wescomer.com

Thank you

Posted on 21. Oct, 2009 by Wes Comer in Health

Today marks exactly a week from my surgery, and I as I look at the clock on my desk, I realize that I am a blessed man. To be sitting up, at home, in my own clothes with no tubes, needles, lines, nurses, or any other hospital apparatus around me while typing on my laptop with my family asleep around me…how sweet it is. For whatever medication I’m on it’s not much, and I’m happy to say that I’ve only had to take a total of two pain pills post-surgery. This may or may not continue after I come off the steroids, but I’m hoping to tough it out as much as I can. Aside from my energy level (ever-changing and hard to gauge) and some mild stiffness I’m feeling pretty good. That alone is a lot to be thankful for, and there are a LOT of people to thank.

First of all, none of this is possible without God. He’s been so good to me, and I could spend this post and the next thousand trying to capture it and wordsmith it and craft it just right, and still come up short. But God has been faithful and has shielded me and blessed me beyond what I deserve and I’m thankful. He knows my heart.

I also need to thank my beautiful, loving, tending…insert a million adjectives…wife, Brooke. She easily had the hardest job of all in this. I was able to slip off to sleep and a few yawns later mutter, “did it work?”. For her it was whirlwind of planning and preparations beforehand, met with the brutal realities of a day of waiting in a surgery waiting room designed for surgeries that take no where near as long as this one turned out to be. She never complained or whimpered, and she carried that burden beautifully and readily and I love her for it. And not only did she carry it just for me, and for our kids, and for our family, but for everyone. If your read an update or saw a post it was probably written by Brooke in the handful of times they came down to give updates, while she was I’m sure struggling with every other emotion on the planet. Brooke, you’re amazing and there’s absolutely no way I could thank you for all you’ve done. That won’t stop me from trying, though. I promise.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the rest of my family that were on hand to be a support. My mother has been integral through all this as she works a neurosurgeon’s nurse and has helped us make our way though some of the jargon, and what we could expect next. She came down with me and Brooke the night before surgery, and was the perfect mom throughout. There was a moment where it came down to where only one could go back with me pre-op and my mother so sweetly and graciously sent Brooke in. Thank you, Mom for being there and for calling people, and all you did (and continue to do…amazing).

My sister Terina, husband Danny, and my niece and nephew were all on hand, too. Taking care of the family and entertaining one another through all the waiting and watching. How those two kids stayed so quite for so long in a hospital is amazing! And I can’t say enough how much I appreciate my Godfather and mother Boyd and Jeanette Sexton for coming down and staying throughout the surgery. They didn’t leave until I was awake and alert the next morning, and it meant so much to see their faces. Thank you – I love you.

I’m going to wreck this horribly, because there were SO many people that showed up, but I have to stop now and thank my pastor and his wife. Bro. & Sis. Triplett, who basically stopped their lives while I stopped mine, and prayed for me, fasted for me, and looked after my family. I don’t know what to say other than I’m humbled to have such an excellent picture of what it means to be a shepherd, and so blessed to have the Tripletts as part of my family. Thank you.

Then there are my amazing in-laws the Hildrebrands. I am in awe. My in-laws pastor a fantastic church up north is Wausau, WI, a “quick” 14-hour trip away from our home in Knoxville, and still another 3 from the surgery destination in Nashville. They arrived late Monday night, helped get us packed up and ready to roll, and then we were on our way. My brave father-in-law made the trip back to WI after the surgery to hold down the fort and lent me and my wife and our four children the use of their “Oma” until November. There’s just no way to express how much of a help it is to know that the kiddos are being taken care of while I heal up. And the kids LOVE having Oma around, of course.

And that brings me to another four-billion thanks. Sis. Brenda Stewart – you’re the third parent in the Comer-trinity. :) Thank you for always making yourself available to us and being so sweetly sensitive to our needs. The same goes for so many others in our church family that came to visit me in the hospital, take care of our kids, mow our lawn (!), cook us meals…and your kindness keeps coming. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Then last, but certainly not least, I thank the courteous and professional staff of the Vanderbilt Medical Center for their excellent care and treatment throughout all this. My surgeons, Dr. David Haynes and Dr. Reid Thompson were absolutely second to none and gave me no reason for worry, doubt, or hesitation. I felt safe and secure in their care, and would highly recommend that anyone facing this type of surgery make their services available if it’s an option.