Slight Fever and First Outing

Probably because both kids are dealing with illnesses, Liza came down with a slight fever yesterday afternoon. At least we are praying that there is no other cause for it. There is no indication that it has anything to do with her surgery. It is still worrisome though, so please pray that her fever, which she still has a bit of, will go away. She actually had two very bad "spells" yesterday where she almost blacked out. She got up from bed two different times and within a few seconds caught herself on the wall as "everything went black." In our consultations, we think it was just a side effect of fatigue and the slight fever. We are keeping a close eye on it though.

Andrew and Izzy are still trying to get over their respective crud, although they may be dealing with the same thing now because they "share" so many of their things. We are also gearing up for Izzy's second birthday party on Saturday. We planned small for Liza's sake but the whole family pitched in for something very cool for our little girl. Look for pictures this weekend.

I also just dropped Liza off at the studio! Can you believe it? She did not go to teach, of course, she just wanted to see a few of her students and watch rehearsal for about a half hour. I am about to go fetch her again, though I am worried that it will backfire on her tonight. She hasn't been out except to go to the doctor visits since the surgery. I'm glad she felt up to it but am worried that she'll feel poorly afterwards. I'm on break from a double at work right now, so I'll go back for Halloween night at a fine dining restaurant - can there be anything more fun than that?

The Latest Fashion

As you can see Liza's hair is growing back quickly but not quick enough for her. The incision site looks really good to me, but still gives her the willies. She slept in today till almost noon which really set her up for a better-than-average day. She actually said that she only had a couple of small headaches today and that they didn't last long. The nerve pain was all she struggled with. Now that Izzy's getting over her sickness, Andrew has a virus. I took him to see our wonderful doctor this afternoon and found out he has Adeno virus. His teacher and other classmates at preschool have also had it. He's not tremendously bad, we can just tell that he's not his normal cheerful self. He's got irritated eyes, congestion, cough, light fever, and the squirts. Good times.

I (Scot) have been scheduled to work a double tomorrow and Wednesday, so please pray that we have adequate help with the kiddos. Here they are having a picnic on the hood of my car. We are in new territory here, since I've been off from work for almost three full weeks now. I started back this weekend and it went very smoothly with regular sitters and Liza's mum. For the next two days, I'm sure we will be blessed with the same loving help we've been receiving. Again, many blessings to you all and thank you for your service, thoughts, comments, and prayers.

Here comes the Headache

Liza has labeled today the day of the headache. Thus far her pain has been more pressure and nerve pain, but today a plain ol' headache has camped out. She wasn't able to sleep well last night for the pain and has struggled to rest enough today although she had a few opportunities. The evening has been rather rambunctious because of the kids. Andrew has developed a nasty cough and a fever so I'll be taking him to talk to the doctor in the morning. Izzy is showing signs of feeling better, she's been getting over croup, but she's been whining incessantly. We think both of them are struggling with the change of lifestyle and especially the change in mommy. I think they are very ready for some normality, but unfortunately they will have to wait a bit longer.

I've started back to work this weekend and will work just two days this coming week. That has put some pressure on those who have offered to help us with the kids and they have responded in beautiful ways. Our church, family and friends have loved us and served us in Biblical proportions. We are still here and struggling through. Thanks for your prayers.

From the Bed to the Chair

Liza said that today was rough. The pain on the left side of her neck and head is quite difficult to describe. She said it feels like nerve damage. Just left along, the sensation is not bad although the headache is ever present. But just the lightest touch or stroke of the hair sends shooting pain over the front of her head. It's difficult for me to imagine just how strange and uncomfortable that is.

She spent most of the day between the bed and the chair in the living room, which is just what I want her to do. Today she obliged. The kids are starting to show signs of confusion at Mommy's new limitations and maybe a bit of rebellion or acting out. We're not freaking out yet and we've got amazing help when we need it. We think normality is coming...maybe not as soon as Liza would like, but it is coming. (The pic is our kids with my brother Travis.)

An Old Puritan Prayer

I found this early this morning and thought I would share it.

Thou incomprehensible but prayer-hearingGod, known but beyond knowledge, revealed but unrevealed, my wants and welfare draw me to Thee, for Thou hast never said, 'Seek ye Me in vain.' To Thee I come in my difficulties, necessities, distresses. Possess me with Thyself, with a spirit of grace and supplication, with a prayerful attitude of mind, with access into warmth of fellowship, so that in the ordinary concerns of life my thoughts and desires may rise to Thee, and in habitual devotion I may find a resource that will soothe my sorrow, sanctify my successes and qualify me in all ways for dealing with my fellow men. I bless Thee that Thou hast made me capable of knowing Thee, the Author of all being, of resembling Thee, the Perfection of all excellency, of enjoying Thee, the Source of all happiness. Oh, God, attend me in every part of my arduous and trying pilgrimage. I need the same counsel, defense, comfort I found at my beginning. Let my religion be more obvious to my conscience, more perceptible to those around. While Jesus is representing me in heaven, may I reflect Him on earth. While He pleads my cause, may I show forth His praise. Continue the gentleness of Thy goodness towards me. And, whether I wake or sleep, let Thy presence go with me, Thy blessing attend me. Thou hast led me on, and I have found Thy promises true. I have been sorrowful, but Thou hast been my help, fearful, but Thou hast delivered me, despairing, but Thou hast lifted me up. Thy vows are ever upon me, and I praise thee, oh, God.

The Trouble with Patience

Liza had a relatively good day. I asked her this afternoon what her pain level was, and she said a 4 (out of 10). That's pretty good..."unless you're the one with the 4," a friend told me today. So again, she is making slow progress. Although she is still a bit unnerved by the incision, I think the scar on her neck is almost invisible. Over time I doubt if anyone will be able to tell that it is there. Liza may not even be able to feel it by touch, the incision is so tight. But again, she doesn't like it when I say that. I probably wouldn't either if it were my head.

The trouble with a bit of relief from pain is that you think you can do more. Well, after washing a few dishes or bending over to pick up toys, the trouble catches up. Liza's pain level is communicating to her through her level of activity. And being the hard-working, active, mom and wife that she is, it has been difficult to slow...down.... It's only been two weeks and one day since the operation, but it feels much longer. She still has a long way to go to full recovery, but we are confident, yet hopeful, that she will get there. We have another doctor's visit next week Friday and a follow-up MRI to check the progress of the surgery site about a month out.

In the meantime, keep praying for Liza as you think of her and I'll keep filling you in on her progress. You may also think and pray for my little Izzy. I had to take her to the doctor this morning. She had croup with a dry wheezy cough and the sniffles. We're giving her lots of fluids, cranking up the humidity in her room, and treating symptoms with lots of love and Dimetapp. Andrew is awesome and loving school and riding his bike. I'm still here too. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. You are treasures to us.

