The Blog I've Been Waiting to Write... SURGERY #3

Hello Fellow Friends, Family, and Prayer Warriors,

Its time for surgery #3! Thats right! It seems like yesterday I was first posting my first few paragraphs on here, and now here we are writing about the final step in this long process of getting better... YIPEE! The past few weeks have been filled with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on my part... which has been sorta nice. Surgery #2 took quite a tole on my fragile body, and needless to say I was in EXTREME pain for about 3 weeks. Last week I started hurting so much more, I was feeling very sick, and was asking for way to many pain meds. Wednesday night I started running fever, so we scheduled a dr appointment for the next morning, bright and early. That was one of the hardest mornings for me, because mornings are already hard on me and tend to be the most painful, only to add feeling crappy, and at the time, ZERO pain meds. We were worried I had accidentally pulled some stitches apart and was leaking bowel into my body, so we were quite anxious to find out what was wrong with me. Dr. Young did a few tests, and soon walked in with a giant smile on his face, high fiveing my mom and says, "She has type B influenza!". He explained that the flu raises the bodies sensors and so all the cuts, and staples, and pain from the surgery two weeks prior, would be multiplied by 100. That explained all the pain... lovely lol. All three of us had never been so happy to know that someone had the flu. I was given Tamaflu, and within 24 hours, I was feeling SO MUCH better.

Books for 9 hours of classes... yyuuuyy

Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will travel to Dallas once again, to consult with Dr. Olsen about surgery #3. We will determine on a date, and he will look at me to make sure im still "up to par" for this next surgery. Surgery #3 is going to be super easy, and pretty painless. They will sew up the tiny hole in my small intestine that is being used as the ileostomy, then they will tuck that into my stomach (where it SHOULD BE i might add lol), and finally they will sew my stomach up. Easy peezy, as 1, 2, 3 folks!:)

I'm also hoping he will release me to WORK and DRIVE again. Now that i'm feeling better, I am so ready to see my friends, and make a little money. Spring is coming, and I need so new clothes... Right?!   HAHAHA:) Clothes or no clothes, I'm ready for spring to come. Spring means warm weather, watching my little bro play baseball (my favorite, and this year on our high school team!), and my birthday! I still haven't wrapped my mind around the fact that I will be 19... crazy y'all. Crazy.

This is pretty much what it looks like... lets tuck her in!

I'm also about to begin my online classes, which start the 14th. I got all the books yesterday, and im anxious to open them up and start reading already! But, i'm pacing myself, and I'm going to give myself until the actual day to open them, just because I know that 2 weeks into school, i'm already going to be hating it. I took 12 hours in high school, i'm taking 9 this semester, and 9 more this summer (broken up into two different semesters of corse)... that way by the time fall rolls around, I will be exactly where everyone else I graduated with and started with at WT is. CAN I GET A HIGH FIVE?! Yeah, i'm proud of what's about to go down:) I also FINALLY got an Instagram, and i'm addicted! You all post great photos! I know everyone and their dog are always like "go follow me, go follow me, go follow me, if you don't follow me you don't love jesus... ect.", but yes i'm guna do this: Go follow me!:) My username is kaitlinmckayla:) Ok, see, it wasn't that bad;)

These people... This place. LOVE

So with ALLLLLLLLLLL that being said, thats whats going down in the life of yours truly. Sometimes, i'm going to be honest and just say, sometimes I wish I could give up. Its easy to be strong and fighting and excited in the beginning, before the GIANT freight train hits you, then runs you over, then invites its friend trains, then they run you over to top it all off, which leaves you feeling like you've been hit by a freight train. *sigh*... But thats what I have my friends, family, and prayer warriors for. Its amazing to me to walk in United or Walmart and see a friend, or my moms friend, or my moms grandma's friends uncles son-in-law half removed, and for them to say that they are praying. It literally tear's me up EVERYTIME, to know just how many people are praying. You truly don't know what an impact you are making. So thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to my family for being strong when I'm crying at night, or grouchy through the day cuz I'm ready for all this to end. Thank you to the few friends (you know who you are), who will talk to me for hours on the phone late at night when I just need to vent, or come and get me and take me to lunch, or come just to visit. Thank you everyone who prays for me every single day. Thank you for anyone who has ever prayed for me or my family... I am one blessed girl to be loved by so many.

This is the last step... Jesus is good. I will NEVER stop saying it.

I LOVE YOU ALL
-Kait

And a Happy New Year

Merry Christmas!!!

Im sorry I didn’t post anything during the process of this surgery. It was A LOT more painful than I thought it was going to be. But God is good, and we were able to come home for Christmas J

Its a White Christmas!

