Home from the hospital

On wednesday we went up to Good Sam in Portland where Kasey went through a procedure to remove some of his peritoneal lymph nodes in order to prevent any recurrence for cancer. We were told that if his cancer was to be anywhere it would be in his lymph nodes that wouldn't necessarily show on his CT scan so the nodes in question were removed. We were at the hospital at 2 and he was taken into surgery at 5:45. I waited in the waiting room with our moms, and his dad and LeAnn, and around 9 his surgeon Dr. Lowe came out to tell us that the procedure went well. He felt confident that Kasey's lymph nodes looked normal and that there was minimal nerve damage from the operation. This was all great news! We will hear back from the pathology results next week and we are praying for cancer-free results. If all is clean than Kasey will only need CT scans throughout the next 4 years as a cautionary measure.

We were told that he would probably be in the hospital for 4-7 days, and amazingly after 2 1/2 days we were given the go ahead to take him home which is such a praise. He has 5 ports on his abdomen that are healing very well, and is on pain meds for the next week but has been walking and recovering so quickly that it is such a a testimony to the amazing power of prayer.

God's presence has been so real to us. Feeling Him everyday has been the biggest blessing I have experienced in my life to this point. In the days up to Kasey's surgery we both felt such peace and reassurance. He has been so real that I can smell Him at times; such a sweet fragrance that comes and goes that I had thought were some blooms from around our house, but when I smelled it at the hospital I knew that I was smelling the Lord's presence, and what an amazing gift that was for me to experience.

We are so happy to have had the best in medical care for Kasey, and to have 2 surgeries put behind us and are looking forward to tackle whatever is coming next in his recovery. The next 2 weeks are going to be crucial for him to rest and heal, and we are expecting he will be able to return to work within the next 2-3 weeks, and feel fully recovered by 4 weeks. He can't wait until he can pick up Kenzie again, and she has been thrilling us with her ablities in walking all over the house and outside; clapping and smiling as she goes. :)

So here we are, thankful for our amazing family and friends, thankful to be here at this point in the journey, and looking forward to feeling somewhat normal again; although it is so important for us to never forget or overlook how this has drastically changed our perspective on life as only a sudden life altering surprise can... never forget how every day is a gift, that friends and family are so important every day, that the little things that seem so big are really just little things that don't matter at all, that every day is a gift to spend with your husband, that any day can be your last, and most importantly...that God cares for us and truly is with us every moment just waiting for us to call to Him...and when we do he runs and picks us up like little children and surrounds us with His presence. All we ever have to do is ask, and I never want to forget that, ever.

Love to you. :)