Puffy Head

No, I'm not calling names. Liza says that today she felt like her head was "puffy." Although that sounds somewhat serious, we can't see any serious swelling or other significant signs of something shocking...sweet! But seriously, we spoke to Shirley on the phone and she didn't seem worried about the "puffy" head. She just insisted that Liza not pick up the kids, which has been difficult for her. A fringe benefit for me has been snuggling much more with Izzy. I think she needs so much in one day and I'm getting the spill-over. Liza joined the three of us outside in the lovely, and sometimes chilly, weather for a lunch picnic. She tried unsuccessfully to get a good nap but we're set up now for a relatively uneventful evening...we hope. Here's a pic of Liza and the kids today. Please pray that the puffiness, swelling, and pain, which is almost exclusively still on her left side, will go away. Many blessings.

Best Friends

Tonight has traditionally been Liza and my small group night. We attend Faith Bible Church, formerly Faith Community Church, almost entirely because we were welcomed and loved by a small group of newly married couples. Out of that group came the small group we've been a part of now for a few years. They have quickly become our best friends, and their response to Liza's illness has been nothing short of extraordinary. They have invented ways to show their love for us. Although we haven't been to our Tuesday night time for some time now, I took Izzy and some freshly baked cookies over tonight to say how much we love them and how much we have missed our time together. This nucleus of couples, all with children about the same age, has meant the world to us. They have made us more like Christ and allowed us to grow and change in ways we never would have without them. I was just reflecting on all of this tonight. Liza and I can't wait to get back with them.

Comfort and Affliction

I don't believe that there is any feeling or experience better than opening up the Scriptures and realizing that God is speaking directly to you. He spoke this morning. I've been reading the Psalms but also started 2 Corinthians this morning. The first part of chapter 1 seems extremely relevant to us right now.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the suffering of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ... Indeed we (Paul and Timothy) had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope."

We have truly been comforted by all of you, who obviously have been comforted by God in your own struggles. We hope to comfort others as we struggle through this affliction ourselves, and have been blessed to do so already in some small ways. God loves to have us be utterly dependent upon Him, seeking hope from no other source but Him. He alone deserves to be the object of our hope.

Liza is currently resting. Although she did not sleep well last night, today she has been "unable to stay awake." That's a great thing and the kids and I will try to maintain and environment conducive to more sleep as best we can. She's also been trying to space out her meds and even wean herself off them because of some of the negative side effects that have been showing up. This of course does not mute the pain as much as it did last week, so she's been in a fragile way pain-wise. However, last night it was just the four Polloks and it was actually quite good. I think the kids enjoyed just being us again. Liza watched a lot from her chair as we wrestled and played hide-n-seek. She smiled a bit in between the grimaces. Again, I think we're seeing slow progress, slow...painful...progress. Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts.

Two steps forward, one step back

That is how Liza has described the last few days. She's said it several times. Today has been a "one step back" day. She's had significant pain in her neck and head and has been unable to rest properly. Thus far she's been superb in her resolve and patience, but I can tell that she is getting really really tired of feeling so poorly. Even though it hasn't been that long since the surgery, the painful and sleepless hours add up very quickly. Please continue to pray for her pain and her stamina. Some more of your wonderfully encouraging comments wouldn't hurt either. Many blessings.

Home Makeover connection

First of all, Liza had a relatively good day. She stayed home from church this morning to sleep but found it difficult until just before we all got home. Everyone did take a good nap though and then the kids and my family played outside for a while. Liza did catch a good nap and is going to bed for the night right now. Her pain has been manageable today and she was able to enjoy the kids and her side of the family that visited tonight. Baby Zander, Liza's new nephew, has a lovely way of brightening her day. Her hair is growing rapidly and the incision on the back of her head is looking much better, in my opinion. The strangest thing lately is a shooting pain that comes when she walks on her heels, we postulate it sends a shock pressure up her legs and into her spine. It's not too bad though - she just walks on the balls of her feet, which she is very used to doing - demi-point. Overall I would say that Liza is encouraged and making slow (painful) progress.

Oddly enough, tonight as we gathered with the Staines family to celebrate Jacob's birthday, we turn on one of our favorite shows, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and what do we see? The family that was getting the makeover, the Carter's, was struggling through their own Arnold-Chiari malformations. I didn't watch it all, but they had three daughters and I believe two of them, if not all three, had already gone through surgeries, and had more to go. They live in Wyoming so don't have access to the superb medical facilities that we have in Houston, but their story was touching, sobering, and way too close to home. The pictures they showed of scars and hospital beds left us all a little speechless as we watched. We think it's good that more people are becoming aware of this condition, which means more doctors and more hospitals will come up to speed on properly treating it.

So, mom Pollok is back at home now, which leaves just us four. While we really hated to see her go (she was absolutely brilliant these past two weeks), we are a bit excited to at least try out normal life around here. But I have to admit we've already made some calls for pinch hitters in case we need to tap out. The help and support that our friends and church family have shown us in this time has been beyond what I ever dreamed. It is a truly beautiful thing to see it all happen (and humbling on the receiving end).

We also have some great news about the benefit concert for Liza - November 9 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church. Our new and great friend Larry Dalton, a world renown concert pianist, will be coming to perform at the concert. He is a wonderful man and we're so happy that his schedule allowed him time to join us. A dance company that Liza used to be a part of, Dance Ad Deum, is also trying to work their schedule out to be there, and things might be looking better. But whatever happens, Liza's professional company, Ballet Excelsior, will be there performing some brand-new choreography that Liza put together and created before the operation. All who attend will be amazed at the talent of my gorgeous wife and the dancers she has assembled in her company. Although I will unfortunately be out of town, Liza hopes to come and see many of you there (I will be speaking in California, a commitment I made long before this whole thing happened).

Again, many blessings and many thanks for all you have done and are doing for my lovely wife and my family (and me). We love you.

Pollok family day

Early this morning, as I was leaving for a half-day of school, Liza said last night was "better," but she still was disturbed by significant pain in her head and neck, which has continued throughout the day. We also think the kids are getting a bit sick, but as of now it's probably just minor coughs and sniffles.

My mom, Lanelle, and my brother Travis, and his fiance Brittany, are all with the kids today. They did some fun things to take the pressure off of mom. She was able to get a little sleep and rest. I took off of school early and we had a fun afternoon and evening playing outside, working on some projects, and telling stories. It was a simple and fun Pollok day (we missed my father as he is at home receiving radiation). Although Liza will stay at home, myself and the kids are looking forward to seeing our church family tomorrow. Pray for us also as my mom, and the biggest and most consistent help we've had for the last two weeks, leaves tomorrow to return to work.

Post-Op Doctor's Visit

We were a bit late, but we'll blame it on traffic. We were in to see Dr. Comair and Shirley almost immediately. Liza's vitals were perfect (97.7 and 118/80). The good doctor began by asking how everything was and how she was feeling. He is very caring and a good listener. We always get the feeling that he actually is attentive to what we say and isn't simply waiting for our mouths to stop moving so he can move his. He then went into much more detail about the surgery he performed on Liza ten days ago. He brought in a model of the spine and showed us exactly what he did.

There is usually a space for the spinal cord twice as bit as the actual cord itself in the cervical spine. Liza had only enough space for the spinal cord itself, with no space remaining. He C1 spine was also extremely close to the base of the skull, but not fused to it (some are). This gave him little room to work and was causing most of Liza's problems. He removed about 1/2 an inch of the posterior side of C1. Then he used this space and the tissue transplant from her leg to form an increased area of space for spinal fluid, what he called a 'cistern.' This story is all recognizable so far from what he told us before surgery.

