Now, That's a Day I Won't Be Able to Purge From My Memory

These were all from the day before and day of Mark's procedure.  The goal was to find out if Mark's valve could just have a repair or if it would need to be replaced.  To find this out we scheduled a special procedure called a TEE.  This is where they stick an ultrasound probe down your esophagus to get a near perfect look at the mitral valve prolapse.  Instead of typing the story of the day, I thought I would share through my FB status updates and comments from people:
Feeling anxious for Mark's procedure tomorrow (7am has never felt so early!). Hopefully we can find out when his open-heart surgery will be. I will keep you all posted.

I received 34 comments from wonderful people.  It helped me feel so much more ready to face this day. Some favs:

Mary Brown: Jeff and I held a special fast for you and him. I'll continue to pray, too. Please call/message me if there's any way I can help you with ANYTHING.

Andrea Donegan:   Love and prayers headed your way sista! Love you both!.

The start of the day had friends and family with facebook statuses that expressed their concerns, thoughts and prayers on our behalf.

Mark is currently getting his TEE done. Trans-Esophogial something or other. They are giving him an amnesia drug, so he won't remember this. I heard an older couple talking and the wife said her husband had the procedure before, the husband's response: "I did?!" (16 comments of support and love)

Favorite comments:

Rebecca Weger Saying prayers for you guys and your family today.

Cherstin Hamblin Keeping y'all in our thoughts and prayers!

Jami Mortensen Hamblin I'm praying for you guys. And the doctors. :)

After Marks procedure:  Just spoke with Mark's doctor(Mark is totally out cold and drooling a bit). He was being optimistic and was hope that mark would just need a repair, but there is quite significant damage to the entire valve and so it will need to be completely replaced, and pretty soon before damage is done to the heart. :( This means it will not be his first and last open-heart surgery in his life.(31 comments of greatness!)

Favorite comments:

Chanté Harrell Hoehne You are not alone in this. You have a great ward family and we all love you guys and pray for you. And we will rally behind you throughout this :) I second what Jeanette said- what a blessing that the doctors would discover his condition and needs before it was worse. Big, big hugs your way.

Chanté Harrell Hoehne PS- I love that, even in the middle of such a trial, that you never lose your humor... And that you would mention Mark's drooling. He'll love that when he comes to ;)

Logan Mahan The Mahans love the Smiths. Keep us posted and we will keep you all in our prayers!

Danielle Jolene Smith ‎Chanté, I don't know that he'll quite LOVE the drooling bit, haha.

Andrea DeShazer Donegan I'm so sorry! Hang in there the Lord is so mindful of you and Mark and will bless you both! Love you!

Jeanne Hansen DeShazer We are so grateful they have found this now. We'll get through this. He'll get better. Who knows, maybe once this is all done he'll find he feels better than he's felt in a long time, but didn't realize it wasn't normal to feel like that.

Julie Smith Pulsipher How can Mark not come out ok with a sweet wife and family like you! Call if I can help, love you.

Next update: Well, we got as far as the elevator and Mark started to feel a lot of pressure in his chest and bad pain in his chest. We are back in and waiting for the cardiologist. They've done an EKG and we are just waiting and waiting and waiting. Did I mention we're waiting? Mark has officially asked me what the results were of his TEE 5 times. That's some great amnesia medication!(11 messages of awesomeness)

Favorite comments:

Jennifer Martin James We're keeping you in our thoughts. I can't imagine how scary this must be for you, but he is in good hands. Hopefully you will get your results soon. Waiting is the hardest part. :(

Jon-Michael DeShazer We're praying for not only Mark's well-being, but also for you and your kiddos Danielle. We love you.

Danielle Jolene Smith Thanks guys!! We are still here waiting. They gave Mark a nitrate for his chest pain, no Cialis for Mark!

Chanté Harrell Hoehne Ugh. Poopy. But I really think the worst part of your day has yet to come. For you have not yet partaken of the food I am bringing you for dinner, bwahahahaha!!!!!

Next update:  

Met with the cardiologist. EKG was abnormal(vague much?). He wants to do an Angiogram(risks include: death, heart attack and stroke, to name a few). He talked with the heart surgeon and he wants him to check a few other things as well. We are here in Endoscopy and will be moved to the 5th floor(I don't know what that one has). There is a man who just had a colonoscopy and has serious flatulence(to be expected) he is forcing them out and saying how awesome they are. I look forward to the 5th floor at this point.(23 shows of love)

Favorite comments:

Danielle Jolene Smith Mark says, "Christian, this reminds me of you." In reference to gas man over there. I say it reminds me of most of my brothers.

Jami Mortensen Hamblin I wish I was there - I could come sit with you. :)

Don Poyssick I get off at five... do you want me to come bring you some decent food so you are not stuck eating the hospital or vending machine crap all night?

Cid Hart A worthy entry for the annals of "Funny Things You Hear in the Hospital"

Danielle Jolene Smith ‎Don, that would be a beautiful thing. I weep at the thought. We are now on the 5th floor cardiovascular unit. It's seems so quiet without gasman *sniff sniff* (not that I'm sad, just residual effects from gasman).

Jon-Michael DeShazer ‎Danielle, I love your humor. We need to write a parody of Carole King's "Jazz Man" and call it "Gas Man!"

