this is my story

Health Update

Mon, 21 May 2012 22:25:42 -0400

Saw a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL about two weeks ago. He decided to do another extensive round of bloodwork & go ahead with a colonoscopy. Today I found out the rest of the results from both tests. Bloodwork came back normal & the biopsies the doctor took came back normal as well. They did find a spot in my small intestine that was quite inflammed. It coincided with where I’m feeling the pain. So at least we know there’s something going on there, even if we don’t know what’s causing it.

I’ll be having another CT scan, this one more detailed than the last. That will be next Wednesday at 9am. I’ll let you guys know what we hear from that.

Your prayers are SO appreciated, and I absolutely treasure your encouragement.

Love seeing how God is already using this situation to encourage & uplift others. Love being able to share my story & talk about His faithfulness.

Video

Sun, 06 May 2012 00:10:27 -0400

Aaron Keyes So much truth.Such a great reminder.

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:44:00 -0400

Aaron Keyes

So much truth.
Such a great reminder.

Health Update

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:37:00 -0400

Saw the neurologist on Thursday.

He ruled out Abdominal Migraines completely & said he didn’t think he could help me.

Next step is to see a gastroenterologist & see if they have anything to say.

…one step at a time…

"My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your..."

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:05:00 -0400

“My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.”

- Proverbs 4:20-22

Health Update - One Step at a Time

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:59:19 -0400

We’re almost at the 7 month mark. Hard to believe.

I’m back in Florida now. After my last doctor’s appointment with the doctor in Seattle and after long discussions with my family, I decided to come back home. We’d gone the route of trying 3 different medications for abdominal migraines, but nothing was helping. She told me she didn’t think there was anything more she’d be able to do for me. She recommended I see a neurologist, someone who would be better educated & experienced in the field of migraines. Since all of my symptoms in my abdomen seem to come along with a nasty headache almost everyday, we all thought it was the best next step.

So not much has changed at this point, but that hasn’t stopped us from doing as much as we can to find an answer!

Next Thursday, I’ll be seeing a neurologist in West Palm Beach, FL at the Cleveland Clinic.

I’ll be sure to let you guys know how that goes.

Until then & as always, I’m BEYOND grateful for your prayers & your encouragement.

"God has a plan for you. Don’t go looking for the plan, look for God. When you seek God with..."

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:10:06 -0400

“God has a plan for you. Don’t go looking for the plan, look for God. When you seek God with all of your heart, you will discover His plan.”

- Dr. Tony Evans

“You could love me more in a moment than other lovers...

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:59:25 -0400

“You could love me more in a moment than other lovers could in a lifetime”

(Steffany Frizzell)

Health Update

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:30:00 -0500

I’ll keep this one quick because, as of last week, my computer has been downgraded to paperweight status. A bad logic board means its useless until it gets fixed. So, I’m writing this from my phone. As of yesterday, I completed a plan to detox my body of any toxins & really go simple & super healthful with what I eat. I’m feeling better (my head is clearer & I have a little more energy), but the same issue is still here in full force. So, it was helpful, but it didn’t fix anything. Yesterday’s visit with my doctor, she asked me if I’d heard of abdominal migraines. She apparently had just come back from a medical conference where they discussed them at length. She said the more research she’s done, the more the symptoms line up with what I’ve been dealing with. So, we’re moving forward with treating me as if I have them. We should know in 2-4 weeks if that’s what’s going on.

Things I could use prayer for -

Strength for my family as they walk through this with me (I’m unbelievably grateful for them). Financial provision (without my computer, I can’t do any freelance work to make money) - I know He’s using this time to show me that He will be faithful to continue to provide.

That my eyes would continually be opened to what God’s doing in me & around me that goes far beyond a physical ailment. That my ears would be open & that He would continue to speak. I know this is a season where He’s challenging me to press into Him and allow him to really work on me.

The people of Seattle - These people are so loving & kind, but most of them don’t know Jesus. I’m praying my time here will allow me to continue to shine a light Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and please let me know how I can pray for you.

Health Update - Trust

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:57:49 -0500

Last time I left you with the hope of an answer, but the test results we were waiting on came back looking normal.

