We had a great Christmas holiday here with family! God's grace was truly sufficient to be able to allow Kami the strength to be able to enjoy Christmas, our traditions, family gatherings, and even the opportunity to sing with her kids (the first time in over a year!). It was good to see her laughing more than crying (due to the pain) for Christmas!
But this past weekend, it seems that the "mystery" illness is spreading and back in full force. Kami's pain has intensified to the point that I almost took her to the ER one evening. This was after an appointment with her doctor here in Ft. Myers. Her doctor is still baffled and ordered a new round of blood tests and CT scan for this week. They are expressly checking for chickungunya disease with the blood tests. There is a breakout of this mosquito-born disease in the islands where we were. The CT scan will be to verify that the nodules in her lungs are not growing, to check for any tumors/growths in her chest and to verify that there is no deterioration of any bones in her chest, which would be a sign of an active TB bon-infection. A bone infection would still mean that she is non-contagious but that the TB is destroying her bones, is very painful, and can be treated with two additional long-term antibiotics.
We appreciate your continued prayers for Kami. We are hoping to get some answers....and to get her out of constant pain.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Our College & Career Christmas Party !
After we knew that Kami was going to be seen locally for the duration of her medical care, I asked our Pastor for some duties to keep me busy. One of his ideas for us was to start a Wednesday night College & Career class. It has been fun and such a blessing to not only keep busy in the ministry, but to be able to work with this great group of young people! (Some of which were in our teen group when I was youth Pastor!)
Here is a glimpse from our Christmas party that we hosted at the church mission's house where we are currently staying!
The Edman family who is working along side of us, helped us to prepare a feast!
(Nacho Bar, Wings, Pizza Rolls, Veggie Tray and plenty of desserts!)
Of course, we had to have a "dirty Santa" gift exchange! The idea was to not get a "girly" gift!
Like Ben's new ladies' scarf....which surprisingly matched the color of his pants!
Is it really an "exchange" if you steal someone's else's Skeet Clay-Pigeons!
(Yes...with this group you have ammunition, Clay-Pigeons and hunting gloves!)
Everyone made sure to know exactly what had been opened!
Then we broke out the "Headbands" game! If you have never tried it, it makes for a great game for young people...
And older ones....His card said, "Lightbulb"...We kidded with him that his light bulb finally "went off!"
There was a Ping-Pong Tournament...
And some billiard games as well...the young man in the back is Zak. He accepted Christ as his Saviour just two weeks ago after our Wednesday night class.
We praise the Lord for these young people. It is my prayer and desire to help these young people to love the Lord our God with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their might! We look forward to what God is going to do in our hearts and lives for the cause of Christ!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Updates & More...
Even though our lives on the mission field seems to have been put "on-hold", things have not slowed down for us. Here are a few updates...
Kami
She has been having improvements since she has started her antibiotic treatments. However, there are days when the pain & chest pressure come back with such ferocity that all she can do is cry. There are days when she is able to laugh, which she hasn't been able to do in over a year and we praise the Lord for these kinds of days! Her last MRI and X-rays came back negative for nodules in the joints in her hand. The swelling and pain that she has been having are now attributed to damage to the collateral ligaments in her joints. To what extent and reason, we do not know. Her doctor wants to refer her to a hand surgeon for further evaluation. (We are thinking that the TB is in her joints and bones which would be called Bone/Joint TB. But getting the doctors to listen to our thoughts can be quite difficult after they have diagnosed her with Latent TB.)
The Kids
Josh was able to pass his driving test and received his license! It has been great having an extra driver in the family! He is working as a "captain" on one of the bus routes at our home church along with Beth and Brenna. They all sing specials and are in the choir. They attend teen visitation and help whereever needed in the church. It is such a blessing to live on church property!
All 3 older children are running behind in school and trying to "catch-up". It has not been an easy year nor easy transition for them. Momma has been pretty sick and they have worked overtime helping out Dad with all of Momma's duties and with lots of baby-sitting of the younger three while we take Kami to the steady stream of doctors' appointments!
We believe that strep throat has been taking a toll on our family as well. I was miserable over the past several days, the little ones were sick, and Beth is now running a 103 degree fever with a sore throat. We are hoping to be all well for Christmas!
Dad
Dad is trying to keep everything together while Momma is working to get back to 100%. I am teaching an adult SS class and have started a Wednesday College & Career Class. After last Wednesday's class, I was able to lead a 23 year-old young man to the Lord! Our situation may not be what we thought it would be at this time in December 2013 and we may not be where we thought we would be, but God has us right where He wants us to be. So we are taking advantage of every ministry and praising God for every trial and every victory He is bringing into our lives.
God is so good...all the time.
Kami
She has been having improvements since she has started her antibiotic treatments. However, there are days when the pain & chest pressure come back with such ferocity that all she can do is cry. There are days when she is able to laugh, which she hasn't been able to do in over a year and we praise the Lord for these kinds of days! Her last MRI and X-rays came back negative for nodules in the joints in her hand. The swelling and pain that she has been having are now attributed to damage to the collateral ligaments in her joints. To what extent and reason, we do not know. Her doctor wants to refer her to a hand surgeon for further evaluation. (We are thinking that the TB is in her joints and bones which would be called Bone/Joint TB. But getting the doctors to listen to our thoughts can be quite difficult after they have diagnosed her with Latent TB.)
The Kids
Josh was able to pass his driving test and received his license! It has been great having an extra driver in the family! He is working as a "captain" on one of the bus routes at our home church along with Beth and Brenna. They all sing specials and are in the choir. They attend teen visitation and help whereever needed in the church. It is such a blessing to live on church property!
All 3 older children are running behind in school and trying to "catch-up". It has not been an easy year nor easy transition for them. Momma has been pretty sick and they have worked overtime helping out Dad with all of Momma's duties and with lots of baby-sitting of the younger three while we take Kami to the steady stream of doctors' appointments!
We believe that strep throat has been taking a toll on our family as well. I was miserable over the past several days, the little ones were sick, and Beth is now running a 103 degree fever with a sore throat. We are hoping to be all well for Christmas!
Dad
Dad is trying to keep everything together while Momma is working to get back to 100%. I am teaching an adult SS class and have started a Wednesday College & Career Class. After last Wednesday's class, I was able to lead a 23 year-old young man to the Lord! Our situation may not be what we thought it would be at this time in December 2013 and we may not be where we thought we would be, but God has us right where He wants us to be. So we are taking advantage of every ministry and praising God for every trial and every victory He is bringing into our lives.
God is so good...all the time.
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