dallashistory

Thank you, Ronnie.

Sharon Marsalis wrote:I am coming here to ask for prayer but first I assume Em is doing well and that Holly is busy as Ronnie says "building her spaceship." So praises !!
James, how is your sister-- and her eyes? I have been wondering. and your parents??

Thanks for asking, Sharon. My sister is doing fine; seems like the report I received was in error? All she needed were reading glasses.

My parents are hanging in there; not a lot of change. My mom celebrated another birthday yesterday. You can begin to see the toil this is all taking on my Dad; so often the one giving the care goes before the one receiving it; and if my Dad doesn't ease up on himself somehow; I am afraid that will be the case here.

Another praise report, in case I didn't mention it before: About a month ago, I started to feel bad again, the steroid shots are only good for about three weeks. However, I didn't want to go back for another shot so early, so in desperation I started taking some Children's Benadryl we had on hand. Surprise, surprise -- it worked. It appears I may not have Wegnars after all; just a systemic allergy and an onset of arthritis. (Arthritis was a major problem on my mom's side; she has it real bad in her joints; and one family member died from it.)

Anyway, Benadryl and Motrin seem to be keeping most of the symptoms at bay. I noticed this morning that the crevice that developed in my tongue from the drainage is healing nicely, as are my lips.

Sharon Marsalis wrote:Now for the heart breaker request:

Eleanor who looks like a very thin Botticelli angel is the almost 10 year old daughter of one of our fellow Sunday School class members. She has suffered from osteo sarcoma of the upper left arm and had part of the bone removed with a prosthesis implanted to grow as she grows. She has battled the cancer with chemo etc for a couple years now.

Two weeks ago we were informed of a continual pain and swelling in her arm. She was hospitalized to treat the "infection" and put through scans etc.

I received word today that the cancer has reappeared higher in an area with much less tissue. The doctors have decided her arm must be removed to continue fighting the cancer with more rounds of chemo to follow. The surgery is tomorrow with about a 5 day stay followed by more continued chemo.

James , please also ask your church to pray!!!

Sharon, I am so sorry I did not see this before I left yesterday for church. Will do for this weekend; I will also add her to the prayer chain here in our office.

-James

Thank you !James!
Great praises about your sister.
As for you, ummmm wonder what happened?

Btw, your post re the angels??
I have literally felt "someone's" hands on my shoulders as I have told here. It is something that makes a lasting impression. No imagination.

Anyway way, way back when I was so desperately hungry and sick I read everything "spiritual" I could find at my Dallas branch library. Sometimes things a believer should have no part in--but as in all things God works for good for us who love Him and seek Him--he honors our hunger and he used those books to convince me that the spirit world is real--another world we cannot and have no business seeing.
Then some 30 odd years later I finally "saw"
Meditate upon Ephesians 3:10 as part of Ephesians 1-3.

Sharon Marsalis wrote:As for you, ummmm wonder what happened?

The December after Hurricane Rita, and after I moved everything out of our old home; the fluid in my sinuses got so bad that literally burned tiny holes through the thinnest part of the roof and floor and my mouth. It then proceeded to burn the inside of my mouth, and my stomach if I swallowed it, and created the fissure in my tongue.

So, I just lay on my side with a towel under mouth, and let it drain out. I could a “stalactite” and “stalagmite” around the hole in the top and bottom; the stuff felt like bone meal to my tongue.

I probably should have gone to the emergency room, but I did not have a job yet or insurance; and didn’t want to rack up a huge medical bill. Eventually, it healed over, but I still get drainage from one of my sinuses around the base of one of my rear molars; when I get a “flare up” and don’t take Benadryl it burns; along with the rest of my body fluids every few days. Stress definitely makes it worst.

The fissure in my tongue where the stuff “burned” it as it drained is still there, and you can tell the inside of my lips have been through a rough time. But at least I have it under control now, and as I said, it is slowly healing. But, we still don’t know what caused it all; my regular doctor doesn’t know, and my rheumatologist looked at me like I lost my mind when I told her the above story. But she thought it was an allergy and arthritis; and that appears to the case now.

Please pray for our pastor, Tommy Nelson, of Denton Bible Church . . .

Update on Pastor Tom Nelson

Tom Nelson
Senior Pastor
Update from July 28, 2009 5:30pm

At about 10:15 Tuesday morning, July 28th, Tom Nelson was at the church office and developed a severe pain in his chest. David Boots (a fireman/paramedic) was close by and was able to assess the situation right away.

We called 911 immediately and the Fire Dept. responded very quickly. Tom was taken to the hospital; as the ambulance left Tom was awake and responsive but in a good degree of pain. He was taken to Denton Regional Hospital. By God's providence, a cardiac specialist was close by when Tom arrived and they took him straight in to get a Cardiac Catheter.

