GOOD NEWS!!! We got to talk with doctors today and not only did they tell Dara that she start on a liquid diet today (she has has nothing but ice chips since Sunday night 7pm) but they took out one of the 5 tubes she is connected to. We will be coming home with either two or three of the tubes in place since they need 2 to 4 weeks to completely heal (bladder & colon).

Dara is doing VERY well - and has been up in her wheelchair the last couple of days. She is VERY excited about the youth group coming to visit her on Sunday evening!!! She will be up in her wheelchair (tubes, bags & all) and will visit with everyone out on the 4th floor waiting room.

The estimated time for coming home is Tues or Wed and then she will be homebound from school til Jan - one of her teachers has volunteered to be her homebound teacher 3X's a week. We are hoping to be back in church in Dec and then back in school by Jan.

Looks like we will are on for Thanksgiving - out at the retreat center on Wednesday and maybe for a little while out at Harrah if Dara doesnt poop out.

For you NOT members of the Cherry/Burleson family - WATCH OPRAH on Wednesday and see our cousin - John McMonigle as he shows a house that he has listed at $75 million dollars!!!
TOO FUN!!!

Love you guys
and keep praying for Dara's quick and speedy recovery.

Cherri -

P S - Sure have enjoyed my breaks here and there as Mike stays with Dara in the hospital and he has some fun stories he is picking up from the other patients!!! WOW, what a heart for people this hubbie of mine has!!! LOVE YOU, MIKE!!! cdbam aka gc

UPDATE time!!! Dara is doing GREAT!!! The doctors are VERY pleased with the results of the surgery and Dara is proudly wearing her 45 staples!!! She IS in some pain and it seems to come and go. Not sure how long she will be in the hospital - estimation is another week.

Keep us in your prayers as we continue to work and be with her. THANK YOU, LORD, for MIKE!!! He has been a LIFE saver for Dara and me.

Love you guys
Covet your prayers

Cherri

Thank you so much for your calls and prayers. We just finished a fun game night with Mike, Dara and me playing our favorite game BUZZWORD. No snacks since Dara is on clear liquids today preparing for surgery prep on Saturday & Sunday.

Dr Slobodov will be performing an appendicovescostomoy and an A C E - the first precedure connecting Dara's bladder to her belly button so that she can self cath - and the second precedure using her appendix which is already connected to her colon - but connecting it to her side creating a plug so that she can use a catheter to flush water through her colon and be independent in her self care.

The surgery should take 4 to 5 hours and will be performed on Monday morning at Presbyterian Hospital in OKC. Dara is excited, nervous, relieved and getting a bit weak. I think she suffers the effects of low blood sugar and decided to go to bed about 7pm (after helping MOM beat Mike at BUZZWORD!!! - We are ALWAYS excited when we can beat the game meister!!!).

Saturday & Sunday will be used to clear up any UTI's and also clean out her insides so that they can use a part of her intestine as a tube to the belly button.

They are predicting 7 to 10 days of recovery in the hospital and then 2 to 6 weeks at home.
Not sure what this does to our plans for Thanksgiving - but being true blooded Burlesons & Moxleys we just stay flexible and will have fun wheverever, however and with whoever (or is it whomever, Mom?).

Mike & I will be swapping out at the hospital with Dara as we continue to work our business and keeping most of our commitments.

Thanks again for your prayers and calls - and we plan to keep everyone updated by phone calls to Grams & Papaw, church, Premier, bro's & sis's & this blog.

Love ya'll
Cherri