Please pray for our daughter Melodie
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Nancy and I would like to ask you to pray for our daughter Melodie who has been serving with us as a short term missionary with BMM since our return to the field in December. She has been sick on and off for over a month with diarrhea and heart palpitations. She has been treated, seemed to recover, and then gotten sick again for at least three times.
Last Friday (9/18) the American missionary doctor here did an ultrasound on her heart and saw something suspicious with her mitral valve in her heart but could not make a proper diagnosis with the machine they have here. He recommended she go the U.S. for further evaluation. We made reservations for Wednesday of this week.
On Sunday she woke up sick again and seemed to stay the same or get worse as the day progressed. Eventually we took her back to the ELWA hospital so she could be seen again by Dr. Sacra. He put her on IV fluids and added another antibiotic to her treatment.
On Sunday evening I also felt it was unwise to wait to see if she would improve and be able to take the commercial flight. Before Melodie came here she purchased travel/medical insurance which also covers medical evacuation. I called the insurance company and they eventually were able to arrange a medivac flight. The plane left this morning with Melodie and my wife Nancy. They had a good trip and arrived in London at about 6:00 p.m. and were brought directly to the St. Mary’s hospital. I just called the hospital but was unable to speak with her since they were already evaluating her condition.
Please pray that the doctors in London will be able to properly diagnose her condition and find the appropriate treatment so she can get well soon.
All of us are emotionally and physically exhausted by the events of the last few days so I would also ask that you would pray for God’s strength and comfort in the coming days.
Rev. Mark Sheppard
Baptist Mid-Missions
Liberia
Last Friday (9/18) the American missionary doctor here did an ultrasound on her heart and saw something suspicious with her mitral valve in her heart but could not make a proper diagnosis with the machine they have here. He recommended she go the U.S. for further evaluation. We made reservations for Wednesday of this week.
On Sunday she woke up sick again and seemed to stay the same or get worse as the day progressed. Eventually we took her back to the ELWA hospital so she could be seen again by Dr. Sacra. He put her on IV fluids and added another antibiotic to her treatment.
On Sunday evening I also felt it was unwise to wait to see if she would improve and be able to take the commercial flight. Before Melodie came here she purchased travel/medical insurance which also covers medical evacuation. I called the insurance company and they eventually were able to arrange a medivac flight. The plane left this morning with Melodie and my wife Nancy. They had a good trip and arrived in London at about 6:00 p.m. and were brought directly to the St. Mary’s hospital. I just called the hospital but was unable to speak with her since they were already evaluating her condition.
Please pray that the doctors in London will be able to properly diagnose her condition and find the appropriate treatment so she can get well soon.
All of us are emotionally and physically exhausted by the events of the last few days so I would also ask that you would pray for God’s strength and comfort in the coming days.
Rev. Mark Sheppard
Baptist Mid-Missions
Liberia
Updated details
Dear Jim and Kathee,
Here is a report on the evacuation flight written mostly by Nancy:
Well, we’re here. I am now at a hotel within walking distance from the hospital. I paid ninety pounds for two nights and then we will see what happens from there. It is very old and rather dumpy, but it would have cost more than a $100 to have a cot in Melodie’s room so I decided to skip that altogether. There is no internet available at the hospital, either. I wanted to let you know what was going on.
The trip went really well. Melodie was exhausted and laid down the whole time, but she wasn’t nauseated. She was even able to eat half a sandwich in the afternoon. The flight crew was amazing. They were so thoughtful and competent. We were met at the airfield in London by an ambulance and it took us about half an hour to get to the hospital. They were expecting us, so check-in was easy.
After about an hour a cardiac specialist came to the room and she asked dozens of questions. She is very, very nice and seems like she has nothing to do in the world but listen to Melodie’s case history. Melodie’s amazing memory for detail certainly has paid off today! I wanted to leave to find a hotel so I left as they were making arrangements for her lab work, an EKG (?), and who-knows-what. The doctor asked if it was OK to start at the beginning and do all the tests. Of course that is what we all want. No stone left unturned.
So, I will keep you informed as we find out more. What a day this has been. As I was wandering around looking for a hotel in the dark it occurred to me that once again I am being stretched farther than I would want to be. But God is using this in all of our lives.
We are much encouraged by the fact that Melodie survived the trip so well and that she finally is somewhere where they have all the personnel, machines, drugs and specialists to figure out what she needs to be well again.
Please pray for the following:
1. We are hoping to find a contact near the hospital where Nancy can stay (she is now paying $73/night). However, it is very important at this stage to be close, so she will stay in the hotel until we can figure something else out.
2. We have to pay 20% of the medical expenses. (They want to charge them to Nancy’s credit card!) We are very thankful for all who have already sent money for this, but continue praying for these expenses.
3. Pray for me (Mark), Heidi and Jared at home. We still have the two toddlers to look after as well as trying to keep up with all the stuff Nancy was doing, while I carry on my ministry. This will really stretch Heidi and Jared!
In His service,
We certainly will be praying Mark.
Mike Mann
Red Bluff Baptist Church
Sylvania , Ga
Mike Mann
Red Bluff Baptist Church
Sylvania , Ga
I’ve prayed.
