Updates on Jeff, surgery and such

It has been a long week. A very very long week. Jeff had surgery on Tuesday, they removed the tumor and a portion of the colon along with the lymph nodes in that area, and placed a temporary illiostemy so that he can heal properly. The surgery went wonderfully, they removed all cancer they can see without a microscope (we are still waiting on the biopsy to make sure the edges were clear) and they were able to save Jeff's muscles so that he illiostemy will be temporary. 

He was very drugged and hurting after getting out of surgery, but they got his pain under control and he was feeling better by the next day. The next day went well, he walked a mile worth of laps around the hospital and started eating a normal diet.

The next day he started getting really tired and just very sick to his stomach. Since then we have had a lot of ups and downs. The bad side is that we are still in the hospital, he has had a few very sick and painful days, and his digestive system still hasn't " woke up" yet. Basically, it doesn't like to be touched, so it sort of goes into shock and goes to sleep. So when he eats it has no where to go because his digestive system is still asleep, so the pressure builds up which causes a lot of pain and makes him very sick. 

The good news is, he is wireless! He is currently recieving medications by IV but he has also taken them orally, so as soon as his digestive system wakes up, we will be here for another day or so, and then can come home! We have also found a good mix of nausea/pain medications to keep him comfortable and healing until his digestive system does wake up. He is walking well and the huntsman has been great.

The hospital doesn't want anyone here under the age of 14 because of the nasty flu bug going around, and that includes Emma. So I have had to leave her at home, which has been hard, but on the other side leaving jeff has been hard too. Emma has done great and been happy and sweet, but will not take breast milk from a bottle or sipper cup. But she will take water and will eat baby food so she is not hungry, and our wonderful family has helped me make sure someone is always there to help Jeff and that someone always is available to take care of Emma while I go to be with Jeff. 

This week has been faith building for me. After a few very hard and somewhat miserable days, and a lot of praying and soul searching, I realized that I must choose to be happy and see the wonderful blessings around me. There are a few statements, or truths I guess that I have not been able to forget 1) our adversity and afflictions will be but a moment, sometimes it seems a very long moment, but it will pass. 2) through the atonement, I know that Christ has suffered for me, all my sins and pain and Jeff's pain, and he will help us handle what we cannot. 3) we are being prepared, I don't know what for, but both me and jeff have had the strong impression that we are being prepared for something. 4)this is temporary, Jeff is progressing, he has had many priesthood blessings that he will recover fully and have full function of his body. He was promised that through faith and fasting and prayer we can make it through this and have our faith strengthened and be  roughy even closer together as a family. I know that through the priesthood, jeff can be healed. I have felt my faith strengthened this week. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and knows what I am going through. I am not alone, this week, even with all the support has been hard and lonely, and the knowledge that he knows what I am going through and that I am not alone has helped me many nights. My wonderful little family keeps me going too, Emma's happy smiles and slobbery kisses, and Jeff's quiet strength and holding his hand through this makes me strong. I wish I could be there all the time for both of them, but I think that I am doing the best I can and Heavenly Father will make up the difference.

Thank you so much for all the help, support and love you have given us, it means so much to us and we really appreciate it. 

Hopefully by this time next week we will be home and all together as a family again. :) 

Jeff walking in the hall today, not too much pain!

Emma playing with Amy while being babysat. :)