Hoping for answers and relief

 What a crazy two weeks. We were so happy to have Mimi come visit and spend a week with us. She was able to watch Maddy ride multiple times, attend a horse show, spend Easter with us and give her best boy a big hug! It was so nice to have her here and to have someone to help me around the house as I continue to decline health wise. We didn't get many pictures, but we shared lots of time chatting, laughing, crying and sharing love and hugs. Depending on what the next week or two hold Mimi may be coming back again. We are also hoping I can get healthy enough to make our annual trip to the beach!

Maddy and Alex are both doing well. They are thriving and growing and that is my greatest source of joy right now. I love to watch them following their hearts, spending time with the people who love them and accomplish goals and dreams. 

This last few weeks has been a whirlwind of more testing and appointments for me as we get closer to finding answers and hopefully healing and a return to health and being able to live! After some testing this past week, we have ruled out the sphincter disorder that we thought might be the cause of my severe stomach pain and inability to eat. My mom learned of a rare disorder that closely matches my symptoms and experiences up to now. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with a vascular surgeon to have testing and try and rule this disorder in or out. While the surgery to correct this would be major with a long recovery, I am hoping we have finally found an answer and can start the road to healing. I am scheduled for surgery on Thursday to perform a thyroid lobectomy. The plan as of now is to remove the right lobe of my thyroid that contains the nodule. While I am in the OR they will send the removed lobe to Pathology to be sure there are no suspicious cells that were missed during biopsy. If all looks good, they will close, and I should be discharged hoe that same day. If the pathologist finds anything suspicious, they will remove the remainder of the thyroid and check labs to determine whether I need to be admitted for a night. 

Please pray for me this week as well as Bruce and the kids. This has been a hard season for all of us. We continue to be grateful for our faith which carries us through the hard times always keeping our sights set on eternity when our loving Father will wipe every tear away and there will be no more crying or pain. Thank you to our dear friends who continue to be there for us and check in. It is during the hardest of times that you learn who your true friends are. I am so very thankful for the people God has brought in our lives to walk beside us during the good times and the hard times. Thank you for loving our family during all the seasons of our life.

Ali