Couple Time

Jack and Michelle were able to spend some quality time together. Jack took the day off of work to be with Michelle as well as work at his "honey do" list at home!

There was not much change in Michelle's symptoms today---which is good and bad. Good, because that means she's not getting any worse, bad, because it also means she's not feeling much improvement. Her legs are not hurting like they were earlier in the week--Praise God! She is able to walk around the house without her legs hurting, but she is feeling winded quickly.

Another concern Michelle has is that she can tell she is losing muscles in her arms. She desperately wants the pain to go away so that she can begin physical therapy. Holding a book is now made more difficult not by pain, but by the inability to physically hold it. Michelle was also unable to push herself out of the bathtub last night. That was the first time that has happened. Please pray that her immune system will stop attacking her muscles, the pain will subside quickly and that she will be able to start PT soon!

Throughout the weeks Michelle has experienced many God moments. It started when she first made appointments to see the immunologist, dermatologist and now I forgot the third one...By God's grace she was able to get in to see all of them through cancellations of other appointments and God's perfect timing. She has experienced God's presence because she has not once had to worry about who was going to take care of the girls. Many of you have helped to watch them and now her family has been fabulous in being with them. She also experienced a God moment when she was able to get all the necessary tests scheduled in one day. She had asked me to ask my brother (a radiologist) if there was a difference in CT scans and if she should make her appointment at a specific place. I was unable to talk to him because he was busy working, but she called St. Paul Radiology and spoke with someone who was so helpful and knowledgeable and told her exactly which clinic to go to and even helped save money by going to a clinic instead of the hospital! Michelle definitely considers that a God moment!

Many of you may not know that Jack and Michelle had opted for catastrophic insurance beginning January 1st of this year. For the last 4 years, they would've saved money going that route...that changed with all of this. They trust in God and believe that He will provide, but keep that in your prayers also. They have a very large deductible that has to be met. We have no doubt that they will meet it---which is unfortunate.

We sang the following song in our church choir this spring. It seemed like a God moment at the time because we had just heard about the professors at Dordt College that had been in a very serious car accident. The words have been going around in my head a lot lately also in thinking about Michelle.

"Healer of Our Every Ill" by Marty Haugen

Refrain:
Healer of our ev’ry ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

You who know our fears and sadness,
grace us with your peace and gladness,
Spirit of all comfort: fill our hearts.

In the pain and joy beholding
how your grace is still unfolding,
give us all your vision: God of love.

You who know each thought and feeling,
teach us all your way of healing,
Spirit of compassion: fill each heart.

Give us strength to love each other,
ev’ry sister, ev’ry brother,
Spirit of all kindness: be our guide.