Six months post op

Six months ago, I went in for my very first MRI (certainly not my last). After being home for only 45 minutes, I received a phone call, "Ms. Jensen, you have a tumor." The words sent me into a trance and sounded like a terrible, scratchy broken record! It was roughly the size of a mango. I would not only need to undergo surgery, but undergo TWO surgeries! I panicked! What had I done wrong in my life to deserve a brain tumor? I knew I wasn't perfect, but a brain tumor...REALLY?!?! I was scared. I was scared my babies were going to grow up without me. I was scared I wouldn't be missed if I were to go. I was scared there were people who would be happy to see me go. I was scared of DYING!! I was simply...scared. After receiving a priesthood blessing, I felt at peace about going into surgery. I knew I was going to make it. On February 8th was the first surgery. The second was on March 22nd.

The outpouring of service that we received was remarkable! I didn't realize how much people cared! From meals to babysitting to household items to prayers and thoughts to love. I cannot fathom the amount of people who were praying for me and my family! People I didn't even know!! Even today, six moths later, I still hear the words, "I said a lot of prayers for you!"  I VERY much appreciate the prayers that were said on my behalf and wish I could send out a GIGANTIC thank you and give everyone a hug!! 

As my birthday is approaching, I can't seem to feel anything but grateful! I think back to my first visit to the neurosurgeon, where he stated, that if I did not have the surgery, I had 3-4 weeks to live. I am humbled and grateful that I am alive to celebrate my coming birthday!

A little over 4 weeks post op

Every morning when my eyes open after a nights sleep, I thank my Father in Heaven for allowing me to continue living. I could complain about what is wrong with me, the left side of my face is numb, my mouth is 1/2 numb, I have double vision, and at the end of the day, the upper left side of my head hurts. But what good would complaining do! My face being numb doesn't bother me, my numb mouth helps me keep my weight down and I've been to an eye doctor to help correct the double vision, and tylenol helps a headache!  I am alive and all of those "problems" I can live with!

I am very grateful for those that have provided any of the following:

meals
prayers
hugs
flowers
good thoughts
a listening ear
baby-sitting

I thank everyone of you from the depth of my soul!! The last few months went by smoother because of your help!! Thank you!!!!

Home, Sweet Home!

Around lunch time, today, Sarah came home from the hospital. She was in the hospital less time for BRAIN surgery than for a C-section. Amazing!

Sarah is resting well and enjoying the chance to sleep in her own bed. Meemaw, Pawpaw, Nana, Papa, Aunt Mandie and Uncle Gary were kind enough to take the three little ones away for spring break. So, while they are having fun it gives Sarah a chance to finish recovering in the peace of her own house. 

The doctors made it possible for us to get a disc of the MRI images. So, we thought we'd share the before and after. No more tumor! Gotta love it. 

Thanks to Darci and Josh for dinner tonight on short notice and the chance to sit and talk for a while. 

Have a great night everybody!

Ding Dong, the tumor's gone!

Well, it is snowing here in Normal, but Sarah is doing awesome! We got some fabulous news today. The tumor is completely gone! The doctors called it a "total gross resection". Sarah is 100% cured!

The incision is hidden just behind the hairline and goes from the middle of her head to the bottom of her ear. There are 61 staples on the incision...I counted. They also said she has some 400 stitches under the skin used to close all the layers of muscle and such.

Dr. Nardone was very happy with her progress today. She is walking on her own with no walker. She walked down the hall and up the stairs this morning with physical therapy. Her strength is great in both arms and legs. She's doing so well, in fact, the doctor said she can go home tomorrow.

The doctors gave us a CD with the MRI images on it so we can see the images. As soon as we get them on our computer we'll post the before and after. It's pretty amazing!

We're excited to start planning for this summer, getting back into our normal lives and having fun with all of our family and friends! Thanks, again, to all of you for everything you do for us!

Round 2: An Amazing Day!

Today has been a quite amazing and unexpected.

For those of you that are friends with Sarah on Facebook, you were able to see just how well she is doing today in her own words and from her own hand, "Happy Saturday!!! Surgery yesterday was a success! I feel GREAT!"

Yep, she is already back on her phone and posting to Facebook. We were expecting her recovery to be very similar to the last. She really didn't open her eyes or talk much for a week. This has been very different. She is talking and asking for REAL food, not just the liquid diet they have her on right now. Hopefully, soon they can give her real food. She is walking on her own without a walker, too. Her eyesight is doing very well, also.

The one thing we still don't know is the result of the MRI. When the doctor comes in tomorrow morning we should be able to find out. We are continuing to pray that it is gone entirely and radiation won't be needed to zap remaining pieces.

Sarah is sleeping peacefully and, hopefully, can get some solid hours of sleep tonight.

These past two weeks have been a little rough as doubts had snuck in and tested our faith. Could we really still be blessed with another successful surgery as successful as the first? I had a good friend remind me where those doubts come from. It's amazing how sly and slick the adversary is. All he needs is the smallest crack in your armor of faith and he can turn it into a gaping hole.