What he did not tell us before surgery helped us understand why Liza is experiencing some of the feelings she is having. When the spinal cord and the major nerve that serves the front of the face and cheek area are pinched, or simply crowded, the impulses that are trying to get to the brain to communicate touch, heat, pain, etc., aren't transferred properly. The result is that the impulses get translated into nerve pain, tingling, and numbness. This is a normal reaction to crowded or pinched nerves, of course, but the explanation was new to us. Since she is still a bit swollen in her neck muscles and tissues, this crowding could still be occurring to a minor degree. If it is not, it will still take several weeks or months for the nerves to readjust and begin to send and accept the proper signals once more. This too is a normal healing process.

After explaining all of this and answering some of our questions, he began to inspect the incisions and remove the stitches and steri-strips. The nine sutures on her neck came out without even a whisper and they both thought the site looked clean and good (see the picture of her on the phone when we arrived home). The incision on her leg is almost unnoticeable and got a new set of steri-strips just to minimize scarring.

The funniest part of the visit was watching Dr. Comair, a world renown surgeon, trying to get latex gloves on with slightly wet hands. He went through three or four pair before giving up and sending out for powdered gloves. It was hilarious. Oh, when I say 'world renown,' I really mean it apparently. He was gone this past weekend because he flew to ZURICH, Switzerland, to perform neurosurgery on a patient there. You know, just a quick weekend trip.

We ruffled some feathers on the cell phone during the ride home and finally got some more meds as soon as we got back into The Woodlands. We picked them up from a sweet little pharmacist who said to Liza in a light-hearted tone, "so you're the one causing all the trouble, huh." Yep. Then I showed her the back of Liza's head. I wish you could have seen her face. "Now I understand," was all she said. All three of us thought it was quite funny.

So our morning has been one of the roughest yet. Actually, according to Liza, it has been the most painful of this whole process, literally (imagine Liza's face in Izzy's face in this pic, minus the Cheeto remnants). After the bumpy road to and from the hospital, with no meds, and a few more major bumps after we arrived home, we are very glad that things are starting to settle down today. She is currently in bed trying to rest. She just finished sipping on a home-made smoothie with trembling hands.

Again, thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Your constant presence is felt in our home. It is a much warmer place because of you all. Blessings.

Empty bottles and ice cream

Today was another rough day of progression. Liza is running out of pain meds and we all tried, unsuccessfully, to contact the doctor and pharmacy to get more...many times. But we think we can make it through the night. We go to see Dr. Comair early tomorrow morning so we'll be able to get more if he wants us to have them.

Liza had another strong bout of nausea tonight that was stayed by a Whataburger shake. (I hear they're also good for sealing tires.) But seriously, we are noticing progress in Liza's movement and ability, but that progress is yet a bit overshadowed by nagging pain (the colorful remnants of nine attempts at an IV are not painful, however). Frequent naps seem to really help as Liza feels the best when she first wakes up. She is still having some tingling and nerve pain on her left side and we are PRAYING that this is not the same effect that led us to surgery in the first place. According to the doctors last week, it is due to the swelling that will probably remain for a another week or so. We'll confirm that tomorrow as a matter of urgency.

Oh, my Hebrew test went very well...thank you for your prayers. I make some goofy mistakes but am extremely thankful with the outcome, although I don't know exactly what that is yet. Many blessings and a million thanks.

Continued Progress

Somebody out there has been praying for Liza...we can tell. This evening has been, well...pretty great. Liza got to take another shower, which makes some of you think "so what," but is a feat in and of itself. We changed the dressing on her head again, but left the airtight dressing alone on her leg. She came outside a bit today and watched the kids play, see the picture. We also have a post-op appointment scheduled for Friday morning at 8:45 with Dr. Comair. We are anxious to see him again and 'officially' chart Liza's progress and get the opportunity to ask questions about the pain and other sensations she's feeling on her left side. So far we've been chalking it up to swelling in the brain and neck area, which Dr. Tornado suggested was the cause the day we checked out of the hospital. We were also able to help a new friend of ours, who also has a Chiari malformation. Hopefully she will be able to see Dr. Comair for a consult soon. Liza's mum went back to teaching this week and is still working with all the volunteers that are preparing for the benefit concert for Liza, November 9. My mother is still here and working like a slave. The kids adore her and I think she's loving it too, despite all the work. That's about it, except for my large Hebrew exam tomorrow night. Keep praying for Liza please (and only after that, the Hebrew exam...). Blessings.

From up to down

Last night was a weird night. At first Liza felt really great. She even spaced out her meds with a few hours in between where she felt pretty good. However, the distance caught up with her and the pain soared back up to near the top of the scale. She also felt good enough to have another shower last night - this time with no assistance, we changed her dressing again, and she moved around a bit more. All good signs of progress and improvement. But these good signs also contributed to the valley she found herself in early this morning. So...today, we are minimizing activity and keeping up with the meds. She just fought off a bout of terrible nausea and is currently patting Izzy's back for nap - "pat pat," is what Izzy asked for. Liza obliged. Other than that we're doing relatively well. Andrew has been wanting to ride his bike non-stop, which is a skill he mastered with training wheels while we were at the hospital last week. His preschool teacher also paid us a visit this morning to meet Liza and see Andrew's room - he was very excited. He'll go back for his second day tomorrow.

So please continue to pray for Liza's pain and nausea (she has a history of stomach ulcers and sensitivity, which make consistent narcotics a "tough pill to swallow"). Thanks again for all of your thoughts, prayers, and comments. She is so encouraged by your constant presence on her behalf.

"Better" night

Officially, that means straight from Liza's mouth, "last night was better than the night before." She was still up several times when the pain signaled it was time to take more meds. This morning was bitter sweet for Liza as she sent her son off to preschool but couldn't escort him personally. I was up early, thanks to a no-doubt sticky little finger that forwarded the hour on my alarm clock, cooking breakfast and packing lunch while Liza and the kids slept in a bit. We got Andrew dressed and then I took him off to school. He was bouncing with excitement and loved every second of his experience. (Here's a family picture.) He'll go again on Thursday and can't wait. Liza took another extended sleep and is currently trying to squeeze every ounce of information out of Andrew before we all (hopefully) lay down for a nap.

To Our Australian Family

Starting this blog was really a random thought on a random day. I never foresaw the blessing it could be to those who live down the street from us and to all of you thousands of miles away. We are so thankful that this odd little site could help you to feel like you are a part of this adventure. It also brought us to you as we read your comments, thoughts, well wishes, and prayers. We are so thankful to all of you, even if you haven't commented. It has done Liza so much good to hear from Josh and Kerry, Janine and Rory, Pelia and Meg, Jared and many others. Because you are our family, it has been a tremendous blessing for us to have you 'in on the action' and 'involved' in our daily and hourly struggles. To have you pray for us is overwhelming (God has no trouble with the time change). So we just wanted to write a special note to all of you to say that we love you, thank you, and we hope to hear more from you and see you all soon. Many thanks and blessings.

