I'm not out of Afghanistan yet...

Dad's doing great! Ever since I published his phone number, my dad has received call after call after call from family, church friends and old friends from school. Its been insane! My dad is so encouraged.

Last I talked to dad (yesterday), he was doing better. He says his mind is still a little loopy, but other than that, things are progressing well. He's getting more strength to lift himself, stand and walk. I haven't spoken with him today so I'm unsure how he's doing at the exact moment. The plan was for dad to head to rehab by next week. However, he's not going anywhere until he can stand and walk on his own.

Thank you so much to all of you who've been following the blog. You would not BELIEVE the amount of attention the blog has received. I originally intended this blog to be a tool for me to keep close friends and family updated on our situation so I didn't have to update each of them individually. As word spread about the blog, it grew into something much more - and only by God's power because I certainly didn't intend for the blog to start touching so many lives.

Before the surgery, the blog received around 40 hits a day. The week of the surgery and following the surgery, the site averaged over 180 hits per day, maxing at 230 hits on the 18th of December. And we're talking about hits from Australia, the UK, Africa and the US. I gotta give a shout out to all you in Arizona for the unprecedented amount of hits... I have NO idea who you are. I certain don't know anyone personally in Arizona. But your interest in the blog and in our family is so appreciated.

Everyone, thank you so much for all your thoughts in prayers. Through the blog, we've received over 125 loving comments and many many more through email and Facebook. Its so overwhelming.

One day, I hope to publish this blog. I'd also love to collect all the love notes you've poured on to us and include them as well. One day... when this story is finally over.

Until then, please keep praying for my safe recovery. Though the worst is hopefully over, I'm not out of the woods yet.

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Out of the woods... what does that even mean? Was I in the woods at one point during this whole ordeal? And since when is a forest a bad place to be? I like forests and trees. I'd prefer... I'm not out of the lake-of-magma yet. A lake of magma seems a lot worse than the woods. Or Afghanistan. I'm not out of Afghanistan yet.

I'm not sure if that was appropriate but Chelsea's asleep and can't proof read this post before I publish it.

~

I have another appointment on Jan 22nd to confirm everything is going well. There are many more check ups to follow, including ultrasounds and MRIs to ensure everything is healing properly. The biggest concern right now is blog clots and hernias. Please pray that God will protect me from both. I'm keeping my end of the deal - I haven't missed an injection and I'm doing very little lifting.

Also, pray for dad's recovery. Pray that my liver will be accepted. The liver transplant isn't a magical process where my liver is accepted over night. My dad's body could decide in 6 months or 5 years from now that it doesn't like my liver anymore. So continue to pray for that. My dad has also developed diabetes from the cocktail of drugs he has been exposed to post-op. The doctors say that he'll be on insulin for the rest of his life. The doctors can say whatever they want... doesn't change that God's in control. Pray that God will completely heal him of his diabetes and that my dad can finally live a completely new life - free from any sickness at all.

Love you all so much.