What better to do be doing than be home on my first full night from Villa al Kaiser? Writing. That is right people. Yep. The house is asleep and I am just SO thankful to be home!!! I feel like I need to get this all off my chest as I will probably forget all the details in the next few days. So excited in fact I can’t wait to write to all of you who have been faithfully loving on me and my family and PRAYING for us, showering us with sweet reminders/ scriptures and just your support. How do I ever thank you? Seriously?! When going through something like this, you never know how you feel, or what kinds of wierd things go through your brains and fancy parts. Lonliness is one thing I am so thankful I do not feel. Not one bit. I feel so covered by loved ones, and and by everyone who just took the time to encourage me, so thank you for making this time a blessing for me.
The Surgery itself was a lot more than what we anticipated. It was quite scary coming out and having this be 180 degrees different than the last surgery. Recovery and everything…Yek.
Starting out, we were told the tumor rests on my venus/ sinus cavity (not facial cavity) where all the blood flows into the brain. After asking some questions we realized early Friday morning, there was going to be a remnant left as it is extremely risky to do anything involving the sinus/ venus. Bummer. It was ok though because my Lord was guiding His hands and was/ isn’t going to allow anything to go down without His stamp of approval. So about 3.5-4 hours in to the surgery, I started to bleed, and bleed and bleed. 6 blood transfusions later, YES 6!? They were able to stop the bleeding and get me back to good. Praise God. This was a really scary time for the anesthsiologists because while they were prepared, they weren’t that prepared for 1 if any transfusions. I later found out sweet Barbara, the nurse practioner, was in the room, and praying for me. …Bless this woman, I love her to pieces. She was praying for me at that critical moment, and had a crazy vision of Jesus working through my Doc’s hands. Strangely enough, the ONLY thing I remember from surgery was the Holy Spirit pushing me up stairs. No idea how I knew it was the HS, or what, that is all I remember. So when we shared our stories, we cried like good mama’s and realized how important the power of prayer is, but mainly what an ever present help God is when we are in trouble. We are so quick to dismiss it, do it later, or whenever we have time to lock ourselves in a closet, but we have a Lord who asks us to talk to Him. And my prayer is through this we will all scoot closer to our Savior, desiring that sweet communion. I know this is single handedly the area I have always struggled with, so for me, I am really appreciating His timing in all this, and what all our good God is revealing to me.
Recovery has been really really hard. Not going to lie. I have been super sick on the meds, not breathing right They want your breaths to be 8-10/ min, but were only 2-6-but God has graciously pulled me through each hooplah and I am sitting in my own bed. Miraculous! I am SUPER anemic, due to (where you really paying attention?) So I am weak, nauseous, dizzy, weak, etc. But I am one happy mama. I can walk! I can not do any housework, cleaning, picking up anything, but I think we all know I am not shedding tears over a dirty house. So thankful to have my family, best friends, and little people here in one room.
As for what is next….we wait for the biospies to come back. We were told the last biopsies came back at a grade 1 benign with abnormal markers, if there are abnormalities this time, it would most likely be considered a stage 2, and there would need to be more aggressive resection of the tumor. Gamma knife, radiation, or chemo. We need prayer that they would be benign and have no abnormalities, and that I would be able to heal and be a mommy and wife again and not to be a leach to society!! Also please pray for my husband and he leads us through this recovery. That he would do so on God’s strength and that he would be renewed and refreshed each day. We are a lotta work and the man never complains. For reals. 🙂
Thank you friends for walking with me along this road. xo
5 Comments
Thanks for the update Michelle! I will continue to pray for you and Chad (and for your kiddos). May you continue to experience the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit in new and very real ways as you trust in His guidance and wisdom. May He be your comfort, your strength, and your help as you walk this journey that God has prepared in advance for you. Many blessings!
N.A. Winter
So thankful to God for bringing you through the whole surgery ordeal. I cannot believe you had to have 6 transfusions, girl! God truly was with you, guiding the hands of your surgeon and sustaining you through all that trauma! Continued prayers for you that God will strengthen you and heal you quickly; that He will give you peace and rest in Him as you wait for the biopsy results; and that if it is His will, He will grant you complete healing! I want you to know how much I ADMIRE you and what an INSPIRATION you are to me! Your courage, faith and tremendous love for the Lord make you such an incredible ROLE MODEL and I SO want to be more like you! Paul said “imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And I can see so much of Our Lord Jesus in you and am so inspired by you and want to grow more in my faith like you! I love you bunches and am so sad that all the spaces filled up so fast to bring you a meal and to come help you – apparently responding to the emails after just two minutes of them going out was not fast enough! Just goes to show how many people LOVE YOU! So don’t be surprised if I am like some crazy party-crasher or stalker and I just show up with a meal and cleaning supplies! You can show me the door, if you’re not up for it! LOVE YOU SO MUCH and admire you more than words can express!! XOXO
P.S. The cleaning supplies are so I can clean your house – just wanted to be clear about that 🙂
I have tears of joy that our Father brought you through this and continues to, tears of thankfulness that you are leaning on Him throughout. I love you much and feel honored to call you friend. Lifting your name to the Almighty continuously. xo
Praising God with you Michelle that you are home and that His hand was upon you throughout the surgery and throughout this entire journey of yours. I just actually finished the chapter in Partners on the Holy Spirit and I loved the imagery of the Holy Spirit pushing you up the stairs–what a great reminder that God has given us the best Helper here on earth! We in the Francisco household will continue to pray for you and your continued healing. Love that you are my sister in Christ!