I've been reminded of the scripture in Matthew 17:20 that says "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." I often question how much faith I really have. How can it be measured? How much is enough? I am just a man and a very imperfect man, at that.

What I do know is this. Our Heavenly Father loves each of us. He loves us, listens to us and wants the best for us just like I do for Luci, Eva and Henry and any parent wants for their children. He is our Father. He has told us that if we ask we shall receive. I know I've been asking for Sarah's safety a lot lately. I know many of you have been doing the same. And like any good parent, He has listened and blessed us with a healthy and happy Sarah.

It takes faith to pray and know your prayers are heard. Many may say it is coincidence or just highly skilled doctors. That's fine. But I know what I know. I know the Holy Ghost has filled my heart with the knowledge that the tumor was discovered when it was discovered for a reason; that we were in Normal, IL to be able to have Dr. Nardone available to help Sarah; that we have been blessed with great friends, who are neurosurgeons themselves, to answer questions for us, ease our minds and counsel us; that we have friends and family who love us, who pray for Sarah's quick recovery and who have given of their time and talents to bless our family. And I know that Heavenly Father has sent his angels to watch over Sarah and guide the doctors hands.

So, as I'm writing this, I'm kind of answering my own questions, I guess. All our Heavenly Father asks is for us to ask His help and place our trust in Him. Then, be prepared to listen for the promptings of the Spirit for guidance and do all we can...and he'll take care of the rest. I know He does because right now I'm sitting next to a beautiful LIVING example of it. During the times it felt so out of my hands I know it was in His.

Now, this may sound strange to some. If you may be one of those and have any questions about what I'm talking about please feel free to drop me a note. I'd be happy to talk to you.

On behalf of our family, I want to thank all of you for your constant support. We have felt it. Your prayers and well-wishes have been awesome! Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people.

We hope everyone has a great night. We'll continue to keep you up-to-speed on things as we know more. We love you all!

Round 2: Recovery Day 1

Good afternoon, everybody! Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday.

We were able to see Sarah last night and she was alert, awake and ready to sleep. She was using sign language to talk to us. You could tell she was ready to sleep. She doesn't have as many tubes this time. She has her main IV line, Arterial line to monitor her blood pressure constantly, and a drain coming from her head. It has a little rubber ball on the end of it to collect the fluid so they can monitor the amount of fluid and pressure.

She was tired, so we only spoke with her for a few minutes and then we let her sleep. This was at around 10:30 or so. The nurse was kind enough to let her sleep the night.

One of Dr. Nardone's residents spoke with us last night to let us know they would be monitoring her for a condition called Diabetes Insipidus. She was urinating a lot during surgery and her sodium was a little high. They weren't too concerned with it, but just wanted to watch for it. I just spoke with the nurse and it seems to be under control and really not a concern anymore.

We also spoke with Dr. Nardone this morning and said she is doing great. She can feel her tongue completely now and the numb area on her face has gotten smaller. The only double vision she has is in her left eye and only when she looks a certain way! So that is better too!

Sarah had a nice, restful morning. She just had her MRI to see if they got all of the tumor. Hopefully, we'll know soon if they got it all for sure. They have moved her from ICU to PCU, where she won't be monitored as closely. It is the actual neuro wing of the hospital. The nurses and techs are very knowledgeable on things and just got done doing there assessment of her.

Sarah and I were just talking about how different this round has been. She doesn't have as much pain, is more alert and talkative. She's looking at her phone and drinking on her own and was happy to have the catheter removed so she could move around better.

I love seeing her bright eyes and personality still. It truly is an answer to my prayers. I'm so grateful for doctors and staff who have helped her so much. And for all of you—our friends and family—who have been so supportive. We are forever grateful to you all for everything you do for us.

We hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend and we'll keep you in the know on how the day continues!

Round #2 complete!

We just met with Dr. Nardone and his residents. He said it could not have gone better!

This portion of the tumor was as hard as a rock, so it had to be taken out much slower. He is confident they were able to get it all, but we'll know for sure tomorrow morning with the next MRI. All in all, she went in at 8:10 this morning and Dr. Nardone came out at about 8:30pm to talk with us.

Sarah is in recovery now and waking up. We are not sure if she is going to Intensive Care or Progressive Care. They mentioned Progressive Care, but I'm not entirely certain. It depends on how she's waking up.

The tumor was heavily attached around the eye nerves, so they want to see if she has any trouble with double vision or eye movement in her left eye. We'll know more as she becomes more alert.

We should be able to see her soon. As soon as we know more about the MRI results we will let everybody know.

Thank you so much for all of the prayers and well-wishes. We are grateful for the mountains of blessings we have received from all of you and the great abilities of the doctors and nurses that have helped her to this point.

Sweet dreams, everybody!

Round #2 Update - 6:30PM

It's been a long day, but things have gone well. The nurse called and said they will be starting to close. She did not say if they got all of the tumor or not. We will let you know after we get a chance to talk with the doctor.

We've had good company this evening with friends and family stopping by and a good friend bringing by dinner for us.

We are so grateful for all the blessings we've received today.

