Friends :)

I’m fully recovered from surgery, but unfortunately, the pain I had before surgery seems to have stuck around. The good news is, we were able to rule a lot out because my doctor was able to look around at my appendix and all the other organs in there that had the potential to be acting crazy. So besides the fancy photo shoot my organs got, that was the extent of what the surgery was able to tell us. It was good news and bad news all at the same time.

While she has been wonderful, I think my journey with this doctor has run its course. I just need to see if there’s anything else that can be done. So onto phase 3… no…4… haha I’ve definitely lost count ;)

On a practical level, here’s where I’m at. I’ve just recently officially moved back to Stuart, FL, in with my mom. Definitely a hard decision to make, but after some wise counsel and a lot of prayer, I realized that it was the best decision on many counts. God provided a sweet girl to take my place at my apartment. So the financial burden in that respect has been lifted (thank You, Lord!). It was just another example of how He’s got this.

Now, I’ve decided to head to Seattle for a bit. I’ll be staying with my dad while I’m visiting a few doctors out there. I’m also going to start doing some freelance photography & design for now to help bring in some income, and my dad has a few people already lined up who need some work done, so that’s ANOTHER answer to prayer.

I’m not sure at this point how long I’ll be there. At this point, I’m just trying to get better!

I wish I could answer all of your questions (and mine) about what’s next, how long i’ll be gone, what I’m going to do, and where I’m going to be, but I can’t right now, simply because I don’t know the answers either. I don’t know what God’s doing. In the most wonderful way, though, I’m finally okay with being in this position of not knowing.

I’ll be honest and say that I wrestled with it for the longest time, and still each day I have to choose to look at my situation in the light of my God instead of being so caught up in what I don’t understand and what doesn’t make sense to me.

I’m definitely a planner. I like to know where I’m going at all times and what will happen once I get there.

In all of this, I’m learning to let go of control. Oh boy, has it been a wresting match, but the peace that comes during the moments that I let it go… it’s seriously indescribable.

A dear friend of mine encouraged me the other day by reminding me not to be so caught up in where I’m going that I miss Him showing me who He is…which I know that’s exactly what He’s doing in this season.

So, I’m taking steps forward. Learning to lean on Him & just trust Him to guide my steps as He already promised He would. He’s been faithful to do that thus far, and I know He’ll continue to do so.

I hope this gives you the update you were looking for :) Please don’t hesitate to email me (Kacey.Lanier@gmail.com) if you’ve got comments or questions. I’ll answer them as best as I can ;) and please tell me how I can be praying for you as well.

Love you all SO much and I’m beyond grateful for your prayers, your encouragement, & your support.

I’ll update again soon!

“So we do not lose heart.Though our outer self is wasting away,our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Here’s a sneak peek from a mini-shoot I did with Lorena a few months back. Check out the new blog for the full (but still mini) post

www.KaceyLanierPhotography.com

Yeah that’s my baby sister :)

Pain medications do funny things to my head, so I won’t share with you the countless cheesy jokes & songs I’ve made up about the new holes in my body that are floating around up in my brain this morning….You’re quite welcome :)

Surgery went well yesterday, but it was quite the whirlwind of a day. After a 10am arrival, we found ourselves still in the waiting room at 11:30. I practically jumped to my feet and hugged the lady who called my name & took us back. I was so very ready to get this day over with and get home. I mean, have you seen my puppy dog? He’s kind of the cutest. You’d be anxious to get home too!

Changed into the oh-so-attractive, bright purple Hospital gown, and waited some more. I’ve become a professional “hurry up and wait” patient.

I found out my veins are tiny. I mean the kind where they have to stick you 4 times to finally insert your IV line kind of tiny. I’m pretty sure the nursing staff was one stick away from offering a reward to anyone who could successfully get a needle in my arm. 5 Gold Stars to Dr. Jerrell, the head anestesia guy for finally getting it in! HOORAYY!

I think it was around 2:00 that everyone finally got the ball rolling. They started pumping what they affectionately refer to as “Happy Juice” into me and gave me some medication for nausea. Then it was a kiss goodbye from mom, and off I went. The lady giving me all my medication serenaded me with Christmas carols all the way to the Operating Room… let’s just say, she was the sweetest for doing it, but she wouldn’t have made it on the worship team, bless her heart (anyone from the south knows what I really mean by that). :) But it definitely put me at ease.

