I left you with a cliffhanger the last time so I will fill you in....
Neuro inplant went great!
Greg and I arrived at the hospital at 10:00 as we were told to a week ago on 4/22. Well, I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since midnight, so as time kept passing, I felt more and more wilted. I think I finally went in at noon or so to get prepped. Surgery had gone slower than planned that morning, so that was the tie up. Anyway, once the IV went in I felt better and everyone was wonderful. We had been hoping and praying for an anesthesiologist who would understand Dr. R's need for me to be somewhat awake so she would have the added assurance that the "lead" or wire was placed correctly by getting my input about what I was feeling. The doc. doing the annesthesia was fantastic. She understood completely and all went perfectly. I had no pain and remember flicking in and out to give them the answers they needed. So all went very smoothly.
As I expected, I was very sore for a few days and moved slowly. The bladder "pacemaker" is about 1 1/2" to 2" below the surface in my right hip. I can feel the constant background hum of it working but don't notice it without thinking about it. I was taught how to use the remote, which has a few different programs on it. I go in to have it checked over on Thursday this week. I think it needs to be turned up more, so we will do that then. As far as healing, it is still a little tender on the spot where the device was put, but not much. So thank you for praying for this. I have an official card that I am to carry all the time, and have to stay away from the screening machines at the airpirt from now on. I will test how that goes next week when Greg and I fly to Jenni's graduation at Grove City. I think I may need to have a med alert bracelet made.
Since we won't be at Partners much longer, that means health insurance will falll completely on us to pay for. That will be a huge expense. I have a few more doctors to see before that happens to make sure all bases are covered. I see my oncologist and breast surgeon later this month. I don't know why but the right side of my chest is getting smaller or the left bigger so that now it is about a 1 to 2 ratio. That is new and if nothing else, it is getting harder and harder to get clothes to fit. I also have a sore left knee after falling on it a few times this winter- on the ice.
Transitions
So here is the situation... We don't know where we will be living in a year when she will be getting married. If we are here, we have lots figured out. But if we need to move, things get really complicated. She has ordered her dress online and it should be here at the end of the month. It is beautiful and we can recommend some inexpensive websites if you are in the market! Jenni will be here then before she goes back to Pittsburgh for her engineering job in late June.( Jenni asked for prayer that her security clearance will go through smoothly. If it doesn't, it could cost her her job.) Anyway, one transition is to figure out where we will be living, and where to plan the wedding.
But before that happens, we need to figure out what the Lord is calling us to do next. A Christian leader and friend visited us last Monday and gave us some very good input on questions to ask ourselves to help us in our search and decision making. PLEASE PRAY for us as we do this. We are very touched that a friend and co-worker at Partners told us he is doing a 40 day fast to ask God to guide us to the next thing. He is also praying for Partners. We received word on Saturday that a $585,000 gift has come in which will help the ministry out of the truely critical financial situation we were in. We are so grateful to the Lord for showing His desire to have PI survive.
Greg is working very hard these days, listening to the Lord and talking to people. Pray for him to be discerning and for me to be quiet when I need to be. We don't have the luxury of time to figure things out. Our support base is at approximately 50% of what it was, and we will be dependant on that to pay the bills including our insurance premiums. God is big and has always taken care of us, so I know I can trust Him. But I am feeling vulnerable. It takes time to raise support. We do have the best team in all of history though!
If you know me, you know that I really have peace deep down inside, and sometimes just have to feel how I feel. And I process things out loud. I don't hold much in. So know that, and don't worry about me- just pray for me to rest in the Lord. I feel sorry for the weeds I just pulled out of the yard before I wrote this! The Lord and I were communicating as I wrestled with them. It was healthy.
Well, I need to get the guestroom ready for Pastor Noah from Timbuktu who Jesse worked with 2 years ago in Mali. We get to have him overnight. Our friend who is fasting told me that he thinks one of the most significant things the Lord did during our 4 years here is the relationships He has established with our international partners and with the staff. I agree with him. When asking the Lord if we should come here, He told me He was offering me a gift- that it would be like receiving a platter of my favorite desserts. Well, those desserts clearly represent the amazing brothers and sisters He introduced me to during this time. Noah is one of those. I am so very rich for the these experiences and relationships.
I will let you go for now. Thank you for praying and caring. God bless you! Nancy Fritz nancyfritz@aol.com
2 comments:
I'm holding you in prayer as you once again wait on God... for more desserts..
love, mary
love you, Nancy - and keeping you guys in my prayers.
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