What next?

McGreeky and the team came in a little while ago with CT results. The obstruction is definitely back and not resolving well. Though the doctor doesn't want to have to do surgery, but he feels that the odds of the obstruction healing on its own are getting much smaller. His gut feeling (pun?) is that surgery will be necessary. He's going to do an x-ray in the morning to see how things compare to today, but he is willing to wait until early next week to make a decision.

After they left, Dan and I talked about what he wants. It seems as though we are simply postponing the inevitable. Dan could start to feel better and look better, but the last time that happened, we were surprised by a re-obstruction. Our fear is that that will happen again or that we will always be on the look-out for a recurrence of the obstruction. Dan's life has been put on hold for quite a while now, and he (we) would really like to work toward healing finally.

The surgery is not without lots of risk, especially considering Dan's state of health. It would be a separate incision to reach the distal part of the small bowel. It could be a simple surgery (removal of adhesions or whatever is blocking the bowel) or it could be complicated (resection of any part of the bowel that has become injured or has died). Those things will not be known until surgery has already begun. Additionally, surgeries involving the bowel could cause more adhesions and obstructions. Then, there are the normal surgery risks: infection, pain, malnutrition, etc.

Dan and I need a lot of prayer tonight to help us make a good decision. If surgery has to be done, we would rather it be done tomorrow rather than next week. Yet, there is no way to know whether or not surgery is absolutely necessary. Dan made the point that God could heal him and end this situation, but how long do we wait on God for a miracle? Perhaps, the healing we are seeking from God is coming through the hands of a surgeon. We really don't know.

Please pray that God will be very clear with us. Pray that the surgeon will stew on the situation tonight and make a firm recommendation in the morning. Pray that if surgery is required, it will be successful and the recovery would be smooth this time. Pray that we stay in the safest place in the world: God's will.

Stay tuned. The next few days may be more exciting than we would like.