You Will Make It through This Storm: One Couple's Miraculous Journey to Defying All Odds While Praying for Healing and More Time Together

By Ken Rodli

Ken and Dyanne Rodli's fairytale romance began in high school and blossomed into a glorious, 52-year marriage blessed with three children and five grandchildren. Like all couples, Ken and Dyanne faced tragedies and triumphs, but nothing could have prepared them for Dyanne's devastating, twelve-year medical odyssey that began in 2008. Doctors said there was no hope and the prognosis was dire, but Dyanne defied all medical and scientific odds, outliving expectations by more than a decade.

Ken and Dyanne's unwavering faith and undying belief that everything happens for an earthly and an eternal reason, propelled the couple through unimaginable adversity. As Dyanne's only caregiver for more than twelve years, Ken's love and respect for her as a true warrior and survivor molded his commitment and deepened his love to a level far beyond any concern for himself.

Buoyed by Dyanne's personal motto of, "Do Not Quit: Someone is praying for you and you will make it through the storm. God is good all the time!" the Rodlis never gave up and never gave in, treating every day together as the treasure it was meant to be.

The love expressed through their story is sure to uplift, inspire, and enliven every reader, but especially those who are caregivers, or who are experiencing the serious illness of themselves or a loved one.

Author Ken Rodli was born in Boston, raised on the West Coast, and now resides in Franklin, Tennessee.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667880396

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You Will Make It through This Storm

One Couple’s Miraculous Journey to Defying All Odds

While Praying for Healing and More Time Together

©2022 Ken Rodli

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

print ISBN: 978-1-66788-038-9

ebook ISBN: 978-1-66788-039-6

Dedication

This memoir is written for my children, grandchildren, extended family and friends, and anyone who may benefit from our journey. It is dedicated to Dyanne Marie Barnes Rodli, my high school sweetheart, soulmate, wife, and best friend. Her unwavering faith and her undying belief that everything happens for an earthly and an eternal reason propelled her through unimaginable adversity. Her amazing example has shaped me in ways that I may never totally comprehend or fully appreciate. As her only caregiver for over twelve years, my love and respect for her as a true warrior and survivor molded my commitment and deepened my love to a level well beyond any concern for myself.

My foremost desire in writing her story was that those experiencing any type of adversity would be encouraged, stay focused on the main things, never lose faith, and always maintain a grip on hope.

Second, that those who are caregivers now, or will be at some point in time, can glean inspiration and encouragement from the undying love and dedicated commitment of two high school sweethearts who never gave up. Hopefully, our story will provide valuable insight that will help sustain, encourage, and bring continuing hope, even during times when, statistically, it appears there is no hope.

Testimonials From Dyanne’s

Medical Professionals

I met Mrs. Dyanne Rodli when she came to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN looking for hope. She had been through a most challenging period in her life, because of medical problems, and had undergone countless procedures.

Most medical providers caring for her at that time had concluded that she would not be able to take nourishments orally. She disagreed with that conclusion, ensued a journey unlike any other, for her, Ken, her Mayo care team and I am sure, friends and family as well.

I can only say that rarely in my professional life, have I witnessed such resilience, persistence, and grace. Over and over, she faced adversity, setbacks and progress alike, with the same courage, confidence, and determination.

I cannot name by memory all the people she touched throughout her treatments, but I know she has a special place in our hearts for many of us. Taking care of her and getting to know Dyanne and Ken has been an amazing privilege.

Claude Deschamps, MD

President & CEO UVMHN Medical Group

It was my pleasure to contribute to the memory of Dyanne Rodli. I met Dyanne after she had several operations on her esophagus. It was clear that she really only had one opportunity to create a connection between her throat and her GI tract. We tried to create this connection with a piece of colon, but—alas—the colon conduit was insufficient. I asked our friends at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to help out. They made a valiant attempt to create a passageway for her, but this too ran into blood flow problems, leading to a situation that required frequent stretching of the esophagus and constant management of a chronic connection between the esophagus and the skin.