We'll keep you up to date as she comes out of surgery.

Round #2 Update - 3:00PM

Just got another update on Sarah. The tumor is coming out slowly, but surely. The nurse said it is quite attached to the surrounding tissue, so they are being careful with it.

Thanks for the cookies, Brenda. They will be a nice treat this afternoon.

We'll keep the updates coming as we know more. Thanks for messages of support coming in. It means a lot!

Round #2 Update - 12:30PM

Hi everybody! Things are going very well!

We just heard from the nurse that they have gotten to the tumor and are starting to remove it now. She said things are going well and a little ahead of schedule so far. We are looking at another long one just like the first. Which means she may be done by 7:30pm or so.

All of the doctors and nurses that worked with her before couldn't get over how different she is now. They were very impressed with her progress and alertness. She really is an all new Sarah!

They used the same Neuro Directional Positioning technology to map the borders of the tumor and the incision will be on the left temple.

We've had a few friends visit to see how she's doing and a great friend brought us Gondola's from Avanti's for lunch. We really appreciate all of the support and prayers. We are so grateful for great friends and family.

We'll keep everybody posted once we get another update in the next couple of hours.

Improving and Waiting

Hi there, everybody!

I know it has been a while since we last put out an update, but in this case it is definitely no news is good news! Sarah has continued to get better and better. She is completely recovered from the first surgery and her symptoms are all but gone. The old Sarah that we haven't seen in years has come back strong!

Now, the waiting game begins for the second surgery. It has been officially scheduled for March 22nd. The doctor says it will be the same length of time in surgery with the same kind of recovery. This way Sarah can get the surgery and be fully recovered and ready to enjoy summer!

We are so grateful for all of your love and support. So many people have been asking how Sarah is doing and, honestly, things are going amazingly well. Our old Sarah is back with all the happiness, sass and energy that she had years ago! We will start posting more often as the next surgery gets closer as well as during and after the surgery.

We love you all and are truly blessed to have such awesome friends and family!

Enjoy your week!

By the way, Sarah loves her new doo!

Our Strong Sarah

The past couple of days have been pretty amazing, to say the least.

The first bits of amazing came on Monday morning at Sarah's checkup with Dr. Nardone. As we sat in the waiting room we were filling out an update form just like we always have filled things out for the past few months...I do all the writing and she would sign it with her signature which had become quite bad to say the least. This time, as I handed her the form to sign, Sarah's beautiful handwriting came out perfectly on the page. Her signature and handwriting were back to normal! I just looked at her and asked,"When did that happen?!" She just smiled her sweet smile and said,"Yesterday."

The next bit came as Dr. Nardone examined her progress. I've never seen a doctor with such a smile on his face. He just kept on saying,"Yes, excellent." In fact, she is progressing so well, he told her she could choose when the second surgery will take place. He still recommends about four weeks from now, but he left it to her. She wasn't too thrilled with that. She doesn't know a single person that would volunteer for brain surgery.

They will be going through the front this time. It will be an incision from the left temple up to the middle of her head above the frontal lobe. The doctor said his biggest concerns in dealing with the cranial nerve and that part of the brain are memory loss and paralysis on the right side of her body. Overall good news for our appointment, though. Dr. Nardone has been wonderful at telling us how it is, but doing it in a way that doesn't feel condescending or insensitive. We are eternally grateful to have been connected with him and to be lucky enough to have him in Bloomington-Normal.

The improvements continued last night. She all of a sudden stopped and could hear out of her left ear. She hasn't been able to hear out of her left ear for quite a while. It is still a little muffled, but she can actually hear now!

She went for a walk at the store yesterday and has continued to get back her personality and sass. It's amazing to see Sarah just reappear a little more each and every day. The droop on the left side of her smile has almost gone away completely and she is able to stand and walk without dizziness.

Tonight, was the defining moment for me. Showing how strong of a woman she really is. Because of the two shaved spots on her head from the first surgery and where they will need to perform the second surgery, Sarah decided to shave her head entirely. As we sat in the bathroom I was nearly in tears because I was and am in such awe at her strength. After I was done, she looked in the mirror and just laughed. We all think she looks awesome. She has a good head for being bald and she is rocking it for sure.

Overall, the past two days have been incredible as has this entire journey up to this point. There is the doubting Thomas side of us that wonders if we've used up all of our blessings and miracles with the first surgery. Could it be too good to be true that the second could turn out the same way? But, we know where those doubts come from and we know where the blessings have come from to this point. We are grateful to our Heavenly Father for his guidance and peaceful spirit he has given to us. It has reassured us that we are not alone in this. He is watching over us and knows what we need to make it through these trials. He has also provided us with hundreds if not thousands of angels all around us in the form of friends, family and otherwise who have proven to us also that we are not alone. For all of you, we are truly grateful!

I am beyond grateful and giddy to see my Sarah coming back. To see OUR Sarah coming back!

It has been a good day!

Getting Sarah back

I apologize for the delay in getting another update out to everyone. I almost went to bed tonight without writing this one. So much has happened over the past few days.

