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Bethany's surgery was this week. We had to be at the hospital at 5:45am which means we woke up at 4am to be there. Lots of people wished her well Sunday night. She got three care packages from friends and a video call from Cali and Chey at the MTC who got special permission so they could give Beth their support! She woke up Sunday feeling scared but those expressions of care really turned her emotions around to feeling loved and optimistic. I'm so grateful. What a blessing people can be!

Before surgery

Kevin and I waited in the intensive care waiting room for hours. Got lunch. Waited some more. They did call us regularly to tell us things were going well. We met up with her in intensive care when she was all done and waking up. She remembers it now as being awake but too tired to talk. They got her situated and asked Beth questions which she did her best to answer, then she slept. She mostly slept, but they did have to ask her questions every hour. She would ask for water then try to sleep more. That night she had to be awakened every two hours for checks. So, she did not feel well-rested the next day either. She did continue to look progressively better and her voice stronger. The doctors were very pleased with her surgery and said it went almost perfectly.

There's me doing what I mostly did all week--sit in a chair by her bed.

On Thursday we got moved out of intensive care and into a regular care room. Yay! It was much quieter there with more space and a bigger TV. Also, more visitors could come. That evening the Kogers brought as many young women and young men who could come and Rosemarie Dunn drove kids, too. A group of seven kids and three adults came with flowers, gifts, and good wishes! They even entertained us with some charades which was great fun. It was definitely a highlight of the week. It meant a lot to me and to Beth.

We had three different experts in charge of Bethany's care and clearance had to be obtained from all three of them in order to go home: neurosurgery, otolaryngology (the ENT), and endocrinology. Neurosurgery was happy earliest. The ENTs needed to make sure that the patch in her head was working and she wasn't leaking spinal fluid (which sounds scary, doesn't it?). They felt good enough to let her go home next. Lastly was the endo department which were the ones responsible for making sure her pituatary, after all the trauma, would still produce the hormones Beth needs to stay alive. A worthy endeavor which we support by all means. They did discover that she was having trouble with the hormone that tells the body to keep some of the water it drinks and not pee it all out. They gave her some medicine for it on the third day. By Friday they felt good with the amount prescribed. So . . . with instructions of home care and when to call and come back to see each of them, we got the go ahead to go home Friday night! Yay!

Beth's sisters were there with balloons to welcome her home! Saturday we were so happy to be home watching conference in our familiar place. Plus! The mountains had burst into color while we were gone and the view out of our windows is spectacular. Beth is still weak and her energy lasts only for short periods but we are so so grateful that she was able to get this procedure and it was done successfully and she is on her way back to her normal life. We know that a big part of that is all the prayers that were directed to her. We have seen God's hand throughout this whole thing and we are so grateful that He is mindful of us.

So, before all that, last Sunday we had a party for Sarah's birthday! She is 26! What a beautiful gal! We are so happy for her and all that is happening in her life. We had a dinner at the pavilion outside Megan's new apartment. Cali and Chey were there in our thoughts and hearts.  It was a good party!