surgery #2

Hi friends,
I know, I know, I'm overdue for a blog update. Much has happened in the last couple weeks. Mike has continued healing from the gall bladder surgery. The pathology report came back and concluded what the surgeon suspected - multiple infections - one very sick organ. Mike's stomach and GI track are learning to live without the gall bladder and his pain is getting better. We did return to the ER Friday night as Mike was in quite a bit of pain - someone lifted something heavy too soon - he hasn't seen my killer biceps, apparently. ahem.

Mike also went to see a neurosurgeon today, and he said the tumor has definitely grown and should come out. He said Mike could have radiation as well to shrink it, but eventually it should come out. The surgeon could not guarantee that headaches would get better after the surgery but it should help the endocrine issues. If it doesn't, we have to stick with medication and try to figure out the headaches. One step at a time, though. We are hoping for an early July surgery date as Mike has a wedding to do in a month, and then we'd like to get away for a couple days for our anniversary before the surgery/recovery and the start of another school year for me. We are waiting to hear back from the office to schedule the surgery. Overall, we feel good about this decision. We feel like it is the right decision and are hopeful that it will help with the endocrine issues (likely) and headaches (hopefully). And what's a summer without some minor brain surgery?! That's how we roll!

I was told two weeks ago that I was moving to a new position in the middle school. You might remember I've talked about this position, really wanting to make the change of positions. I was told I couldn't take that position due to my full- time status and then things changed and I was told I could. I was thrilled. I didn't realize how much my current position was taking from me. I've seriously thought about doing something different in the near future as I really feel like in the last 5 yrs there has been a big shift in education - it is so much less about educating kids and investing in their lives which is where my heart is. All that said, I was thrilled to be moving, and working with a team I really like. Unfortunately today, it was suggested I may not move - that I stay in my current position, and I lost it - full out cryfest! This job takes SO much out of me, and with all I've carried for the last 2 yrs, I just don't have the emotional strength to do this again. There are many VERY complicated factors involved with this, but today was very crushing . . . . and the first thing I thought was, life isn't turning around to be better, life will always be hard. Life will never be restful. I will always have to be strong. I don't have a choice but to work and carry health insurance, and while I am THANKFUL for a job when there are so many without one, this job is taking an unbelievable toll on me . . . . one day at a time.


In better news, . . . . . . . . . . .MIKE IS STILL SEIZURE FREE!!!!!!!!!! It is likely at this point that it was a side effect of medication . . . . and one day when life slows down we may need to deal with the emotions of that. We asked many drs for a long time whether this was a possibility, and were told "no" every time. sigh HOWEVER, our prayer was, and remains, that we would learn what we need to throughout all this. One day at a time.