Please join me in prayer for my friend and sister, Sara Armstrong, age 12. I'm posting details as I get updates through Catalyst's email prayer list in reverse chronological order [newest emails on top]. Thank you, so much! Sun, Jun 21, 2009 at 3:43 PMHi...Vicky here again.
Sara's home and we're all so glad! The radiologist who read her CT this morning was shocked and amazed at the complete healing that has happened in her belly. The surgeons shocked that she didn't need more surgery and that she has recovered this far this fast.
She still has her PICC line as she will be receiving IV antibiotics for another 11 days; we'll be managing this from home. Some follow-up doctor visits and time for her to recover her strength and everything will be back to normal!
Apparently, it's normal for people to spike fevers the evening following the drain removal - I'm a bit anxious about that as it has been such a relief for her to be fever free after so many days/weeks. Otherwise, Sara is doing great!
Thank you for your love, support and prayers - we could not have endured/survived this week without all that!
Hugs!
Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 4:20 PMJust left hospital. Sara looks good!
Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 1:06 PMDear Friends of Sara
,
I spoke with Vicki a while ago and she sounded encouraged. She said that things have definitely improved over the last few days and she contributes that directly as a result of prayer and our Lord's goodness.
She was cute in saying that while they were hopeful they would get a new room and that the staff would become nicer to work with, she said that God in his infinite wisdom decided to just expedite their stay at the hospital so that those things would seem trivial in comparison to having a shortened stay!
Sara's spirits were kind of low this morning, but Vicki said they seem to be improving. Dr. Palmer is still optimistic that Sunday will be her release date as long as all continues to go well. The only bummer thing is that the antibiotic Sara is on does not come in pill form, so she will need to keep taking it through her veins apparently for a bout 2 more weeks.
Vicki is super grateful for all that have been praying and expressing concern for Sara and for her and Tess. She is blessed beyond measure by the friendship that has been extended to her.
Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 7:32 PMHi! Vicky here...
Sara is doing better. Dr. Palmer saw her today and said that if she continues to be without fever and maintains a normal white blood cell count, then he will have a CT scan done on Sunday. This will make sure that all infection has been resolved and that no secondary infections/abscesses took root. If the CT is negative, then he will remove the drains and she can go home!!! Praise God!
Sara will still have a substantial recovery to do after she's out of the hospital as in addition to a substantial weight loss, she's got to rebuild herself physiologically as well. This will go well as long as we have these beautiful days for her to recover in.
On a personal note...thank you all. It doesn't seem to say enough to convey how absolutely devastated I have felt - never doubting our wavering in my faith - simply so overwhelmed and exhausted that all I could do was cry. I believe that the early discharge date (2 days earlier than the best case and a full week earlier than some expectations) are the result of God answering the amazing prayers that have been lifted up on Sara's behalf. This has been hard for Tess as well and we are all so greatful for your presence in our lives and your love and commitment to Jesus.
Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 2:51 PMI just received another phone call from Vicki requesting URGENT and intense prayer for Sara.
I hope I am doing this report justice, but here is the gist of what I got from Vicki:
Sara's results from the culture that was done a few days ago came back today with some disturbing news. The fluids came back as positive for e-coli, which CAN BE a potentially resistant organism to the antibiotics…time will tell.
With this news, anyone who comes to see Sara must gown up, including gloves and masks. Vicki said she is a bad guy at the hospital because she refuses to comply with this requirement as she cares for her daughter. Needless to say, this is super disappointing and disturbing information for both of them. Sara has shed some tears today, and she is not in as good of spirits or physical health as she was even yesterday.
The "good news" is that apparently the ecoli COULD be dead and gone already in response to the antibiotics that Sara has been on since arriving at the hospital, but they are not going to culture her again for a few days. Some of the "bad news" is that they won't be culturing her for at least a few more days, so in the mean time, the gowning up rule applies. The additional bad news is that if the antibiotics haven't worked when they culture, not only does the gowning continue, but they have to continue to try to find the right drug to combat the e-coli.
So…the very least we want to see happen is that they get her a better room situation and nicer people to deal with at the hospital. Next on the list is we want this e-coli eliminated ASAP, and for Sara to continue on the road to recovery with miraculous speed!
Further, on the practical side…lets pray that Sara can keep entertained and not to become discouraged. Let's pray that Vicki and Tess can get rest, and that Vicki can juggle the balls of being a mom with a sick kiddo AND a business owner who has a business to run along side of all of this.
By the way…does anyone own a copy of Grays Anatomy? Apparently this is a show that Sara likes and would enjoy having at the hospital. Let me know, and if you want, I will come and get it to take up to them.
Thanks for your partnership in praying for our sisters. We WILL see breakthrough!!!
Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:34 AMI received a call from Vicki this morning. She is such an amazing lady! So strong & courageous. Saras white blood count is good today and the doctors sound more encouraging but still a long road ahead. She said Sara will remain in the hospital until at least Monday.
Vicki needs us to be her prayer intercessors right now. She is weary in her spirit and values the prayers she is sensing. She said more positive has been going on since the prayer support was enacted, but she admitted she doesn't have the strength to call upon the Lord as much as she would like.