While all this was quite clinical, I tell you this to make sure that you are aware of the miserable problem that Dyanne lived with, one that seriously impacted her quality of life and made her dependent on frequent trips to the doctor and the emergency room. Through all of this she was a hero of magnificent proportions, keeping her chin up, keeping her balance and equanimity in the face of an (essentially) unsolvable medical problem.

At her side, Ken was a soldier, a trooper, an advocate, and a dedicated husband, attending to Dyanne’s needs, understanding of her struggles, and remaining present for her through all. We all learn from our patients, and from Dyanne I learned the nature of heroism in the face of some of the greatest medical challenges, which have ever faced the patients that I have cared for over my 34-year career as a surgeon. Godspeed, Dyanne!

John G Hunter MD EVP and CEO, OHSU

Health Portland, OR

A complex medical chart often suggests a challenging first interaction, but the first time I met the Rodlis, I remember being embraced by their smiles and positivity. A set of unusual circumstances had hampered Dyanne’s recovery. Each of these rare complications was met with optimism. This strength and perseverance were one of a kind.

I often got asked by colleagues regarding Dyanne’s risky procedures. And I would always respond that if they knew Dyanne, they would not hesitate one bit. She had an endless and strong desire to get better.

Dyanne was always appreciative of her medical team as she captained us through her recovery. This unbelievable energy was fueled by the amazing relationship she had with her loving and supporting husband, Ken. My time with Dyanne has left a lasting impression on me. I am inspired to never accept the status quo and always seek a better outcome. She is dearly missed by us all, and I am lucky to have been part of her team.

Dr. Fouad Otaki, MD Gastroenterology specialist

OHSU Portland, Oregon 

I first met Dyanne when I was young and fresh out of residency. She worked in the clinic as the referral specialist. Dyanne had an ever-engaging smile, even in the stressful community clinic environment. 

When I left that practice, she became a patient of mine 21 years ago. Even today, I remember her desire for health and wellness. It became a journey to stand alongside her as she struggled between her body and her will to live a beautiful and full life. 

I often thought of Dyanne as the million-dollar patient. The cost of her medical care was met with the price it took to keep her in a place of love and grace. 

I witnessed the suffering she endured but kept a fighting spirit. 

Through the 24 years of knowing Dyanne, I was privileged to know the beauty of her family. The joy she brought to her husband and the support she gave to her lovely son. In the end, even though physically it was difficult to hold her head high, she carried herself with grace. Her desire to live, to continue a connection with God, to bear the agony of her body while maintaining grace, was a gift. 

Dyanne will always hold a special place in my heart. I learned so much from her in my journey as a doctor and healer. Thank you for being and thank you for becoming. That was ever present. 

Evelin Dacker, MD

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1. Life-Altering Surgery

Chapter 2. Clawing Our Way Back

Chapter 3. Returning Home

Chapter 4. Life-Saving Surgery

Chapter 5. Hope at Mayo

Chapter 6. Surgery Time!

Chapter 7. Home for Christmas

Chapter 8. Return to Mayo

Chapter 9. Going Home Again

Chapter 10. Back to Mayo

Chapter 11. Home for Good?

Chapter 12. How Many Times?

Chapter 13. 2020: A Blessed Year

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Introduction

It was one week before school was to start and I was entering my senior year in high school. A buddy of mine and I were at Beverly Beach near Newport, Oregon in the early afternoon between daily doubles football practice. What were we doing there? Killing time before the hot afternoon practice and, obviously, looking for girls. Walking towards us was a group of five or six young ladies who were about to enter their sophomore year at Newport High School. Directly in the middle of the group was this cute little blonde that instantly caught my eye. She was pretty as a picture and her long, blond hair was gently blown back by the ocean breeze. And I will never forget her stunning figure in that tank top and those white shorts.

