Another Surgery

BLUF: Michael will have what we believe will be outpatient surgery on 11 Dec. We ask you pray for no drug reactions, no complications, total fix and the flu bug to LEAVE OUR HOUSE (arrived Thursday)!

Those who know Michael well, may have noticed he's been "off" his game lately. He seems pre-occupied at times, a bit grouchy  tense when not engaged in a conversation, he isn't eating much, isn't working out much, often is seen holding various spots on his stomach and staring into space. Some of you have noted he isn't on outings with the kids and I  on his days off (no marriage problems to report).  I have been authorized to share his secret; he has been in chronic pain for months. He has had many sleepless nights of pain. I have no idea how he has managed to keep up the pace he does, feeling as poorly as he has.

For a man who doesn't take drugs, had never had an I.V. or stay in the hospital, and is in good shape, this year has been a rough one. 

It started with Acid Reflux which turned into Gall Bladder, and was pooh-poohed by the clinic until it was acute and gangrenous. Surgery was a rough recovery. His body didn't like the drugs, there were a couple of complications. Then the heart scare in June/July.  While we were traveling he began to have sharp pains in his right "side." 

We got back to Misawa and all our docs had moved. This meant starting over with doctors who don't know you and are looking only at records.  Michael had a couple of appointments with whoever he could get into when it was particularly bad. Unfortunately, it would seem some docs don't look further than the "obvious." The obvious in this situation is that Michael is "older," was complaining of lots of pain when working out, and had just had surgery. The obvious dx was "surgery adhesion" or, you know, someone trying to game the system and get out of  PT tests. The cure seems to be lots of laxative? 

We googled the pains he was having and none of the things we found looked good. Michael continued to wait. It seemed pretty pointless to continue going to appointments as they kept saying, "It's surgery adhesions and you'll need to learn to live with the pain." 

Unique pain management techniques? 

Michael continued to cope with the pain (non-medically - which explains the tense blank looks, the deep breaths, the holding of stomach). He finally went in to see his new PCM (Primary Care Physician), who BTW we really like. Nolan has seen him too. He listens.  He ordered an ultrasound.  Five months of chronic pain and finally a test. They found a hernia and referred him to surgery. The Surgeon wanted another test as he thought he found something else.  They discovered two more hernias. I maintain it's all the crunches... ::snort::  

In any event Michael will have a triple hernia surgery on the 11th of Dec. He is counting down the days to feeling better. This should be three laprascopic incisions and should be out patient.  He will be on convalescent leave until 25 Dec.  You won't see our family around much because the winter driving ban on "someone" has been reinstated....so don't worry...we're just cocooning. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day 7

Oy vey! Nolan had flu-like symptoms yesterday. He seems to be better, but Arielle is laid low today.  I'm praying this thing STOPS....we don't need a flu bug right now. 

Michael wasn't feeling well today, Arielle wasn't feeling well today, I was feeling worn out...we spent a restful day at home. 

Tonight we talked about Jesus as the Holy One.  Ah, look at Jared on the tree. ::grin:: 

Clue number 7 was "I'm as cool as a cucumber!" It didn't take long for them to figure this out!  

I had heard this was a good movie and got it for one of the gifts. It was - but it is a tear-jerker too!  I do believe the message to cherish every moment will stay with us.  We watched it tonight. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

SHAKING IN MISAWA

It's been quite a while since we've had a real rattler. Tonight, as dinner baked, Stacia screamed. I had just sent her up the stairs with the laundry, Michael was taking the trash out, Arielle was sick in bed, the boys were playing on the computer upstairs....

Stacia doesn't usually scream when putting laundry away....it seemed the house was shaking. About the time I realized this the rest of the kids realized it. Stacia is our advance earthquake alarm...she lets us know if there is a HINT of a quake and sometimes she's right. Tonight she was.

7.3....it was long...it was loud as things began to fall.... I began to get "land sick." ::snort::  I felt confident to remove bungee cords from the shelves a few months ago.....Zander got under the table and was promptly beaned by the MOCA prayer journal notebook. 

Notice the laptop was sliding off too

The clock fell off the wall

Several dolls fell off their perch

Basket of computer cords

A medium quake....they fell over but none of my pictures fell off the shelf

It was enough to get our attention...maybe our last good rattler before we move. The power stayed on, the water and gas are fine, no tsunami warnings and the phone lines stayed up....all's well.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Name is...

Servant...and we discussed the paradox seen hanging on the branches of our Christmas Tree. 

Clue #6 - O Holy Night

The search was ON. I helpfully sung, "O HOLY NIGHT, the STARS are brightly SHINING..."

