Health Setback

Hi all,

I apologize if you are getting this post twice. I have been notified that only a small percentage of recipients received the last update. I am sorry for the inconvenience. We hope to stay with Carepages if they can work their kinks out! I posted the last mail as urgent and then said in the first line it wasn't urgent. i have changed my mind as the pain is skyrocketing and the dreadful evening hours are closing in when the pain seems paramount and my mental ability to talk myself through it is at its lowest. Pray for the night.

Just wanted to send an update on the latest. Unfortunately I have been very ill with an assortment of issues. I have been struggling with excruciating muscle pain in my legs and arms to the extent I have barely been able to rest at night or even in the day. I am averaging 2-3 hours of sleep for every 48-72 hours of awake time. To complicate this, I have been vomiting for over 2 weeks now on a daily basis and this past weekend that increased to almost every 10-20 minutes around the clock for almost 2 days. Steve stayed home from work yesterday and dealt with doctors via phone and we finally got some strong anti-nausea medicine that has seemed to work fairly well over the last 24 hours. We have considered the hospital many times in the last week or so, but I just hate going to the hospital. Dealing with doctors who don't understand my medical history leads to many tests and procedures that aren't needed. My personal doctors don't oversee the care in the hospital in this great age of Managed Care. Rather a "hospitalist" takes over the care without any background, and controls your hospital stay until discharge. My history has given me many great home "modalities" to try and implement to just get me through the next hour so that is what I do -- focus on getting through one hour or even 15 minutes at a time and just keep repeating the cycles with the hope things will get better or at least tolerable. I must admit that I am in the worst constant pain than I have ever experienced in this 20-year journey other than the complications from my ill-placed cervical halo that was screwed through a painful nerve junction on my skull. However, that only lasted 3 days. Those were long days but these few weeks are the longest, most intense I have ever experienced. Of course this pain is compounded by my refusal to take any narcotics. My headaches are skyrocketing in intensity, often leaving my in tears! Please pray for relief!

While we don't know the root cause of this latest set-back,we are hoping that my continued care at UW Medical Center is going to bring us answers. I go in the next couple of weeks for several rounds of extensive testing and we pray we will find some results from these studies.

October 29: all day -- In the morning I will meet with the surgeon who will be performing my muscle biopsy the next week and also meet with the anesthesiologist group in regards to that surgery. As many of you know, anesthesia and I usually have a bad reaction, even if it is just local. That afternoon I will undergo several hours of autonomic testing. The autonomic testing consists of a series of procedures to test how the autonomic nervous system reacts with your heart and blood pressure. My extensive cardiac testing done earlier revealed "the worst autonomic dysfunction" that my cardiologist has seen in his many years of practice. This testing will hopefully be able to pinpoint more of the reasons and then I will be referred to UW Cardiology for consideration of a pacemaker or ablation therapy to help control my heart rhythms and blood pressure.

November 2: all day -- I will report at 5am to be prepped for surgery to remove a considerable section of muscle from my quadriceps. This muscle biopsy will then be prepared in the lab and then sent to many labs across the country for evaluation for suspicion of a metabolic or mitochondrial myopathy. It could take 6-9 months to get these results. It is critical that the specimens be handled properly from lab to lab, ie. Right temperatures, right amounts, time to testing, etc. to get

accurate results.

So, I ask you to pray for the above situations and dates. Please pray for relief from the excruciating pain I am in as well as the continual vomiting to cease. I covet your prayers for the test dates listed above and that all will yield us helpful results as we desperately seek answers.

I have not been able to leave my house in almost 3 weeks now and I am struggling has to how God can use me in His kingdom if I am confined to home. Please pray I will see direction in how my "homeboundedness" can still bring God glory.

I was pleading with Jesus the other night to take away my pain, that I could not bear it anymore and in a sweet, quiet spirit in my heart I felt the Lord reminding me of what torment he experienced in the days of his crucifixion. He did not quit or bail out of the plan; he persevered for the cause of the kingdom. There is no pain on this earth that comes close to what Christ suffered for me so I know I can bear up under this pain, although difficult, because Christ understands my pain and will comfort me as I call upon Him.

I will close with asking you to pray for my Godly servant-leader husband, Steve. He perseveres right along with me. He stays awake all night with me helping me make it hour to hour, somehow he manages to get his work responsibilities done with excellence, and right now manage all of the housework, cooking, laundry, shopping -- you name it. Pray for Christ to supernaturally multiply the hours of sleep he can get and give him the energy to still serve in his job with excellence and to serve in his leadership roles in the community and church with unwavering strength.

(PS -- I haven't forgotten about the website with our pictures from Greece and Israel. I just haven't been up to doing the work on it yet. Very soon I hope!)

Thanks for checking in on us. We covet your prayers and words of encouragement. You will never know how much they lift the spirit!! Please feel free to pass this link on to others who would pray for us during these difficult times. (Carepages has a link to do this on the right column on the BrooksBulletin homepage where it says Invite a Friend) Thanks!

