Quick update

Today, Daddy continues to improve somewhat. The surgeon said that he's not concerned about a blockage and doesn't think he needs surgery - yay! They think he just got so dehydrated that it caused a kink that seems to be working itself out. However, today Daddy is still very nauseous, partly because he has the NG tube down his nose. We have not really gotten any answers about what is causing the nausea, and no one seems to be concerned that he has not had anything of nutrional value in almost a week. They are just telling us that once his stomach settles down, they will reintroduce sustenance. In the meantime, he's allowed to eat popsicles and drink (although it promptly comes back out through the NG tube) -- it does help his throat, which is sore from the tube and from being sick for days. We appreciate your continued prayers. They did say that they will keep him in the hospital for a few days, likely until he can drink and keep fluids down and his body is functioning more normally. He is tired, and tired of being sick, but is getting out of bed at times, and planned to take a few little walks down the hall after we left today.

Prayers, Please

Daddy has been sick since Thursday with what they thought was a stomach bug, but (without going into gory details) others symptoms made it clear that something else was going on, so after a CT scan, they sent him to the ER at one hospital then transported him by ambulance to another (where his surgeons are) for emergency surgery to resolve the blockage in his small intestine. However, when he got to the hospital, he stabilized and they decided to wait and see if it resolves itself (which apparently happens sometimes). I have lots of questions, but my main one was: do they know what is causing the blockage? The answer I got was that the majority of the time it is scar tissue from previous surgeries (which he likely has plenty of). So if anyone is still reading this, we appreciate your prayers. Daddy is being cared for well and is receiving fluids, but has had virtually no nutrition since Thurs. He's not in much pain but is very nauseous still. I will update tomorrow as we know more.

Merry Christmas!

I can't believe it's been 5 months since I last posted. It's all for good reasons -- Daddy has been doing so well that sometimes I forget he was so sick. Just wanted to put a quick note on the blog for anyone who still reads this so you can celebrate with us. Daddy had a scan recently and he got the results on Fri. (which, by the way, was my parents' 39th anniversary!). The surgeon said he looks GREAT and he doesn't need to see him for 6 mo. Praise God!

I still get nervous around the time of his scans. Pancreatic cancer is such a horrible disease, and my dad, by God's grace, really has defied the odds. This time 2 years ago, I was sure that it would be my last Christmas with my dad, but I get to sit next to him next week at the Christmas Eve service for the third time since his diagnosis. Christmas for me has taken on new meaning in the past few years and I treasure this time to focus on and teach my children about Hope in the One who transcends all our sufferings, fears, and pain. Merry Christmas to all of you from our family!

A Good Report

Daddy went for a follow up appointment with his surgeon this week, and got a good report. The doctor is sending him for a follow up scan and lab work, but said that the recent lab work he had done at his annual physical looks good, particularly the indicator of his liver function (I know what it's called but don't know how to spell it). Apparently Daddy ran into all the surgeons while he was at his appointment (they are all amazed to see him doing so well), and was handing out business cards left and right!

Happy Father's Day!

To anyone out there who still checks this occasionally, Happy Father's Day! We are grateful to celebrate another Father's Day with Daddy. It almost slipped my mind to post because we are celebrating with him next weekend instead (along with all the June birthdays in our family) since he and mom are en route back from Texas as I type. This time last year when Daddy was in the hospital, they were talking about taking a road trip to Texas this summer and (honestly) I was thinking, "Yeah, right." But God is good, and they got to go (driving Daddy's big truck all the way to Houston and back) and should be home soon. I talked with them this morning and they had a lot of fun visiting my mom's sister and her husband. Every time I call my dad and he answers his phone, I think about how blessed I am that he is still here to pick up the phone and talk to me, even if it's just for a minute. He's a great Daddy who has taught me about what's really important and valuable in life. I'm posting a new family picture taken in May when we celebrated his recovery -- notice that we have one more than this time last year. :)

One Year Ago Today...

We were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital waiting to see Daddy in recovery after he had the cancer removed and his insides rearranged. The two months that followed were two of the most difficult of my short life, and I'm pretty sure that the rest of my family would say something similar. Today, looking back I am so grateful for the friends and family who came alongside us and held us up on many of those days. We are acutely aware of God's grace in allowing Daddy to be here celebrating with us today. And he's not just "here" -- he's active, back to his usual activities and working on new projects. His garden looks better than it has in years. He's learning new programs on his new computer (although I don't think blogging is on his list yet). He's back to making BBQ -- to everyone's delight. He gets down on the floor and plays with the girls. He goes to "the spa" almost daily (his words -- otherwise known as the gym), and has actually gained back some muscle.

This time last year, I could not envision this day -- I struggled to hope for this day and believe that it could happen. Even now I wrestle with why God has allowed Daddy to beat the statistics (which are horrendous, by the way) and we have lost other friends and family so suddenly and unexpectedly in the past year -- even the past week. Don't get me wrong -- I am so very thankful to have this time with my Dad, and for my girls to know him and make more memories, but I am also aware that this is purely the result of God's grace, not a result of anything we have or haven't done -- our family does not deserve this, it is a gift from God. So...

Praise God for allowing us this time with Daddy. Praise God for teaching us and carrying us through the past year. Praise God for His church, family, and friends who are like family. Thank you for all your encouraging words and prayers over the past year and a half!

Here are a couple of recent pictures...

Shock and Sadness

Let me preface this by saying that Daddy's doing great-- preparing to celebrate his good health one year after his surgery, and we continue to be grateful and feel extraordinarily blessed. However, today our hearts are heavy. Our family learned this morning that my cousin Nicole (my dad's niece, daughter of my Aunt Betty) passed away suddenly overnight. They suspect she had a heart attack. Please pray for my Aunt Betty and my cousin Trey. We are all in shock and sad, obviously. My Aunt Betty and Aunt Linda were quick to come up here to encourage my parents and have tea parties with my girls when things were especially tough for our family last summer, and we hope that we can love on Betty the same way. I do know that in these tough times, I am so thankful for our huge, crazy, generous, loving extended family.