Back from Hopkins

This is Charissa's dad. I spent the last two days with her in the hospital observing firsthand the remarkable and effective joint of supply her network of praying friends is for her and for us (her family). I'm giving Charissa a rest and posting this update for her until the next time when she will be back online. The staff at Johns Hopkins decided that Charissa was still not a candidate for TPN or a feeding tube and that it was important that she continue to press her limited eating abilities as aggressively as she can. They didn't see a need to repeat any previous testing and had no new testing to offer at this stage. Her labs continue to be good and in fact they remarked how surprised they were to see just how good they were given the dramatic, prolonged weight loss she has endured. Charissa is aggressively trying to increase her caloric intake and this requires a constant battle with significant abdominal discomfort in the face of the digestive/ motility issues. Please continue to pray for God's complete healing of this disorder. Until that appears, I know she would appreciate prayer as well for the daily battles to increase and sustain her calorie consumption.

Update

Dear friends,

Thank you for your prayers. I cannot tell you how much we felt them yesterday. My parents and I arrived to an empty waiting room at Georgetown Medical and were quickly given a private room. After explaining our concerns about waiting through the long weekend at my current weight, my labs were taken, and we waited to see what would unfold.

At the end of the afternoon all the labs came back normal, and the attending physician, having consulted with the GI doctor on call, told us there wasn't anything they could do to speed up the process of obtaining testing or getting me started on TPN. Her recommendation was to go home and then call the GI doctors back on Tuesday. She was hopeful that they might see me a bit sooner if I mentioned I had been in the ER over the weekend. So come Tuesday, the phone calls to Hopkins and Georgetown will be underway once again, and we trust God will continue to make the path clear.

Praise:
There is so much to praise Him for!
- I felt His sustaining grace throughout the day yesterday, and He carried me through the more difficult moments.
- I have regained several pounds over the past few days, although I have a long way to go.
- My labs came back normal and even showed some improvement from the previous week.

Prayer Requests:
I am so aware of how dependent I am upon Him for every moment and am humbled as I ask for your continued prayers.

- For the right doors to open as we pursue the doctors and testing at Georgetown and Hopkins over the next several days.
- Pray that I might be able to persevere with the foods and supplements I am taking in right now and be given wisdom in the daily decisions regarding what to put into my system. There are definitely periods where I don't feel well at all, but He continues to carry me through those times and give me strength.
- Both the doctor and nurses were encouraging me to do all I can to get in more frequent high-calorie meals since I'm able to keep food down, so you could pray that my system would begin to accept fats and digest them.
- First thing in the morning can be the hardest time physically, so that's also a great time to pray! :)

I look forward to sharing with you all what God brings about in the days ahead. I do not know where He is taking me, but I know He is good. And I need Him in every moment.

I am overwhelmed by your care and prayers. Thank you.

The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man; from where He sits enthroned He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,on those who hope in his steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in You. - Psalm 33:13-22

Prayer Request

Hello friends,

I'm sorry to keep you in the dark for so long. I haven't been feeling as well of late, and it has been difficult to do updates.

My parents and I are going down to Georgetown Hospital this morning so I can be evaluated for potential nutritional support. The possibilities include TPN or a feeding tube, but the latter will likely require some additional testing be arranged first. You can pray that God would guide us through the right doctors and nurses (even in the ER), the right nutritional support, protect against infection, and give me grace and strength to go through any procedures and treatment.

I am functioning fine mentally, am still eating and drinking, and am not dehydrated. My last bloodwork from a week and half ago looks good, but I just haven't been able to get my weight to stabilize, and we don't know that waiting through the holiday weekend is best.

I have heard from so many of you that you are praying for me, and most of you didn't even know how I've really been doing. I have felt those prayers in incredible ways. I cannot thank you enough!

We will keep you updated via this blog, and I look forward to sharing with you all of the faithfulness of our great God in the days ahead.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! - Psalm 27:14-15

You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with shouts of deliverance. - Psalm 32:7