On the Road to Recovery

Before I give you an update on Tanner, let me thank you once again for praying for him and our family. We have so appreciated your emails, phone calls, cards and notes. I was at PCS a few times since the 14th and nearly everyone I saw asked about Tanner and said they were praying for him. I believe they were. Lest we ever begin to think that somehow we were made to exist in isolation, seasons like this remind us that we need one another. That our God formed us first to be in relationship with Him and then to be in relationship with others. We are genuinely grateful for and humbled by your care and support.

We thank our God for His mercy and blessing and for answering your prayers and ours with an affirmative. Tanner had his 2 week chest x-ray on Monday and his first follow up appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday. The x-ray looked good. The steel bars are still properly in place and the lungs are healing nicely (after being collapsed during surgery for a camera to be inserted). He had his bandages removed and has 3 inch incisions on his sides. How amazing that they have the technology to do this surgery without opening up the front of the chest. He also has a small 1 inch incision where the camera was inserted. His progress is on the aggressive end of the recovery spectrum. He still has to sleep in a recliner until 1/18 as he can't roll on his sides until then. He can lift his arms to wash his own hair now. And the best news of all, he can go back to school with everyone else on 1/4 as long as his pain is being controlled without any of the prescription narcotics or muscle relaxers. His activity will be very restricted (can't lift more than 2 pounds and he can't bend at the waist or twist yet; so no backpack, no PE, no band). I'm guessing he'll be very tired considering most of the Christmas break has been spent in the recliner. I noticed that his outing to the doctor wore him out. He has another x-ray and appointment with the surgeon in 4 weeks. We got the list of his restrictions that are gradually lifted over the next 6 months until he is released for sports and all other strenuous activity.

I am grateful to be on the other side of his surgery. It seems like it was just yesterday when we found out the surgery was a road Tanner was going to be taking. All the research, planning and prayer...LOTS OF PRAYER!...and here we are on the road to recovery. The potential complications that the doctors are required to address with us, God has so graciously allowed to pass by us...at least it seems so at this point.

Our God is a God of wonders and I know He is a God of miracles. My husband and I both fervently asked for a miraculous healing for Tanner and for the surgery itself to pass by him. God's answer to that was 'no'. He never ceases to surprise me. I shared with you in one of the posts how truly thankful I was to have gotten the opportunity to stay at the hospital. I will not soon forget so many of the people I met there. I have shared with the Bible study ladies that I was germaphobic long before it was in vogue. In addition to concern over the surgery itself I had a significant amount of anxiety regarding the hospital stay...which also required a lot of prayer. I certainly had my Scripture spiral with me and leaned on so many of the verses I refer to when I think I might have a germaphobic 'wig out'. I can honestly tell you that God provided such a covering that not once did I even come close to 'wigging out'. I can only recall a couple of thoughts on the matter which I quickly took captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:5) through some solid Scripture and that was the end of it. His Word really is alive and active.

I had not known what to expect during our Christmas break; but I am so thankful that the four of us have been together, virtually non stop and in primarily one room. Denny and I even sleep on the sofas in the family room because Tanner is in the recliner. It is a day and night together that we really needed. I have laughed more with my kids than I have in a long time (I'm ashamed to say). And I have listened to my kids...really listened...it's hard sometimes when life is moving so fast. We've had cinema nights and football games with popcorn...okay, I usually had my laptop or a nap during the football, but I was still there. Sigh. A part of me doesn't want it all to end.

Our God is so very good to us and His ways are always right. Though so many things in life are hard and often times painful, He only has our very best interest at heart. He would not allow us to experience such things if our good, our spiritual growth, and His Glory were not at stake. Tanner's surgery, though difficult at times, has brought very unexpected blessings. Thank you LORD!

While you are here, would you scroll down to Prayer Requests and intercede for others. Our God hears...through Jesus Christ who lives to intercede for us, the One enthroned in heaven hears! LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy (Habakkuk 3:2).

Be Blessed,
Karessa