I just want to give y’all a short update on my daughter, Sarah. Thursday afternoon {last week} we drove the two hours to a hotel close to the hospital because Winter Storm Jonas was closing in and we didn’t want to not be able to make it for her 8:00 am appointment.

The desk clerk at the Comfort Suites was incredibly sweet. We often stay at Comfort Suites because we have a lot of kids and we can get rooms with two double beds and a pull out sofa bed. Anyway, we did not have reservations so when we asked for the room rate and it was $90.00 {before taxes and fees} per night and we knew we’d need a few nights… She offered to help us find another hotel that would be clean and decent for less money.

But then we mentioned that Sarah was having surgery in the morning and she offered us the hospital stay rate. So we got the same room – beds for all six of us – for only $60.00 per night. What a blessing!

Friday morning we checked her into the hospital and at 10:00 am they finally took her back for surgery. My mom {pictured below} had come up from Georgia to be there so the two of us sat together and waited for news. From time to time someone would come and give us an update. The surgery lasted roughly 4 hours and then she was in recovery for about an hour.

When the doctor came out to talk to us, he gave us a good report! He was able to take all of the presently diseased and thickened tissue from her small intestine and colon, leaving only healthy tissue. He said he expected her to have a full recovery, go into remission, and feel much better very soon.

The day after surgery, Sarah, weak, but determined to get better {and get home} followed her doctor’s orders to be up for two hours and walking as much as possible. She went for two walks and sat in a chair, and did her breathing exercises. Nurses were cheering her and everyone commented on how fast she had gotten back on her feet after such a tough surgery.

Sunday, the doctor said he wanted her up for six hours. And she did it. Despite the pain and some nausea, she pushed through. Sunday night was rough. She was up and in the bathroom every hour through the night and sometimes more than once. Monday, she felt weak and struggled. The doctor said that her white blood count was up and they changed the protocol in the room. Everyone wore gowns and gloves and they brought in red trashcans.

I think she finally got up out of the bed around noon and we walked as much as possible and she did stay up for the eight hours the doctor had suggested. Until she suddenly got really chilled.

We piled warm blankets on her and she just kept saying she felt “so sick.” An hour later she had a fever of 101.3 and then it went up to 101.8. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray, blood cultures, and a new antibiotic.

Tuesday has been her hardest day so far. She’s hardly eaten all day until about 8:00 when she decided to eat a little supper, she has walked some, she’s been up for a few hours. I took her down in a wheelchair to the garden today and she sat in a rocking chair and enjoyed what was left of the snow and rocked for a while, breathing in the fresh air. Thankfully she seems quite improved from last night and hasn’t had fever since.

We have been so very blessed with her doctor/ surgeon. He’s just amazing and incredibly attentive. Sunday was his day off, there was snow everywhere and the roads were bad and he came in to see her anyway. He takes a holistic approach to medicine and there’s just nothing we haven’t been impressed with. He’s everything we could have wanted in a doctor. Sarah’s gastro doctor had referred us – we didn’t pick him – and yet his philosophy is right in line with what we believe regarding health and there’s just no question that God worked all of that out for us.

Not only that, but this hospital is one of the best hospitals I’ve ever been to. We’ve told everyone here how much we’ve loved everything about this place. From the staff, to the building, to how they do things… so very thankful this is where Sarah had her surgery.

Hopefully we’ll be headed home soon where she can finish recovering – about 4 – 6 weeks for full recovery. So many of you have been praying for her and I really appreciate it! Thank you!