Kaela's Update- June 9

Kaela here again! Here's the update as of Sunday evening:

Jen was extremely happy yesterday after surgery. We have video's of her saying, "It's a good day to breathe!" And asking for some 7-up. I wasn't there, but the picture of her holding Benjamin for the first time brought happy tears to my eyes. They are truly a miracle!

She was anxious to get off her respirator, so she could talk to her kids as soon as possible. We were told it would probably be 2 days before she could breathe well enough on her own, but once again, our prayers were heard and she was able to get off it in record time. A respiratory therapist stopped the machine to see if her lungs could handle it...they monitored her oxygen levels and a couple other factors and needed her overall score to be anywhere under 105 to be able to remove the respirator completely. Her score was 14...yet another miracle!

We were given another detail about her first surgery on Thursday. The doctors had previously inserted balloons into her main arteries from her uterus down to her legs on each side. The balloons were a precautionary measure to help her from bleeding out during the surgery. Unfortunately her hemorrhaging was so severe that the balloons couldn't handle it and the doctors were forced to completely cut and cauterize those main arteries in her groin/legs. This means that her body will need to create new paths to get blood flow to her legs/feet. They are monitoring her pulse and blood flow in her legs and feet closely. So far, she has one cold foot and one warm foot, but doctors are optimistic that her body will continue to compensate. This was a reminder that Jen has a long road of recovery and healing ahead of her. She has said over and over these past few days how grateful she is for her body, and that she can feel her body working hard to heal. Prayers in this area would help!

Another big concern is infection. Even when Jen was out of surgery from Thursday night to Saturday morning, her body was still open and exposed. When they finished surgery on Saturday, her body was still too swollen to close up all the way. So, they will still need to finish closing things up. But since then, they have taken 5 of the 7 lines that were used for getting blood into her body (including the jugular line that was the size of a hose). So that made Jen a lot more comfortable and assured her that the fear of bleeding out again is minimal.

This afternoon (sunday) she hit her first big rough patch. Our poor girl has been pretty miserable. She got very very nauseous and the nausea medicine was not helping. Doctors were able to see that her intestines hadn't started working yet so all the fluids and gasses that had accumulated in her stomach were making her sick. They were able to insert a tube through her nose to her stomach to remove it, which eventually helped her nausea, but the doctors are concerned about her intestines and other organs. Until they can function properly, she has to keep the tube to her stomach, and is only allowed to eat ice chips. Jen has asked specifically for our prayers on this matter.

Also, doctors found a couple blood clots forming in her groin. Since blood thinners are out of the question, doctors are going to surgically put filters in to catch any loose clots. She is being prepped for this as we speak. This procedure isn't life-threatening, but the clots are, so we are grateful that the doctors are doing this sooner rather than later, leaving her with less of a risk. The procedure will take about 2 hours.

Again, we are so grateful for the amazing doctors and nurses who have saved Jen's life. They are her angels, and we love them deeply.

Jen wanted me to tell you all how grateful she is for your love, prayers, and concern. She has mentioned multiple times that she feels your love and prayers, and she is so grateful. We, as her family, are so touched by the many people who love our Jen. How grateful we are for your love. We have seen amazing miracles this past week, and we are grateful for your contributing prayers and thoughts to make that happen. Tonight, when Jen was really hurting, Todd sat down and read her your sweet notes and comments. It really helped her calm down and distract her. We are so grateful for you all! Please feel free to write her notes of love and encouragement below in the comments, and we will be sure she hears them!

So, as of tonight, our main goal is to help Jen be more comfortable. She has had a really hard day and it is hard to see her so miserable. Benjamin is still doing well! He is truly a miracle baby! Again, thank you all for your love and prayers. Miracles have happened this week, and we are so happy to have our Jen. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she begins this long road to recovery!