Scars (Edited by Hannah)

It has been a few days, so I thought that I would bring you all up to speed.

Quick update on the game the other night.  We were playing one of our rivals, and they were ahead at halftime.  I was starting to fade and I told the defensive coordinator that I was leaving no matter what at the end of the third quarter, which I did.  At that point we were down 28 to 7 going into the 4th quarter.  Dial up the biggest comeback in school history.  We tied the score by the end of the 4th quarter, and we ended up winning the game in overtime 38-35. Great win! Showed me just how much I am needed!!

The healing is progressing nicely.  I feel good, and still have only minimal pain or discomfort.  Sleeping is problematic in that I am a side sleeper, not a back sleeper.  With my drains and the location of the incisions I am forced to sleep on my back. Not a lot of fun. In addition to that, my system is flushing itself of all of the water weight that I put on in the hospital (over 20 pounds) so I am constantly getting up to pee during the night.  The combination of these two has made it so that the longest stretch of sleep that I have had since leaving the hospital is about 2 hours.  Not gonna complain, I could be sleeping less.  I did have one drain removed yesterday, now down to the final 2, so that has potentially opened the door for me sleeping on my left side.  I should have another drain removed by then end of this week.

More and more dressings are being removed, and my scaring is starting to be seen.  I did have to contact Men's Health this week and break my contract with them.  No more shirtless modeling for me.

Also as I describe my scars be thinking of a story behind them.  It needs to be a good one, shark attack, tortured for military secrets, something like that.  Send me your suggestions and the best one will win!  Telling someone that I had cancer and had to have 4 ribs removed is too boring.

I have 4 holes in my stomach from the drains.  These look like they could be small caliber bullet holes.  The scar on my chest is shaped like a football (appropriate) and goes from my sternum to my armpit.  I also have a vertical scar that is about 10 inches long that goes straight down my stomach midline.  

On a side note, this morning as I was getting dressed, I did see something that I was not prepared for.  My stomach scar, and the removal of the muscle and skin in that area has forced by belly button to move off center.  I don't mean slightly off center, it is like 2 inches to the right of my midline!!  I always new that I was off center but I have to admit, an off center belly button looks kinda funny.

Cancer causes all sorts of scars.  From the physical kind that I have, to the mental kind that many others suffer from.  The doctors cut into my body, took some ribs, moved some muscle around and I have the scars to show for it.  All the cutting that was done, all the scaring left behind is fine.  The doctors did not take any of my soul.  They did not remove any Craig Cobley.  

My heart goes out to and prayers go up for those that have invisible scars.  They can be the most painful.  They are the ones that some people can not recover from.

The visible scars in the hands and feet of Jesus have taken away my invisible scars.  I pray that others will allow Him to do the same for them.

Eucaristia

Eucaristia.