Update to the Last Post

Labwork came back and Michael does have to see a specialist.  He has an appointment Friday at 2pm.  The doctor will review his labs, and he also does his own ultrasound and can do his own biopsy in the office - all in one appointment.  Thankful for that little blessing!

We have had Enough!

Yep...  that about sums up Mike right now.  He just has had enough.

Recovery has been far from easy.  Well...  maybe I shouldn't say that.  Recovery has been good as long as he's on steroids.  Unfortunately his body cannot tolerate any more steroids!  His blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugars are all climbing and he is very swollen.  So...  he's now been off them for 2 days and he's starting to show signs of problems again. 

As if that's not enough, an MRI late last week picked up on Mike having an abnormal thyroid.  Our family doctor called Monday and said it was probably nothing, but he wanted to have an ultrasound done Tuesday just to be safe because he has had some pretty low thyroid hormone levels.  Yesterday we learned that the ultrasound showed several nodules on both the left and right lobes of the thyroid.  One imparticular was quite large and the radiologist felt was suggestive for malignancy......  yep....  the big C word!  The right lobe was labeled as having several colloid cysts. 

Today we met with our family doctor to decide what, if anything to do about Mike's thyroid scan.  After much discussion with our family doctor and how rare thyroid cancer is (especially in men), we have opted to start with more labwork first.  They drew a full thyroid panel this afternoon and we should have the results of the labwork sometime tomorrow (Friday).  If the labs come back abnormal the next step will have to be a referral to an endocrinologist for a special ultrasound with a guided needle biopsy.  Fun stuff!  NOT!

Anyhow, if we seem distant or cranky, it's simply because we have had enough.  We aren't blocking anyone out or trying to walk this on our own without the support of all those who have loved on and prayed for us.  It's simply because we really have needed some time alone to refocus and process all that we've been through...  all that MIKE has been through. 

Again, we are grateful to the outpouring of love and prayers from our church family, our local family, and obviously our family!  We ask that you continue to pray for our family....  for Mike's recovery and ongoing tests, for my patience and strength to help him, and for the kids.

In Christ

Michael & Michelle

We Just Don't Understand...

As we prepared for Michael's surgery, we also prepared our hearts for the risks...  they were high.  He could have been paralyzed, had a stroke, or even died on that table.  There were no guarantees going into it.  The outcome of his surgery has been nothing short of miraculous with NONE of the risks that were more than 30% likely to occur!  None!   We have been so overjoyed and thankful for God's healing grace.

But just days later, a friend died tragically and unexpectedly.  A faithful follower of God who shared his love of Jesus with everyone he met.  A man who convinced my Chase (at the time 10 years old) that it was ok to be different and that he would love spending a week at our church's summer block party and then every Sunday after that Chase would look for Mister Aaron just to say Hi!   A man that my husband would see in church praying each and every Sunday across the aisle while most everyone else in the church was standing and worshipping, showing my husband that you can be real and worship in your own way each week.  A man who said the most encouraging words to me after Kayleigh sang on stage last summer, less than 4 weeks after nearly losing her life and told me that SHE was a blessing to HIM!   A man that Devin was just getting to know and that Devin could look up to as a Christian role model.  Truly....  a man of God who sought God each and every day of his life! 

Mike and I had a conversation yesterday about the mixed emotions we both feel.  One minute I am grateful that my husband is doing more each and every day, the next I feel guilty that my friend's husband is gone.  Mike's take on it is a bit different.  He wonders why he was given God's grace and more time on this earth when he openly admits he hasn't been as faithful as he should be - the way that Aaron always was, but Aaron was the man called Home...  a man who shared the love of Jesus each and every day.  He said it just seems so backwards to him and he's just not sure what to do with it. 

I don't know the answers to these questions that are stirring in our heads and I don't know why Aaron was taken from this earth leaving behind a loving wife and 4 children who don't understand it all either.  But, we are not meant to understand God's plan for each of us. 

