"Slowly, Slowly" said the Sloth

For those of you who know Kevin well, these last 2 1/2 weeks have been literal torture for him.  He is a man not easily slowed.  He is a man of lists and tasks who loves to complete them and put checkmarks in the boxes.  Add to that the fact that the school year has just begun, and his eagerness to bring smiles to the faces of the students and staff at MCS, and you have a recipe for a very unhappy and anxious Kevin.

Mrs O's students made
Mr. Sall some cool shades.

This has been and is a journey filled with hills and valleys; highs and lows.  We are learning that this is going to be a long, slow healing process...months before he is completely healed.  There are some days when his right eye is looking slightly better and then we hit Sunday, and it looks worse again.  (Yep, it's seems to always happen on Sundays.)  But we take a deep breath, pray and press on.
If this fiasco has taught us anything, we have learned that we are not in control.  God has a plan and many times, like this time, it does not match the one of our own making.  And while we are still unclear as to His purpose behind this event in Kevin's (and our family's) life, we wake up each day knowing that He holds us, supports us and uplifts us with His loving and tender hands.

So, to all of you who have been:

• praying...keep praying, for complete healing and patience. 
• pinch hitting for him at Moline Christian...there is no price that can be put on how valuable that is and has been.
• bringing us meals...THANK-YOU! (Of my own admission, I am a lousy receiver of such generosity but am learning and growing in that area.)
• sending us cards, homemade sunglasses and class videos...each one has brought a smile to our faces and lifted our spirits.

To those of you who are wondering, yes, Kevin is back to work full time.  (He's just too darn big for me to sit on anymore.😜) However, he is restricted to only walking as his maximum physical activity until we see the doctor again in two weeks.  "Slowly, Slowly"...

Thanks again for all your continued prayers!

If you get a chance to listen here's the first part of a song that has really brought comfort to us in this last month: 

Hills and Valleys

  by Tauren Wells

I've walked among the shadows
You wiped my tears away
And I've felt the pain of heartbreak
And I've seen the brighter days
And I've prayed prayers to heaven from my lowestplace
And I have held the blessings
God, you give and take away

No matter what I have, Your grace is enough
No matter where I am, I'm standing in Your love

On the mountains, I will bow my life
To the one who set me there
In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the one who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain, I didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley end, no I am not alone!
You're God of the hills and valleys!
Hills and Valleys!
God of the hills and valleys
And I am not alone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4rRCjrAyCs (Here's a link to listen to it too. 😍)

The Good and the Not So Great...

...We have some good news and some not so great news:

The good news is that after Kevin's appointment this morning, his retina is 100% reattached and there is no infection in his right eye.
The not so great news is that there is still bleeding happening somewhere in his eye. They cannot figure out where the bleeding is coming from so his eye is very swollen, both the eye lids and the eye itself. Because of this, Kevin has to go in for another appointment first thing Wednesday morning.
The really not so great part... if the bleeding has not stopped by then he will have to undergo exploratory surgery that day.

So, please pray with us that the bleeding will stop.

Thanks so much for all of your support!

Wonder of Wonders, Miracles of Miracles....

Today we experienced a miracle of miracles... 

I took Kevin for his post op check up this morning.  If you are thinking this is very soon after his surgery, you would be right.  He had his surgery only 22 hours before this appointment.

Relaxing, while sitting up!!

Once we were back in the examination room, they removed his eye patch and worked on cleaning up the outer rim of his eye since it was stuck closed. It took him quite a while to actually open his eye. 

Once he worked it open, they wanted him to see what he could see through it. Unfortunately, the strain of opening his eye and then trying to see, caused him to become very dizzy and nauseated. They quickly tipped him back in the chair, put a cool cloth on his forehead and took his blood pressure/pulse.  (Just so you can appreciate what I go through as his wife at times, his pulse was 47 bpm.  Yep!  That's actually almost normal for Kevin.  It's usually right around 52 bpm.  There are times when I have my head on his chest at night and I actually will his heart to beat again ;)

When his stomach had settled, they made him drink a sugary fruit pouch drink. Fifteen minutes later he was doing much better. 

Dr. Pezda came in and took a closer look at his eye and shared with us the miracle: Kevin's right retina is already 99% reattached!! He can sit upright during the day and lay on his left side at night instead of on his left side 24/7 for 6 more days.  Considering the gigantic knot in his left shoulder, he is pumped to give it a break by staying off it during the day.  

This news has us shaking our heads in awe!  We serve a great and mighty God!  Thanks for all your prayers!  They are working!!