continue to work through this time (in San Diego no less), and not having Michelle  at home, has created a what should be a logistical nightmare. However, with mom’s, in-laws, friends, neighbors and a wonderful home care giver provided by Compass Bible Church the kids and house have been more than taken care of.
Encouragement: cards, gifts, messages, I could go on. These have sustained us to no end.  I have no way to send a response to each and every one of you, however, please know that these have all been cherished, loved and accepted with open arms. They keep us going, when we think there’s not enough in the tank. Finally, God’s timing is perfect. At the same timeMichelle entered the hospital, our Godly pastor released a book about how God uses trials in our lives and what our response should be. It has helped read while sitting here in the ICU, and would encourage you to read it as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Lifelines-Tough-Times-Gods-Presence/dp/0736958169/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1403375415&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=lifelines+for+tough+times
Needless to say, God is hearing your prayers and supplications. For that, on behalf of my family and specifically Michelle, THANK YOU!!!!

Each of you have changed me. Forever. You have been God’s tools and instruments in my life to bless me beyond my wildest imagination. I love you so big!!! You might have signed up to bring a meal. Asked awkward questions that I actually appreciated, encouraged me when you had no idea I deeply needed it. Perhaps you brought me juice lunch and groceries again and again? Maybe you heard about me through a friend, and showed compassion on me and my family and prayed or shared. 

Driven me around consistently. Listened to me tell a story that had absolutely no meaning for you. You didn’t give me huh?!face. 

The common thread? You all are the same tribe that lovingly prays for me. Is there an any more meaningful act of love than a heart felt petition on behalf of a sister and friends’ soul? Negative. It is sacrificial, done in humility, and a completely intimate request and conversation between our One and Only.  Thank you friends for your commitment to faithfully draw near to our King’s throne on my behalf! My prayer through this all is that this bananas trial grows your faith as deep as it does mine. That in years to come we gladly share of these miracle laden surgeries and recoveries, wash and repeat, in complete awe. That we learn His nature on a deeper level and that we would actively seek to have His eyes and heart for others. So much so that we would be the light drawing people to salvation. That friends, is the success we seek, defined. What a beautiful thing this would be!! 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every single prayer, sharing my requests, asking for prayer…

Do you have any idea what Tuesday felt like? Getting into the car I felt like a kid getting picked up for a surprise. Not like the fearful chapter ahead where I felt like I was jumping off a moving train. Chad I both were ready and given this most beautiful promised, perfect peace. And then….2 hours of not awkward/ maybe a little awkward silence ensued. 

Next….they found a hair. How funnnn. Can you Imagine? 7 hours on 2 other surgeries, sanitized for a 3rd time and there is a hair. The room now has to be transformed for the 3rd time into the cleanest, coldest  freezer in Orange County. Doesn’t everything almost die at 32° anyway? For sure that is where my freshly shaved legs go to flatline. Let me tell you how thrilled I would be as a nurse on team discovery. 

Not. You know that hair blower was crowned hated nurse of the week. My heart goes out to you human. 

Fun fact: have a battle wound.

So how am I? Welp. Better question is how has God answered our prayers? In His amazing Grace-I am alive! So thankful. So eternally thankful. I can hear. I can see. (I do have a floaters. A lot of random ones.) Headaches are strong and steady. Trying to come up with a pain management plan with doctors and nurses has been the challenge. I am in a lot of pain. A doctor specifically assigned to this role has walked through this door, and I am not going to lie, while he is aggressive, I do believe it will help. I need to get an Uber on the speed dial, but there is relief to be had for these debilitating afflictions in real time. I truly need to get over it and just accept the help when I get to that point.

I only accidentally touch her 20 times a day with dirty nails. Walking through through that web of you are probably going to die of an infected wound not a brain tumor or stroke is a fun little game I have been playing as of late. And friends, that’s all I got! Time for this old lady to hit the hay. Smooches.

Guest Post
I arrived in the ICU this morning to find Michelle, much in the same condition she has been in since Wednesday evening. A little background, before I get to the main reason for this post. She had a temporary (5-6 day) lumbar drain put into her spine, and a running stitch into her original incision. The drain (10 cc/ml) every hour, helps remove the pocket of fluid that sits on top of her head. The stitch will hopefully tie her incision tight, and combined with the relieved pressure allow her wound time to heal/seal together, so she doesn’t leak anymore CSF.  They plan to turn the drain off on Monday.  Let her rest for 24-48 hours, retest the shunt, and see if there is any leaking. While I am optimistic there wouldn’t be leaking on Tuesday, it’s the days after that (usually at home and following a nights’ sleep) that are the true test.
I digress, she is not feeling well at all.  The draining causes her extreme headaches, and this time it is coupled with nausea. She is pretty much sedated for most of the day without much wherewithal to who is around.
Typically I shy away from blogs, social media, etc but felt compelled after seeing Michelle’s phone filled up with hundreds of unread texts, calls, face books posts etc this morning.
Obviously , we have been seeking so much prayer over these past two months. So let me provide some ways your prayers have been answered, and hopefully encourage you knowing that God continues to work in so many ways.
Seizures:  Michelle has not had a seizure, that we know of, for the last 40 days. After having days in which she would have in upwards of 10 this is tremendous hope that her last tumor surgery worked as you have prayed.
Walking: on Wednesday before her lumbar procedure, Michelle and I had the chance to walk around the DOU ward. No walker, no wheelchair.  She looked liked she was ready to run. Where typically I held her arms while she walked, instead we held hands as she walked for the first time in months.  🙂
Family health: as you can imagine, the burden has been falling on our immediate family, as Michelle has been in the hospital for 33 days now. Over the last two months no one has gotten ill, been unable to perform their needed roles, or any other unanticipated incumbrance. Other than some difficulties with our oldest’s ego and competitiveness the children have been wonderfully adaptive.
Food: never before have we eaten so well. The meals that have been provided, both at home and hospital, have been so appreciated. I can’t tell you how nice it is to not have to worry about cooking. Those days where we need to grab a quick bite have given much insight into the best hamburger joints in north Anaheim. Try Farmer Boys……….
Home Care: I could go on all day, but this needs to be said. Given the need for me to continue to work through this time (in San Diego no less), and not having Michelle  at home, has created a what should be a logistical nightmare. However, with mom’s, in-laws, friends, neighbors and a wonderful home care giver provided by Compass Bible Church the kids and house have been more than taken care of.
Encouragement: cards, gifts, messages, I could go on. These have sustained us to no end.  I have no way to send a response to each and every one of you, however, please know that these have all been cherished, loved and accepted with open arms. They keep us going, when we think there’s not enough in the tank. Finally, God’s timing is perfect. At the same timeMichelle entered the hospital, our Godly pastor released a book about how God uses trials in our lives and what our response should be. It has helped read while sitting here in the ICU, and would encourage you to read it as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Lifelines-Tough-Times-Gods-Presence/dp/0736958169/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1403375415&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=lifelines+for+tough+times
Needless to say, God is hearing your prayers and supplications. For that, on behalf of my family and specifically Michelle, THANK YOU!!!!