For Health and Strength...

Well, for those of you who don't know, it's been an eventful past few days! Sunday afternoon our family went for a lovely drive up Payson canyon to check out some camp sites and have a Sunday picnic. On the way home, Ben started saying that his stomach was bothering him. By the time we got home, the pain was pretty intense. I got the kids showered and in bed and by about 9:30, Ben was really struggling. He suggested that we go to the hospital. So, (being the totally awesome wife that I am) I kind of second guessed him. (I know, awful, right?) Ben has dealt with some pretty major stomach pain in the past and we have been to the hospital before, where they tell us it's just "some random virus" and that they can't do a lot to treat it, but that they would still like to admit him to observe him because he has no spleen and they don't want him to go septic. Then they put him in a room and keep him on fluids and sometimes antibiotics and then send him home and charge us a thousand or so for their "help". I just didn't want another huge bill to undertake if it was going to be another "random virus". But by 10:00 it was only getting worse. So we loaded up in the van, took the video baby monitor to the next door neighbor (Thank you SOOO much Cassie for staying up so late just to keep an ear out for our kids!!!) and headed down to the Hospital. They got us in really fast (which was a blessing) and started some tests. Ben had no accompanying symptoms this time (no diarrhea or vomiting which he had always had before) so the Dr. ordered a CT scan this time around. They found a pretty angry appendix there! They admitted Ben and told us they would most likely operate in the morning, after the surgeon came and looked at the scan and talked to Ben. So we got him all settled and I came home to be with the kids and try and get a little rest. My Mom came the next morning to watch the kids while I went back to the hospital.
Ben went in for surgery around 8:30 Monday morning. They were concerned that they might not be able to do the procedure laproscopically because of all the previous surgeries that Ben has had on his abdomen and the amount of scar tissue that would most likely be there, but in the end they didn't have to cut him open (another major blessing!) Ben's Mom and Dad came to wait with me while he was in surgery and stayed for quite a while after he was in his room, recovering. It was so nice to have them there! We are so lucky to have such a supportive group of family and friends!
We were hoping that Ben would be able to come home that evening, but it wasn't in the cards! He just wasn't able to meet any of the discharge requirements, so we felt that he should stay one more night just to make sure that everything was okay.

Finally, on Tuesday morning, Ben called and said that they felt like he was ready to come home. So the kids and I loaded up and headed out to "Go find Daddy!!" as Kaylie put it! The kids were so excited and happy to see Daddy again! We got his medications and headed home. He did pretty well through the day, but was still in quite a bit of discomfort. It was a slightly rough night. I could tell that Ben wasn't really comfortable and so it made it a little hard for me to sleep because I felt so helpless. I can only do so much for him. But we survived! I think he's feeling a little better today, but it will take a long time before he is really back to his old self. He isn't supposed to do any lifting (more than twenty pounds) or strenuous work or exercise for 6 weeks!
Throughout this whole thing, I have been trying to look for the blessings. I am so glad that this happened now and not this weekend when we were on the top of a mountain and quite far away from medical help. Or two months from now, when we will have a brand new baby at home! Can you imagine us both in the hospital at the same time?!?
I am so grateful for healthy strong bodies! I can't imagine what it would be like to care for someone long term with a major illness or disability. I have so much respect for the care givers and family members of people in that situation! My prayers for those people will increase from this point on! I am blessed to live in this day and age, when modern medicine makes such amazing treatments possible.
So, thank you for all of the loving thoughts and prayers that you have sent our way during this trial! We are so grateful to the friends and family who have offered to help and have given their time and service to us! I will let you know how things are progressing!