Update & Thank You

Wow it's been awhile!

I have a thank you update from both Kyle and Melody. Please take the time to read both of them. If you would like the document file please let me know and I will pass it on. Or email me an address and I will gladly send it to you.

God is good - He is always faithful and how humbly exciting it has been to watch and observe His faithfulness.

God's richest blessings on all of you~

****************************************************************
From Kyle

Dear Friends & Family,

Thank you for supporting me these past few months! It has been a bumpy and rough road to go down, for me, and for Melody. Your prayers were the key to getting through it though, I truly believe that. God has been so faithful in every way. Every time you guys prayed, He answered faithfully and I am now living and walking proof of his listening ear.

For those of you that don't know the whole story, on the 24th of Feb. this year I was taken to the ER after having a seizure. It was discovered that the seizure had resulted from a bleed inside my head. After about 24 hours and some tough decision making it was decided that I would have an operation on my aneurysm. An aneurysm is a ballooning of the artery which can eventually burst, which it did in my case. To operate, the doctor made a cut on my head, pulled back the skin, removed part of my skull, and placed clips on the bleeds and weak spots. The clips are kind of like mini chip bag clips, except they are made of titanium and my brain isn't potato chips. Once out of surgery it was revealed to my wife and family that there had been three aneurysms, not one.

Surgery had gone well. I would then spend about 12 days in the neurological intensive care unit at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA. It was a rough few days since what I needed most to recover was rest. However, in the NICU I was checked every hour on the hour with questions and motor skills tests. For 12 days I never slept more than an hour straight. However, God was still with me. I had excellent nurses, day and night they took great care of me. I even was able to pray with one about her divorce, invite others to church, and try to hook up the young ones with my brother Craig. (They were all married, sorry bro.)

To be honest, the first week after I went to the ER felt like a dream (or a nightmare since I don't like needles). I had no concept that what was happening was real. But as I recovered and became more alert and aware I realized how serious the situation was. I had come pretty close to death, and I could have had permanent damage as a result of the whole ordeal. But I don't! Your prayers, my prayers, everyone's prayers were heard by our Lord! As of right now I have one small side effect, I lost my sense of smell, the doctor says that it may come back and it may not, but time will tell. So feel free to pray for that, but what a minor wound from such a serious blow.

I wish, at this point, I could tell you why God allowed this to happen. I wish I could explain it, and everybody would be able to appreciate Gods ways even more. But... I can't. I have many guesses. It could be that my faith needed a boost, or that those who would see my recovery needed a boost of faith. Or maybe one of my nurses needed to see a Christian family pray, who knows? God I guess. But what I have learned is that it doesn't matter. I have trusted God for enough time now to know that he doesn't make mistakes. And I also know that he doesn't enjoy seeing his children suffer. He had a reason, whatever it may have been, and that needs to be enough. We like programs and step by step procedures nowadays, even in our faith, but being with God after enough time causes a trust to develop beyond step by step reasoning.

Psalm 91:14: “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.”

I took this verse from a notebook I have. It is full of verses I find encouraging or interesting. But as I looked for a second verse I realize that the entire Bible, the whole story, is what is encouraging to me. The entirety of the Bible is example over example of how God works with full understanding. We don't always understand at the time, but it seems that looking back on most tough times, we see what he was doing. So I'll let you know when I figure it out.

One last quote from Philip Yancy: “Faith is believing in advance in something that will only seem logical when seen in reverse.”

Thanks for all the prayers and support,
Kyle

**************************************************************
From Melody
May, 2005

Today marks just over two months from Kyle's critical brain aneurysm surgery. Can you believe we're already back to biking and hiking? Fighting for his life just two months ago seems almost like it was a dream now – but it was so very real...

