Here and now!

As I sit here time after time and hear the doctors tell us how great it is that Dr. Stanley did this surgery, I started to think on it all.  What I was thinking is how awesome our God is in the middle of all of this.  I know you have heard me explain how this surgery is one that no one else in the world has ever done before.  There are no support groups, or things to look up online that will help us understand what was and is going to happen with healing.  Well, something one doctor said to me today kind of really made me think about this.  He said that if Kasi were to have any more surgeries on this or complications it would most likely be Dr. Aliason that would be following up on her.  Why?  Because Dr. Stanley is 72 and he is the best in the world, but Dr. Aliason has been training under him for years and is looking to take over when he retires.  All of this to say, that if Kasi wouldn't have had this surgery done now, we wouldn't have had the experience of Dr. Stanley to do this and who knows what it would be like for her.  Well, God knows, and He knew! 
Back in 2008 we were wondering what her back surgery would do to her aorta.  It was a very stressful time as you remember and it was going to be a long, rough, road with lots of pain.  If you also remember God spared her from pain and the long rough road.  She did amazing with her back surgery and rebounded so well she was back to school a month ahead of schedule.  It did though make this surgery happen sooner rather than later.  It caused her to grow 4.5 inches in a very short amount of time which her aorta couldn't handle.  Dr. Stanley said the surgery was inevitable it was just pushed up a bit because of the quickness in which she grew.  All of that to say, God is so good!!!  Why?  If you look at this, if Kasi wouldn't have had the back surgery to speed along this heart surgery, wouldn't we have had the man God had prepared for this surgery.  No matter how we look at this, it was Gods plan for her to go through this, because His Glory is bigger through what we are seeing and experiencing than if we have not had any of this.  He is being seen by many many people because of answers to prayer and by His power being shown.  Kasi too is seeing Him and is feeling His power through her, and because of that people up here at U of M are seeing God's amazing Grace through a 14 year old young woman.  I just thought I needed to share this because it shows God's sovereignty in and through ALL things! 
Today as I look back at our little journey so far at U of M I can see the amazing people of God listening and obeying the call of being faithful.  Faithful to each other and working together because of Kasi.  There were no denominational boundaries or differences, just people loving God and loving Kasi.  At the fundraiser there were more than 1,000 people there at some point.  As overwhelming as that night was it gives me great assurance at the amount of people that are making it loud before the throne of our Father.  What a gift!  How awesome for Kasi and how humbling for me.  This prayer buzzer going off at all times is crazy to think each represents people praying Kasi's name before the Creator of all things!
That brings me to yesterday and the challenges we faced.  They were so hard to be in the middle of and to feel like I was watching from a distance.  My body and mind go into help her mode and I don't even think to cry until I have a moment to release at the end of the day.  Today I can look at yesterday and I almost can truly see all of the angels and them singing all around, but we didn't hear the sound.  Lord, I am sooo amazed by you.  Prayers answered from the time my buzzer started going off and He relieved her pain and gave her peace and joy. 
Today again was a day full of pain and relief.  She dealt with a severe pain in her chest/throat which was almost unbearable.  Now it is less severe and she is sleeping.  She has had her bath and her hair has finally been combed.  I know, not a big deal, right?  It is a big deal if your hair was all stuck in your tape for your central line. Not fun!  She did get her chest tube out, but now they found out she has some air around her lung where the chest tube was. Her oxygen has dropped so they have put her on more O2 now to try and increase her oxygen to get this out of her.  She was actually just put on 100% oxygen with a mask.  They will be waking her up every hour and the hour to do her breathing too, so she will be exhausted! 
Her output today is less then they would like too and her BP is starting to go up.  That just means her kidneys are still trying to adjust to "real" blood pressure and they are trying to recover after no blood for a while in the OR.  Her belly still doesn't have anything going on inside, so still no food.  She will start receiving nourishment through her IV if she goes much longer with out eating.  She is a tough girl and she is fighting.  I am so happy to know that she is not fight alone, but with many people on their knees for her. 
This is our journey, and it is one we do with each step taken in Faith.  Our God is healer, awesome in power...OUR GOD!  Yes, I could just shout it right now.  I have a joy, even through these struggles and tears, knowing that the same God holds her.  It was nice to see another family up here who is also experiencing God's glory all around.  I praise Him for their testimony too, so others can see the work of God, love of Jesus, and comfort of the Holy Spirit. 
Please continue to pray.  We see a lot of doctors in here a lot of times.  And well, we are doing good, we still are on one on one care because she is still not "out of the woods".  But His glory is here and now!
---Jodi