So many of you all have been so kind and thoughtful to ask about the recovery, pray and petition on our behalf and show our family love like we have never seen before. You all have been gifts from God to us!
Many of you are kindly asking if I am recovered, and I am truthfully not sure there will ever be a firm YES tag on this one. At least here on planet earth. How sweet the day will be where we get our glorified bodies in heaven. I am realizing there is and can be joy in the “no’s” and “maybe’s” that come behind prayer as well as the encouraging and happily received yes’s. Kind nurses, sweet times with my husband and parents, cuddling with my little people, and giggling with friends. Sunday I woke up in another puddle of spinal fluid. My husband let me cry for a few minutes and helped get ready for my mom , as she came to take me to the ER to get admitted. Thursday, June 5, I had my fourth brain surgery. 3.5 hours to be exact. They installed a non-programmable shunt to properly drain the excess cerebral spinal fluid (leak) in my brain. Now, I have two glorious leaky spickets. Yes, STILL externally LEAKING!!! Can you believe it? Me either. I will have to attach the CT scan that shows the build up of this nonsense. One hole is drilled near my ear, where they cut a small horseshoe flap and shaved 1/3 of my hair off. Yep. 1/3. The big decision of the week is: do I just shave it all off? Or try to go Rihanna mahhhn, with half of my hair purposefully shaved? Perhaps with some pink sprinkles or something? The truth is if I try anything hip, the probability I will come out looking all Britney complete with smeared mascara and a baseball bat, is, well, overwhelming. (bunny trail.) back to the other holes: there is one in the back of my head/ neck, and lastly, one under my sternum. Apparently the fluid is supposed to drain to stomach cavity via a catheter type thing, they call a VP shunt. I am a self admitted wuss, so I will openly share I have 3 different areas of intense pain. As you might imagine; I am not being particularly cheerful. The Doctors can’t/ won’t send me home until they verify the holes/ leak has ceased and they can see the problem fixed on the ct. scan. Considering how much fluid I have lost, it is hard to see this resolve any time soon. Today the Dr. Ordered a CT Scan that showed the fluid was exactly the same so they over drained-this time on purpose-to get a better idea if the shunt is in fact working. The truth is, regardless of circumstance, we are called to be joyful and content despite the outcome. I am clearly riding this storm on the wings of my King. I could be coming home at the earliest Monday. If the shunt doesn’t work, we are talking a total redo. Please pray with Chad and I that this would not be the case. That through this recovery, I would not get meningitis and my body will heal as it should. That God would restore and use me for His good purpose. Thank you sweet friends! No more self centered updates after this. There are so much more worthy updates and news in what God is doing in other peoples lives we can be focusing on and praying for. Xoxo
Brain
Recovery
4 Comments
At this point I am absolutely speechless! Still leaking!? I am now past tears and ready to take your doctor aside and have a word with him…. but of course I won’t :), it just makes me feel better, like I can do something for you.
I think your spiritual stance is a good one and the right one to take, albeit most difficult… your quote: “The truth is, regardless of circumstance, we are called to be joyful and content despite the outcome. I am clearly riding this storm on the wings of my King.”
And, a word from Ephesians, which the Apostle Paul wrote while in prison which I always find encouraging; Eph. 6:13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”
Michelle, I know you are standing, (actually laying) but standing spiritually speaking trusting in Him through this.
Praying we as your friends can support you with our prayers, just like Moses was dealing with his battle in Exodus 17:12 “But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
May we as your brothers and sisters in Christ continue to hold you up as you face this physical battle. Love you dear Michelle.
Michelle we do not know one another but have a dear sweet mutual friend Rachel Riley. She shared your story with me and I have been praying for you and your family ever since. I pray that you will continue to feel Gods presence in your journey, be it through the care you receive, the nurses that are taking care of you, the many people you know or don’t know, who are lifting you in prayer daily and ultimately, your healing. I know Gods will will be done and all in His time. My thoughts n prayers will continue to be with you. Xoxo Tina Romo
Hi, Michelle. I admire your strength that comes from the Lord. It is amazing to read your blogs and see you proclaim God and His goodness in the midst of your pain and suffering. You are amazing because you have your trust in our amazing God! Sometimes, I have pity party because of the pile of laundry that I have to fold, the chaotic mess in my house, things did not go my way, and other petty things but here you are still praising God and proclaiming His goodness and giving Him all the glory. You thank the friends and family who pray and stand by you but I want to thank you also for sharing your blog with us so we can see God’s glory through you. I am praying for you. I know God has a good plan and purpose in your life. XOXO
In case anyone’s subscribed to comments, since Michelle said “No more self centered updates after this” I don’t know if there’s going to be a blog post with the latest update, but as of this morning, Chad said she’s leaking from her original surgical site, so she will be heading back into the hospital (she had come home last night).
I think this means the shunt isn’t working, so if that’s the case, based on the previous blog post, I believe the implications are “If the shunt doesn’t work, we are talking a total redo.”
A previous prayer request was that she “would not get meningitis and my body will heal as it should. That God would restore and use me for His good purpose” and I imagine of course that whatever surgery they will have to do now would go well and solve the leaking.