Brain aneurysms are rare and dangerous. We have learned that people who develop brain aneurysms are born with weak spot(s) on the artery wall(s). Eventually, a balloon outcropping or an entire expansion of a vessel will form, due to blood pressure variations, and may eventually burst. Nearly half of those who experience a rupture will die immediately upon the blood escaping the artery. Of those who survive not only the bleed but also the surgery and treatment, very few go back to a normal life with just a few or no impairments. Most survivors suffer mental impairments or permanent mental damage. Having studied health extensively in college, I knew what an aneurysm was, and I thought for sure this was it – less than a year of marriage, and I was losing my favorite person.

Just when I thought life was too good to be true! Fortunately for me, but not without tons of tears and prayer, Kyle is one of those rare cases that is back to normal in a matter of weeks!

Kyle and I both really wanted to send a note of gratitude for your prayers and concerns during the last couple of months. With each specific prayer, God very specifically answered, and that's what I find most important to share with you. I have some general and specific prayers and answers listed together for you to see how practically God answered.

1. Kyle and I pray daily for protection and wisdom.
✗ Kyle was at home with me when the aneurysm burst. (I was supposed to be out that night, but the plans ended up not working out.)
✗ Kyle had a seizure which alerted me to call 9-1-1. (Only some who suffer from an aneurysm rupture will have a seizure.)
2. I frantically prayed over Kyle, out loud, that he would wake from the seizure safely and be fully cognitive (I was fearful that he wouldn't wake up at all).
✗ He woke from the seizure knowing immediately who I was and that I had called 9-1-1, and he even told me to protect him from having to take Tegretol (a specific seizure medication)!
✗ When the paramedics arrived, they doubted that it was really a seizure since they had so rarely seen someone so coherent after a seizure. (The doctor later confirmed that he did, indeed, have a seizure.)
3. For five long hours in the ER, we prayed for Kyle to be transferred to a great hospital with a neurosurgery unit, in close proximity, with the best staff.
✗ Irvine Regional ER staff determined that there was a hemorrhage in Kyle's brain, but since they have no specialists, they could not determine what the cause was. The staff exhausted ALL options they knew of (both LA and Orange County hospitals were full). The last one called had space, is located less than ten miles from home, and Kyle was assigned to a renown neurosurgeon. (Why it wasn't tried first, I don't know. But it was the greatest test of faith I've ever had.)
✗ I have never in my life been more impressed by a physician such as Kyle's neurosurgeon.
✗ Kyle was also treated daily by very wonderful nursing staff in the NICU who also nurtured the needs of our family and even allowed friends in Kyle's room to visit.
✗ I'm just a baby to this married stuff and adulthood, but God provided with me with faith I didn't know I had.
4. After hearing the diagnosis of a ruptured aneurysm, we were forced to pray about how and when to treat it, since there are now two options to treat this.
✗ As if this weren't already the most stressful situation of my life, I now had to decide which procedure to go with, knowing the risks of each.
✗ After having been given both options, Kyle and I both decided confidently to go with surgery. (Somehow we just knew this was the answer.)
5. We prayed for successful emergency surgery.
✗ After surgery had taken place, the doctor informed us that the other method would have never worked because there had been three aneurysms to treat and not one as expected.
✗ The procedure was more complicated than normal, but all of the aneurysms were removed successfully.
✗ Kyle coherently woke right up. (Not with enthusiasm by any means, but with full mental faculties upon hearing words and commands.)
6. We prayed for steady recovery with minimal vasospasm.
✗ Kyle did have some vasospasm, but it never elevated to a dangerous level. (It is common after this surgery and can be just as dangerous as the actual vessel rupture.)
✗ Kyle was unusually patient with the constant neuro-checks, pain, discomfort, needles, staff, noise, visitors, and tests - most of the time - and often kept his sense of humor!
✗ CT scans and other tests continued to have good results.
✗ Kyle was only in the hospital for 14 days total. (Our insurance approved of all treatment and was expecting at least another 30 days of hospital treatment. The insurance agent had never heard of such a quick recovery and couldn't believe Kyle was actually sent home when he was.)
✗ Kyle was able to come home with no additional therapy or rehabilitation.
