Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  We're on and off to a new year!  I guess so much keeping y'all updated.  It's been a few weeks, but hate to say not much has changed.  Now, I haven't had anymore surgeries, or set backs, it's just taking so darn long to feeling better.  I guess when they told me 6 months-1 year for recovery, they weren't kidding...darn them.  In the back of mind, I thought, "no way...I'll be feeling better and off to my old self by the new year".  Guess, they're proving me wrong.

In short, I'm still dealing with a lot of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. From what I'm told, this is the normal process with this surgery and just takes time. I'm taking more meds to help counter act these symptoms, but they in return make me very tired, so I spend a lot of my sleeping. I know some of you may think that sounds like heaven, but after about 2 weeks you're ready to be done.  Never in my life did I ever think I would be eating things to try and help gain weight, or step on a scale with my shoes and coat (so far the nurses haven't said anything about that) :).

Christmas in the Zeigler household was pretty quiet this year, but was a nice welcome. We usually travel back to Iowa for the holidays, but this year we were able to enjoy it all home.  Tim and Kaitlyn did a great job of getting all the shopping done here, no surprises this year! We also had the wonderful help of Shayla and Jen back in Iowa to get those presents.  Thank you..thank you! We slept in every day, and Tim got to watch all the football he wanted...it was a good time for all!

I will admit, that there have many days that I have felt sorry for myself, and frustrated...including today, but God has given me a kick in the butt..again and reminded me I need to be thankful to be alive and have this life with my family and friends. God's swift kick started this morning when I read an email from a dear friend Gayla, who is asking for prayer for Judy, her 63 year old mother-in-law who is dying from cancer and only has a few days to live. Than the reminder of the sad loss of Zach's friend, Calvin Seidler, the 21 year old who was killed in an car accident on his way home for Christmas break, and for Diane Gray's family who is mourning her passing the week before Christmas from cancer as well. So much sadness, yet so much love and support from all the friends. So, yes I'm alive and I have my family, and most important we have God's wonderful grace and assurance to help get us through.  I often go back to a quote from one of my devotionals..."God knows your strength, and he measures it to the last inch.  Remember, no trial has been given to anyone that was greater than that person's strength through God, to endure it."   Please remember these family in your prayers as well.

Thank you again to all of you for your prayers, your well wishes, and all the other kind gestures that have been shown to our family...too many to say!  God is so good!

Lisa