Wow, There's so much to say, so many things I've wanted to share and haven't taken the time to. (Poor grammar aside). Let's see... where to start. I spent almost two weeks in the hospital after thanksgiving. After they performed the 2nd ESWL on my kidney, in combination with the laser treatment, I got really sick. As in 103 degree+ temperature for five solid days. As in a fungal infection that probably should have killed me. I am grateful that so many of the saints were praying for me. Surely it was the hand of God that preserved me, the doctor's had nothing they could do but wait and hope I got better. They gave me everything they could give me without destroying my liver, and still it was 5 days in the ICU, and even when they discharged me, I still hadn't gone a full 24 hours without spiking a fever. Since then I've felt great though. Better than I've felt in years in fact. At least, until yesterday... Yesterday I had an X-ray and went to see the doctor. At best, 50% of the stone still remains not even broken up. At best. At worst... 75% of it remains unbroken. Now we have to move into more invasive surgery. It's called Percutaneous (sp?). Basically they tunnel through my back into my kidney, stick a tube in, and go to work breaking the stone up, and then vacuuming it out. The doctor here feels like it will take at least 2 sittings, and so the tube has to remain in my back for the two weeks in between sittings. Oh yeah, very few Urologists do percs anymore. And having one done you run the risk of losing your kidney. You see, the kidney has a ton of blood vessels in it. If they cut an artery, they have precious little time to control the bleeding and save the kidney. I only have the one kidney, so it is imperative that I see the best I can possibly see. Apparantly, that is some guy named Jenkins at UVA medical center. Just one problem... my insurance only covers WEST Virginia and Pennsylvania ... not Virginia. UVA = Virginia. So Dr. K is writing to my insurance company and requesting approval for me to be sent to him and it to be covered. Pray that they approve it quickly. Pray that God grants this surgeon wisdom that I might keep my only remaining kidney. Pray for wisdom as I speak to the dean's this coming week about whether I should withdraw from classes in light of last semester and what this more invasive surgery is sure to cause in terms of missed time and classes. Pray that the Lord would arrange a place for me to live, whether it be in an apartment off campus (and thus needing to buy furniture), or that the college might give me a job to do in exchange for staying here. But most of all... pray that I might exercise true faith in God. That I might trust him as my father, and know and trust that He has what's best for me in store. Pray that I might have the wisdom to suppress myself and rely fully on God. Pray that I might learn more about what it means to be a servant of God through this situation. Now is the time to display true faith. I want so very much for this to be over, and to live out a long and full life in the service of God. Pray that not only will he touch my body in healing, but that he will sustain me and use me for his service for many years to come. Lord willing, I hope to live long enough to see him call home his bride. Enough morbid edged stuff. In December, Melissa picked out her wedding dress. Nothing else could make it more real that in less than six months, we will be married. I won't lie and say I'm not scared in some ways. But she is the one for me, through and through. I am comitted thoroughly to her, and she to I. I had my tux fitted in the first week of January... and ... we bought our wedding rings. Melissa found an absolutely amazing wedding band ... 14k gold, and around the band, set deep into it, equally spaced, little diamonds. It looks absolutely stunning on her. As a consequence, mine will not be a plain band either. It's sort of got an angle cut into it on the top, and inset into the groove is four small diamonds as well. Honestly I would have been happy with a $30 ring from wal mart, but Melissa was happy and that's the part that counts. I hope to spend my lifetime making her happy in the service of the Lord. The more time that passes here at ABC, the more I am confronted with the reality of my need to surrender... to have a servant's heart and attitude. If I truly believe that God has a call to my life, and I do, then I must seek to do his will. Walk by the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Indeed. SdS OuT! | 
