Michael....and now Alysa

It has been a week since I last posted.  I wanted to share the sad news of my cousin, Michael.  He passed away on Sunday morning.  . . and the funeral was today.  The reason I am just now getting a chance to post this is because my daughter was rushed into emergency surgery yesterday and is currently in the Children's Hospital.

This week has been very difficult.  In fact, that entire past month has been an onslaught of one thing after another.  But I wanted to share with you, even as tired and drained as I feel sitting here at the foot of her bed in the hospital, that God has been with us.

First of all...Michael did not lose.  He was a Christian..had  accepted the Lord as His Savior.  So he is currently cancer-free, no longer bound by the earthly body....but with the Lord.   His funeral, I am told, was beautiful.  I was supposed to play for his service, which would have been an honor. . . but with the turn of events with our daughter, I was unable to leave her today... but my dear aunt, uncle, and cousins totally understood, and thank the Lord they were able to play the CD's that God has enabled me to record and it all worked out.  My heart was torn, wanting to be there, especially for my cousins who are suffering the loss of their younger brother.  I understand how it feels to lose a younger sibling at the age of 22 also...it's a terrible pain that is indescribable.

With regards to our daughter.  She was at school Tuesday, feeling ill....no fever.  But had symptoms of what we thought were the terrible stomach virus that is running rampant throughout our area.   Even the pediatrics' nurse thought so too.  However, she quickly became dehydrated, (within 12 hrs or less) and her pain was becoming much more severe, to the point of being unable to walk.  Long story short, her appendix had a stone in it that caused it to rupture.  And according to her surgeon, it was a terrible mess. .  when he came out after the surgery around 7 pm last night, he said she is "still very sick."

She will be in the hospital for about 7 days but the doctor told us not to hold him to that.  She is currently on the strongest antibiotic possible.  he said it is the Mercedes Benz of antibiotics...and has a tube draining her abdomen.  She was in a terrible amount of pain today....to the point that morphine was not managing it.

During the times when her pain has been the most intense, her heart rate would become very high and she would whisper that she was seeing an angel.  She said that in the ER 30 prior to surgery..... today her pain was so bad that she broke down and cried, whereas every other time she has just been trying to stay calm, and deal with it, as difficult as that has been.  When she cried this afternoon I knew that we were at a point where nothing the DR's or nurses were doing was helping, and it was in God's hands.  She has not been able to talk very well, only whisper (due to the tube down her throat) and just motion.  The first word she said last night as they were wheeling her from recovery to her room was "Pain."   However today when she cried, and was in such misery, and I was inwardly begging God to please help her, she slowly whispered, "No.More.Pain."  And then with her eyes closed, she began to try to hum a song..I leaned in to hear what could she possibly be trying to hum, and it began to make sense to me..it was the chorus, "Yes, Jesus loves me..Yes Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so."  Then she fell fast asleep.  And has rested so much better ever since.  In fact, the nurse just pointed out to me as i am sitting here in the dark, that Alysa's heart rate is the lowest it's been since she got here.  it is now in the 70's range.  Whereas before it as high as 136 beats per minute.

She began running a fever this afternoon.  .so they are giving her an additional medication for that.

Tomorrow she will hopefully have the catheter removed, however, that means she will be forced to get up, move around, and deal with a whole new set of challenges.
So please be praying for her...and for us.  Bryan and I are exhausted...there is nothing like seeing your child suffer, and be on the brink of something soooo dangerous.

I will try to be in touch whenever I am able.
Until then, keep my family in your prayers.  The Grimsley's as they are now facing the challenge of grieving and healing from the loss of their son and brother.  ..and for my family as we are enduring this health challenge for Alysa.  She is only 14, but as I have watched all that she has gone through, she appears to have grown up over night.  This is  so difficult for me and Bryan.

Thank you for your prayers for Michael over the past 2 years...and also for the family.
Will be in touch soon, Lord willing.