As I got in bed tonight, I started thinking about how exciting and calming it is to be seeing Sarah come back a little more each day. In thinking about all of this, I felt a little selfish. She is Sarah to all of you, too, so I thought I better let you all know how our Sarah is doing!

Since coming home on Thursday, Sarah has improved immensely. We have spent the past few days getting things situated in the house to accommodate her needs. She figured out the walker pretty quickly. She is walking around the house rapidly and with little to no assistance from anyone. She has been going on walks down the block to get out of the house and get some fresh air. She is walking up and down the stairs with relative ease and is getting better at it all the time. All in all, her mobility is pretty amazing. It is night and day from her time in the hospital.

Probably the most exciting part of the last few days has been seeing Sarah's personality come back. She is carrying on conversations, keeping her eyes open more and speaking much clearer. She is smiling, making jokes and laughing, again, too. The sound of her voice sounds like Sarah, again. Her personality and wit are shining through and we are witnessing the Sarah we know and love emerge from this.

The kids are very excited to have their mommy back as well. Luci and Eva done awesome through this and Henry smiled at Sarah from the moment she came home. She was able to feed him and change him today as well. It took Eva the longest to warm up to Sarah. On either Thursday or Friday night, I asked Eva if she was going to give Mommy a hug. She buried her face in my chest and wasn't so sure. Then, she ran over to Sarah and gave her a big bear hug as only Eva can and Sarah's face lit up with a huge smile.

We can tell how much of our Sarah is returning by gauging her attitude and stubbornness as well. For those that truly know her know exactly what I'm talking about. She is pushing herself and I am so proud of her. The strength she has always possessed is being put to good use right now.

We have a checkup with Dr. Nardone tomorrow morning. She is hoping they will remove the staples since they are starting to irritate her.

Sarah also had a visit from the home care nurse today to check on how she is doing. She also starts her speech and occupational therapy this week at home.

Sarah is also trying to figure out what to do with her hair. I told her to shave it. I think she'd look cute bald and it would only accentuate how strong she is in my eyes. It's through all this progress that I'm reminded of how strong and determined of a woman Sarah is and how those qualities are two I admire and love the most about her. The best part is—and the part we are most grateful for—is the support of all our friends and family. That strength and support coupled with her own strong will and determination is quite powerful. I am forever grateful and humbled to be able to be witness to it.

As we finish up an eventful weekend in which we were able to have both sets of parents together with us, we are very grateful for family and the love and strength it gives us. Family is forever and even though we might not always see eye-to-eye we are there for each other. You can always count on family.

We know there are so many people who are anxious to hear how Sarah is doing. We will do the best we can to keep you updated as she continues to improve daily. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I promise you they do not go unnoticed. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

We hope everyone has a great week!

Josh

Home Sweet Home!

Happy Valentine's Day, to all of our friends and family!

I got the best Valentine's present possible. It was a good day today. As many of you know, Sarah came home from the hospital today. This morning was filled with final preparations and tests to make sure she'd be ready for what being at home would throw at her.

Her physical therapy this morning consisted of walking up and down a flight of 16 stairs. She did an awesome job and the therapist said she passed the exam with flying colors. She, then, walked back to her room. They, also, brought in a walker for her to bring home so she can get around without any trouble. She spent a good portion of the day napping and gathering up strength in preparation to come home.

We got home around 4:00pm this afternoon and Luci and Eva were very happy to see her. It took Eva a little while to warm up to seeing Mommy without some hair, but she eventually ran over to Sarah and gave her a big hug. That made Sarah's night and she had the biggest smile on her face that I've seen for a while. A few friends stopped by to say hi and drop off flowers and dinner.

Sarah walked up the stairs all by herself and took a shower. Her mom, Jane Ann, washed her hair for her right after she got home and she looked totally different after that.

Sarah is happy to be in her own bed and wearing her own clothes. She seemed much more awake here at home and more talkative. It was nice to see her smile more, too. She's also getting her appetite back which is nice to see.

We want to thank the wonderful nurses and doctors for all they did over the last week. Without them we wouldn't be to the point we are, so we are forever grateful. We, also, couldn't be where we are without such wonderful friends and family and the amazing support and prayers we received.

In the days and weeks ahead as Sarah recovers, we will be talking with Dr. Nardone and his team in planning for the next surgery that will remove the second half of the tumor (they believe it to be a Schwannoma. It is a benign nerve sheath tumor made up of Schwann cells.). We are looking forward to the second leg of this journey and getting the rest of the tumor removed so Sarah can move on and begin to recover completely. We will continue to keep everyone up-to-date on how she is doing.

Thanks, again, for all your love and prayers!

Recovery - Day 05

Seeing Sarah, it is hard to believe that just this last Friday she was having surgery. Today we made two walks down the hall and back. Then, for a night cap, we made a complete lap around the wing. Sarah is still trying to find her appetite. She hasn't been eating very much. Also, the nurses and doctors are trying to help her better manage her pain. So, they are trying a different combination of medication in hopes that it will cut down on her pain.