Our hospital Christmas meal

Merry Christmas!

            So Wednesday through Thursday was kind of a blur… I remember going in to the operating room, I remember getting the epidural, and I remember being in the ER, but I don’t remember a lot after that. The first few days were pretty miserable to be honest. I was in SO MUCH pain, I couldn’t do anything except lay on my back in bed and watch TV. Rolling over hurt, moving hurt, laughing hurt, and when it came time for me to “go for a walk”, I thought I might pass out. The first walk I took was a very slow, painful process, that included many tears, screams, and resistance. My poor parents were very patient with me as I grouched in anger, but it was one of the first steps on our check list of things to do before we were able to leave. The second was eating. At first I was begging for food, but once I was able to eat, my apitite was as small as a hampsters, and it almost made me sick. Day by day I was able to sit up without help and walk a little better, and each day I was slowly coming off all the morphine and pain meds they were giving me through my IV. On Saturday, my familys favorite restaurant La Madeline, gave us Christmas dinner! That was an experience, and it was super yummy! Pumkin pie and everything! It was nice to have something else except hospital foodJ

I miss my hair:(

They think im a fall risk... 

            Needless to say, im still very sore, but its so good to be home for Christmas. My follow up appointment is the 9^th, and then we will deternmine when 3^rd surgery will be. The disease is FINALLY GONE! PRAISE JESUS!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS:

            -Grow closer to the Lord

            -Stay fit and work out

            -Grow out my hair

            -Make great grades in school

            -Learn to sing better

            _ :)

LOTS OF LOVE

-Kait

One More Day

Well, I guess it all comes down to this huh? The thought that keeps flowing through my mind is "where did time go?"... Its seems like yesterday we were just finding out I had this disease, and now I only have one more day of it being in my body. Period. No more meds... no more pain... none of it.
Tomorrow I have one final check up before surgery Wednesday morning... one more doctors visit with this disease still being in my body. I cant seem to wrap my mind around it... or the fact that I will never have to deal with it ever again.
I don't really have much to say... I think i'm mentally drained.

Thank you all for your prayers and support... It was good to see a lot of you before this second surgery, and I cant wait to be home again... healing for the final step.

In the end, all I can say is, God Is Good. No matter how much we have to go through, no matter how hard life may be, in the end He knows what He is doing, and I think I have finally realized this. I seriously wouldn't be where I am today without Him... This bumpy ride is almost over.

I love you all

-Kait

Surgery #2... THE UPDATE!!

Hello again:)

So its been a while since I’ve last posted anything on here, but I bring good news! I’ve been so blessed to be healing so well. I’ve been off ALL pain meds for a week now, and I have been able to slowly venture out into the world once again. I missed my friends so much, and can I just say I have THE BEST FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN ALL THE UNIVERSE! Whether it was coming out to see me when I was still weak, to taking me to lunch, or just taking me places in general, I have been showered with love! And I have also been SO BLESSED to know how many people have been praying for me and my family… the Lord is just so good:)

I love this woman

Now here’s the update: This past Thursday we flew down to Dallas for a final check-up before surgery. The surgeon was extremely pleased at how well I was doing, and he said I was ready for the next surgery!! Surgery date will be the 19th... We wanted to schedule it as soon as possible because we would like to be home for the holidays this year… last year Christmas and New Years was spent in the hospital, and needless to say it wasn’t the greatest. So on to surgery #2 we proceed!

And what is the next surgery for, you might ask? Well, let me explain. Last surgery, my entire colon was taken out, which in turn removed 95% of my disease. The surgeon told my parents that my colon was so inflamed that by this point I would have had to have surgery regardless of any medicine they could give me. Well, this next surgery (surgery #2), they will remove the rest of the disease, and build me a “J-Pouch” which will serve as a colon. This could be up to an 8 hour surgery, because of all the tedious work they will be performing. But, the doctors say it shouldn’t be as hard on me as the last one because I will not be as malnourished as I was, and my body wont be in as big of a shock. Also, my parents have a friend that is an anesthesiologist, and after telling him the great stories of my morphine experience, and how I was in SO much pain after surgery, he suggested to ask for an epidural.  So that should be interesting… hahaha

J-Pouch

But, I’m ready to get this show on the road once again. I feel like just as I’m starting to get better, I have to start all over again on the recovery and healing process… time couldn’t move fast enough! I did register for 3 classes online for the spring semester, in which I will be taking Math (Jesus help me:/), English, and Music Appreciation. I’m so looking forward to being busy with school… well maybe. I’m pretty sure I’m going to love it for like 2 days then be like “why did I ever miss this?!?!?!” But I don’t want to be behind, so school time it is!