They were able to get him to the hospital and into the procedure in around 27 minutes.

They performed a heart catheterization and discovered a 100% blockage in one artery. While they were opening up that artery he had a heart attack. Since he was in the hospital, they were able to do the necessary procedure immediately, which was effective. He had a stent inserted into the area that was blocked and the doctors say that he has good function to the heart. He is recovering well from the procedure and is expected to make a full recovery. They will keep him at the hospital at least 72 hours for observation.

Please do not go to Denton Regional. Please stop and pray . . . and keep praying. We will continue to provide updates as we become aware of any developments in Tom's condition.

We are rejoicing in the obvious hand of God in all of the circumstances surrounding Tom's heart attack and the excellent care he has received. We thank the Lord for:

The fact that David Boots was present and able to assess the situation with skill and professionalism; The rapid response of the Denton Fire Department and Emergency response team; The ambulance team that took him to the hospital; The excellent care he has received from the Doctors and nurses at Denton Regional Hospital; and We are also thanking God that it took only 27 minutes from the time the 911 call was made until Tom was at the hospital and undergoing the procedure to insert the stent into his artery. We have been told that this was critical in the positive outcome we have seen.

Many prayers have been offered up throughout this whole ordeal. The Lord has heard our prayers. DBC staff and Elders have literally been contacted by concerned friends from around the world. Tom and Teresa are grateful for everyone's prayers and expressions of love and concern.

We will continue to pray for Tom as he recuperates in the hospital. Let's also pray for Tom's wife Teresa as well as their sons Ben (and his wife Amanda) and John Clark (and his wife Jenni).

We serve and worship a living God.

Steve, I have been praying. I should have responded before now. No excuse except i got carried away with the arrival of our own little Joshua.
Grace and Peace.

Sharon Marsalis wrote:Steve, I have been praying. I should have responded before now. No excuse except i got carried away with the arrival of our own little Joshua.
Grace and Peace.

-----------------------------------
Thanks Sharon Pastor Tom is back home and resting comfortably . . . Praise God

Please pray for our friend Casey who lost his 12 and 13 year old sons in a plane crash along with their grandfather Sunday.

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We will! Horribly sad!!!

Yes we will, Ronnie; so sorry to hear that.

I just saw this . . . terrible news . . . we pray for Casey and all involved.

People:
Thank you for your prayers. Casey is in a lot of pain and needs them.

We got this email from Casey a couple of hours ago:
Yes, my whole being is gone. I do not know how to act or what to do. I wish I was with them. I always thought it would be me who went first. My boys were fantastic and just starting to become men. I had so many dreams and hopes and things I wanted to do with them. I keep telling myself to live in the moment. I can not dwell on the past, but it is hard. I don't drink so this is really challenging, but I must move on.

Tragic. Losing a grandparent is hard enough, but outliving one's children is so very difficult.

Ronnie, so very sorry about your friend's tragic loss. I will keep Casey and his family in my prayers, too.

My mom appears to be near the end now. Our family made a trip to Lafayette and back Tuesday and yesterday to see her one more time.

Please forgive me for getting political for a moment, but in an "Obamacare" moment, the Hospice nurse who was supposed to be there only for pain management took upon herself to remove her feeding tube and medicines without consulting anyone, leaving her with Obama's "little red pain patch"; and told her that "her spirit was ready to go, but her body wasn't cooperating." It scared my mom, who can't talk anyway; she didn't even want to close her eyes to sleep. Three of my brothers and sisters and my uncle, along with the home's nursing supervisor called a meeting with the hospice nurse, her supervisor, and the hospice doctor, where we made it quite clear that we wanted her to die on her own; and until that time, to take active measures and do as much for her as possible. The feeding tube and medicines went back on last night, and they ordered a chest x-ray and and urine analysis to see if an antibotic would help her. Such much for no "end of life consuling"; but it what was being done was ordered by some central committee like they plan, we would have had no recourse. <rant mode off>

I was told this morning that after looking better yesterday that her breathing and heart rate appear to be in decline. So please continue to be in prayer for God's will to be done with her, and for my family. Thanks, everyone.

Ronnie, I am so sorry to hear about your friend's loss as well, and will be in prayer that God will give Casey and his family comfort and strength in their time of loss.

Painful to read. Brings back memories of my mother-in-law's last days. Difficult, but death is a part of life. It's been my experience that one never really gets over the loss of a loved one. The pain and sense of loss gets better over time, but never the same again.

James. It is never easy whatever the age of your parent. You are in our hearts.

You and your family are in my prayers too, James.