So the last thing I remember is her precious rendition of “Carol of the Bells” and then I was out like a light.

Waking up in the Recovery room all I remember were my legs shaking so badly, but they told me that was anxiety. And then the beeping… so much beeping. There were about 10 beds in the room, and everyone’s machines were playing their own little songs. The first time I looked at the clock, it was 4:30. After they finally got everything they needed from me, and I was alert & awake, it was 7:30 and time to go home.

So here’s what we know so far. There were about 4 possibilities going in the surgery of what the outcome might be (barring an emergency situation, which, Thank the LORD, didn’t happen!) 1. They find nothing. 2. They find something small, fix it, and a few days later all the pain goes away. 3. The find something small, fix it, and no pain goes away. 4. The find something major that can’t be fixed laproscopically, and we reassess the situation at a later date.

Right now, we’re on either outcome # 2 or 3. My doctor found a tiny spot of endometriosis on a nerve in my abdomen. She told us “Tiny means the size of my smallest finger nail”. She said “The good news is that Kacey is fine. The bad news is that Kacey is fine.” Meaning she didn’t find anything significant like cancer or an abdomen covered with endometriosis, but she isn’t sure we found the source of the problem.

So, once again, time will tell.

But there is also a HUGE possibility that our God took care of everything before these doctors got in there too! I’m hopeful! But like I said last time, even if complete healing isn’t what He has for this season or healing doesn’t look like what I’d like it to look like (no pain), I know He’s got this and I know (and am SOO glad) that His ways are SO much higher than mine. So His plan & purpose for this is the best.

Have your way, God! Have YOUR way!

I simply cannot thank you all enough for your prayers, encouragement, & the verses you’ve sent. Our God is so good, and I feel blessed beyond measure knowing that I have a community like you guys.

As for today, I’m tired & quite sore, but doing alright :) 

I’ll keep you in the loop as I find out anything new

Our God is Healer.

Please let me know, how can I be praying for you?

As many of you already know, I’ve been battling some health issues for almost 2 1/2 months.  I’ve been dealing with pain in my abdomen that no one seems to fully be able to explain. At this point, I’ve had to take a leave of absence from work.

To make a very long story short, after trips to multiple doctors, blood tests that all seem to come back normal, multiple medications, and months of rest, I’m still in a significant amount of pain. 

Tomorrow(12/5) I’ll be having an exploratory/laparoscopic procedure. My doctor isn’t sure what she’ll find at this point, but we’re hopeful that this surgery will bring some answers.

The procedure is scheduled for 12pm at St. Lucie Medical Center.

I covet your prayers. For healing, wisdom, peace, provision, & for God’s will to be done here, whatever that may look like. I know He’s got this.

I’ll update again as soon as I know something.

Thank you for praying & for all your encouragement & support through this.

Friends, I so appreciate your prayers for my health. Figured I’d update you. I apologize it’s taken so long.In the last 7 weeks, I’ve had a few cysts that ruptured on my ovaries, on top of fighting a dairy & gluten allergy and fighting an infection that developed.

At this point, for every few good days I have, I have just as many bad days. I have a pain in my abdomen that just won’t seem to go away. I can’t seem to function. I’ve lost most of my energy and seem to be tired almost all the time. If I do much more than walk the dog, I seem to get dizzy and unable to focus.

We still don’t have a full explantation as to why I’m still dealing with pain. To add to everything, I seem to be having a reaction to the medication they put me on and am dealing with a new possible sinus infection.

We’re not sure if there’s something we’re missing or if it’s just taking a lot longer than anyone expected it to. I have another appointment with the doctor tomorrow to find out the results of the last round of blood tests they ran & to see if there’s anything else we can do. 

Quite honestly, this has been quite a frustrating process. It’s turned my world upside down. I keep describing it as someone pulling the emergency break on my life while I was going my normal 90 miles a minute. 

I’ll try to write another post soon to share some of what I’ve been learning, and maybe even a few of the songs I’ve written. It’s been quite a journey. It hasn’t been fun, but I’ve learned so much about our God & been simply overwhelmed by His love for me.

Still believing in God as my Healer, but even if that isn’t what He has for me, I’m still trusting. His ways are higher, and He is so good.

Love you guys. Your prayers are truly what have been holding my head up these last few weeks.