So, as of right now, pray that my body and spirit will be ready for this next surgery. And thank you yet again for all the prayers and support for my family… we have really needed it and its so nice to know we have wonderful friends and family that will always be there for us… I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Hugs and Kisses

                                    -Kaitlin

Going Home!

*Insert sing song tune*
IM GOING HOME TODAY! IM GOING HOME TODAY!
Thats right good people, today is the day I get to go HOME:) Good ol' Amarillo... The smell of Herford in the air, the 3:30 traffic on Western... yup thats Amarillo for ya. But its my home, and ive always loved it:) My grandpa is coming to get us this morning in his plane, and we shall adventure back on the one and a half hour flight back to Amarillo. I've always been a little scared of his plane because its smaller than the normal "commercial" airplane, but my Pop is a good pilot and he flies all the time, so im not SUPER worried about it... just give me a barf bag and i'll be good:)

I'm mainly excited to be sleeping in my own bed... as comfortable as these hospital beds are, its hard to sleep when you have nurses coming in every so many hours checking your blood pressure, giving you shots, flushing your IV, checking your temperature, checking your oxygen rate (or whatever its called)... needless to say its not easy to get much sleep. I guess if some random peril of the body were to attack me, they would know in a heart beat of a second, so it must be good for some reason... BUT WHY does it have to intervene with my precious sleep? Oh well, i'll be outta here soon, so no more of that:)

I'm thinking I can probably go back to work next week, which I am happy about. I am not a person to just sit at home and watch TV all day long. NOOOOOOO.  I need to be up and doing something, so why not make some money while i'm at it?:) I love my job, and I love the people I work with, so it will be nice to get back in the swing of things.

Me and my parents also talked about me taking some online classes next semester, since I will be having my 3rd surgery around the time school will start back up again. I wont be able to "go to classes" physically very well, so online kind of solves all our problems. I will take them through AC, since its much cheeper than WT, and i'm hoping to take some in the summer as well, that way when fall rolls around i'll be at the same level as everyone that I graduated with... I just kinda got a late start. School makes me so excited, because i'm ready to make new friends and have new adventures... oh and study of corse;) But mainly, as you all know, i'm just ready to be normal. My time will come...

My adventures with my new iliostomy bag have been... interesting to say the least. In the sum of things, I LOVE MY BAG... but I also hate how it cant be hidden very well. I know this battle is almost over, and I know its only for a few months, but still... being a girl we want to be pretty all the time, even when we first open our lovely crusted eyes in the mornings, and yawn or precious morning breath mouths, we girls long to be pretty... and this bag does not make me feel pretty. Its much different to sit on the pot and go to restroom, than to SEE your... *achhemm*... stool in a bag, and have to empty it out when it gets full. Its gross, and smelly, and its always there reminding you that your not normal. Only 2 more surgeries to go and I shall succeed NORMALCY! Praise God, Praise God, Praise GOD:)

So as of right now, we are waiting on the doctor to release his discharge papers or whatever for me. And as I sit here and type this all out, I am just so very thankful for the knowledge that God has given these great men who took the disease out of my body. I am a new person... literally;) It kind of reminds me of how God took all of our sins on the cross that day, and gave us the choice of everlasting life with Him... if He wouldn't have done all that, we would all be "sick" with our sins, and be doomed to a life in hell where we all deserve to go. He is our healer, in many different ways than just the physical, and I am so very grateful for it. So lets remember that today, and set our minds on a praising heart towards Him. Even if its just a little "thank you", He deserves to be recognized and appreciated for all He has done.

As for me, well, i'm probably the most thankful kid on the block:)
I cant wait to see you all! Please pray for safe travels as we head back... and thank you again for all of the prayers and support for me and my family this past week. Your prayers were answered:)

Hugs and lots of Kisses!
                                         -Kaitlin

Welp...

HHHHHeeeeeeeyyyyyyyy....
     Can I just say... I am SO READY to go home. Hospital beds are not the most comfortable things on the planet, and unfortunately I didn't have the best nurse last night. But, I awoke to two great nurses today, so they are making up for the bad one last night:) One of my most favorite nurses was Shantae. She would come in and laugh with me, and hang out while my parents were at lunch. We would talk about hair or nails or anything girly. But one of the main reasons I loved Shantae, is because she loved her job. A lot of these nurses don't like coming to work, and that reflects off them when they handle their patients. God bless sweet Shantae:) She was an angel.