In Faith Alone, Lee

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Messages

Emily Vahey

October 22, 2009, 12:33 AM

we love you and our praying for you guys! The vaheys

Di Cieslak

October 22, 2009, 12:40 AM

Hi Lee, Gosh, how I've missed you! I've been meaning to email you for so long. I just want you to know I'm praying. I plan to set my alarm tonight and pray for you during the night. Know that you're on my heart and in my mind an aweful lot. I know you're a bit of a hermit when you're not feeling well, but if you're up for company PLEASE put me on the list - even if it means distracting you during the middle of the night or just sitting quietly someplace nearby. Greg comes in for his visit this weekend, but next week I'm going to be free as a bird. And don't hesistate to call between now and then, too. I covet the opportunity to minister to you in any way that's helpful. If that means me sitting in my little apartment and praying, I will certainly do it :) So much love, Lee! I miss you! -Diana

Debby Swecker

October 22, 2009, 12:41 AM

WOW - I had no idea you were struggling again so much. I will be praying and praying. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Kelly Anderson

October 22, 2009, 12:47 AM

Lee, Thank you for posting your heart wrenching trials. I will be fervently praying for you and Steve. We love you both and want nothing more than for you to have your health and be pain free. You were on my mind today so I am glad to know how to pray. Love you bunches. I really enjoyed your photo gallery, I think you have posted alot more pictures that I didn't see before. Please call if Kirk or I can be of any practical help or if you just would like someone to sit with you. Your Friend, Kelly

Patsy Butcher

October 22, 2009, 1:09 AM

Lee, I continue to remember you and Steve daily in my prayers. I pray that you will feel relief soon. Patsy Butcher in Knoxville

Hearn Lori

October 22, 2009, 1:17 AM

Lee, please know that your writing in and of itself is kingdom work that brings honor and glory to our Lord. You challenge me to grow in my faith as well as my obedience to cary the burdens of others in prayer. Don't doubt for one single minute that being homebound limits God's desire, ability, or willingness to use your precious life to minister to others and proclaim the hope and power we have through the gospel of Jesus Christ! I don't know if you remember me, but we met at Don Disney's fall cookout many years ago. I have been following your journey and am praying for you, my sweet sister. May you find God's grace to be sufficient in your needs, and may you find sweet rest and peace as you consider His great love for you. Lori Hearn

Kayla Johnson

October 22, 2009, 1:27 AM

Lee! I received notification from care pages that you had an urgent update. I'm so glad I got it. I can't imagine the pain you are going through (in every way; physically, mentally...). Just wanted you to know I am PRAYING FOR YOU. I will also pass your name along to my friends and family. Love you guys! Love, Kayla

Rae Jean Bettmeng

October 22, 2009, 1:42 AM

Lee... I just went to your website yesterday becauce I felt an urgency in my soul to be praying for you. I had not heard any "updates" since your trip... so I went to search your Care Pages site to see if I could see if there were any updates. Yet something yesterday told me in my heart to be praying for you. I knew that I needed to be on my knees before our Lord but did not know why. God has truly done that since the day we met. I meant it then and I mean it now. I am fervently praying for you and Steve. I hurt for you both. May God bring you His comfort. Steve... you are such an incredible SERVANT ! Thank you for showing the rest of us what being a faithful servant is all about. You are amazing Steve. Thank you for loving one another so beautifully! I love you both! Please call if you need anything! Rae Jean Bettmeng Overland Park, KS

Charlotte Clark

October 22, 2009, 1:50 AM

I mentioned to Charlies yesterday that I had not had an update in a while and I hoped that was good news. We are still praying. Charlotte and Charlie

Sandy Cooper

October 22, 2009, 2:30 AM

Lee you are in our prayers as always.Hope this will soon come to a end and you will start to enjoy life again God will help you during this time. Love Uncle Sandy and Jay

Bruce Ensign

October 22, 2009, 4:00 AM

Oh Lee, we are blown away from what you just wrote and feel so amazed that you can write so well under the stress and illness you face. We will of course hold and Steve up in prayer. How can we minister to you and Steve?

Linda Hamilton

October 22, 2009, 4:19 AM

I am praying for you both right this very second, and you will continue to be in my prayers in the coming days and weeks. Please, Lord, overwhelm Lee and Steve with your mercy, grace and healing touch. May God keep you both sheltered under 'His wings'. Tom and Linda Hamilton Priest River, Idaho

Krista Maggard

October 22, 2009, 11:29 AM

Lee, you have a card on the way saying this but I have had you on my mind so very much over the last few weeks. I have prayed for you with each passing thought of your name, as well as Steve. Once again, he shows the epitomy of the love of a spouse!

How awesome for you to be blessed with such a Godly man! Wanted you to know I have sent your story to our Operation Christmas

Child group that is based all over the world. I can guarantee they will be lifting you up in prayer as I also will continue to do! Krista

Steve Braden

October 22, 2009, 2:07 PM

With tears flowing, I know all I can do is look up and ask God to comfort you and Steve. I will pass this on to other prayer warriors. Uncle Steve and I love you both very much. Aunt Helen

Don Disney

October 22, 2009, 11:45 PM

wow, loving you both/my thoughts and prayers are with you

carol sparks

October 23, 2009, 1:37 AM

Lee, My heart aches for you and your pain/nausea. I will be in prayer for you and Steve in the coming days of tests. In His grace, Carol Sparks

Nola von Neudegg

October 23, 2009, 4:16 PM

Dear Lee, I pray God's deepest peace for you right now. A peace that transcends all pain and suffering -- that

resounds through your heart with overflowing joy and tranquility. In His love, Nola

Beverly Robinson

October 23, 2009, 11:03 PM

Dear Lee, I am a friend of your Mother. My husband, Mike, has oral cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) and we have been battling this since July '08. I can't imagine how you have dealt with this for 20 years but I know God has used you in a mighty way because I have heard you speak at Corryton Baptist Church. Mike is experiencing a lot of vomiting right now and we both are having sleepless nights also.

Please know that while I am not sleeping tonight I will be praying for you and Steve (and Mike). Love in Christ, Beverly Robinson

carol o'farrell

October 24, 2009, 9:27 PM

Lee and Steve, I am so sorry that you are enduring both the terrible pain and the horrendous nausea. I am praying for you specifically to be relieved of this hardship. I cannot imagine how you can find the will to pray for me when you are enduring such pain yourself. You are a true sign of God's love for all of us. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Gerry O'Farrell