We proceeded to introduce ourselves and my buddy instantly set about getting all their names. However, I was only interested in one name and couldn’t care less about the others. Now, being the immature young men that we were, we set about joking and goofing off a bit too much, which resulted in not impressing them at all but throwing a damper on our entire plan. Instead of getting acquainted with this cutie named Dyanne, all I received was a giant eye roll and an oh brother as she turned and walked away. Definitely not my finest day.

It was the first day of school, I had just finished first period, gone to my locker, and exchanged books for second period. I closed my locker and as I turned around, I was face to face with her, so close that we were almost touching. As I was struggling inside to keep my composure, she looked directly up into my eyes with her big, beautiful, greenish eyes, and with her incredible gorgeous smile said, Hi! Remember me?

What I was not aware of was that the following day after she had walked away at the beach, she met up with one of her girlfriends who had not been in the group at the beach. She proceeded to tell Julie about her encounter with this total knucklehead at the beach. However, for some reason, Dyanne actually remembered my name as she recounted her weird experience at the beach. Fortunately for me, I just happened to be friends with Julie’s brother David. So, Julie took over the conversation from here, telling Dyanne that she knew me, that I ran track with her brother David, and quickly convinced her that I was an awesome guy and would be a great catch.

Two weeks later, we went on our first date. I took her to the theatre where we enjoyed our first movie together, which was Gone with the Wind. We were destined to be together for the next fifty-four years. I had no idea how blessed I would be with this woman by my side. Dyanne matured into a beautiful woman inside and out, was an incredible wife, mother, nana, and just an exceptional loving, giving, caring person. Hopefully someday I can personally thank Julie Fish for igniting the spark that would last a lifetime.

Dyanne was diagnosed with a stomach acid disease in her mid-thirties, which caused her to produce much more stomach acid than normal. Her condition was managed quite well with medication for several years, but over time she began to develop ulcers. By 2004 this excess of acid had destroyed her pyloric valve (the valve from the stomach to the colon), causing scar tissue to close it off so that her digested food could no longer exit the stomach and enter the colon. This initiated the first of four partially successful stomach surgeries from 2004 to 2006. The surgeries attempted to create a new exit from the stomach to the bowel, but we could never quite fool her body into believing this. During this time, she suffered severe stomach pain with little relief.

After enduring as long as we could, we met with our previous surgeon to discuss a fifth surgery. We were told that the only way he would do another surgery was to completely remove the stomach in its entirety. This did not sit well with us at the time, so we consulted another highly recommended surgeon at a different hospital. He assured us that he could perform the surgery laparoscopically, retaining at least some of the stomach. We could plan on a hospital stay of about three days, and finish recovering at home. Based on this encouraging news, the fifth surgery was scheduled for June 30th, 2008.

Prior to this, I had been invited to be part of a Pastor Training Mission Trip into the remote village areas of Burundi and Rwanda (Great Lakes Region in Central Africa). I had been a licensed minister a few years earlier but not at this time, having chosen not to pursue that profession. Even with the upcoming surgery, Dyanne encouraged me to go as I would return home three days prior to her surgery. We arrived in Burundi just a few weeks after peace was declared, following a fifteen-year civil war. It was a unique experience witnessing real hardship that was life-changing and worldview-altering. Unfortunately, it did not totally prepare me for the journey that Dyanne and I were about to embark on together. Arriving home, we were looking forward to a successful surgery, recovery, and quick return home. However, our hopes and dreams were to take a drastic turn in the opposite direction, and our lives would never be the same, or even resemble the life we had previously known.

Our journey together, as described from this point forward, was taken from over three hundred pages of my personal notes that I had taken along the way, and 2500 pages of doctors’ notes and ER visits from three separate hospitals. It is also reflective of my understanding and interpretation of events at that time. The hospitals were quite willing to supply the documentation once proof of her passing was established and that I was indeed her husband. Much of our journey was anything but pleasant; however, we were given many years together as a result of exceptional medical care, precious time that we would not have otherwise had.