The only consensus seems to be that I had something go on at the beginning of all of this that caused some severe inflammation and that’s causing the continuing pain (no one is even 100% about that).

I’m continuing to see the chiropractor, and that seems to be helping some. I go back next week to see if there’s anything more we can test for or be doing.

God’s been showing me a lot since I’ve been here. About Him, myself, my priorities, my relationship with HIm… In a few ways, I understand why I’m in this position. I see why He brought me to this new season where the hope I could find is Him. There’s definitely SO much my feeble mind can’t understand, but one of the biggest thing I’ve learned through all of this is that understanding isn’t what life is all about. It’s about obedience, surrender, and living a life that gives God glory in everything. Sometimes we get so caught up in the why that we miss what God’s doing right in front of us. It’s definitely okay to ask why, but when the questioning stems from doubt in His very nature, that’s when it becomes an obstacle.

I’ve wrestled with it. Over and over and over again. I’ve had a few moments where it felt like God said “Kacey, cut it out. Just fix your eyes right here on my face. I’m not going to leave you. You aren’t alone in this. Just trust me.”

He’s so faithful to remind me every day that He’s got this. Somedays I’m seriously overwhelmed by His love for me, and taken back by how patient He is with me.

I pray that You are reminded today that He sees you, He’s got you, and He’s loves you more than you’ll ever know.

____________________

“My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.” Job 42:5

mikeclevenger: The key to prayer, is simply praying. A.W. Tozer

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:44:31 -0500

mikeclevenger:

The key to prayer, is simply praying.

A.W. Tozer

Health Update - Hello, Seattle

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:32:19 -0500

I made it safely to my home state of Washington. I can safely say, I didn’t realize how much of a cold weather wimp I had become until I got here. I had a moment the other day where I wanted to bear hug the inventor of the humidifier & the person who came up with the idea to put a heating element in a toilet seat (GENIUS)!

On a serious note, I’ve definitely battled with how much detail to put on my blog about my situation. I know most people don’t want a play by play about how many times doctors have had to draw my blood. So, I figured I’d keep these pretty short. If you have any questions at all, I’d be happy to answer them via email - Kacey.Lanier@gmail.com

Right now, we’re waiting on results from a blood tests checking for a possible autoimmune disease/disorder and another test checking for a few certain bacterias in my system (the two things will possibly go hand in hand). My doctor found something on the CT I had done in Florida in October that raised a few questions in her mind regarding my immune system. I asked about having other scans done (like a colonoscopy or something to that nature) and she told me most of what they are checking for in those types of scans would have almost certainly shown up in the type of CT scan they ran, but since the doctors in Florida ruled that scan to be clear & normal, she wanted to do these tests first.

I should have results of those tests this week. I’ll keep you updated.

I definitely covet your prayers, my friends. It’s great being here with my dad, but it’s definitely hard being away from the rest of my family and my community.

I’m trusting in God’s provision for my future - physically, emotionally, and financially. In all of this, the Lord keeps proving His faithfulness over and over, and I’m CONFIDENT that “that He who began a good work in [me] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

He’s got this :)

Love you all so much.

"I’ve never talked to anyone in ministry who has failed morally who has also had a consistent..."

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:48:27 -0500

“I’ve never talked to anyone in ministry who has failed morally who has also had a consistent time with the Lord.”

- Wayne Cordeiro

"The fiery furnaces are there by God’s direct permission. It is misleading to imagine that we are..."

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:52:03 -0500

“The fiery furnaces are there by God’s direct permission. It is misleading to imagine that we are developed in spite of our circumstances; we are developed because of them. It is mastery in circumstances that is needed, not mastery over them.”

- Oswald Chambers

The Love of God—The Message of Invincible Consolation, 674 R

"Some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His..."

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:28:00 -0500

“Some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them.”

- Charles Stanley

Health Update - Step by Step

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:53:18 -0500

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...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:55:15 -0500

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 :)

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:25:13 -0500

Yeah that’s my baby sister :)

Health Update - Post Op

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:47:00 -0500

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?

Health Update - Surgery

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:37:00 -0500

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.