Dr. Nardone came in this afternoon and said Sarah will be going home tomorrow. Her coordination is getting better and better and she is walking with just a walker and no one holding on to her. He said it's time for her to go home and start getting life back to normal. We'll meet with him in a little over a week to begin planning the second surgery.

Once again, we had a wonderful meal brought to our family tonight and we are so grateful for everyone's support.

Now, we are focusing on getting the house ready for Sarah to come home. Making sure we have railings and handles where she'll need them so she can function normally.

It amazes me how things fall together. To live in a time when brain surgery doesn't mean the end like it once did and to live in a central Illinois town where it just so happens one of the best neurosurgeons in the country happens to practice. I'm grateful for blessings and guidance that got us to where we are today and for the guidance that I have faith will come in the future. Also, for so many wonderful friends and family who are there for us each day.

Recovery - Day 04

First, I want to apologize for not posting an update this morning. Sarah has had a busy day with lots of walking and exercising and she is tuckered out. It didn't help that she didn't sleep well last night.

This afternoon, Sarah was moved from Intensive Care to Progressive Care. Which means she is making great progress. She isn't even hooked up to an IV anymore. The room has a door, so it is nice and quiet for her to rest. It also has a bathroom with a shower. And I can stay in the room with her too. 

We found out this morning from the doctor that half of the tumor was removed in the surgery with no remnants around the brainstem. So, all that is left is the other half up in the frontal and temporal lobes, which they are still planning to remove in four weeks or so.

Sarah was worked pretty hard today. She had physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Plus, she had to walk for her food. With each meal, she had to walk around the hall and then back to her chair where she ate her meals. She is still working on regaining her appetite. She hasn't been very hungry.

As she was falling asleep tonight, she asked if I was leaving because every time she falls asleep and wakes up I'm gone. I promised her I'm not going anywhere tonight. That seemed to make her feel better.

With the new room, she can now have flowers. So, she has been able to see all the beautiful flowers people have sent. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. It was another good day and step in the right direction.

Recovery - Day 03 (Evening)

To put it mildly, Sarah was tired at the end of the day today.

She had physical therapy twice today. This morning she did leg exercises and walked across the room with a walker. Then, this afternoon, she did some more leg exercises and walked all the way down the hall and back. She also was showing signs of further improvement with her facial exercises with the speech pathologist. She is sitting up on her own in bed and able to move much better. She also spent quite a bit of time in the chair today rather than the bed.

Sarah got a visit from two close friends. She smiled and talked with them. I knew that a few minutes with Jen and Stacey would cheer her up. A big thank you to the Young Women at church for their book of letters. We read them together this afternoon.

To pass some time, we started reading a book together as well. It was nice to sit and read together for a while just the two of us.

While I was at home, Dr. Nardone came in to see how Sarah is doing and he said she is doing great. So well, in fact, she will be moving out of Intensive Care and onto the Neuro floor for the remainder of her time here tomorrow.

We feel very blessed that she is doing so well. All of our prayers and those from all of you are working. Along with those prayers, Sarah is putting in hard work to bring them to pass. We all know she is a strong woman and it is showing now.

Needless to say, Sarah is ready for bed tonight and was falling asleep early.

We had another wonderful meal provided to us tonight by good friends. Thank you, again, so much for all of your support and kindess. It seems I say this every time, but we mean it and we can never thank you enough for everything.

Have a great night and we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Josh

Recovery - Day 03 (Morning)

Good morning, everybody!

Over the last twelve hours or so, things are have been going well. Last night, Sarah asked for her phone so she could check Facebook and email. She did it all by herself.

We also had a chance to ask the doctors when the next surgery might be. They said about 4-6 weeks from now being the goal to finish removing the tumor. So, we can begin to prepare for that, too, as Sarah recovers from the first surgery.

This morning, Sarah was able to feed herself her breakfast of eggs and banana. She also was able to give herself a drink of water without any help.

As the doctors came in this morning, they said they want her to get out of bed more and walk around. She's doing her best and I'm so proud of her. She is still having pain in her head and is tired quite a bit, but she is doing great.

She just had her morning session of physical therapy. They had her doing leg lifts in the chair and walking around the room a couple of times. She's resting right now and trying to get some sleep.

We hope everyone has a great Monday!

Recovery Day 02

Hi everybody!

Sorry for the delayed update today. Thanks for your concern. We'll work to keep two updates a day coming since a lot of people were asking where this morning's update was. So, here it goes...

We have a lot of great news to report today.

When I first walked in this morning, I noticed her kicking her blanket off of her legs. The first good sign of the day! The doctor came in this morning and said things were looking great and they could remove the shunt from the top of her head as well as the arterial line being used to check her blood pressure and the IV line that was going directly to her jugular vein in her neck. So, by 10am she was tube free except for her regular IV line.

She has sat in the recliner twice today and will do it one more time before the day is over. She hasn't lost her sense of humor either. This morning the doctor jokingly asked her what she's been doing for fun. She looked up at him and said,"Taking Valium." Still the same old Sarah!

The Speech Therapist came in to see how she was doing and gave us some exercises for her to do and put her on a soft food diet.