Rough day

As I'm writing this Liza is trying to relax and go to sleep. About an hour ago she was in immense pain and in her own words "every part of my body hurts." She was a bit nauseous and couldn't even 'stomach' the thought of more pills. She took them anyway, with a chaser of soggy Cheerios, and hopefully the pain is subsiding. She did get two fairly good naps today and managed to sleep in, so she is resting. However, the quality of sleep and rest is sub-par. Please continue to pray. I expected this to be the hardest part. The monsoon rain outside seemed to mirror the weather in our home. Liza is very strong, and while her strength is showing, it takes quite a bit to handle what she has to endure. And I think she's doing quite well.

On another note, Andrew, our oldest, will start school tomorrow! We've been trying to get into a stellar program here in The Woodlands and a spot opened up last week. We jumped on it and I will be taking him at 9:00 in the morning. Liza is very sad that she can't take him there but we're all very excited for Andrew. He is excited too.

It's faith, not rocket science or...

Liza and I were just trying to relax in bed and were looking through some of the posts that she hasn't been able to read. I looked specifically at the one entitled "Some Specific Prayer Requests" that posted the day before the surgery. I want you to know that each and every one of those requests were answered. She even was able to get meds before going to the OR (the Anaesthesiologist even showed me the syringe in his pocket) but we elected not to have them. That is a tremendous testimony to God's faithfulness and your fervent prayers.

Several people have commented on this blog site about faith. Those words have been tremendously encouraging to Liza and I both. While neither of us believe we are people of great faith, we believe strongly that God doesn't ask us to have faith in something that He has spoken directly about. So during this adventure, we have lent heavily on those passages of Scripture which reveal God's faithfulness, trustworthiness, and loyalty. He is a God who speaks and promises and keeps promises. While He never promises us perfect safety or freedom from disease, He does promise to hear us, to never leave us, and to never be unaware of the intricacies of our struggles (among many others). It has been these promises that have sustained us in this time. So, thank you for your wildly encouraging comments, and I pray that you have been encouraged by what God has done in our lives. What an adventure.

The end of the first day

It's been a wild one - mainly with the kids. I don't think they know how to react or respond to a slightly different mommy and a cranky daddy. They've done well but tonight was sheer madness.

Liza's pain is under control for the most part. Keep praying for her left side. We'll see if she can get comfortable tonight. We did have a successful run at a nap on her bed so we'll see if we can repeat that. Below are some more crazy pictures. One is the typical Liza-reaction to being stuck with a needle over and over. These are the many attempts they made for a second line while she was under in the OR. The other is obviously the incision on her neck close up. Nine clean and tight stitches with one knot at either end. Then there is Liza with her mum, Sonja. Lastly, the Staines family from the last night in the hospital.

I was asked to pass on many thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers by my mom and dad, Lanelle and Patrick Pollok. I'm sure Liza's mum, Sonja, and her dad, Garry, and all the rest of our family would wholeheartedly agree. So we're home now and are trying to make the best of it. Please keep praying for Liza and the rest of us. Many blessings. Thankfully for you, the posts will begin to slow down now.

Finally home

We were scheduled to leave the hospital at 10:00 AM. Our new Filipino nurse was awesome and set Liza up for one last shot at 10. Her IV had to come out of her hand so she got that one in...well, the keister (keester...sp?...the bum). She said it didn't hurt at all. Then we waited around for almost an hour to be discharged and get a wheelchair escort out. In the meanwhile I made several trips to the car to pack and Liza relaxed in the room trying to cope with some considerable pain. We drove out at 10:50 AM.

The car ride home was pretty rough, literally. You never realize how many bumps there are on I-45 until you're trying to avoid them all. She was worn out by the time we got home. We dropped off the prescriptions right away and then went home. The kids were waiting for us outside with their grandparents, but the reception wasn't what anyone envisioned. Andrew started crying for some unexplained reason and Izzy was pretty nervous and withdrawn. They're both okay now and it didn't take long.

Then I went to pick up her pain meds. Of course, there was a major problem when I got there - with both kids in tow. Dr. Tornado, who discharged us, didn't fill out the prescriptions correctly so they couldn't fill them. We had several tense moments of phone calls and finally got everything worked out. We rushed home and medicated mom as quickly as possible, where she was sitting in the exact position that we left her with my parents and her mom. Now we're waiting for the meds to kick in, trying to put the kids down for a nap, and then I'm off to get a big recliner to try to recreate a hospital bed feel in our bedroom. Continue to pray for her neck pain, which is almost exclusively on the left side. And pray that we ALL - especially Liza - get some rest right away, and that the rest of the day goes well.

Discharged

Dr. Fox came in just a moment ago, and this time he was a little less like a tornado. He put in the papers for Liza's discharge and started carrying our stuff out into the hallway. Just kidding. But we will be leaving in a few hours and Liza is excited but nervous about the trip. We've organized with the nurse to get a new round of meds just before we walk out.

You can specifically pray for the left side of Liza's head and neck. She just said that without the pain on that side, she feels like she really wouldn't need much medication. But since she was in some pretty severe pain this morning, that tells me that the left side is pretty bad. Dr. Fox said that it is still too early to answer 'why' that is, but we would love for you to pray. Liza is also worried that the original symptoms that brought us into surgery will appear. Pray that that doesn't happen, going back to our request at the bottom of the very first post. We really want this to be it and for normal life to return for Liza. Even more, we are hoping and praying that she will feel like a new woman, younger, larger range of motion, better balance, etc. (less irritable - kidding again). So pray for Liza as you read this and we'll write again from the comfort of home.

Hopefully our last night

Liza is sleeping soundly next to me, or at least WAS sleeping soundly until a nurse came in to take her vitals. She was very excited to be able to sleep on her side tonight for the first time. We're confident that tonight will be the last night here at the hospital although we're not quite sure what tomorrow will look like. All we have planned so far is a couple more walks around the floor and trying to get some more of the normal body functions working. I'll try to get her to sit up for an extended time and to eat some more. So if you read this tonight, pray for sweet rest for Liza (this engraving is the Hebrew word Shalom or peace) and that she would be encouraged and ready and excited to go home tomorrow. I want you to know she does want to go home, she's just nervous about being able to do all the things that being home requires. Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts. I think I hear a snore or two...

See for yourself

Here are some photos as I promised. They include Liza's two incisions. The one on her neck is obviously covered up and is not quite as long as the bandage. The one on her thigh is two levels deep, with dissolvable stitches on the inside and simple Steri-strips on the outside. There is also a shot of her IV - don't worry about the blood, that's only been there for a few moments and the nurse says it's perfectly fine. You can also see Liza reading the blog and her sad face - think of that when you read that she's in pain.

Two of Liza's three brothers are coming for a visit shortly. Steven, who is home from college at Stephen F. Austin University for the weekend, and Jacob. Jacob and his wife Amy just had their first child, Zander Joseph Staines. He will be accompanied by older brother Dylan. That ought to be very encouraging for Liza.

Second lap and a shower

Liza has taken her second lap around the floor (it's actually a stroke floor). I plan on getting her to try one more lap before she goes to bed. She's just ate some more soup and I made her a Scot-made-stolen-hospital-spoon-spun chocolate shake from chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk. It's actually wonderful if I do say so myself.

