POST SURGERY UPDATE!

Calli went in to surgery at 8 am, and came out at 2:30.  They warned us that she would be on a vent, not able to move her legs, and said to brace ourselves, because she would not be recognizable, due to swelling in her head.

Well, we are so happy to report that she is breathing on her own, wiggling her toes, moving her legs and as you can see, looks good.  Several of the 7 or so different doctors that have come in,  are telling us how astonished they are at how good she looks, how she is not swollen at all, and how well she is moving for the surgery she had. 

She is in a lot of pain, and had much trouble with breathing earlier, but now,  they have her pain managed at a reasonable level.

OK, here is the actual surgery info:  The tumor is an Astrocytoma- the kind we did not want it to be...Dr. Storm got what he could out.  This tumor does not have a definite outline, and grows differently in different spots...so hard to get all.   The doctor was able to put back in one piece the lamina that he had removed.  He removed 1/2 of t8, all of t9,t10,t11, & 1/2 of t12.  She has been referred to a Neurological  Oncologist, to treat the rest of the tumor left in.  Tomorrow she will get another MRI, to see the amount that had to be left in-We are hopeful for another shrinking!!!  

She will need radiation.  Depending on the grade of the tumor- possible chemotherapy as well.  Lab results will not be back for several days, but they treat any astrocytoma tumor of the spinal cord or brain as a malignant type, even if it is not. 

Calli woke up from resting and said, "Mom I had a dream, and a close friend told me in the dream .."Calli, Clay has to go in the kiln, before it can get shiny."  

She also had another dream with another friend in it that told her " It is not the face of a man, but the feet."  

I know that both have meaning, that the Lord wants to reveal to us all.  

Calli also asked us to share the following verses with you from Lamentations 3: 21-33 that Mike had read to her, she had it already highlighted in her bible, and had chosen the beginning of this section to read in her drama class earlier in the year:

"Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:  the faithful love of the Lord endures forever, His mercies never cease.  Great is they faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh every morning.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him!"  The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him.  So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.  And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of His discipline.  Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord's demands.  let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last.  Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies.  For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.  Though He brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of His unfailing love.  For He does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow."

 We give God all the glory, for her good condition.  We are so thankful for all of your continued prayers, & support.  Rejoice in the Lord always!  Again, I say rejoice!