In addition-Rachel Meagher just told me one of our employees moms was involved in a serious accident last night & she is in the icy, so let's add her to our growing list!
Am I alone in sensing that God is doing something in US through this season of prayer needs? Are we to be hearing something more in the midst of all this? Do we need to be carving more out time for prayer? Wouldn't it be something if we could create at least one evening a month somewhere to gather JUST to pray?
For me-that sounds awesome, but reality check....we are all so busy. Thoughts?
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:11 PMi just rented the 3 Shrek movies, Nemo, and the Bee Movie for Sara and plan to drop them by tonight after dinner. hopefully they're up for a quick visit...if not, we'll just drop, hug and run. we are certainly keeping them in our prayers, and rowan made sara a quilt with the new sewing machine she just got for her birthday! so sweet. we hope these small things can bring a smile to her face.
we will join in on the fast! definitely! great suggestion j
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:02 PMJason just suggested to me that we should all fast for Sara. We are going to fast from sun-up to sun-down tomorrow and would like to invite you all to join us.
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 5:51 PMHey all,
I was talking to Vicky at the hospital and she was saying that Sara would have to stay there for a week or more. How about everyone pitching in to send her some flowers and a gift basket full of DVD's and books? I can go out and buy some books for her tomorrow and can order flowers to be delivered to her room. I have a few DVD's I can bring over; does anyone else have any fun films to lend to Sara?
Sara can't eat anything and the doctors are planning on feeding her internally to bump up her calorie intake. I think meals would be great but if we brought them to the hospital then maybe plan on putting just enough in for those there. I don't think there are any refrigerators in the room. I will get a hold of Vicky to see how we can bless her in that way. I'm thinking that no one has been shopping lately, so their home fridge is probably empty. Tess may need some goodies to help her study! :)
Thank you all for your prayers for Sara. Vicky told me that she's checking her email and has printed up this conversation and has kept it with her. She is very encouraged by you all.
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 4:07 PMI was just up at the hospital and saw Vicky. She is very worried and understandably almost broke into tears several times. Sara has two abscesses and is very sick still. The doctors have been talking about opening her up (almost her whole torso length wise) and then she would have to heal from the inside out. Because of her connections, Vicky has been able to have three different doctors collaborate on her case and they are trying everything they can before going the drastic surgery way. While I was there, they were trying to put something through her arm into her artery but were having trouble so they were going to take her downstairs and attempt it again.
I got the picture from Vicky that they aren't out of the woods yet. Plus she mentioned that Sarah had been sick for several weeks prior to this so her recovery could be really hard. Also, they were attempting to take out her apendix but because of swelling couldn't be sure if what they were going to remove was her appendix or her ovary so to play it safe they did not remove anything.
Let's continue to pray for this Sarah and Vicky. Also - this is finals week for Tess and she is still attempting to take all of her tests.
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 3:39 PMso tess called and the surgery went well. sara still has big pus [sp?] balls, so they cant tell if its her appendix or ovaries. they might have to take her appendix out, but not sure yet
at this point sara is not in any life-threatening danger, just a matter of recovering her strength and such
apparently recovery is 6-12 months, but there is still risk of it rupturing again [im not sure if that means she'll always be at risk or just during that recovery period]
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM"the surgery is done and successful, but they cant find appendix ... i dont know what that means"
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:33 AMAny updated information pn Sara since these procedures? I take it what Andrew sent in this email are his texts with Tess from last night? So not only did her appendix rupture, but it had two abcesses on it after it ruptured? What does this mean? Is that unusual? This is sounding far more serious than just am apendectomy....
Lord-I join with the hearts and prayers of those within this group, and with those beyond to ask for a miracle for Sara today! We ask for the doctors and nurses to have abundant wisdom and to have the means required to respond to Saras immediate needs. Lord-give Sara comfort, strength, courage, & healing! Give Vicki & Tess peace, rest & encouragement.
Gang-let's all make note of this situation & make some tangible reminder of It so we will keep it as an ongoing petition to our Lord throughout this day. Maybe there has been good progress through the night, but if not-our little sister sounds like she really needs us to be intervening for her. Not my intent to diminish any other prayer requests-but I confess sometimes my prayers take placejust at the time of receiving these emails & then I move on. Some of them burn on my heart...this is one of them.
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:13 AM7:09 pm
"now she two abscesses and she will have surgery tonight to drain them, and then later, she will have the rest taken out :( im scared for her!"
10:01 pm
"kay, my sis got one abscess drained and the other ones is being worked on. it shouldnt be that much longer, but ya never know. she's gonna be ok :) yay :)"
Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 4:41 PMI just went to visit Sarah and she was having a drain procedure done. Vicky was in with her so I talked with Tess. I'll keep you updated if I hear more
Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 8:06 AMHey Prayer team.
Vicky Armstrong's daughter, Sara, has been sick with a temperature of 102-103 for the past 3 weeks. She went into the ER last night and they discovered a ruptured appendix. She will go into surgery sometime today.
Please pray that she recovers quickly and that the Armstrong ladies can find some rest through this. Also, there aren't any available rooms for surgery, so pray that one becomes available quickly today. If you have a chance, you can let them know you are praying for them.
