Melissa's Recovery

Several people have been asking me about my sister, Melissa, because you heard that she was in the hospital. So I thought I would give a brief report on here and hope you'll give thanks for her continued recovery.

Melissa felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and couldn't digest food. Eventually, she got a CAT scan and experts realized that there was something very wrong. Surgeons sewed up the hole in her colon, took out some destroyed intestinal tissue, and got to work on ridding her body of infection. The first three days were critical. We didn't know what would happen.

We were in Brisbane, Australia at the time. We were very concerned about Melissa and wanted to be with her in the difficult time. She got lots of visitors, though. Men and women came and prayed over her, sang for her, and talked to her. Dad, Mom, and Stephen sat with her. She got gifts.

Eventually, this past weekend, I flew down to visit the family. They had kept in touch with me over the phone during the tough times as well as during Melissa's recovery (more rapid than expected). She has another surgery to anticipate within a couple of months, but she is able to walk around and to be sociable. She introduced me to a record number of people on Sunday after a public worship ceremony. No one has as many friends and loves them as much as she. She is a gift to a shy person like me. ;-)

We are so thankful that Melissa is recovering well in her body. And we are so thankful that we are able to participate in my loving family and meet the people whose lives Melissa has touched. . . . the Lord gives and he takes away . . . I'm thankful we got my sister back this time! Blessed be his name!