At this point Stacia was warned to tread softly with the Willow Tree

Nolan finally figured it out....one last nativity...the one in the yard.....and he went for it....

The Air Hockey Playoffs started immediately...seemed bigger in the store. ::snort:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day 5 - 1/5th of the way to the 25th ::grin::

We had another busy day today. The good news is END EX....back to normal work schedules.

I had another 2 hour meeting with a local president - I love my "job."

We had Youth group, AWANA and MOCA (Moms of College Aged) tonight....and so tonight we skipped a family circle reading and went right for the clue and gift.

It was Stacia's turn to open the door again. Clue # 5 "I'm learning the old fashioned way."

The gift was hidden in an old school desk...but I was too tired to chase them up the stairs. 

Evidently everyone else was too tired to help unwrap. ::grin:: 

GLOW STICKS...great fun...simple...easy...quicker than a game ::snort::....and we had our own light show. Yuuki wasn't sure what to make of all this.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

True Confessions

I'd love to say family circle/devotions always goes swimmingly. It usually doesn't. It usually goes, "ok"....but tonight....we were all tired. 

Stacia talks - a lot. She talks a lot first thing in the morning, in PCOC, at lunch with Mommy's friends, when Mommy is trying to Skype, through dinner and then throughout family circle. She drives me to desperately seek solitude every once in awhile. ::grin:: Seriously, though, this is the gal who loves to go with me to the commissary to see how many of Mom's friends we will meet. I love it!

Zander makes noises....he  loves to make noises. Tonight he combined the noises with sword play using an empty Christmas paper roll.  While I continued to lead a discussion on Jesus being our King. He also loves to quote movie lines, and there is nothing better than YOU knowing the next line and responding....he and Jared could do this for hours. He continually tells us he misses this with Jared. He does this in public and most don't realize he's quoted a movie line. ::snort:: I believe quoting movie lines is his love language.  I digress.

Several times, I stopped and calmly corrected both my rabble rousers... I kept trying to make it easy enough for a 7 yo and meaningful enough for a 15 yo as we discussed what it means to have a King etc....and then right there in the middle of devotions....it happened....it wasn't an outburst, I wasn't yelling.... I just stopped mid-sentence and said, "Zander if you don't stop  I'm going to kill you!"

He was taken aback. I was taken aback.

Stacia, never at a loss for words, replied, "Well, Zander you'll get to see Jesus faster!"

We all laughed. I apologized. I don't make it a habit to tell my children I am going to do them bodily harm - and certainly not in the middle of family devotions!

But we weren't done. It gets better.

It was time to pray. I asked someone else to PLEASE start us and I'd finish. Stacia jumped to the task. Then she wasn't sure how to start...and as we waited..... Zander remembered the perfect line from a silly youtube clip. A movie line that he deemed appropriate!

"Jeeeesus"

Without a moment's hesitation I added, "Oh, Jesus!"

Zander rebounded, "We thank you and your Dad, Santa Claus!"

We lost it. We laughed until we cried. The older two joined us in laughing. Stacia remained very pious.

We pulled ourselves back together and finished our prayer with a light heart.

What was he quoting? Well - be warned you may find this offensive. I found this when I was looking for clips for a workshop. Some of his episodes are very funny, some are inappropriate...but this one cracked us up...and we used it to talk about how people think of God in a previous family circle.


There you have it - don't imagine we're a stellar family with all of this figured out. We muddle along. We are blessed to find humor along the way.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day 4 - Is it a Habit Yet?

We read Zech 9:9 and discussed the role of a King, prophecy and how it all pertains to Jesus. 

Arielle picked Clue number 4, "Where monsters sleep!" I'll have to talk with the cluemiester....this one was not our best clue...Three of the kids had never worried about monsters and had no clue where they would sleep....one of them is now worried about where ELSE monsters may sleep. ::snort:: After checking out various closets, nooks and crannies -  they finally found it!

Excuse the room - at least I blurred the background

 I was going to skip the following photo and possibly use it if I blog our devotions...but I want to be authentic...it's only fair.  Yes, we have days like this.   "I don't know where monsters sleep! I don't know what thermal pletion is!"  Humph. After a quick hug, encouragement and parenting on the fly.....

Smiles are back - tonight's gift...Guesstures. 

Of course the point of these gifts are making time for family....and so we played...I have no clue how THIS is supposed to say "burp" but there you have it!

Hoola Hoop

Tail 

Winner

We ended the night with a round of pick up sticks. Stacia loves this game....all in all a good night...you just take the ruffled feathers, deal with them, repent where necessary and move on. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...