Farts

Special treat for today’s post - Katie!

Your first update from me:  This has, by far, been one of the most challenging obstacles I have ever had to overcome, and the cancer treatment hasn’t even started.  I’m doing my best to take it one step at a time.  Today was a bit of a setback, but I am still hanging on.  It is truly a magnificent experience to know we are being sustained by your prayers.  We are humbled and overjoyed at your support.  

I had the good fortune to meet up with a friend of ours from back in the day when David was a youth minister.  I love this small world that we live in!  She and I reiterated the importance of being specific in prayer.  So, with much humility, I ask for you to pray for me to pass gas.  That’s life on the GI wing of the hospital.  

[David again… womp womp]

So…. let me explain that just a little.  Actually, first I want to go back - waaaay back. High school.  Most of you probably know that Katie and I met during our junior year of high school and started dating in the middle of our senior year.  I don’t know why, but one of my earliest memories of her is at Amazon Grill in the Galleria with about 20 of us from youth group.  By the way, is there still an Amazon there?  I always forget because whenever we go to Amazon these days it’s the one in the village.  Anyway, I specifically remember a belching contest breaking out, and Katie out-belching all the guys.  Guys who went to all-boys schools where belch is the vernacular.  At Amazon Grill.  In public.  And at that moment, I knew that she was the woman for me.  Ok, maybe there was more to our story than that, but I’m trying to make a point here, ok?

So, given that background, it might not seem like such a stretch for her to be open about requesting 1,600 of her closest friends to pray for her flatulence.  Sidebar - you shared this on Facebook so much that we had over 1,600 page views in one day.  #stunned.  Ok, that’s officially the one and only time I’ll use a hashtag.  #promise.  Dang.  Ok, I’m giving up hashtags for Lent, which means that you can REALLY look forward to Sunday’s post.  

Back to flatulence.  As I mentioned yesterday, Katie is recovering from an ileus, which means that her intestines (aka bowels) aren’t letting anything past.  The doctors will know that the ileus has healed when she a) passes gas, b) poops, and c) is able to keep food down.  So farts are step 1.  Please pray for farts.  Seriously.  If anyone knows a patron saint of gas, please let us know so we can do a lighting-round 9 hour novena to them.  #notjoking 

There's a lesson somewhere in this hashtag thing about Lent and continuing to fail, then getting up trying again, but that's not what this blog is about.  For that kind of thing, go see Gomer and Luke at catchingfoxes.  Or don't, because sometimes they curse.  Ok fine - they usually curse.  

Katie mentioned that today was a bit of a setback, but I’m not sure I agree.  On a whole, I’d say she’s made progress.  True, it’s been a rough day because she had a lot of nausea and vomiting.  But she’s peeing well, walking a lot, and sat in the rocker watching TV for a good long time today.  There’s a lot less fluid coming out of the NG tube, which likely means that it’s being processed downstream, and the fluid is a lighter green than yesterday (the lighter the healthier).  All that said, the nausea is really hard on her.  She reminded me recently that she always said she’d make a terrible cancer patient because she hates nausea ALMOST as much as she loves sleep.  It turns out that the reality isn’t far from what she’d imagined, and we haven’t even started talking about chemo yet.  

So to recap, the day started out really good for her, so the doctors tried disconnecting the NG from the pump for a few hours to see how she’d do.  Turns out her bowels weren’t quite ready for that and it threw her back in to nausea & vomiting, so they hooked it back up, loaded her up with anti-nausea medication, and after some rest, she’s doing well again.  I’m here at the hospital tonight and as I write, she’s resting peacefully waiting for me to finish this blog post so I can turn out the lights and we can go to bed.  

Before I do, I need to mention a couple quick things.

1.  To anyone that shared or liked us on Facebook - thank you!  We need prayers more than anything, and sharing and liking increases the number of people that see this and pray for her.  Please continue to share and like these posts.  We need your prayers, and will continue to need them.  

2.  We are speechless at your generosity.  Never would I imagine that we would raise this much money, much less in one day.   All I can say is Thank You!

3.  Emails, texts, and phone calls.  Many of you have called, emailed, texted, left Facebook posts, or commented here.  Thank you so much for all the kind words!  Know that we love you and appreciate you reaching out, but we simply do not have the time or energy to pick up the phone every time it rings or respond to every text or Facebook post.  Also, Kate hasn't been on her phone much at all because she's focused on healing.  If you want to get a message through, text me.  You can text her, but she has a LOT of texts that she hasn't read right now.  Please don't take this to mean that we don’t want you to call and leave messages or send texts, because we do, but please don’t be offended if we don’t respond.  

Ok.  I’m going to put the hospital-standard Egyptian Cotton 1500 thread count sheets on this convertible chair and try to catch some shut-eye before the next nurse comes in for vitals or labs or whatnot.  Please pray that she sleeps well, and that she farts.  

Thank you, we love you, and may God abundantly bless you!

David