Sara in surgery

Sara is now in surgery. The purpose of this surgery is to finish the exploratory surgery from yesterday afternoon. Her medical team is looking to confirm that the bleeding has stopped and close  her up from the surgery yesterday.

Sara remains under sedation. With a little help from medication, her blood pressure is stable. She is breathing on her own through a ventilator.

Assuming surgery goes well, she will likely be at the hospital in Des Moines through the weekend. I'll give another update post-surgery.

I have spoken with friends and family about an action plan to help us once Sara and Graeme are home. More details to come.

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement.

Sara update day 2

Sara had a good night for someone in her condition. Her blood pressure remained stable with a little help from medication. She remains fully sedated.

She is still scheduled for surgery today. This surgery is really just a continuation of the third surgery yesterday, which was to locate the source of the bleeding and to help stop it. Today's surgery will see if the bleeding has stopped.

I'll post an update after the surgery. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement.

Sara Update 4

Sara may finally be stabilizing. Her blood pressure is normal. Other levels suggest her bleeding has stopped but we won't know for certain until an exploratory surgery late morning.

When Sara's nurse, Nikki, found out Sara is a music teacher, she offered to play one of the music channels for her. Sara is now listening to the Groove, r+b of the '70s.

Thanks for all you continued prayers and words of encouragement.
Sent from a BlackBerry®

Sara Update 3

Sara is still sedated. Doctors are using medications to keep her vital signs stable while they seek to determine the source of the bleeding. It seems she may have turned a corner, but we won't know until tomorrow.

Back in Grinnell, Graeme is doing well.

The outpouring of prayers, thoughts, and offers to assist us is humbling. I'm so grateful we have so many thoughtful, caring people in our lives. Once Sara is stable and conscious, I will have a better sense of what our needs will be.

Keep Sara, Graeme, and their caregivers in your prayers. Hug a nurse and tell them thanks. The efforts of Sara's doctors, nurses, and techs have saved her life. I hope and pray their work in the coming hours helps Sara back onto the road to recovery.

Sara update 2

Sara is now at a hospital in Des Moines. She is sedated. Her blood pressure is stable. Her doctors are working to stabilize her and determine if the bleeding can be treated with surgery or with medicine.

While in Grinnell, she received 12 units of blood and 15 units of clotting agents. Some of the blood was brought to Grinnell by state trooper.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Graeme and Sara update 1

First, the good news: Sara gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Graeme Seeger, at 8:10 this morning. He was 9 lbs. and 10 oz., 21 inches long. He is eating and sleeping well.

Sara had complications following the delivery by cesarean section. Her medical team was not able to control her bleeding, which led to an emergency hysterectomy. Unfortunately, that surgery did not control the bleeding, either. As I type, she is in a third operation to determine the source of the bleeding. Her doctors and I have agreed to transfer her by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines to give her added care.

Sara and I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. I will post on this blog again when there is news to share.

How to explain roadkill to a three year old

Alligator Snapping Turtle (photo by Caldeira & Co)


Part of our post-church Sunday routine is a leisurely drive to Rock Creek State Park. The drive is usually serene and gets everyone (except the driver) to napland. As we crossed the bridge over the northern inlet, we came upon what we thought was a piece of driftwood. As we got, closer, I realized it was a large turtle on its back.

I stopped the van to move the turtle off of the road. As I looked for a stick in a ditch to move the turtle, the turtle moved. "Uh-oh," I thought. We called the park ranger. I hadn't tried to move it, but had positioned the van so that the turtle would not get hit a second time.

As we waited for the ranger to arrive, Slane worried about the turtle. "Will it be okay?" she asked.

Will it be okay? "No," I thought. Turtle shells are no match for truck tires. Blood was coming from its mouth. The best we could do is give it comfort in its last moments on earth.

Instead, I turned it into an object lesson about why we need to be careful crossing the street, which scared her a little.

"Will the turtle make it?" Slane asked.

"I don't think so," I answered.

The ranger arrived. He scooped the turtle, an alligator snapping turtle about the size of a medium-sized watermelon, into a box. There was a puddle of blood on the pavement. The turtle had a large crack in his shell near his right shoulder.

"He's not going to make it, is he?" I asked.

"No," the ranger answered.

"Thanks for coming to rescue him anyway," I said.

We got home and took our Sunday afternoon naps. When Slane woke up, she was unsettled.

"Are you sad about the turtle?" I asked.

"Yeah," Slane said with a sniffle and and a quiver in her voice.

An object lesson would not work this time. Instead I called on a higher power: Fancy Nancy.

"Slane, Fancy Nancy's mom talks about how big and generous Nancy's heart is, right?"

"Yeah," she answered.

"Mommy and I love how you show empathy and compassion for the people and animals in your life. You are the most compassionate, empathetic person I know. Empathy is a fancy word for caring for others.

"It's like Jonah. He needed to show compassion and mercy. Maybe Jonah could learn something from you."

Slane smiled.