Andrew's visit was awesome. He was nervous at first but settled in nicely after a few moments. He was most excited to visit the very large electric train exhibit down in the Children's Hospital wing. We visited it twice. Then we said our goodbyes and I ran him back home so that I could hug Izzy and have a shower. That is, after we rode the Metro train up and back a few stops. They both have been looked after by my parents, who have served us with tremendous patience and humility.

Liza also had a shower! She is in heaven, relatively. Liza's mum has been giving her little sponge baths to relieve her as much as possible. But our new nurse, whom Liza loves for this reason, offered to help Sonja give Liza a shower and wash her hair. Liza jumped at the chance because she's been most uncomfortable these last few days with the state of her hair. It was a chemical wash but it feels better and smells of fruit. Liza will rest much better tonight because of it. I also convinced Liza that those across the ocean and others who haven't been able to visit might like to actually see her - so look forward to some photos on the next post later tonight.

Little man is on the way...

In her own words, Liza "slept better, but was in some pretty severe pain." She elected to not be woken up from a good sleep to take the alternating round of meds. That would give her closer to four hours of solid sleep rather than about 1 and 1/2. It worked for sleep, but the pain was back up to an 8 (on a scale of 10) when we finally got the alternation down again.

We've got our Jamaican nurse back again - except she's not Jamaican. Sorry. She's from Cameroon, in Western Africa. I think it was my lack of sleep that failed my Henry Higgins' sensibilities. She's been very pleasant and helpful this morning as we try to get back on top of the pain.

Dr. Comair is out today so Dr. Fox is the resident that is tending to our floor. He came in this morning already, but was kind of like a tornado. He made some noise and left Liza dizzy and frustrated. He was just not quite as gentle as Dr. Comair. So...I guess we'll chalk that up as confirmation of our choice of doctors.

Liza has still been very brave and strong through this whole thing. Her mom is bringing Andrew, our 3 year old son, down for a quick visit. He'll stay to say hi to mommy, make her smile, and then I'll take him back home so that I can get cleaned up a bit. Pray that this little visit goes well and doesn't backfire on us into a meltdown.

Hope in the room next door

Liza just had a nice sponge bath to make her feel as clean as possible considering the circumstances and she's trying to get comfortable in bed. The incision on the back of her neck is starting to nag her a bit now. We've tried tons of pillow arrangements and combinations but none seem to stick out as supreme. We've got more meds coming in about half an hour and that should set Liza up for a good sleep.

Liza's mum Sonja has been wonderful too. She spent the first night at a hotel just down the street but has gone home to sleep last night and this night. She was a Registered Nurse in Australia, so she brings a lot of experience to the table. She's taken very good care of her daughter.

We also spoke to the lady in the room next to us tonight. Her name is Jodie and she had the same surgery 24 hours before Liza did, same doctor. She's about 20 years older and had different symptoms but offered great encouragement, being one day out ahead of Liza. She is moving her head rather well and is going home tomorrow. When Liza got out for her 30 meter walk, she stopped in a chatted for quite a while. It was very good for Liza to see Jodie's progress but she paid for the walk when she returned. Her entire body was pulsing and quaking a bit from the pain.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. I know I say that a lot, but that's just about all I'm thinking when I type these posts. I can't quite believe that so many are reading this and praying for my lovely wife. It is humbling and astonishing. Blessings and good night.

A walk down the hallway

We are about to take a walk down the hallway. Doctor's orders. Liza has been relatively well the last few hours. The pain is alive and well right now but we've figured out how to alternate some pain meds for maximum coverage. Our current nurse, Cheryl, has been a nurse at this hospital for 25 years and is really going above and beyond to care for Liza. She is patient with us and comes when we call her. That's a tremendous blessing.

Today she has eaten a couple lots of soup and sat up in a chair for about 30 minutes. She's walked around the room a bit and we're about to go for a walk down the hall. We've had some visitors today and although it has greatly encouraged Liza, I think it's worn her out a bit. But neither of us would trade seeing those wonderful people that love us so much. So thanks for your prayers and comments. Keep praying for pain. We are expecting a night that is progressively better and better.

Quote from Liza

I just read her all the comments the you all have posted since the last time and she was greatly encouraged. I asked her if there was anything she wanted to say to you all. So I have a great quote from my beautiful bride. Are you ready? In a low and scatchy muted voice with a newly wet towel over her eyes, she says..."OUCH!"

Thankful...very thankful

I was reading through some Psalms this morning, which is probably the Divine reason why my computer wouldn't work, it slowed me down a bit. I was caught by some of the language in a fresh way. I was engulfed with a sense of peace at God's lidless eyes of mercy and love. I was encouraged by His strength and will to save, deliver, rescue. I was also touched by His willingness to let His people struggle, in hopes that they cry out to Him and recognize His supreme place as Savior and Hope. I think this experience has brought us this perspective in a increasingly clear way. Thanks to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Liza the VIP

Sorry, I haven't been able to connect to internet this morning until now. I've been trying for hours.

Liza had a pretty good night. That is, until about 4:00 when her meds were a little late and the pain came in full force. Since then the pain has been muted again. Doogie Howser came in and removed her dressings and inspected her incision sites (he was a nuerosurgeon that looked no older than 17, honestly). The incision site on her neck is beautiful, if stitches on someone's head can be beautiful. It was perfectly staight, clean, tight, and the stitches were perfect. When I commented he said that it's perfect because Liza had the VIP treatment. She was operated on by the chief of neurosurgery and the head resident. Doogie was on another surgery that day. He was very nice but I'm glad for that. The incision on her leg is clean too, with only internal stitches that will dissolve on their own.

She's actually been eating a bit today; some toast, crackers, and such but it is still very hard to swallow, probably because of the intubation tube. Her neck is extremely stiff, a little swollen, and causing most of the pain. It starts in her neck and then moves in behind her eyes, which are covered most of the time now with a wet cloth. It's hard to talk and look around because it tends to make the pain worse.

Dr. Comair, the chief, and Shirley Sebastian, the nurse practitioner, were just by to check on her. The doc said, "why don't we keep you another day." I almost laughed. They're not getting rid of us too soon, at least until we have a great handle on the pain and an adequate management plan when we get home.

Overall, I think Liza is encouraged. She still wants prayer for the pain and pressure. She is required to get up a lot more today and even take a walk down the hall. That will be rough, but only afterwards when she sits back down and the trobbing starts. She also is desperate to wash her hair. Oh, we also found some screw holes in her head, which were used to fasten a halo that kept her head stationary during surgery. Those have been helping cause some of the pain too. Right now she's back up to a 7 or 8.

But thanks again. I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. Keep praying and we look forward to being home with our babies and family relatively soon.

Good Night

I think it is shaping up to be a good night for the both of us. Liza is sleeping next to me and her pain level is low (4 on a scale of 10). She's scheduled for more meds in about an hour. She's been up quite a bit tonight, going to the bathroom regularly. She even watched Grey's Anatomy with me.

We had some awesome visitors today that were gracious enough to come by, even if only for a few seconds. Since Liza still doesn't like talking much or moving much, it makes being a hostess (something she loves dearly) rather difficult. So thank you for being understanding.