The Physical and Occupational therapists came in to see how her strength is doing and to get her walking a little bit. They said her strength in both legs and arms is great and she walked about 10 steps with the walker and then 10 steps backwards to sit down in the recliner.

So, Sarah is doing great! Her vision is getting better too. She only has double vision in her right eye now and it is better than it was yesterday. The twitching in her face and arm have almost gone away entirely.

When this started, we never expected so much love and generosity. We will be sure to keep everybody up to date twice a day so you all know how things are going. Thank you so much for your concern and love. We are truly grateful for it! It means a lot.

Recovery Day - 9:30pm

After my post this morning, I was called back into ICU. Sarah had returned from her MRI and Dr. Nardone was evaluating the images and checking in on her. As I came in, we passed in the hall and he spoke with me for a couple of minutes.

He said the scans look wonderful. He could not be happier. They are continuing to monitor some muscle twitching that is going on in Sarah's face, right arm and hand. It has gotten much better as the day has progressed. And when she is sleeping it goes away all together.

She took two pills by mouth this morning and sucked water through a straw and swallowed both.

Sarah had a number of family members come by to see her. Her mom and dad, her sister, Amanda, my mom, and Sarah's Uncle Jerry. She was smiling and responding to everyone. Needless to say, she is tired and seems to rest better when no one is around. When I told her that tonight she just said, "kind of", but her nurses say she does sleep more when no one is there—always the hostess!

Before I left her to sleep, the nurse did another evaluation. This time, Sarah had to hold her arms out in front of her and touch the tip of her nose with the index finger from each hand. She was able to touch finger directly to the tip of her nose. Doing this same exercise just yesterday morning wasn't as easy. She could touch her nose with her lefthand index finger, but could only touch her cheek with righthand index finger. I was so grateful to see that kind of progress.

At home, we were once again overwhelmed by kindness. We had friends bring over a number of things today. One friend provided additional towels and disposable plates, napkins, cups and silverware as we have extra family staying with us. Thanks to our friends at the Christadelphian church for giving us 12 Panera boxed meals from a church gathering they had today. Good neighbors of ours brought over three loaves of Great Harvest bread because they know how much Sarah loves it. And another wonderful meal was brought to the house by another friend.

I stand in awe at the kindness and generosity we have received from so many. We don't have words to describe how grateful we are to all of you. I'm reminded of what I often ask myself when I watch the news..."Is there any good left in the world?" Then I see these awesome acts of kindness and feel the sweet spirit brought by those offering such love and charity and it reminds me there is still goodness in this world. His hand is seen all around us each day if we just take the time to look for it. It is there in the love of friends, family and even strangers.

Today was a day of seemingly small, but great achievements. The nurses have told her it will get better a little more each day. Sarah will remain in the ICU tonight and we will see what tomorrow brings.

Recovery Day

Just had a chance to see Sarah, again. I timed it just right...Dr. Soliman, the chief resident and one of the surgeons who operated on Sarah, was there and I was able to speak with him.

He did a quick neurological evaluation on Sarah. She was able to follow his finger with her eyes in all directions, she could stick her tongue out and move it side to side, she could give a thumbs up on both hands upon command as well as squeeze our hands, and she could move her feet on command.

He said today is a recovery day since it was such an extensive surgery. They will continue to monitor her as well as the pressure and fluid on her brain as the brain stem continues to go back to normal. They want to monitor it carefully to see how surrounding nerves react to the movement as well.

As I left she was being taken back for another MRI to see how things are taking new shape up there.

Her memory seems to be good as she remembered us visiting her last night. She was also able to speak clearer with me this morning than last night which is awesome. She also said she feels like she's been hit by a truck right now and her head feels like concrete, so rest, rest and more rest is the order of the day.


When I told her about everyone's well wishes and prayers she said, "It's overwhelming." and it truly is.

Our most heartfelt thanks to everyone for your love and support. Have a great Saturday and we'll continue to update you as the day goes on.

Josh

Sarah's sweet face

We just had a chance to go back into the Intensive Care Unit and see Sarah for the first time since this morning. She is talking to the nurse and moving her hands and feet. She told me her head feels like a bowling ball and they are giving her pain medication to help her sleep and ease the pain. She is talking and recognizes people who come in.

They are limiting visiting, including me, to 10 minutes every two hours. Which is fine because she needs her rest. She has a long road of recovery ahead and the current plan is for her to be in ICU over night and moved to the neuro rooms some time tomorrow.

The purpose of us blogging Sarah's journey is to keep everybody up to speed on how our Sarah is doing. Along with that, right now, I feel impressed to share some feelings with everybody as well. So, I apologize in advance and ask you to please indulge me to share some personal thoughts.

As I walked around the corner and into her room I was so happy to see my Love's sweet face, again. As I held her hand she opened her eyes and said, "hi." It was the moment I had been waiting for all day long. I immediately told her about the tumor and how the surgery went and she smiled a little bit. As I stood there seeing all of the tubes and IV's I felt pretty helpless, but amazingly grateful that she was awake and talking.