Me and sweet nurse Shantae...  Isn't she beautiful:)

     So today has been SUPER low key, and quite boring. I went on a few walks, watched some Fairly Odd Parents, slept way too much, and dwittled on the computer... yes, I said dwittled:) We just talked to my doctor, and he is predicting that I can go home Wednesday. Tomorrow they will cut me off all IV  pain meds, and I will be on strictly oral meds. My stoma and tummy muscles have been pretty sore today, because of the lack of morphine and IV pain meds, so pray that my body will get used to my new lifestyle for the next few months.
     One thing I would also like some prayer for is for my self esteem. I was watching a stupid gymnastic show today, and Satan was having a glorious time pointing out to me that my stomach will never be the same again. Im so thankful that the style right now is baggy shirts and tight pants, because that will hide my stoma and bag so well... But its hard to know that I cant wear a pretty dress for a while, or even a normal t-shirt, without looking like I have a tumor or a baby on one side of my belly. As much as I am so thankful for my procedure and this bag, I am having a hard time getting used to it, and getting used to my body again. I gotta keep remembering, its more about whats on the inside that counts...
     Well, I'm signing off for today. I love you all sweet friends, and I cant wait to see each one of you.

Hugs and Blessings <3
            Kaitlin

Today is a good Day:)

Well hello friends:)

     Today has been a fun day already, and its not even over yet! I slept pretty good last night, and the doctors and nurses were so sweet to let me sleep in without bothering me until 10:30 this morning. I ordered some yummy french toast and a "sunrise sandwich" for breakfast (doesn't the name of that sunrise sandwich just make your heart happy?:P), and watched my church LIVE online! It was such a God thing because I was sitting there eating my breakfast, chatting with my dad, and I looked up to view the time and it was 10:55,  I was like "dad, we can watch church!". That was such a fun and amazing experience to be able to "attend" church while I'm laying in my hospital bed. Jesus still hears us worshipin' in our lonely places!

Weston keeping me warm and safe

     Unwillingly, I went for a long walk around the hospital. I didn't feel like going on a walk because i barely had any clothes on (i had my hospital gown but its super thin and you just feel BARE with it on), and my hair was greasy and gross, and i smelt bad, and I for sure didn't look like a beauty queen, but I did it anyway with the force of my parents... thanks mom and dad:) On my walk, I found my family waiting in the little waiting room down the hall. We took pictures and I was able to just be myself with them, laughing and playing, and kissing on baby Jett:) It was so fun. My aunt Shan and uncle Tyson left around noon, and it was sad to see them go. Then I got a surprise! My sweet friend and mentor Lauren Paris came to see me!! She was in town to see her friend, who has a baby in the Hospital here in Dallas (im praying for you Shaina!). It was good to visit and have "girl talk" with her in person... I love my sweet Lauren:)

     Once they left, It was "lets get Kay Kay clean!" time. Jentri and Jaci (my sweet cousins) helped my dad wash my hair, which was QUITE an experience let me just tell you... My dad had this fantastic idea of getting a garbage bag and cutting a hole in the bottom for my head, that way we could drape the bag over my body and it would cover me completely from the water to keep my gown and IV dry! Mainly my IV, because once they get an IV in this girls arm, we pray to God that it will last as long as it can because they are NOT EASY. My hair was successfully washed, and I was able to take another sponge bath in the shower, by myself this time:) Once I was dry and clothed, the rest of my family came to say goodbye. It was hard to see them go, my Nanalou and Pop, the girls, and my brother... Im so thankful they were able to make it down to see me... I couldn't have gotten through without them.

Jentri and Jaci, I love these girls... Always making me smile:)

     After saying my sad goodbyes, my parents were off to take everyone to the air port, which left me here alone. I turned on my straightener, my toons, and i was off to making myself look normal again. I fixed up my hair, did my makeup, and sang my heart out to some good ol' Taylor Swift:) Im sure all the nurses in the hall thought i was doped up on morphine, but really, i was just enjoying doing something BY MYSELF. I ordered some grilled chicken salad and lemon cake for lunch, and now im here typing up my blog for the day:) Its so crazy how far the Lord has gotten me from just a few days ago when I could barley talk because of all the pain it caused me... And here I am now with makeup on my face writing to all you guys. Jesus is so good, and I cant wait to come home.

     Thank you again for all of your prayers. Im recovering so well, and im so thankful to have friends who care and will war for me when im not strong enough to do it by myself. Our prayers now is that I can be out of here as soon as possible, we are hoping for Tuesday. We dont know when my next surgery will be (we are thinking somewhere around December 15th'ish?), but i would like to start recovering at home, and preparing for my next surgery. The next one will be the biggest out of all the surgeries, but i'll save that explanation for another time. I love you all, and I cant wait to be back in Amarillo! 

KISS KISS all the way from Dallas, Texas:)

Kaitlin