At this rate, I hope to see her progress rather quickly tomorrow and maybe get home to our babies rather soon. But again, we're not going to go until Liza's ready to go. We will not rush out of here. But, I'm getting to far ahead of myself. It's been a good day - a painful and difficult day - but a good one. Thank you for praying us through it. You are a blessing to us.

Our New Home...2227

We've moved up, way up. Liza's new private room is quite nice. It has a great view of the downtown skyline (although she doesn't care), plenty of room, and something for me to sleep on. It's twice as big as the ICU room and half as cold. Liza was a total trooper on the move up. She did it in a wheelchair! She's resting now and we're trying to get acquainted with the new staff and get everybody on the same page as far as meds are concerned. Lillian, a pleasant Jamaican woman, is our nurse for the moment. Liza's spirits also seem to be up. She's talking more and more and has smiled quite a few times today. I think she knows that home and normality is getting closer and closer. Although she is still in considerable pain, I think she's doing amazingly well.

The Language of Dependence

I just got through reading Liza ALL of the comments you all have posted since we came to the hospital yesterday. She just laid there quietly and listened, motioning with her hand for more. It has blessed me so much that you all have blessed her so much. She's trying to rest now, having gotten up three times to go the bathroom in the last hour or so - that really wears her out. But she's getting up! That's great. A lovely friend just brought a gorgeous poster board with the only flowers we're allowed to have in the ICU - drawn ones. It has encouraged Liza with words of life and a the simple prayer that has been close to our hearts these days: Be near, O God.

Your prayers have joined our prayers in a beautiful way. How can I ever thank you for expressing OUR dependence on God in your prayers. It's somehow difficult to pray from the midst of the trial, but to know that you all have being praying on our behalf is like a warm blanket - which is great in such a cold hospital. Prayer is the quintessential language of dependence and we'll continue to express that language with you as God sees Liza through the next couple of days. We should be going to our very own PRIVATE room in the next hour or so - see, yet another answered prayer. Bless you all.

One good purge later...

It's amazing what a good vomit can do - honestly. Our lovely nurse came in a gave her two doses of medications too closely together. The first was an anti-nausea med and the second a pain med. Well about 2 minutes later Liza motioned to me and I jumped up. Before I could even do anything she sat right up in bed - instantly - using only her awesome ab muscles. I fumbled around for the little plastic tray and she emptied her stomach - which was basically nothing. Then she stayed sitting up for quite a while and everything seems a bit better now. She is talking more and even looks a bit better. Sorry for the gory details.

My Beautiful Bride

I'm sitting here thinking about the time when Liza can read all these posts I've made and I'm wondering if she will agree - if I've said it accurately. One thing I'm sure of is that she'll think I minimized her agony and maximized her poise and strength. I'm not sure about that but I know that as I sit here just watching her doze in and out of sleep, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude to her, love for her, pride in her (the good kind), and hurt for her. I just wish I could take it all away. But I know also that she will be overwhelmed to see first hand all the love that you all are sharing. Your constant concern and consistent prayers have been a balm for our soul in this time - lovely medicine for our hearts. I, and on Liza's behalf, can't thank you enough.

One more thing about pain management. It's a tricky thing to do with brain surgery patients. The only symptoms of something major post-surgery are things that can't be seen if the patient is really doped up - i.e. change of personality, loss of consciousness, vision problems, etc. Therefore, they are alternating two pain killers and trying their best. I think they could be doing better and really wish they could just take it all away, but I also know this is a touchy situation and only temporary. As much as it hurts me to see her hurt...I just don't know what else to say.

She's snoring right now. Awesome!

The Day After (Revised)

Liza had a really rough night last night. She laid still most of the time, but said she was in "constant pain." About 2 hours and she would to push the call button for more meds. That would startle me out of my painful sleeping position and I would pop up and offer my feeble smile. Personally I feel like I just had a bad plane ride over the Pacific - Australia...is that you? But I do think Liza is getting better, very slowly. The nurse said early this morning that she was pushing the call button less frequently with more time in between. We all thought that was good. They kicked me out about 6:20 AM for the shift change and I came back a bit after 8 (The only time visitors have to leave is from 6-8, both AM and PM, in the ICU). The doctors are doing rounds now and I think they have given orders to move Liza to a regular hospital room. PRAY for a private room so that I can stay with her. Although, we have to make sure than she is ready to be moved out of the ICU. Pain management is the only meter I'm really concerned with right now. She sat up in the night, fearing another vomitting episode that turned out okay, but I got to see her neck. It too is covered with a large bandage but the site is small and they didn't have to shave much of her head. So again, we'll just trust and pray (and nag) our way through today, moment by moment.

She actually just sat up and moved! She felt like she needed to go to the bathroom after they removed the "automatic" kind, so she sat up and walked over to the toilet - about three feet from the bed. Then she got back in. It hurt really badly (I could see it on her face), but I was very proud. It seems like everything she does, even shifting in bed, puts pressure on her head and neck, making the pain more intense. Continue to pray for less and less pain - that's the big one right now.

Those who have commented on these posts have really encouraged Liza. Please write a short note to her that I can read to her later. Thank you all so much.

Peaceful Sleep...at the moment

Liza is now sleeping rather peacefully. She just had another dose of the good stuff and something to help her sleep through the night. We're praying against any more nausea - we had a scare a couple of hours ago (vomitting would be very bad on a brain surgery patient). So right now, things are quiet around here, except for the occasional nurse outburst in the pit. Thank you all. Thank you Jesus for a blessed day.

Significant Pain

I'm writing this from the ICU room and Liza is trying to lie still and quiet just about three feet from me. She has been in tremendous pain these past few hours and has remained brave and strong, although she has broken down in tears a few times. The trouble with tears though is that they only make the headache worse. The good news is, right now the pain seems to be a bit manageable, but we'll see for how long. Thus far the battle has been an every hour on the hour ordeal. We've also been told that the doctor ordered her some meds to help her relax and sleep through the night. That would be awesome. Pray for her pain and rest this night. Thank you all for fighting this battle with us. It looks like the chair I'm sitting in will be my bed for the night. I'm glad for that.

Drugs wearing off...more pain coming

I just came from the ICU again where Liza is trying to keep from crying. The pain that was muted from the heavy sedatives during surgery is beginning to show up. Her neck is aching and the area of the graft on her leg is beginning to hurt. Of course, this is all normal and expected but it's very difficult to see my bride in so much pain. Please pray for her patience, resolve and strength to get through this night. It is shaping up to be a bit of a battle.

Rest...finally

Liza is in the ICU now and resting. Currently her headache is muted thanks to the pain medication but it has been wearing off in about an hour. So she is napping now, having just gotten another shot. Dr. Comair just came by again as did Shirley Sebastian, the nurse practitioner. They have been tremendous and constantly present. She is still in good spirits and rather playful at times. Her throat hurts from being intubated and she's beginning to feel the stiffness in her neck. Other than that she is doing beautifully well. Hopefully I will be able to stay in the ICU room with her tonight and then tomorrow morning they plan to get her up moving and transfer her to a normal hospital room.