For the last 10 years it has been my job to fix things and take care of my family. It still is and always will be. But to see her there was truly humbling to know that I couldn't do anything to make this better or fix it without the help of amazing doctors and nurses doing things beyond my understanding.

I will be very honest, it was hard standing there watching them work on her...to see her in pain and I couldn't do anything.

So, this experience has led me to these thoughts.

Last week, when we first found out about the tumor, we immediately started asking,"What are we supposed to learn from all of this?" And as a dear friend of ours gave Sarah a priesthood blessing, he spoke of how this trial may not just be to help us in some way but others as well. So, over these last few days, I have been thinking about those words.

The last few months since Henry's birth, Sarah and I have been blessed to find a new love for one another. We have loved each other for our entire marriage, but this has been something different and deeper. I can honestly and whole-heartedly say I love her 100 times more now than the day we were married. And if there is anything I have learned from this past week, it is to love those you love with all of your heart and cherish every moment you have because you just never know what the next day might bring.

Now, this may seem trite to some or even old news, but I believe it bears repeating. Cherish your wives and husbands each day. Tell them you love them. Take care of them. Strengthen them and build them up. Pray together and seek God's advice together. Every moment is special and should be treated as such. Now, it won't always be perfect...we are all human after all—me especially. These are the lessons I have learned so far. I have learned my life is empty and nothing without my dear Sarah. She is my best friend. I love her and I am so grateful to be with her forever.

So, tonight or whenever you may read this, please hold on to your loved ones a little longer next time you hug and give your sweetheart a kiss and tell her you love her. Because every kiss is special and every moment together is valuable.

The Big Day - AMAZING NEWS!

To all of our amazing friends and family!

After 12 hours in surgery, we just spoke with the entire surgical team of doctors. The surgery was a success! We have two pieces of great news...

1. The tumor is benign.

2. They were able to remove the entire portion of the tumor compressing the brain stem

They accomplished everything they set out to get done today!

The third piece of good news will need to come as she wakes up and they see how she responds. 

The recovery nurse also just came out to let us know she is recovering well so far and has the breathing tube out and is breathing normally on her own.

A great friend was kind enough to bring us dinner on short notice and we've had the company of even more friends and family tonight!

We are so immensely grateful for all of your prayers and kindness. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful people around us.

We'll continue to keep everybody posted.

Our love and gratitude to all,

Josh

The Big Day - 6:30pm

Well, after almost 11 hours in surgery, the nurse called to tell us that everything has gone smoothly and they are starting to close up. It will be another 45 minutes or so to do that and then the doctor will come out to talk to us.

We'll continue to keep everybody updated as we go, but thank you so much for all the prayers and company today. The last eleven hours have gone by a lot faster than I thought they would!

Josh

The Big Day - 4:30pm

Hi everybody!

We received another update from the operating room and things are going well. Sarah is still doing great. The doctors are still plugging away at the tumor. It is going slow and steady. Fine by me! I prefer quality and precision over speed in this case.

In talking to the nurse, it sounds like they are going to keep going for a few more hours. We should get another update around 6:30.

Josh

The Big Day - 3pm

We just received another update from the operating room. They have removed a portion of the tumor and sent it off to pathology. They haven't received the results back yet.

The nurse said things are going well and Sarah is doing well. They are continuing to remove the tumor and the plan is to take out as much as they can in order to give the brain stem the space it needs to take its normal shape again.

We've continued to have visitors stop by to keep us company. Thanks, Juli, for the company and the snacks.

Thanks, again, for all your thoughts and prayers we continue to receive. We definitely don't feel alone in this and we are so grateful for that!

Josh

The Big Day - 1:00pm

Hi everybody! This is Josh. I just wanted to give everybody an update on how Sarah is doing.

Things are going well at the hospital so far today. We arrived at 5:40 a.m. and used the fabulous complimentary valet parking (a little plug for BroMenn, there). She went back for an MRI at 6:35 to get new images of her brain. The doctors are using neuro directional positioning (basically, GPS for the brain) and they needed the most current map of what is going on. This will give them the most precise path and pinpoint accuracy to get to the tumor.

I gave Sarah a kiss as she went back to surgery at 7:49am and anesthesia was started at 7:51. The doctors and nurses told us there is a lot of preparatory work to be done when you are messing with the brain, so the actual insertion of the shunt occurred from 10am to 12pm. This will drain the fluid and pressure that has built up and will allow the doctors to monitor that pressure over the next few days.

At that point they gave us an update and said she is doing great and everything is going well. At noon, they began the longest part of actually removing the tumor. We are looking forward to another update around 2pm.

Once again, we have had amazing support from friends and family. We are blessed to have a few friends that work at the hospital and have stopped by with muffins and to see how things are going. Bill Myers brought over Avanti's Gondolas for us to eat some lunch...which were delicious. 

We've had several of you stop by just to see how things are going and to sit and talk. Sarah's sister, Amanda, also came up from near Carlyle to be here when she wakes up. 

There have been so many messages and well wishes on Facebook and through texts that I once again stand amazed at all the love and support being shown to Sarah and our family. Thank you so much! I don't think you all will ever fully know just how much this means to us as it's hard to put into words.

