Fleener Family Update - Mandy has unexpected surgery
Joe Fleener
All:
Many of you would have read this on our Blog or FaceBook by now, but for others who do not venture into such Internet worlds, I thought I would take a moment to update you on a rather major, unplanned event in our lives since Sunday night!
I’m just copying here what I already put on my blog to save the time in retyping everything. It has been a very full week!
http://emethaletheia.blogspot.com/2010/05/past-36-hours.html
12:30am Sunday, after Mandy had been experiencing
severe abdominal pain for 20 minutes, I took her to A&E.
The doctor there originally diagnosed her
with kidney stones. After heaps of pain meds she was admitted to hospital at
3:30am Monday.
Around 9am she had a CT scan which revealed
that the pain was not from kidney stones. What they found was a mass growing
on/around one of her ovaries.
The specialist opted to proceed to surgery right away.
By 1:30pm Mandy was in theatre and undergoing
surgery.
The surgery lasted just over two hours. In the end it was quite extensive as
they found the mass had wrapped itself around her ovary and caused a good bit of
damage.
In the end they had to remove a good bit. The recovery will take some time.
By 5pm she was on the Ward and feeling quite
wasted.
It is now 1:30pm, Tuesday. We still haven't
met with the surgeon for post-op, so there is a lot we don't know.
She will certainly be in hospital until at least tomorrow. It will take some
time to get pathology results on the mass as well.
We have been so encouraged by so many expressions of concern and prayer from so
many friends. Thank you all.
We are resting in our Father's love, knowing that He does all things well, for
the good of His children.
Romans 8:32
http://emethaletheia.blogspot.com/2010/05/singing-around-mummy-hospital-bed.html
We had a lovely time around Mummy's hospital bed holding hands and singing hymns.
Mekaela read several passages of Scripture for Mummy, Tabitha prayed, and Gavin held is Mum very close!
These are special times we won't soon forget. We are so very blessed.
http://emethaletheia.blogspot.com/2010/05/she-home.html
She's home! To quote Tabitha: "Thank you God! That's what we prayed!"
http://emethaletheia.blogspot.com/2010/05/rejoicing-in-lord-providence.html
Rejoicing in the Lord's Providence
Now that Mandy's surgery is over
and we have some time to sit and reflect on the events of the past couple of
days, we are compelled to give praise and thanks to the Lord for His kind
providence.
1.
If this would have happened this coming Sunday, I would have been in Auckland.
2.
We have a young man who boards with us. Therefore, even though this happened in
the middle of the night I was able to take Mandy to hospital right away as he
could be at the house with the kids.
3.
We were able to get straight into a doctor which meant Mandy was admitted
quickly and I wad abject to be home when the kids woke up so they didn't wake
up to both of us gone.
4.
The A&E doctor ordered a CT scan which revealed this wasn't kidney stones,
but more serious.
5.
The specialist responded quickly and rather than ordering more test just opted
for surgery straight away.
6.
There was an opening in surgery within an hour, so Mandy was moved to next in
line.
7.
When they did the surgery, her ovary had already swollen to the size of a
grapefruit and burst. Not a moment too late for the surgery.
8.
We have a doctor friend who was in the surgery theatre at the same time and was
able to keep me informed since we didn't hear from Mandy's surgeon until the
next day.
9.
We have a nurse friend who has been Mandy's nurse and has been a great source
of information as well.
10.
Mandy had an appointment this week with the doctor which would have resulted in
a referral to see a specialist, which would have taken 6 months. However, she
was able to see the specialist within hours!
11.
There was already someone else scheduled to teach at our Monday night home
group, so I didn't even have to think about it.
12.
With an iPhone, FaceBook, Twitter, blog, email, texting, & Skype we have
been able to keep people informed, stay in touch with family and friends from
around the world.
13.
With the same tools, I have been able to work, read, and rearrange schedules,
appointments, & plans all from the hospital.
14.
We have a number of friends who have been available in very short notice to
help with the kids.
15.
The kids have been fantastic as they have realized how special their Mum is to
them and have stepped up to help in so many ways.
We are so thankful to the Lord for His kind providence. We have a wonderful
Heavenly Father Who does all things well.
We have many more details to work through and rearrange over the next few weeks
(it's amazing how complex life cam be with three children, home school,
concerts, work, ministry, etc.). However, we are resting in the grace of our
Lord at this time.
Blessings in Christ
Mandy is home now. She came home yesterday afternoon. As a further revealing of the Lord’s kind providence, I had to teach TSBC classes yesterday, but we not have a two week break from classes. So, I will be able to be home to help Mandy and attempt to maintain the kids’ schooling as much as possible (nowhere close to what Mummy would do, I am sure!).
Mandy is restricted from all activity for two weeks, driving for at least one, and then easing back into things for another two weeks – four weeks total.
We are so amazed at the Lord’s provision and kindness through all of this. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
Blessings in Christ,
("If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." - C. S. Lewis)
Blog - http://emethaletheia.blogspot.com/
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Lecturer (Old Testament, Church History, Christian Worldview, Apologetics, Ethics)
The Shepherd's Bible College
PO BOX 8229 Havelock North New Zealand
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