“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. A

fter two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;

His going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Hosea 6:1-3

Today marks the one-month anniversary of Noelle’s surgery and all I can say is Noelle is doing AMAZING!  After reading so many tragic stories of Nuss procedures gone wrong and severe, severe pain, I am so happy to report that Noelle has truly been a “textbook case” as a friend wished for us.

Noelle is taking no pain meds at all. The doctors still have her on limited activities such as sleeping on her back, no lifting, no twisting, etc., but she feels GREAT.

She’s breathing great. In the hospital she could barely get the spirometer to 500 and now she’s getting it to 1500! Yay! I think that’s actually about normal.

Our biggest struggle now is slowing her down!

She does still need help to get out of bed in the morning. Oh, and she does still have the head of her bed elevated. My husband made a wooden wedge that elevates the mattress. It goes under the mattress on top of the springs.  This helps her sleep on her back and I think makes breathing a little easier.

She does have a little rash on her chest but not too bad. Did I mention she got the titanium bar because she has a cobalt allergy? I’m praying the rash goes away soon and that there are no major allergic reactions to having a metal bar in for 3 years.

In fact, Noelle went on a youth retreat last weekend — without me! Just before the retreat, my oldest daughter, who is one of the youth leaders, came to our 3-week post-op check up and talked with the Nurse-Practioner, Beth, which helped me.  She got to ask lots of questions and get clarification on what she can and cannot do.  Both sisters did terrific.  Thank You, Jesus!

Noelle’s scars are all healed up. Her chest looks good- if anything it looks a little too far out. I’m going to ask the surgeon about that at our next check up which is in 2 more weeks.

We started back to schoolwork on Wednesday and that’s going well.

I confess, though, that I keep waiting for the “other shoe to drop.”  My life experience has been littered with tragic situations and I am having a very hard time receiving this precious gift of good health and healing.  And why is that?  Do I not believe that I have a good Father who loves to give good gifts to His children?

So, today, I pray that I will press in to the Lord in faith, living before Him and trusting that He is as sure as the dawn.

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“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

 

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“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

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“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”  Psalm 103:1-5

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“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

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July 9, 7 am update – Please pray for Noelle. She has developed diarrhea. To complicate that, twice she has had it happen in the bed, which requires getting her out of bed, into the bathroom and everything cleaned up. Also, she had a temp of 100.9 once during the night, around 1am, but it’s back to normal now. The doctors will be here in a minute on their rounds, so pray for that too. Thankful for a new morning, filled with new mercies.

July 9, 9 am update – Guess who just ate their breakfast … and sat in a chair for 40 minutes … and walked the loop around the hall … and did her Spirometer 3 times! Up for 1 hour! Praise God! And the fever hasn’t returned.  Thank you for praying!

July 9, 1pm update – Doing better all the time! She’s been out of bed for another hour. Walked the hall and eating a good lunch. Yay! Off all morphine and awake more. No more temp! Praise Jesus!

Doing better all the time! She’s been out of bed for another hour. Walked the hall and eating a good lunch. Yay! Off all morphine and awake more. No more temp! Praise Jesus!

July 9 – 8pm update – What a difference a day makes! Lots of eating and walking with manageable pain levels. Please pray for the IV to be able to stay in until tomorrow … when Noelle might be DISCHARGED! Thank you for praying!

July 10 – 10am update – The xray looks good. The doctor has issued discharge orders! She’ll be going home soon-ish.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below.  (By the way, the IV has made it!) Pray for pain management and healing as we begin life at home!

July 10 -5pm update – Thank You, Jesus, our great physician, for the miraculous recovery Noelle has made! We are home! Please continue to pray for her full healing as there’s still a long road ahead. Thank you all for praying.

Thank you’s to these special people who ministered to us so much. Dr. Trey Eubanks, nurses Sam, Haylea, Evelyn and Mary and our friendly “tour guide” ReTonya. Not pictured: Nurse-practitioner Beth and our first nurse, Kristen, plus countless others who served us. Thank you for an incredible experience at Lebonheur Hospital. Truly, thank you!

