Can you say UNDERESTIMATED?? ..... Boy was I wrong...

It's me.... I'm back.  Nearly 10 pounds lighter, some newer parts, much cooler scars and better stories to tell. But it's still me.

Now as for the title... I was so wrong and I seriously underestimated this surgery. I thought going in that the hardest things would be the days leading up to the surgery because anxiety levels would build and you inevitably have the "this could be the last time I ....(you fill in the blank) " thoughts.  I thought once I woke up I would be cruising on meds and gladness to be alive.  Well, I was SO wrong. I  did wake up, obviously,  and I did thank God.  But, let me tell you I hurt and since I have never been on hardcore drugs, i.e. oxycodone or fentanyl, I did not have clue what they would do to me. It wasn't pleasant. I don't even want to describe it to you. So I was relegated to less potent non narcotic meds. Once we figured the right ones and amount, things settle pretty quickly.

As for the surgery, the surgeon said it went great.  He grafted in a new aorta, repaired the aortic valve and said my heart was "perfect". He sees a lot of them and I know what he means, but I know my inner man and know it isn't perfect. There's a scar that's about 10-12 inches long that all the medical people keep calling "beautiful ".  I've never been called beautiful before, so I'll take it.

Now, what was I not wrong about. What did I not underestimate.
1. Well, first my God. He is good and faithful and loving and compassionate, through everything. He is my King and I'm so glad He is my savior.
2. My wife. Very few of you truly know what kind of woman she is. I'm not saying that to speak to anything about you but rather to everything about her. She is like granite in her walk with our God. As I read the titles of the blogs that she wrote when I couldn't write, my knowledge was renewed that she is twice the woman of God and wife and mother that I am a man.  Her posts were amazing testaments to her love relationship with our God.  I know she struggled with some things but I know her victory.  Not to mention her rock solid help of me. Don't let her fool you in her one post when she said "Jeremiah and I were reading Psalm 121 together". She was reading to me! She was pulling me up.   I was struggling and she held the hand of her Lord and reached out to rescue me.  She is amazing!
3. My kids. I found out more than ever how truly strong and capable and Godly those three are this week. To see them go through what they did this week and handle it as they did, you cannot miss what God has done. The Wednesday before my surgery, all three of them had appointments to get checked for the bicuspid aortic valve because it is so strongly genetic. We had previously been told by a local pediatric cardiologist that they were all fine but he was less than inspirational in is assessment.  So we had them checked in Cleveland by a clinic Dr. who deals with these a lot. Both boys have bicuspid aortic valves. Abby does not.  For Caleb this means his dream of being a Marine, is gone. For the boys future, for now, it just means tracking things.  But to see the way they all responded, was/is amazing.
4. My family. You all have responded in such awesome and varied ways, that have come along side of us and met needs and filled gaps that have been awesome.  From holding hands, giving hugs, having conversations, keeping steady to raising money, meeting needs, providing food and gifts. You have all been an incredible blessing.
5. My friends. This speaks at so many levels. Some of you are my closest friends and have met my family's needs in a variety of ways. You have done things for my kids that were so special and touching that I have been encouraged. Others of you, who I would still call friends, have done other things and met other need, especially financial ones, that have taken the load of having any worry about where it was going to come from.  It was so nice to know that when Ana or the kids needed something to eat or drink, or frankly just wanted it, they didn't have to hesitate, they could just do it. That meant a lot of stress relief.

Lord willing, I'll be in the comfort of my own home tonight. Away from all the monitors and tests and noises and smells of a hospital. I was discharged at approximately 3:30 pm and we are closing in on Erie PA now. Only a few  hours to go to get home and start the long road of strengthening and complete recovery.   But God has brought us this far.

With all of our heart, Thank you to all of you ...