✗ He was greatly encouraged by all of the visitors, cards, flowers, and gifts. (I was even able to sneak our dog in to visit!)
7. We prayed for quick and complete healing, including full mental faculties, specifically higher reasoning, concentration, and memory.
✗ The aneurysm occurred in a location where it is possible to repair (and in Kyle's case, shut down) the vessel and still have full blood flow to the brain.
✗ There are no impairments - Kyle is the same man as he was before.
✗ Kyle's risk of future brain hemorrhage is slim to none. (I'll still be praying for never again, though!)
✗ Kyle was so alert that he sent flowers to his ICU neighbor, prayed with a nurse, and encouraged staff and friends alike.
8. We prayed for the protection and comfort of family and friends during such an emotionally hard time.
✗ Both sets of our parents arrived quickly and safely on the scene, even though we didn't know initially how serious it was for several hours. (Both families live hours away and this all started late at night.)
✗ Small, but significant, my cell never died those first days, even after all 48 hours of nearly all talk time (and it dies after about 12 on any normal day), considering we never left the hospital for two days.
✗ All of our immediate family members were able to be there at some point, and some were able to be there during the whole hospital stay for the necessary support group and taking care of other things.
✗ Many friends and family members from near and afar came to see Kyle before and after his surgery which kept him occupied and in good spirits, and it helped me out too.
✗ My brother's aging car made it all the way down and back with no trouble (all eight hours straight), but as soon as he got home, it broke down.
✗ My mom's job was completely compassionate about taking as much time off as she needed, and they were even able to set her up for work here in a local office!
✗ Our families continued to be strong in faith through whole ordeal.
9. We prayed that God's timing would make it possible for Kyle to enjoy upcoming events.
✗ We were able to go out sightseeing and to dinner on our first anniversary, just a few days after he was discharged from the hospital.
✗ We were able to take a vacation we had previously planned (just two and a half weeks later), and God gave me the faith to rest easy away from home!
✗ He was strong enough to enjoy a variety of activities on our vacation.
✗ And just for a fun and relevant story... A few months ago, we were giving some serious thought to going to Australia during early March. We prayed about it for weeks and God seemed to be saying No. As it turns out, we would have never been able to go, nor would we have had enough time to obtain a refund!
✗ God protected our finances and still gave us a wonderful trip that was in perfect time (of much needed rest). Not only that, but a cruise is just about the easiest, no-thinking-involved vacation we could have chosen.
10. We prayed that people would turn to God in their own lives.
✗ I have already heard of one great girl who has returned to her prayer life as a result of the whole situation, and we are very encouraged and very thankful!
✗ Countless of others have been strengthened and encouraged and many were able to use this testimony of faith in speaking about the relevancy of God to others.
Other important ways God provided and made his timing known:
✗ We have been blessed with amazing parents, family members, and friends.
✗ Three years ago, my dad was diagnosed with severe cancer. I was able to be a part of and watch God's complete healing in his life. I learned through my mom's strength as she watched her partner suffer, and through this, I was prepared (but honestly, I never thought I would deal with something so early in life).
✗ We had health insurance this year, last year we did not.
✗ We recently moved to this affluent community with a great hospital close by. (If we still lived in San Luis Obispo, it would have been much more complicated.)
✗ Kyle's employer was very generous financially, and my employer was very generous with time off.
✗ We just started attending a wonderful church here in January. Even though we hardly know anyone, they were quick to support us with prayer, meals, and visits!
✗ Kyle has already returned to a normal lifestyle. He will even SCUBA again!

Some may reason and think, “These things happen all the time. Medicine is a modern wonder these days. We can do almost anything.” Well, what are the odds that all of these events, that had to take place for a successful recovery, would happen from start to finish in such perfect order and timing? Please look for a similar story. I think you'll find that those who prayed found answers they were looking for.

Why did God do this, do you say? Well, we'll never know for sure. But guess what? Now you've seen what he can do, and how in control he really is. And we're very thankful that part of his plan was the love and support you gave us. Thanks again.

Love,
Melody