Steady Freddy

Since I've had a few people mention that they haven't read anything new on the blog for a while, I thought we should probably blog again.

Since the last blog, we have gone to Stanford twice for meetings with the surgeon and the oncologist. Dan's wound is healing, but being difficult. He still has a hole the size of a dime, which has to be packed a couple times a day. Luckily, his second surgical wound looks good...and will hopefully stay that way.

Aside from advising us on the wound situation, the docs also met with us to make a decision regarding the next step. Due to the several complications and setbacks, Dan hadn't truly been able to recover from any of his surgeries and was being a bit pressured to "hurry up" with the next one. Dan and I set about intelligently gathering information and advice from his doctors to assure we were making the right decisions. Honestly, his docs agreed that he needed more time to heal, but still advised surgery as the next step. Accordingly, we are looking at the second half of the surgery late in the summer.

Another good part to the doctors wanting to let Dan heal is that the embolization procedure (cutting off the blood supply to the right side of the liver to test regrowth of the left side) is going to be after graduation. Yay! One less thing to stress about for now.

Did I mention I'm graduating next week? Yes, you read that correctly. Next week! My clinical hours are finished, my research hours are finished, my classes are finished, and I have very little left to do. This is a strange season. My friends are beginning to move away, we are competing against each other for jobs, and we're saying goodbye after 5 years of constant together-ness. Weird and sad, but necessary.

Next week's schedule:
Monday-Class party
Tuesday-Senior Baccalaureate (reflection?)
Wednesday-Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Honor Society Ceremony
Thursday-Pinning Ceremony (Traditional nursing graduation)...a BIG DEAL
Friday-Fun with family!!!
Saturday-Graduation!!!

We have a busy week ahead of us, but it is so exciting. We're looking forward to beginning a new chapter of our lives soon...new apartment, new jobs, no school, no more cancer...God willing.

Prayer Requests:
* No complications or new problems
* No hospitalizations or illnesses until after graduation
* A job! (I've had 4 interviews)
* Safe travels for family coming down
* A safe and uncomplicated embolization procedure

The Latest

We're headed back to Stanford for Dan's first appointment since being released a few weeks ago. It has been nice to have a break from doctor appointments and tests and such. Hopefully, this will be an easy appointment with no need for tests and no need for any hospital admissions. Basically, we're praying for good news and no surprises.

I've still been doing dressing changes 3 times a day, which is getting tiring for both Dan and I. Yet, I'd rather do it at home than have a nurse do it in the hospital. Dan's new incision is healing nicely (finally), while we were within a week of his old wound healing and it opened up a bit again. A blister formed over the scar tissue, the blister popped a couple nights ago, and gave us a bit of a scare since it bled quite a bit. We thought it was healing back up, but today the new tissue split a little again revealing an open hole under his scar. Ugh. Hopefully, it's just a hole in the scar tissue under the scar, and it will heal up completely.

I'm thankful it happened right before a doctor appointment, so I can get the surgeon's advice. Please pray this is just a little hole from the blister and not anything serious at all. Dan's not worried; his dad isn't worried, but of course, I am worried. I've gotten used to Dan actually being home. I really don't want to have him leave again. :(

Anyway, time is speeding by. I have 12 hours (out of 188) of clinical time left. Graduation is in 28 days. Wow. Please be in prayer that Dan and I can share in this next month living together and celebrating the end of nursing school without any complications or hospitalizations. Having my husband with me for senior banquet, Pinning and graduation would be the greatest graduation present imaginable. So, ask God for this good gift with me :)