Christian Noel DeShazer Haha thanks mark! That made my day! I'm glad my gas has had a lasting effect! Prayers Danielle!

Ward Livingston I've had two angiograms and I can tell you two positives. 1) it's a wonderful diagnostic tool--it clearly shows what's going on in the heart. 2) the drugs they give you are GREAT. He'll have a lot of amnesea, but what he does remember will be nice.

Danielle Jolene Smith That last sedation Mark had(this morning) he told me I was pretty. I am hoping to move up to beautiful status after the angio!

Tonya Collins Ward I'm in nursing school doing rotations on the cardiac unit and I observed in the cath lab this morning while one of my patients had an angiogram. It can be really scary to go through a new procedure and there are risks, but I totally agree with Ward. The diagnostic value of that type of test is wonderful. I'm praying for your husband, you and your kids, and his doctors and nurses. Hugs!

Kathy Meyer Hall So glad you have loving support all around you. Lots of prayers and good thoughts from us.

Next update: 

I am missing my kids and have an intense need to hold my little Alybabe right now. :( Long long long day. Did I mention this has been a long day? Looks like we won't be out of here until about 9 or 10pm. Lame!(21 comments of support)

Favorite comments:

Christy Bryant Nielson Call me if I can do anything tonight to help with the kids. We'll be here!

Christian Noel DeShazer Who is watching the kids?

Danielle Jolene Smith Duncan

Danielle Jolene Smith Just kidding! Geoff and Jessie.

Update on Mark: Mark just had his angiogram. All went well. All of the tests were clear. So, they will just do the valve replacement(psha! Just the valve replacement? doesn't sound right. be grateful for small miracles). They ended up having to go through the groin to do the procedure. Mark says, "I'm just glad I still have my junk." I am thinking of being grateful for his life, but you can see where his priorities are.(14 comments)

Favorite comments:

Dylan DeShazer I am glad his junk is ok. Lol. Good to here he is doing ok. When will they replace his valve?

Danielle Jolene Smith We meet with the surgeon on Wed. the 29th to schedule that. It will probably be pretty soon. They don't want to wait much longer.

Brandi Wilkinson We all know you were concerned with his "junk" too? ;)

Thomas Copeland Well.... there is something they probably didn't tell you... they probably used a Starclose Clip which stays in the femoral artery; now with that being metal.. he may find TSA paying close attention to his junk from now on.. lol

Cynthia Watkins I love the sense of humor the pair of you have!!!

Jeanne Hansen DeShazer Yeah. He's a guy.

Update on Mark: We are home safe and sound. We got home at about 10pm. Mark is doing well, he has to lay quite flat for most of the day. He is resting(as he has through most of this, haha). Alastair missed us or something and fussed and cried until about 1 am(I had been up since 5:20am), needless to say I am EXHAUSTED. But alas, today I must play catch up from yesterday's absence. Lots of laundry, cleaning and yelling at my kids(KIDDING! well, mostly). Mark was overcome by all the kind words, prayers and thoughts from you all yesterday(I was as well, you all are awesome!). He couldn't believe I knew such nice people(am I really that bad??). It actually brought him to tears. Being the mean person I am, I wished that I had brought my camera to document such a momentous event(and a test tube to find out if these were real tears), but let's just keep that part between us. :) (19 comments and 25 likes)

Favorite comments:

Danielle Jolene Smith PS-We will be meeting with the heart surgeon on the 29th to schedule the big day.

Joe Corless mark,, in tears,,,no way!.. gosh i love that guy!

Nikki Wood Glad everything went well yesterday! The surgery will go good just have faith and y'all be strong! At least take a nap today lol!

Kari 'Hendricks' Bryan I've got work to do this morning, but let me take your kids for a few hrs this afternoon

Danielle Jolene Smith Maybe I will...

Kari 'Hendricks' Bryan Um the correct response is Yes Kari take them away they will be ready for departure at 1:00 and will be returned when dinner arrives at 6:00.

Dylan DeShazer You do realize he can read this right? Glad he is home.

Shirley Lyman So glad that he made it through everything okay. Thanks for keeping us informed on how everything was going.

Sherry Bishop McKellar Just think what a fun blog post you can write now....

Beverly Berge Rockwood glad you are home and we hope for a speedy recovery -- and take it from your old young women's leader -- laundry can wait. just take it easy!

Jacob Clarin Bingham We are SO glad and relieved for mark and you. We love u guys and pray things will continue smoothly

Melissa Oviatt So glad he's home and doing well!!!!

That was one of the most difficult days I have experienced.  I was so overcome by the comments and private messages of support, thoughts, prayers and love.  I was by myself through this, but because of you all and our amazing Father in Heaven, I was able to feel so calm and peaceful and I managed to keep my sense of humor through the entire thing.  I didn't even feel the need to lose it until I went to bed that night, when I just sobbed when I baby wouldn't go to sleep.  I had been so overwhelmed by the emotions of the day in that moment, I just broke.  But I didn't break once while I was at the hospital trying to be there for Mark.  We will have a long road ahead, but we are past these few hurdles.  Thanks again everyone.  You all are my big giant rock of support!! 

PS-Alybabe is walking!!!