Saturday, December 26, 2009

Check out the pictures on the right.  
We snapped a few before surgery. 
Rudolph was kind enough to oblige to our crazy schemes.
_______________________________



Give me some thoughts of what you all are doing over Christmas Break

Friday, December 18, 2009

We're home!...yet longing for my REAL home.

WE ARE HOME!
We want to thank each one you who has prayed for us, called, wrote an encouraging word, and communicated your care and concern.
After seeing the doctor on Thursday I felt good enough to travel home!  
What a surprise of joy the kids had.  They had no idea, we just showed up.  
Andrew was able to go to Joshua's school Christmas program (when we last talked, and thought that we wouldn't be home in time to see his program, he played it off as not a big deal, he is very understanding like that, but when plans changed and we were there he was overcome with joy!).

Every day I have felt progress in the healing.  Nights have been the most difficult.  But each night gets a little easier.

It is so good to be home.
We missed our kids SO MUCH!



Life can be so difficult.  
Every time I experience pain of some kind my compassion grows bigger and bigger for others who are, or will, go through similar pain.  
I have known many people over the years whose lives have revolved around doctors, surgeries, hospitals, medicine, complications, and all the effects that those things have caused.  One gal's life in particular has always encouraged me.  From the moment her life began she was in and out of the hospital.  In fact she was there at least once a month for surgeries, infections, more surgeries, and everything else she needed to survive.  She has amazed the doctors who didn't think she would be able to function as well as she does, nor live as long as she has (she is around my own age).  She was always kind and loving.  She usually was smiling and positive.  And throughout it all she was in pain.  Constantly dealing with pain.  

 This world will always be full of pain.  
Physical, spiritual, emotional.  
Pain.
Oh how sweet heaven will be!  Can you imagine?  
Absolutely no pain?!  
No frustrating moments, no lack of purpose or emptiness, no lonliness or hopelessness, no grief, no hurt, no stress and no more battling temptation.
Pure joy.
A hope like no other.
A clarity and fullness of life.  
Complete satisfaction.
Strength and peace, wholeness.

We will be with the One who lovingly created us and designed us.  
As much as we try to know and understand God we cannot fathom His entirety.  
We only can grasp glimpses.  
Can you imagine seeing Him in His completeness?! 

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I am still alive.

It is 7:30pm here in Arizona.

It was a much longer day than I expected.  I went in for surgery around 11:30am but didn't wake up from anistia until 2:00pm.  The prep is what took the most time.  Surgery was about 40 minutes.  We didn't leave until 4pm because it took a while to feel okay to leave.  I was not in as much pain as I thought I'd be in.  My head was at a 6 (1=low, 10=high), my lip was swollen, the roof of my mouth had been scraped, my throat was soar, my nose only hurt slightly.

When we got back to our hotel at 5pm I scarfed down two cups of chicken noodle soup.
My mouth is continually dry which is a frustrating thing.
Blood drips out my nose every now and then.  I have a small sling that is wrapped around my head and under my nose with gauze pressed against it to catch any blood.

I just got through a little panic attack.
It was the craziest thing.  I didn't realize what it was until I was 1/2 way through it.
My heart rate sped up.  I began feeling hot.  My head thumped.  Blood was dripping out my nose making me feel claustrophobic and anxious that I was loosing too much blood. 
Andrew and I were watching a show that began to get a little bloody and I had to look away.  Then I couldn't take it at all.
Soon my panic attack escalated.  Breathing was hard because my throat hurt and my mouth was so dry.  I didn't want to cry because I didn't want my nose to clog up.  It started thumping anyway.  It's hard for me to talk with this big chunk of gauze on my upper lip.  Poor Andrew could only look at me and hold my hand. 
I tried to load up Pandora.com so I could listen to some worship music.  But it wouldn't load.  :(
I prayed for peace.  Thanking God for being with me, caring for me, providing for our needs.
Psalm 34: " They who seek the LORD will not be in want of any good thing."

So here I am, sucking on ice chips to keep my mouth wet.   Taking deep breaths and reminding myself of what is TRUE:
Phil 4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!...The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.... and the God of peace will be with you.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Surgery Day 12-15

Tomorrow my surgery is sometime between 10:30-11:30am.

I am feeling quite nervous about the septoplasty surgery.  It is not a difficult one.  But the details of it are very intense (at least they are to me since it is my nose).  

 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/images/ency/fullsize/19356.jpg
 Above is a normal, straight nasal septum.
http://sinusinfocenter.com/images/DeavatedSeptumLarge.jpg My septum (that middle bone going down the center of the nose) looks like the picture above, except at that point where it is most bent there is also a spur attached which touches the other side of the airway and is causing pressure and irritation. 

The doctor will cut away the skin on both sides of my septum.  Then he will remove a portion of the middle of the bone and the spur, leaving the top of the bone for support and shape of the nose.  Then he will sew the skin back together, so that there are no holes between the two airways.
He will insert a splint, maybe one for each side, to support the initial surgery and place gauze below the nose to catch any blood or fluid.
I'll let you know how it goes.
I go in at 10am and should be able to go home around 2pm.
I've heard that the first day the pain killers will probably make me out of it all day.
The first night I have to sleep sitting up.
Please pray for me when God brings me to mind.  I'm more nervous about the first couple days of recovery than I am of the actual surgery.  I've been pretty bummed out all day.
Thanks,
Jenn

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Day 5

Sunday morning.
5 days since we've been here in Arizona.
2 days until my deviated nasal septum surgery.
Andrew is excersising and doing laundry downstairs in our hotel.
I took the opportunity for a much needed rest and alone time.

