How Is All of This Going To Work?

Here's what we've been up to:

Nate, being the wonderful husband that he is, planned a very last minute trip for the two of us to Kauai! We figured out that it would be our first "alone" trip since our honeymoon. Why haven't we done this sooner? We had less than two weeks to be ready, which was fine since our bags were still packed from our February cruise that never happened. Just kidding, but we pretty much took the same stuff. We had a fabulous time together! We snorkeled, boogie boarded, relaxed on the beach and at the pool, and had lots of yummy food. It was much needed, and I'm grateful for the time we had together.

Two days before we left we got the news that our insurance had approved HALF of Nate's surgery. I wrote about this in my last post. I knew that meant that we'd have to spend some time while in Kauai arranging for Nate's travel to Massachusetts for a consultation on May 30. It also meant more time off of work, more expense with the extra travel, and more time for Nate to be away. I was anxious about it...but then I'm always anxious these days, right? Anyway, we were sitting in LAX on a layover and Nate was on the phone with an Angel Flight Network trying to get a flight, and our surgeon's office beeped in to tell us that they'd just received word from our insurance that they'd authorized the HIPEC portion of the surgery. What?! All morning long I'd been praying over and over that our travel plans would "be easy", that they'd fall into place. I just needed something "easy". We haven't had much "easy" these days, and I was feeling pretty desperate for it. When Nate told me the news I broke into tears. Could the travel plans be made any more easy? I don't think so! I absolutely knew that we'd been given a very direct answer to our prayers and I was so grateful! It's times like this that I'm reminded that we're being watched over, even when we think we've been forgotten.

This meant that Nate didn't have to go for the extra visit and consultation, we didn't have to make any travel plans while we were in Kauai, and we didn't have to wonder what our insurance would do. It was a total relief. I'll even admit that I didn't think about insurance or surgery for our entire trip! It was a great break!

We're now working on the logistics for the big MOAS in June. Nate is scheduled for a CT scan, pre-op testing, and his consultation with our surgeon on June 15 in Worcester, Massachusetts (about an hour inland from Boston). We'll have to fly out on June 14. Happy Father's Day to Nate...ugh! Monday the 18th will be filled with the pre-op prep...yuck. Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday the 19th.

We're trying to figure out our flights, transportation, and lodging for our stay. The American Cancer Society has some wonderful resources available to cancer patients and caregivers. They have a Hope Lodge, like a Ronald McDonald House for cancer patients, 3 miles from the hospital (UMASS). I spoke with them this morning and reserved a room there from June 14 to July 26. We're hoping not to wear out our welcome there, and that Nate is home well before July 26, but they always schedule out some extra time just in case. The coordinator there was very kind and very helpful. Our next step is our flights, actually our flight. They told us to make a one way reservation since we won't have any way of knowing when Nate will be able to travel back home. This is where I wonder how in the heck this is all going to work out logistically? To date, nobody has had to move into the Hope Lodge permanently because they couldn't get a flight home...I asked.

It's just a lot of little details surrounding a big stressful event. I know it will all work out, I just don't know how. But then that's a lesson I've learned time and again...sometimes we aren't meant to know the how or the why, just the what. I think this is what it means to walk to the edge of the darkness and take your first few steps in. It's scary, and I'm weary of doing it, but I know we'll be blessed along the way.

We continue to have great support from our family and our friends. We're gearing up for our time away and find comfort knowing that our children will be loved while we're gone and that our home will be taken care of. My sister's been helping arrange flights, our family is ready to take our kids while we're gone, and our friends have offered help with our house and yard. To all of you awesome friends and family out there, we love you! Thank you for your continued faith and prayers.