Comfortable in the ICU

I just got out from seeing her in the ICU. We can go in two at a time now and her mother is in with her and a family friend. She is eating some ice chips and is finally free of a headache after the first attempts with Morphine did not work. She's even cracking some jokes and seems to be in a rather playful mood. The incision on her leg is covered up but looks rather minimal. We've not yet seen the back of her head although there is a bit of hair on her pillow (yikes). She'll be in there for the night and then likely spend three or four days in a regular hospital room. We are definitely NOT going to rush out of here until she's ready. But as of right now, things look really good.

She looks beautiful

I just went back to see her in recovery. I'm not sure why I had to wait so long but I did. She looks really good, much better than I was expecting I guess. I think I was preparing myself for something else. But she looked normal, very sleepy and minus a little hair, but normal. She has a horrible headache that is very sensitive to light, sound, and movement but they've already given her some good stuff that should take it down some notches very quickly. They're moving her up to ICU as I write this (1:10 PM) and so we're on our way up there now. They will take about 30 minutes to get her settled and hooked up to all the monitors and then we will be able to see her again.

She's in Recovery

Dr. Comair just spoke to us (11:10 AM) and told us that she's done and the operation went exactly as planned. She should be waking up now and I'll get to go see her within an hour.

The tonsils of her cerebellum (the lower parts that were causing all the trouble) were significantly lower than he previously thought from the MRI. He coagulated them by passing electrical current through them and they shrunk up into place nicely. He then widened the cervical 1 area and closed with the graft. He was very positive and all smiles.

Now the real struggle will begin. It's out of the doctor's immediate hands and into Liza's. Pray that the pain would be tolerable and under control and that these next few hours would go well for her and she wakes up and gets transferred to the ICU. Thank you. More soon.

Good Report from the OR

About one hour ago (9:15 AM), the Registered Nurse assigned to Liza called from the OR and said they had just made the incision on her neck. She said Liza was doing well, the graft from the leg went well, they got her readjusted (flipped over), and she was doing great. That was about an hour ago and that means that the surgeon should come out around two hours from now.

She's in - now the waiting game

Well we got here in plenty of time this morning. Liza and I drove together with a caravan of three cars behind us - Liza's mom, my brother, and a mother/daughter couple of family friends. It was an easy drive and we made it plenty of time - to the delight of Liza.

We checked in and they quickly took Liza and I back to a holding area where she got changed into a gown and they took her vitals, which were all perfect. They also started a central line for most of the IV's that she will have today. They immediately hooked up some saline solution to keep her hydrated and a heavy antibiotic which will be turned on later to match up with the "window" they have for surgery. We them answered a ton of questions and waited.

They then took her down one floor to the operating level. She and I waited in another holding area and met the anaesthesiologist, the registered nurses assigned to Liza's case and talked with Dr. Comair, Liza's surgeon. He answered some questions and asked some and then they took her away. She was in very good spirits, not nervous at all, just cold.

As I write this, she's been in for about an hour. They will sedate her as soon as they get in the OR before they begin anything else. They must first harvest the tissue from her right thigh, then flip her over, then begin the shaving and washing process. The surgery on her brain will take about three hours, and in my estimation they are probably beginning that about now (8:45 AM). We should hear something very soon.

Dr. Comair will come to the waiting area after surgery and speak to me and the rest of us directly. I will write more as soon as I can. Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. Now is the time.

The Calm before...

Liza and I did get away a bit today. We ran some errands together and were able to get a late lunch. It was relaxing and offered some moments for great connection and understanding. I asked Liza if she is fearful. Her response was without hesitation, "No." She continued, "I am anxious and just want to get it over with, but I am not fearful." I love my wife so much and am so proud of the faith and trust she is exhibiting. Last night she actually rested well. Let's pray that tonight and tomorrow morning (very early) are equally restful and peaceful. We will leave our house around 5:oo AM and the surgery will begin at 7:30 AM. Be praying and I will post as soon as I have any news.

More specific prayer requests:
Pain free entry into surgery - meds before going to OR
Calm and peaceful morning, travel, and registration
No infection, no seizures, no complications, no damage to Liza's brain or personality
That we would get a private hospital room so that I (Scot) could stay the nights with her
That it would be possible for me to stay close during the night in the ICU
That her waking from surgery would be peaceful and pain-free
That I would be able to easily find a place to post new messages for you all

Thanks again, a million times over, thank you all.

Help Mommy feel all better

I can't quite put into words what Liza and I felt when we prayed tonight as a family. My (Scot) parents were here and my only brother was on speaker phone. I prayed for Liza and Andrew joined in the chorus with a gorgeous request that he repeated about six times "Help Mommy feel all better." Thank you Jesus for the prayers of children.

The Good in the Unexpected

We are beginning to calm now and have accepted the postponement as a blessing. We can take the beginning of the week a bit slower and have more time with family and each other. The kids have been awesome lately and I think Liza and I may even go on a date! We were able to get the MRI films easily this morning and are now gearing up for Wednesday morning. Thanks for all the prayers.

Surgery Postponed for 24 hours

This morning about 7:30 we received a call from theNurse Practitioner with our surgeon Dr. Comair. She told us that there is an emergency surgery that Dr. Comair needs to perform tomorrow. Therefore, Liza's surgery has now been rescheduled for 7:30 AM on Wednesday morning the 10th. We have to be there at 6. Please continue to pray as this has added a bit of stress to an already touchy situation. Liza understands but is frustrated and ready. Thank you all.

Some Specific Prayer Requests

Is it possible to say 'thank you' too many times? I'm not sure it is, so I'll keep doing it. Thank you. I thank you most for your prayers. They have been a source of tremendous encouragement for Liza and myself. They have been a balm for our soul and medicine for our hearts in these dark days. But in these last 36 hours or so, I thought I would offer some specific requests for Liza in addition to the beautiful things you have already been praying. We spent some time praying through these tonight and would love for you to join us.

Pray for peace and freedom from anxiety and fear (panic attacks have been frequent)
Rest and good sleep at night
That we get a copy of our MRI even though its Columbus Day
That Monday would be a sweet, stress-free day with family
That Monday night would be peaceful and serene
That Liza's faith and prayer life would continue to deepen
That our kids would cooperate with family in this time (Grandma and Pop as babysitters etc.)
That Tuesday morning would be stress-free
That we would get to the hospital in plenty of time (rushing stresses Liza out)
That she would be able to get some sedatives/meds before going to the OR
That the surgeon or staff could answer all of our last questions
That her pain management is well under control
That she would not have any seizures
That she would not have any infection
That she would not have any complications
That surgery is predictable, simple, and without flaws

Look for posts to come at you much more rapidly in the next few days. Thanks again and keep praying.

58 Hours and counting...

All of our experience thus far with surgery and ICU's have been emergency situations, completely unexpected. To know that a major surgery is coming is completely new for us. Liza and I have been struggling with fear over our decisions and anxiety about what is coming our way very soon. Tuesday looms on the horizon of every thought.