Maybe we are 1/2 way through our time here? 
We are hoping to be home by next Sunday. 
It will all depend on recovery and how the doctor feels I'm at after the surgery.  It's not a big surgery, it's actually quite simple.  But at the same time it takes a while to heal.  Just look up septoplasty surgery on Youtube if you want to know what they'll do (septoplasty).  Be careful though, it sure made me cringe. 

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Home for Christmas?




Joshua, 
Angela 
and 
Jeremy,
This one's for you.  
You gotta listen to the great groov'n.


(there's some jibber jabberin in the beginning so let the video load and go to :25 seconds into the song to start it)



I saw the EarNoseThroat (ENT) Dr. this morning.  
He confirmed that surgery to correct the deviation in my nasal septum and remove the spur would be the best option for us at this point.

Looking again at the MRI scans, the deviation was very obvious.  There is little room inside the left airway of my nose.  Then if you add a spur onto that deviation, an area of bone that has pushed out, it gives even less room.  It is quite plausible for irritation to be happening in there.  Along with all my other symptoms this has seemed the best possible solution to date.  Although I don't like to get my hopes up too much...I really think this nose deal plays a big role in my headaches.  I'm not ruling out the fact that there might be more than one issue going on here too.  The positive side to all this is that even if it doesn't help my headaches (which I don't even want to imagine being the case, but it is something I have to face) at least my airway won't be as restricted.

After our appt. they gave us the bad news that pre-surgery appt. wouldn't be available until Thursday the 17th...then they'd have to wait 3 days for results then the sugery could be done...then we'd have to be here at least a week for recovery and post surgery checkup.  That means that I wouldn't be home until after Christmas sometime.  So many thoughts were swimming in my head. 
I had to lay it God's feet and let it go.

I knew that however long we were gone, at whatever time of year, it would be hard to be away yet God would still be with the kids and care for them  He will meet their needs.  He will comfort them and wipe their tears.  At this point, once I remembered my God, His omni-presence and His faithful love I was able to rest with confidence that no matter what it would be okay.

The secritary came back, after doing her best to see if there was any other way to get us in sooner...
she said that I could go straight to the pre surgery apptments.  
They would get me in today!

She called us an hour later saying that they could schedule the actual surgery for next Tuesday, the 15th!  
That means a week later we'll be home...for Christmas!

Palm 34

Psalm 34 (New American Standard Bible)

    1I will bless the LORD at all times;
         His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
    2My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
         The humble will hear it and rejoice.
    3O magnify the LORD with me,
         And let us exalt His name together.
    4I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
         And delivered me from all my fears.
    5They looked to Him and were radiant,
         And their faces will never be ashamed.
    6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
         And saved him out of all his troubles.
    7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
         And rescues them.
    8O taste and see that the LORD is good;
         How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
    9O fear the LORD, you His saints;
         For to those who fear Him there is no want.
    10The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
         But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
    11Come, you children, listen to me;
         I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
    12Who is the man who desires life
         And loves length of days that he may see good?
    13Keep your tongue from evil
         And your lips from speaking deceit.
    14Depart from evil and do good;
         Seek peace and pursue it.
    15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
         And His ears are open to their cry.
    16The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
         To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
    17The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
         And delivers them out of all their troubles.
    18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
         And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
    19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
         But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
    20He keeps all his bones,
        Not one of them is broken.
    21Evil shall slay the wicked,
         And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
    22The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
         And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Another Arizona Trip..taking fudge

I've been terrible at posting.  
I've really wanted to.  
I've sat at the computer starting to.  
But every time I've been called away, 
or too busy to actually write something, 
or my head hurts and I can't focus, 
etc, etc, etc!
:)


We are going to Arizona tomorrow, Tuesday.  

We will meet with the different doctors and decide what will be done.  So far it looks like I might have surgery done on my nasal septum to remove the spur and/or correct the deviation.  The surgery itself doesn't take too long but recovery takes a few weeks.

I'll keep you posted.


My Grandma invited 
my Mom, sister, Angela and I over to her house for our 
2nd Annual 
Candy Making Day.

 THIS IS TERRI, MY SIS, STIRRING THE MAKINGS FOR FUDGE...YES, I SAID FUDGE!

THIS IS THE FUDGE MADE AND READY TO SIT FOR 24 HOURS 

We had a great time chopping, stirring, pouring,
TASTING, 
talking,
and LAUGHING!

ANGELA, SPREADING THE ALMONDS ON THE ENGLISH TOFFEE

TERRI AND ANGELA



MY SWEET MOM

WHEN WE ARRIVED AT MY GRANDMA'S HOUSE THEY ALL SURPRISED ME WITH AN EARLY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION.

CANDY MAKING AND HANGING OUT WAS SUPER ENOUGH...

BUT TO ADD ON CAKE AND PRESENTS!
THAT WAS SUPER SPECIAL.