What I do know - without a doubt - is that we can trust in God's promises and know that all of this will be used to further our own faith, grow us as a family of believers, and teach us to lean on Him more.  I also know that we need to immediately stop and say to ourselves, am I doing everything I can to show and live out love every single day of my life the way that Aaron did so that I also can be called Home and told "well done, good and faithful servant!". 

Mike has said he realizes was given more time for a reason....  he wants to hear God's call and for his life and find the reason that he is still here. 

In the coming days, weeks, and months; please continue to pray for Debbie and their 4 boys:  Joshua, Andrew, Bradley, and Paul. 

God is So Good!

Wednesday was hard...  no doubt about it!  Walking one direction in preop while they wheeled the love of my life in ther direction for a brain surgery that had multiple risks and no guarantee of success was the HARDEST thing I have ever done!

But...  God is so good!

In a nutshell, the surgery took 6 hours.  In layman's terms, they removed part of Mike's skull, removed his C1 vertebrae, opened the lining to the spinal cord and brain up to "clean things up", and then used a patch (or a hammock as Mike calls it) to put the cerebellum back where it belonged and keep it in place.  The surgery itself went very well and the neurosurgeon said the spinal fluid started flowing normally before he even closed up!  So no shunt needed!  AND his incision isn't NEAR as big as we anticipated so it should heal beautifully! 

God is SO good!

Recovery was a bit not so smooth.  He had a hard time in recovery and in the ICU not breathing well and got sick several times in the first 6 hours.  By the next morning he was holding his own though, and he was moved to a private room in the neuro step down area just outside of the ICU...  Less than 24 hours from the completion of surgery...  a day earlier than expected!

God is SO good!

First part in Neuro was a bit rough...  but Mike brought that on hisself!  He thought he'd be a hero and not ask for anything for pain until he was a 9 out of 10 and visibly suffering!  He learned quickly that stubbornness would get him nowhere!  Once he caved and allowed them to give him what he needed he did great!  He was awake for a good portion of the day and had a few visitors.  We were even able to have the kids over the first night in step down so that they could see Daddy was well. 

Again... God is SO good like that!

Friday was a little harder, but we expected it.  OK...  maybe harder isn't the right word...  it sucked!  Mike's surgical site was very sore and tender, muscles were angry at him, he was weaker and more fatigued...  and the biggest kicker was he had hiccups ALL DAY LONG!  They finally were able to get something ordered from pharmacy to get rid of them once and for all and things seemed to start to turn around by the time I left, though he was still hurting because of the hiccups all day thrusting through his head!

The "God is So Good" parts of Friday were that we were able to completely transition off of ALL IV medications to oral medications and off the oxygen....  2 days post brain surgery!  Way earlier than anyone expected!  He was able to get a good solid 2 hour nap in with very few "leashes" attaching him to medical equipment.  I couldn't take my eyes off of him while he slept ever so peacefully!

Saturday morning when the doctors rounded we were given Mikes' walking shoes....  3 DAYS POST BRAIN SURGERY! 

God is SOOOOOOOOOO good like that! 

We were home by 10am today, and both of us asleep by 10:30am!  Mike slept more peacefully than he has slept in the last several days...  in his own bed!  We got up a briefly at noon and 2pm for meds to be given, and then got up around 5:30.  He was able to take a very short walk (up the sidewalk about 2 houses and back), came back and ate, and now he's on the chase lounge watching a bit of the Reds game. 

He does have a long road ahead of him as his surgical site, and his brain and spinal cord heal.  There are also still a few serious risks that we have to watch out for - infection and spinal fluid leaks.  Either of these 2 could land him back in the hospital so we have to keep our eyes open.  He's very weak and fatigues VERY easily.  For the next several days we will continue the same pain regimen that they got him on in the hospital and then we will start weaning it all back slowly and see how he does. 

But...  God is so good and has carried him through this far in a miraculous way and I know that He will continue to do so. 

We could not have gotten this far without the prayers of so many!  We are thankful to every person who has walked this journey with us!