I'm writing this late Saturday night after a long night at the restuarant. I spoke to Liza briefly in the complete darkness of our bedroom and she admitted that today was a pretty horrible day. Even though she was able to sleep in quite a bit this morning, she has felt rotten all day. Our two kids have been great, but we think Izzy is feeling poorly (therefore, acting poorly) and Andrew had a bit of a meltdown today. My parents are coming in tomorrow and will be here (at least one of them) for two weeks. Liza's mom has been a tremendous and consistent help when I'm at work or school. But I don't think any of us know what to expect from this week. Pray for us. Pray for Liza. I know you all have been because we can literally "feel" your prayers. We are still confident that God has decreed this path for us and are simply trying to sharpen our focus on Him and strengthen our resolve and patience with His gracious help.

Another Song of Hope and Trust

A friend who commented on this blog site reminded me of Psalm 91. It's powerful and comforting when read from a dark and scary place. Maybe you can find comfort there for your particular trial - we're not so myopic to think that Liza's struggle is the only one. Or perhaps you can read through it and pray it over Liza. She has been struggling with fear and anxiety as the day approaches. Yesterday she felt really good until about 6PM and then it all went downhill fast. She is convinced that God is communicating to her through her pain. She told me this morning that she thinks that this surgery path is the one God has planned for her. I think we both, especially Liza, have some great things to learn through this. I am still praying that her personal trust and faith deepen tremendously in this time. After the operation is when it will get even harder.

But back to Psalm 91. I recently had a homework assignment in my Hebrew class to study most of the passages that mention God's protective wings. It is a beautiful picture, especially rich in the Psalms, of God's protection from enemies (real human or metaphorical), deliverance, provision, and safety or refuge. Psalm 91 has a gorgeous entry:

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions (feathers),
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and a bulwark.

In God's providence, the homework assignment had immediate relevance. Close to God's side and directly in His attentive gaze is a good place to be.

By the way, we finally heard back this morning from the finance people at the hospital and I've been on the phone quite a bit with our insurance agent as a liason. The news is much much better than I expected. The best case scenario is playing out it would seem. Our chosen hospital and surgeon are both in our insurance network. So thank you for your prayers and thoughts concerning finances. Of course, if we had to pay $10 million, we would, and wouldn't give it a second thought. But it would seem that the Lord has been favorable to us even here.

For those who don't know Liza

I recently wrote this for a friend who requested such copy. There are many who know me (Scot) but not Liza, or vice versa. So, in the third person, I put these two paragraphs together. I know it's a bit long, but I thought it might be encouraging for those of you reading and praying that don't know Liza or I. Thank you again for all the battles you are waging in the heavenlies. Pray for Liza's headaches and that she would be able to sleep. We are still here...trusting...waiting.

Liza was raised on the Sunshine Coast in North-Eastern Australia and has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She began teaching dance as a teenager and has been passionately involved in the intersection of ministering the gospel and performing arts. Her overriding passion is to see the reconciliation of arts and the local church in such a way that brings respect to the gift and honor to the ultimate gift Giver. She has been involved in arts-missions all around the world for more than a decade, most affectionately in the Ukraine and South America. Liza and her mother Sonja started a ballet school here in The Woodlands area that has now been alive for more than 13 years. It began as Sonshine Dance School and is now Excelsior School of Dance and Performing Arts. She also danced professionally with Dance Ad Deum of Houston for fours years before realizing a long-time dream of starting her own professional company. That dream came true in 2003 with the founding of Ballet Excelsior of Houston, Liza’s own professional dance troop, which currently has 9 professionals and 6 trainees. Besides here at home, they have already traveled and ministered in New York City, Los Angeles, Missouri, Sydney Australia, Poland, Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Almost all of these trips have utilized the arts, including professional orchestras, solo musicians, singers, and choirs, coupled with the ministering of the Word of God to reach the lost. This is Liza’s passion – ministering the saving gospel of grace through the arts, which fortunately pervades language barriers. Her 27 years of dancing has been focused in that direction. We hope there are many more to come.

In the middle of this adventure, Liza and her family moved from Australia to Canada, and then from Canada to Houston, Texas. She met and married Scot Pollok in 2000, while he was a student minister at The Woodlands United Methodist Church. After serving at that church for almost a decade, Scot and Liza decided that the timing was right for Scot to enter seminary, a long-time dream of his. He did so in the fall of 2003 and is close to finishing the extensive Masters of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary (attending the Houston extension campus). He hopes to be finished in December of 2008. While in school, Liza and Scot found a church home at Faith Bible Church – formerly Faith Community Church. They have been highly involved and connected into the Young Marrieds group there and have found a new family in their small group. During this time God blessed Liza and Scot with a beautiful baby boy in an unconventional way. After several painful years of an inability to get pregnant, a local adoption from a Christian teenage girl simply fell into their lap. Their son Andrew Reeve was born in June of 2004 and they brought him home from the hospital 24 hours later. When Andrew was 7 months old, Liza miraculously got pregnant with their second bundle of joy, Isabel Grace Ingrid. A family of two quickly went to a family of four as both Liza and Scot continued to work and serve in ministry. Thus their life now is consumed with family, serving the church, studying, and dancing. Although it is hectic, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

See more of Liza's dance school including pictures at http://www.balletexcelsior.org/

More on benefit, Less on finances

We were not able to get a hold of anyone today to talk about the financial side of our imminent hospital stay. We will call our Nurse Practitioner, Shirley, in the morning. She has been very helpful and patient with us.

We are also being overwhelmed with the love and support of our family and friends as to the upcoming benefit concert to help with finances. Liza's mom Sonja, the ballet school, our small group from church, and many others are busy organizing and planning. The love that is being shown to us is indescribable and overwhelming...did I say overwhelming? This love and concern has been a refreshing and welcomed "warm blanket" for Liza as she faces the upcoming operating room. She is nervous and a little frightened, but she is showing outstanding resolve and faith. I can literally see her trusting God. The love and concern shown to us in these last few weeks has bolstered her trust in God and faith in the church. Thank you.

Pre-Admission and Pre-surgery tests

Today we waited...and waited some more...and waited some more down at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. We went to get pre-registered, start the financial process, do some routine blood tests and urinalysis, and spend yet another day downtown.

It was actually quite a easy visit except for the frigid temperature of the floor we were on - and we both forgot our hoodies. A wonderful lady named Rowena took us through the registration process and asked tons of routine questions. Apparently, the financial side of things is waiting for insurance verification before we can find out what we're up against. Also, they don't give out "quotes" anymore, so we'll have to find that out through a series of phone calls which I will begin tomorrow morning.

The blood testing was relatively painless, although there was pain involved (I had it easy from the cheap seat). Liza was very brave and didn't complain at all (she has been notoriously fearful of shots and needles). "Buckle up," is what I told her. There will be plenty more where that came from.

Except for some phone calls and planning, that's it until next week Tuesday - the day of the operation. We have to be there before 9:30 AM. She goes under around 11:00 and the surgery is slotted for 4 and 1/2 hours. We don't expect to be able to see her before 5:00.

Liza just came in and wanted me to ask you all to pray specifically for her right side. She has been experiencing some dreadful burning sensations down her right arm, leg, and foot. It was difficult to sleep last night because of it.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and concern. We are indebted to you.