We'll be sure to give a new update as we get more information.

Josh

Waiting..

Day 13 - is a beautiful sunny day. Friday seems to be so far away but friends make the time go more quickly as we wait. Lots of calls to Dr. offices were made to set-up everything for Friday.

Friends come into our lives at one point or another when we need them most!  You know a true friend when they stop by to drop off milk and juice for the children just because they want; a task which might seem so small to some, relieves a huge burden for others. A great big thanks to Misty for coming by to paint my toe nails and just being there for me. It was time well spent!

Lots of love to my favorite cook of DELICIOUS Mint Brownies; and the pulled pork sandwiches with green beans and strawberries. I did share the brownies; everyone got at least a bite. (HeHeHe!!)

But in all seriousness thanks to everyone for their prayers, love, support, service and thoughts at this time.

Sarah



Day 14 - Kind of a cloudy, rainy day but we kept it sunny with Josh taking me out to the movies. Then we stopped by the hospital for lab work and to talk with the anesthesiologist. All seems to be arranged for the big day tomorrow; which includes another MRI bright and early; have to be there at 5:30 a.m.  Josh's mom came into town to be there tomorrow for us! It means so much to have the love of those around us!

We also all loved the Biaggi's Bow Tie Pasta, salad and bread; it was a delicious idea for supper tonight. Thanks to my favorite Taker-Out-Food-Friend! You're the best!

Overwhelming Generosity

Day 12

We have been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of people who we know and those we don't know in this community and around the world. We are so humbled by the thoughts and prayers of everyone; even people in Ghana, Africa.

It is very touching that so many people from church have offered their services for anything needed by the Jensen family at this time. Also, yesterday evening, Lydia Green contacted Josh letting him know people from our gym, The Body Compound, were offering to be of assistance in some way. She sent Josh a link to a calendar she had set up through Mealtrain.com to schedule meals to be brought in. Knowing the people from the Normal Ward had offered to bring meals he sent this link to Betsy Myers, the Relief Society President, and Betty Swartz, the Compassionate Service Leader, to help coordinate these meals; the meal link was also sent to the Bloomington Ward for people to sign up. A number of Josh's friends from work have also signed up. We can't express enough how grateful we are for everyone's generosity of service at this time.

Sarah is truly grateful for 'Breast Milk' offered by wonderful friends to her for Henry since she will no longer be able to nurse due to medication.

You just don't realize how something such as a plate of cookies and a book can make you feel so loved.

We want to let everyone know that we will never have enough words to express the appreciation that we feel towards you all. Thank you for being there and offering to serve our family.

Blessings In Disguise!

You never know what life challenges will be thrown at you; always count your blessings as they go by. What some may view as devastation others may recognize as blessings in disguise. There haven't been any postings on here for a while as Sarah has been busy with everyday life-things as all mothers with children have.

During Sarah's pregnancy she began to experience symptoms of various kinds: loss of hearing in left ear, paralysis of the left cheek and right hand, blurred and double vision, slurred speech, loss of balance while walking, easily tired, very loud snoring and a few others not mentioned. A few months after the birth of her son these symptoms didn't go away so she was persuaded to go to the Dr.

Day 1 - Nurse Practitioner ordered an MRI, Sleep Study and appointment with a Neurologist.

Day 2-6 - waited for appointments to arrive.

Day 7 - MRI Appointment; learned of Brain Tumor possibly on brain stem.

Day 8 - Neurosurgeon called to inform that the tumor was approximately 3 in diameter and set up an appointment with him on Monday February 4, 2013 on his normal day off.

Day 11 - Met with Neurosurgeon, Emilio Nardone. Informed that tumor is 68.6 mm by 38.3mm by 50mm (this translates to approximately 7 cm front to back; 4 cm left to right and 5 cm top to bottom).  This tumor is not attached to but is pressing on the Brain Stem and needs to be removed; it is beginning to grow into the cavity of the skull. If it goes another 3-4 weeks it will cause death. The tumor is too large to remove at one time and will be removed in 2 surgeries. He said that from the symptoms having been since summer he feels that this tumor has been growing for many years. Surgery has been set up for Friday, February 8 at 7:30a.m. She needs to be there by 5:30 a.m. for pre-op.

This may sound strange but I was hoping these symptoms were a slight stroke which happened during pregnancy and was going to disapate as time goes on. How many hope for "only a stroke"? Where is the blessing in this? We have gone from only knowing there is a brain tumor and wondering if it is operable or not. We now know that it is Operable; had it been in the stem there would have been no choice but to leave it. This is such a relief knowing there is hope. Second - we have heard from several people that he is the best surgeon around and couldn't ask for a better one. Count your blessings everyday and every doubt will fly.

This is being written by Sarah's family as Sarah is a little busy and someone will keep you posted on her progress.

As Sarah recovers, please check back here for regular updates on how she is doing.

We want to thank everyone for all of their thoughts, prayers and support. We are so grateful and blessed to have all of you surrounding her.