Noelle was discharged just hours before a big Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Memphis.  Our hearts grieve for our broken city and we pray for reconciliation and unity within the body of Christ here.

July 11 – 1pm update – We made it through the night. Please keep praying for us. Last night while getting ready for bed, Noelle had her worst pain yet. It was so hard to see her crying in pain. Still a long road ahead. We’re trying to balance better today and stay on top of the pain.

July 13 – 1pm update – I’d say she’s making an incredible recovery! Thank you all for praying. Noelle has been coloring lots of gorgeous pictures (thank you to those who gave her coloring supplies). Also, she’s gotten up and about to get the mail and visit the chickens and even make homemade lemonade! We are cutting back on the Percocet, but continuing the other pain meds as scheduled. Praise God, the giver of every good gift.

July 16 – 10pm update – Noelle is doing AMAZING.  It is incredible that 9 days ago she had a titanium bar placed in her chest.  Twice a day, she is taking Naproxen, a muscle relaxer and a “nerve pain” medicine, but her pain level is minimal.  Our struggle is keeping her activity level down and not to watch too much TV.  Today she walked a couple blocks in our neighborhood and ran a couple errands with me.  We give thanks to God for granting her such a miraculous recovering, and give thanks to our many friends and family who have blessed us by their gifts and prayers.

 

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“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me and I shall be saved, for You are my praise.” Jeremiah 17:14

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My phone has not been updating the blog. So, I’m accumulating updates until I can get them online.

7.7 – 2pm update: Our girl is TITANIUM! Right now she is still mostly sleeping peacefully. The nurse is impressed by how well she is doing. She drank some apple juice. No nausea. Thank you, Father! We have gotten moved into a room. All is going INCREDIBLY, MIRACULOUSLY WELL! Please pray for continued pain relief.

7.7 – 9:30 pm update – Noelle has now thrown up 8 times. She’s had 3 doses of anti-nausea med in her IV. We’re looking at another nausea med, but it doesn’t go in the IV – either a pill, shot or suppository. Ugh. Please pray.

7.8 – 6am update -It’s a new day! His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness! Last night Noelle tried a different anti-nausea medicine. First we tried the pill – which she immediately threw up. Then, they gave her the suppository. She hasn’t thrown up since! Praise God! She just got another dose. Praying the vomiting is behind us.

7.8 – 4pm update – This morning, Noelle got out of bed for the first time. Her catheter has been removed and she has successfully “gone potty” in the toilet. They have discontinued her constant morphine drip. Now she has to push the button for a dose, which she hasn’t because she’s been sleeping since 11:30am. Noelle started several new medicines this morning. A stool softener by suppository + Miralax + a muscle relaxer pill + liquid Benadryl …. and she’s been sleeping ever since.

7.8 – 5pm update – Noelle woke up long enough to walk to the bathroom and go!  (YAY.)  Then, she went straight back to bed, took her next dose of a 1/2 pill of a muscle relaxer, take a few sips of coconut-almond-milk-hot-chocolate and blow a few times spirometer (a lung capacity thing).  Now she’s back asleep again.  Hmm….

7.8 – 6:30pm update – We got Noelle up again and sitting up straight in a wheelchair.  You have to be very careful with how she moves – has to stay straight backed, bend at hips, no pushing or pulling with her arms, etc.  But, she sat in the wheelchair for 30 minutes!  YAY!  Thank you for praying!

 

Today is the day. Our daughter will be having surgery in just a few hours.

I thank Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus, my Lord who judged me faithful.

I praise Him who knows the number of my days – and hers.  I praise Him for creating my inmost being – and hers.  Please join me in praying.

Click HERE to watch this awesome throw-back video to when she was not quite five years old. She has spent years hiding God’s Word in her heart and I know it will not return void.