Dear Friends and Family,
Most of you received an invitation to the benefit concert my husband Dale and I hosted for Mom back in April. Thanks to you over $3,300 was raised to cover medical expenses as she seeks diagnosis.
The good news is:
*She's gotten to return to her back doctor and her back is staying "in."
*By an act of God she found a wonderful doctor in Renton who seems able to help.
*So far he has narrowed the source of her trouble to an off-the-chart under-active thyroid, adrenal fatigue, and a major problem with her gut's ability to absorb nutrients.
The not-so-good news is:
*While her back is staying in, it is still in pain. We don't know why.
*The waterfall-effect on the rest of her health produced by her thyroid and adrenals being so bad for so long seems to mean it won't be a quick or simple fix.
*Her stomach lining is inflamed, making consuming anything very painful, while her absorption problem means whatever she DOES eat does her body very little good. (For instance, her B-12 deficiency was the worst her doctor had ever seen.) ANY food at all creates more stomach acid, which scorches her gut, and round we go again.
*She is experiencing dizziness, nausea and racing heart which may be caused by her thyroid medication, which ties in directly with her most pressing problem:
*Weight loss. She's down to 90 pounds, having lost five since starting thyroid medication. With an essentially anorexic body, heart problems become a frightening reality. Mom has had an irregular heartbeat for years and serious heart conditions run in her family
Compounding all this is stress. On top of the emotional stress caused by pain, my dad has had almost no work for a year and a half, they have literally no money, and though he has a long-awaited interview next Wednesday (please pray!) that doesn't solve the immediate bill needs, or the long-term worry about health expenses not covered by insurance. Mom has been the only one in the family able to find work, and now her health is preventing her from doing it. She's flat on her back most of the time, and the tax on her emotions is heavy indeed.
Which brings me to prayer. I'm writing to ask all of you to intercede, and intercede HARD for my mother and my family. I think the Lord reminded me the other day of the woman in Mark 5 who had the flow of blood for twelve years. It says she had suffered much at the hands of physicians and only grown worse. Well, Mom has only grown worse, no matter who she's seen or what she's done. But Jesus healed this woman because she knew if she could touch Him she would be made well. I can't imagine that dozens of us entreating Him in faith for this favorite daughter of His-- the faith of a "few good friends," "asking, seeking and knocking,"-- will fail to touch Him.
I'd like to invite you to pray with us every day for 40 days starting June 10th and ending July 20th. Pray for healing, for her ability to RECEIVE healing, and any spiritual bondage related to all of this to be broken once and for all. I expect mountains to move. I've attached a picture of her that can be printed to keep on the fridge or the desk as a reminder-- wish it could be a book mark but I didn't have the know-how for that.
I know this is long, but thank you for reading. This woman is not only my mother but my best friend, and I ache to see her hurt and there be nothing I can do. Well, this is what I can do. I thank you for your prayers. We all do.
In hope,
Jessie
Most of you received an invitation to the benefit concert my husband Dale and I hosted for Mom back in April. Thanks to you over $3,300 was raised to cover medical expenses as she seeks diagnosis.
The good news is:
*She's gotten to return to her back doctor and her back is staying "in."
*By an act of God she found a wonderful doctor in Renton who seems able to help.
*So far he has narrowed the source of her trouble to an off-the-chart under-active thyroid, adrenal fatigue, and a major problem with her gut's ability to absorb nutrients.
The not-so-good news is:
*While her back is staying in, it is still in pain. We don't know why.
*The waterfall-effect on the rest of her health produced by her thyroid and adrenals being so bad for so long seems to mean it won't be a quick or simple fix.
*Her stomach lining is inflamed, making consuming anything very painful, while her absorption problem means whatever she DOES eat does her body very little good. (For instance, her B-12 deficiency was the worst her doctor had ever seen.) ANY food at all creates more stomach acid, which scorches her gut, and round we go again.
*She is experiencing dizziness, nausea and racing heart which may be caused by her thyroid medication, which ties in directly with her most pressing problem:
*Weight loss. She's down to 90 pounds, having lost five since starting thyroid medication. With an essentially anorexic body, heart problems become a frightening reality. Mom has had an irregular heartbeat for years and serious heart conditions run in her family
Compounding all this is stress. On top of the emotional stress caused by pain, my dad has had almost no work for a year and a half, they have literally no money, and though he has a long-awaited interview next Wednesday (please pray!) that doesn't solve the immediate bill needs, or the long-term worry about health expenses not covered by insurance. Mom has been the only one in the family able to find work, and now her health is preventing her from doing it. She's flat on her back most of the time, and the tax on her emotions is heavy indeed.
Which brings me to prayer. I'm writing to ask all of you to intercede, and intercede HARD for my mother and my family. I think the Lord reminded me the other day of the woman in Mark 5 who had the flow of blood for twelve years. It says she had suffered much at the hands of physicians and only grown worse. Well, Mom has only grown worse, no matter who she's seen or what she's done. But Jesus healed this woman because she knew if she could touch Him she would be made well. I can't imagine that dozens of us entreating Him in faith for this favorite daughter of His-- the faith of a "few good friends," "asking, seeking and knocking,"-- will fail to touch Him.
I'd like to invite you to pray with us every day for 40 days starting June 10th and ending July 20th. Pray for healing, for her ability to RECEIVE healing, and any spiritual bondage related to all of this to be broken once and for all. I expect mountains to move. I've attached a picture of her that can be printed to keep on the fridge or the desk as a reminder-- wish it could be a book mark but I didn't have the know-how for that.
I know this is long, but thank you for reading. This woman is not only my mother but my best friend, and I ache to see her hurt and there be nothing I can do. Well, this is what I can do. I thank you for your prayers. We all do.
In hope,
Jessie
