October 30th – Our Toughest Day Yet

Guys, I'm doing it! I am posting for you multiple days in a row, and not making you wait days, weeks, or months to find out the next chapter of the story!

October 30th is a date I’ll never forget, maybe behind our wedding and the crash, but a date nonetheless. Cody went in for his second surgery—a major one. We’d been warned, at almost every single visit, about the possibility of a foot fusion, and honestly, we were scared. It was hard walking into that hospital knowing how uncertain everything was.

The surgery took over four hours. Every minute felt like an hour. I sat there in that cold waiting room, clinging to Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you... I will strengthen you and help you.” That verse was my anchor. I was moved from room to room, the text updates came slowly and with not much information. With nothing but time on my hands, I almost finished an entire book while I waited! If you are interested in some of the books I have been reading, please leave a comment. I'd love to share some reviews!

The doctor came in to talk me through the surgery—two plates, multiple screws, but good news: no fusion. It felt like a win in the middle of a war. I couldn't wait to see Cody! The nurses told me I needed to wait a bit longer because Cody was still sleeping.

When Cody finally came out, things didn’t get easier like I expected they would. He didn’t wake up well from the anesthesia. He was disoriented, nauseous, and exhausted. Watching him suffer like that was brutal. Then, something powerful happened—Cody asked me to pray over him. He doesn’t even remember it, but I do. I held his hand and cried while I prayed. I thanked God for getting him through the surgery and begged Him for healing. We ended up staying the night in the hospital, completely drained—physically, emotionally, mentally.

This was hands down the hardest part of Cody’s journey, in my opinion, not just because of the pain, but because of what he couldn’t do. Cody is an active guy through and through. He’s used to being out on the ranch, fixing things, moving cattle, and chasing his little boy around. Not being able to do any of that—being stuck in a bed, or the couch, dependent on others—was crushing for him. I could see it in his eyes, even when he tried to hide it.

But through all that frustration and helplessness, Cody held onto his strength. He didn’t let it break him. Watching him push through, when everything inside him wanted to be outside doing what he loves—that was a quiet kind of bravery I’ll always admire.

Stay tuned, I have a few more details I can't wait to share.

Chelsea