Figures

Well this is not what I had hoped to post as our next update.  

The CT scan last night revealed that Katie needs to go back into surgery - today.  

Despite her good day yesterday, the connection between her small and large intestine is not working properly.  That junction is where the previous surgery removed her cecum, the appendix, the tumor, and some lymph nodes.  Perhaps something kinked, or twisted in a way that it shouldn’t have, or the scar tissue didn’t form as they’d hoped it would - it’s not really important why.  

The surgeons here at MD Anderson will remove Katie’s right colon (the ‘up’ part of the large intestines), which is about 12 inches worth, as well as 4-5 inches of her small intestines, then splice the two back together.  I didn’t understand fully, but apparently there’s also a sack that feeds the area which is full of lymph nodes, and they will remove the whole thing, which is the proper way to do it when treating for cancer.  The doctor mentioned that Katie almost certainly would have needed this surgery at some point to remove the remaining lymph nodes, so we may as well get it done today.  

There are no long-term health effects to removing that much of her colon or to anything else they’re doing today.  She is expected to be in the hospital for another 5-7 days after the surgery, and it will take another 3-4 weeks before she is at 80-90% recovered.  Around that time, they will likely want to start a round of chemo, but that decision is still a ways off.  

This will be open surgery, not laparoscopic, and will last about 2 hours.  The doctors here want to have a good look around while they’re in there to see if there’s anything else they should be concerned about.  We don’t have a time scheduled just yet, but they’ll get her in as soon as they can.  

I was going to apologize because this post didn’t have any of our usual humor, but then I remembered this.  After discussing all this with us, the surgeon came back in to have Katie sign the paperwork, and he was going to have her use the back of a tissue box to sign.  Instead, I handed him a folder that would serve the purpose a bit better.  I said, “Here, use this - it’s bigger and harder.”  

In true Katie fashion, she interjected, “That’s what she said.”

If you didn’t get the joke, please don’t ask me to explain.  :-)

I blessed Katie with Lourdes water last night and this morning.  Two days ago, she received the Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick - the sacramental trifecta. I’m writing this in the family waiting room down the hall so that she can sleep.  I don’t know how she could sleep after hearing this news, but I know that she’ll want a few minutes to process it by herself before she’s ready to process it with me.  

This is a tough blow.  Our oldest son, John, turns 6 tomorrow.  I had hoped to spend the day with him, and now I’m not sure if that will be possible.  Katie had hoped to be home by Saturday for his (primarily family) birthday party - that will definitely not happen.  

One quick housekeeping note - there’s a Follow by Email box on the left.  I think that if you put your email address in there, you’ll get an email as soon as I post.  I’ll also post the post to Facebook if that’s how you hear about these updates.  If you’re not my friend on FB already, feel free to friend me to get those.  I’ll try to accept friend requests while she’s in surgery, but no promises.  I’ll send out a very brief update after the surgery to let you know she’s out and recovering.  As always, please remember to like, share, or get the word out to prayer warriors in any way you know how.  

And of course, please pray.  Jesus is the divine physician.  Sometimes he heals through miracles, but I think he mostly heals through medical professionals, and the best ones for the job are taking care of Katie.  Please pray for them as they care for her.  

Thank you for your prayers, and may God abundantly bless you this Lent.  

David