The day of surgery, Mom and Dad Moffat came to stay with the kids. We just didn't want them to be alone. Greg got all checked in at the hospital and as soon as they took him back for surgery, I went outside. A group of loyal, caring friends came to sit with me while I waited all those hours. We brought camping chairs and sat in the grass and prayed, talked, and went and grabbed lunch. While we were eating lunch I finally got the call from the doctor that surgery was done and had gone well. I had a difficult time hearing everything he said (there was a lot of static on the line), but he said Greg was well, and they were able to get the tumor out, along with 25% of his colon and a sampling of lymph nodes.
I immediately burst into tears when I got off the phone. I was thankful I was not alone. Most of the ladies headed home, but Leah and Kelly stayed and went on a walk with me around the block of the hospital while I waited for Greg to get out of recovery. I have the best friends. They were just there for me, whatever I needed. They were such a comfort.
I was sitting in Greg's room when they wheeled him in from recovery. The first thing he noticed was the clock on the wall. It had the wrong time, and that bothered him. He immediately asked the nurse to fix it. I found it quite amusing that the clock is what he chose to care about in that moment. The nurse was very sweet and went to find a new battery right away. He was pretty groggy that first day. I drove home around 9pm that night. The night nurse got him up and moving in the middle of the night, and I was glad I wasn't there for that. A lot happened in those first couple days. It was exhausting. He had some issues urinating after surgery, and he had some trauma with catheters that was no fun.
Here's an update I posted on social media a couple days in:
FB Post July 8 (2 days after surgery)--Time for an update. I’ve considered starting a separate page for this journey we’re on, but I just don’t feel ready to do that, so my page it is, for now. Feel free to snooze or hide me. 
Greg is doing very well in his recovery--eating food, taking walks, and doing everything he can to get out of there as soon as possible. There have been some challenges, as you might expect when you have a major surgery that messes with your plumbing. I’ll leave it at that and spare you (and Greg) the details. The doctor is pleased with his progress, though, and is already talking about sending him home, which would be on the early side of what he told us initially.
We are exhausted, and I mean bone-tired, weary. Sleep has been elusive for Greg (hospitals don’t allow for much sleep, do they?) and for me at home. We both got a little more rest last night, thankfully. I’ll head to the hospital soon.
I wanted to share one bit of news we got yesterday (still not sure if I missed it during the garbly cell phone call after surgery or if he didn’t say it then). The doctor said the lymph nodes they removed were pretty “bulky,” which is not great. That was difficult news to hear. The doctor also later said that he is pleased with how the surgery went and that we have every reason to be hopeful for a full recovery eventually. Colon cancer is very treatable. I had a hard time getting over the “bulky” news, though, and it made for an emotional day. Pathology results take 3-5 business days. When I left the hospital last night, Greg was discouraged (even though he’d made great progress yesterday), and I was just exhausted and emotionally fragile. I cried out to God as I sobbed my way home from the hospital, driving slowly. I want to be at peace and rest in the knowledge that He sees, He cares, He loves Greg more than I do, and that I can trust our future to Him. But it’s hard.
This morning, my prayer is that we (I, but Greg, too. He’s better at this than I am) will be able to be in the moment, not in tomorrow’s moment or next month’s, but in this one that God has given us right now. We have so much to be thankful for--successful surgery, amazing hospital staff, kids who are handling all of this with grace, parents who are helping where they can, friends and family showing us love and care in so many tangible ways. When I’m tired and weary, though, it’s easy to sink into fear and worry and discouragement. I’ve been turning to the Psalms for comfort and many old hymns have been encouraging me, as well, this morning. It’s a new day with new mercies and new strength from the God of all comfort and grace.
Great is Thy faithfulness
O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been
Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me
Pardon for sin
And a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer
And to guide
Strength for today
and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
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| This is where I saw with friends in the grass on surgery day. |
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The oh-so-important clock
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Leaving the hospital
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FB post--July 8--Look who got discharged from the hospital in record time? He says he’s a “medical marvel.” 
Today has been a much better day. It’s amazing how much can happen in a day. Thanking God for all the doctors, nurses, CNA’s, and staff members who took such good care of Greg (Adventist was great), and thanking Him for peace and healing progress, both physically and emotionally. Greg’s got a ways to go recovery-wise, but we are home. 
So many people sent flowers, cards, notes, and brought us food. It was wonderful to not have to think about food for two weeks. The kids loved having people bring meals, too. We felt so loved and cared for. I didn't realize just how much of a blessing the meals would be until we were in the middle of it all. Once Greg came home, I had to do everything for him and prepare special food just for him. We discovered quickly that eating whatever he wanted was not a good idea. We went back to soft, low-fiber foods, and he did much better, even though he was sad to not be eating to the yummy foods people were bringing us. There was usually something he could have but not all of the good stuff. :)
Ryan and Michelle and their family came the day after Greg got home from the hospital. It had been the plan already because there was a Miller family reunion scheduled for that Saturday, and we decided they should still come. I'm so glad they did! It was great to have them to talk with in those first days of Greg being home. I had a lot on my plate caring for him, and it was nice to not feel so alone. Also, the kids were thrilled to have their cousins with them. Ryan and Michelle took all the kids to the reunion activities, too, which gave us some quiet time here at home, too.