Consequently, I may not disclose an actual place or person’s name so as not to taint in any way the reputation of an institution or medical person that may have been a help to others. However, I will attempt to accurately give credit by name to persons and institutions for the many miraculous successes that we experienced along the way.

To my knowledge, Dyanne in still the only survivor of this complicated or extensive midsection reconstructive surgery. She not only survived, but we were given ten additional years together, which she would describe as, Years we never had coming. However, those years would not resemble anything that we had previously known as ‘normal," but they would bond us together in a deep, meaningful relationship that we would never have otherwise realized or enjoyed.

Chapter 1

Life-Altering Surgery

It was Monday, June 30th, 2008, an exciting day but a bit scary also, as we looked forward to a solution to Dyanne’s stomach issues. Obviously before any surgery, there was some reservation, some apprehension, some nervousness, especially since the previous four surgeries had only been semi-successful. Dyanne woke this morning and shared with me, This is going to be really hard once again, but it will be so wonderful to finally have a solution to my stomach issues. At the same time, it is always a bit scary for me to be put under with anesthesia. However, we were trusting that the outcome was ultimately in God’s control and everything will be okay.

Following a nine-hour surgery, which included a couple of hours in recovery, I met with the surgeon. He informed me that he had removed most of Dyanne’s stomach, which he determined was severely damaged. In addition, he had to reconstruct part of the upper bowel, specifically near the exit of the stomach. He also stated that he had removed approximately five pounds of old, hardened, undigested food and scar tissue that was a result of her ongoing stomach issues. No wonder she was having serious issues eating, as well as extreme pain. He then explained that everything considered, the surgery went quite well and we should expect a hospital stay of three to four days and we would be going home. Great news! Thank you, Lord! Finally an answer to what we had been dealing with and fervently hoping and praying for.

Following recovery, Dyanne arrived in her room in a lot of pain, and it continued to increase as the anesthesia wore off. Nearly half an hour had passed now, and she began to half-consciously mumble a request for relief from the growing pain. Our RN was becoming concerned due to Dyanne’s obvious pain level, which she could not yet get under control because the PCA (patient-controlled pain pump) had not arrived yet. The nurse told me that she had received all Dyanne’s medications but no PCA. She immediately made a call and discovered to her dismay that the surgical team had neglected to even put in the order. She placed a rush order for the PCA; however, another thirty minutes would pass before it arrived in our room. By this time, Dyanne had become quite desperate for relief. Dyanne then asked the nurse if she could turn off the foot pumps that were jerking her entire body every time they inflated, causing additional pain. Her nurse removed them immediately and informed us that she had just had a continuing education class, which informed them that the foot pumps do absolutely nothing to discourage blood clots, unless used in conjunction with leg pumps. Consequently, she immediately put in an order for the leg pumps.

By the time the PCA had arrived, was hooked up and functional, Dyanne’s pain was out of control. In addition, she was now completely disoriented, and in such a weakened condition that she was incapable of managing her own pain control with the PCA. Our nurse was now frustrated because our surgical team had gone home for the evening and the doctor on call was not responding. When the on call doctor finally appeared, he informed us that he was unable to make any adjustments to Dyanne’s care, because he was not familiar enough with her case. Are you kidding me? Lord, please help us now!

I cannot accurately describe my frustration, anxiety, or anger at this point. I never left her side, trying my best to comfort her in some small way throughout the night. It was a horrible night. Dyanne would literally pass out at times from the pain, regain consciousness for a time, then slip away once again. I remember referring to this night as a night from hell, praying for relief, literally begging the nurse to seek a solution. I had no idea that this was to be just the first of many horrific nights as well as days that were to come.

By Tuesday morning, Dyanne’s pain was still completely unmanageable and would continue throughout the day and through the night. The only answer I was able to obtain from the doctors was that they had her on a lot of pain medication already, and it would eventually get better. I have no idea how she endured. Minutes were swallowed up by hours of severe pain, with little hope