Friday, November 28, 2008

Eastern Tennessee Honor Choir

Hope was picked by her choir teacher to participate in the East Tennessee Honor Choir. The choir consisted of students from Chatanooga, Knoxville and the Tri-Cities and all points in between. She worked for several weeks on the music at her school then joined the rest of the choir for the last three days. They changed the location of the event; this year it was held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The place was so packed we had to leave after Hope's portion. It was a bit surreal watching Hope do the same thing I had done Cali with the Bay Area Honor Choir lo many years ago. I've never pushed Hope to singing; she hasn't had that much interest, but she had a great time.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Psalm 100

On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn't make him. We're his people, his well-tended sheep. Enter with the password: "Thank you!"

Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever. -Psalm 100:1-5


This week-make yourselves at home-thanking God, praising him for all he is!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

I'm Back!

I haven't blogged literally in months. While things have been happening, my life changed dramatically. I had no idea what I was in for when I finally visited the doctor about three months ago. I haven't felt really good in so long I can't remember but things started to worsen for me about five months ago. RaChael, Buck and the girls visited us in August and RaChael talked to me about my health and made me promise to go the doctor.

Now I have been to the doctor in California with the same symptoms and was given iron pills and sent on my way; obviously this didn't work. I went to an internist in Knoxville and explained my symptoms. For the first time I felt listened to. I was so relieved and yet confused when the doctor said 'lets get to the bottom of this, I think you are bleeding internally'. I thought there was no way his hunch was right. But since I am at the age when you start getting routine tests done, I just accepted his radical idea.

While I was on a health fishing expedition, all my coworkers were called in to a special meeting with my bosses. We were told that evening that they were closing up shop as of that moment. So while I was waiting for my colonoscopy, I was job hunting. I was interviewed at Target and was offered a job. I told them the only thing in my future was just a routine test. On the following Monday, I went in for my colonoscopy. During the procedure, I noticed the doctor reacting angrily and the situation got tense. After the procedure, I was told that I had two inch polyps in my upper colon and they would need to be removed....and fast. I called Target and told them I would need about ten days to recover from this minor procedure. They were so gracious and would hold my job.

The doctor pushed for the procedure to be done and a week later I was scheduled for the colonectomy. They were to laproscopically remove the portion of the colon the polyps were located. Once I was out I was suprised; what was supposed to be a two to three hour procedure turned out to last I think about eight hours. I was soon given blood transfusions and fluids. RaChael flew in which was an overwhelming blessing and was there after the surgery. I was put in ICU and heavily medicated. Things are pretty sketchy from my memory so I have relied on RaChael's recollection. I was given I think about four units of blood and two IVs of fluids at the same time. My resting heart rate was 170 and my blood pressure was high; they started sedating me more because when I moved around my heart rate would climb. From what I understand it was touch and go for a while. I was given a diarectic and that corrected the problem.

I was in the ICU for five days; the length of my sister's visit. She was a lifesaver picking up the the kids, cooking and cleaning. During the day she would visit with me. I was so sedated her visits are like faint memories I wish I could remember. I was put in the normal ward for the next five days and give a few more transfusions. I finally got to go home. I was in a lot of pain and could only sleep sitting up.

Okay, I will try to explain the procedure. First, they placed shunts so that the area like the kidneys would not be damaged in the procedure. They started to do the procedure laproscopically, but realized to would have to be an open surgery. The polyps at that point were unknown if they were cancer and I was happy to hear they were not. The doctor told RaChael that they were like old food in the refridgerator; one day they were fine by the next it could go bad. Plus they were the kind of polyps that, if cancerous, would ravage my body. A portion of my upper colon was actually hernaited and was removed. There was also a hole in my colon. There was a hernia on my kidneys along with grossly enlarged varicous veins wrapped around them. They had to take my organs out and rerout and fix the problems.

Once I got home, it was a VERY slow recovery. I ended up back in the hospital a week later needing two more transfusions. It has now been almost two months and I am still in pain (the doctor thinks the anemia is slowing down the healing process), but I am doing much better. I continue to wear a binder around my stomach for support and I am still anemic. I have had rectal bleeding about four times but because of all my rerouting, they can't really scope me properly. If I bleed again, I will go immediatley for a bleeding test. I feel pretty good but it goes without saying I have to pass on the Target job. I am trying to do as much as I can to get back to normal while still be obediant to the doctors.

Our church and family have been a great support through this time; it has been tough to go through for everybody especially being so far from outside support. It was hard on Norm; he have started his new the job the day after my surgery, then he would come home and take care of the house and the girls. Hope and Grace both had to pitch in more. My memory is very foggy; I cannot remember October at all. But God has provided wonderful people in our lives that have been invaluable and I am very thankful to not only them, but the doctors who discovered the problem and took care of it. I am hoping to now start iron therapy and look forward to better health. I have had a lot of people praying for me and I appreciate it so much. I have learned some great lessons through this trial and I have given up the dream of wearing a bikini (ha!), but God is faithful and has been with me through this time and has brought spiritual healing and hopefully soon my physical healing will be complete.

Tina

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Psalm 92

This was what we read last night.:
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
But you, LORD, are forever exalted. For surely your enemies, LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured on me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will
flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming,

"The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him." -Psalm 92

We were in the car on our way home from a spectacular Christmas light display at Shadrack's in West Knoxville. Grace also read Psalms 91 and 93. All great readings! We continue our time of Thanksgiving....... -Norm

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Psalm 100

We have started something new in our family. As some of you may know it's been a difficult couple of months. In response to this we've entered a time of thanksgiving. We are doing a short reading as a family and sharing what we are thankful for following each day's events and activities.
It is easy to focus on all the things that aren't going right or the challenges we face each day. We are putting those aside to give thanks.

This was the verse we read and talked about last night: Psalm 100 NIV

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his
; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The first verse so impresses me. Here in eastern Tennessee, Fall is in full swing. The leaves are changing and are absolutely beautiful! Creation is shouting for joy to the Lord through a kaleidoscope of colors. As his children we are encouraged to worship with thankful hearts on good and bad days, even during challenging months. I am grateful for a Father who is good. Since before the creation of time, He has been faithful.

-Norm

The blog of Norm (and family). loving God, loving my family, loving people, living my life so that God smiles. making a great cup of coffee. enjoying time with my family. being the Church.