Ed
Ed
"The Midrash Detective"
[Mark Sheppard] Please pray for the following:Mark,
1. We are hoping to find a contact near the hospital where Nancy can stay (she is now paying $73/night). However, it is very important at this stage to be close, so she will stay in the hotel until we can figure something else out.
2. We have to pay 20% of the medical expenses. (They want to charge them to Nancy’s credit card!) We are very thankful for all who have already sent money for this, but continue praying for these expenses.
3. Pray for me (Mark), Heidi and Jared at home. We still have the two toddlers to look after as well as trying to keep up with all the stuff Nancy was doing, while I carry on my ministry. This will really stretch Heidi and Jared!
Our hearts and our prayers are with you.
If we contact your mission board, will they be able to transfer $$ to you quickly?
Will the medivac insurance cover the return trip?
Asking specifically so that we can pray even more specifically.
God be with you and your toddlers during this time!
[Rev Karl]Karl:
Mark,
Our hearts and our prayers are with you.
If we contact your mission board, will they be able to transfer $$ to you quickly?
Will the medivac insurance cover the return trip?
Asking specifically so that we can pray even more specifically.
God be with you and your toddlers during this time!
Thanks so much for your prayers and concern.
Most of the out-of-pocket expenses are being charged to Nancy’s credit card. If I need something from the mission they can send it to my bank account in the U.S. and I can pay credit card bills online right away (in case it appears the limit will be reached). From what I see in the insurance policy, I should be able to submit other expenses such as hotel bills (up to 15 days), food, etc. I will have to see how they are covered.
I am still studying the policy, but it appears the return trip will be covered either back to the U.S. or to Liberia. (Of course, economy rate, not private jet!).
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
As of the evening of Wednesday, 9/23 Melodie is doing much better today. They did a lot of tests and have not found anything definitive as to the cause of her illness. Since she was on very strong antibiotics when she came in, and she continues on them, they say it may not be possible to ever know exactly what microbe has caused this.
She has received some preliminary news that there is nothing seriously wrong with her heart. This is a blessing. I will update whenever we receive the final report from the cardiologist.
Please continue praying. God has really worked a lot already and we pray that He will bring complete healing to Melodie very soon.
She has received some preliminary news that there is nothing seriously wrong with her heart. This is a blessing. I will update whenever we receive the final report from the cardiologist.
Please continue praying. God has really worked a lot already and we pray that He will bring complete healing to Melodie very soon.
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
Thanks for the update Mark. We will continue.
Dear Friends,
Here is an update from Nancy (9/24):
[Quote]
Just a quick note to let you know what is happening.
Today was a good day. While we still don’t have a final diagnosis for what ails Melodie now, she is feeling better. We know from previous testing in Liberia that she has had salmonella and it is likely that weakness from one thing has led to other problems. This morning Melodie felt like she was going downhill again, but by afternoon I could see she was getting more strength. She was sitting more, talking more strongly and laughing.
A doctor came by and asked more questions. Later a nurse did the same - obviously on a mission from the doctor. They are trying to clarify what medicines she has taken and for what. It is our impression that tomorrow we will know much more about what they are presently finding through their extensive lab work.
Meanwhile we can only assume that the prayers of so many people are being answered because it is unreal how buoyed we feel. Both Melodie and I feel practically giddy to be where if, in a worse case scenario she has a terrible relapse, it will be dealt with immediately with the whole world of modern medicine at the doctor’s disposal. Melodie has lost all of her sense of dread of what nasty thing was in store for her next. As for me, I am making my way around this area of London with confidence and not gotten lost yet. (Those of you who are aware of my total lack of a sense of direction can marvel along with me about that.) As a nice aside, the weather here is just beautiful and the people have been very friendly and helpful.
So, I guess that’s it for now. Please continue to pray.
[/Quote]
As of today, Melodie has received the final conclusion from the cardiologists that they can find nothing wrong with her heart. This is a great blessing. She has had the same type of test (echocardiogram) done twice in London that was also done here, but they do not see the same problem. The doctor who did the echocardiogram here said he saw an “abnormal mitral valve with an irregular echogenic mass seen at the anterior leaflet, significant regurgitation and poor coaptation of leaflets” (sounds bad even to a non-medical person like me!). Melodie also saw her heart on the screen and says that she saw the problems referred to in the report. She also saw the screen on the machine in London and agrees that all of the problems have disappeared. Since there were less than five days between the tests, I find it very unlikely that this changed naturally (or in response to the antibiotics). I can only conclude that God healed her of that problem. (Now I wish he had healed her other problems at the same time, but am thankful for however He decides to work!) I believe this has been God’s response to the prayers of thousands of people who have heard about this through emails, facebook and prayer chains. For this we give Him all the glory!
However she still is nauseated at times and is very weak. Since her heart has been given a clean bill of health, she will now be put under the care of the infectious disease department. They are planning on cutting back on the antibiotic to see if that could be causing some of her symptoms. If the disease recurs they then will be able to do a culture to try to determine which antibiotic would be more suitable for curing her.
We appreciate your prayers for her – and Nancy – in the coming days.
Mark and Nancy Sheppard – for Melodie
Baptist Mid-Missions
Liberia
Here is an update from Nancy (9/24):
[Quote]
Just a quick note to let you know what is happening.
Today was a good day. While we still don’t have a final diagnosis for what ails Melodie now, she is feeling better. We know from previous testing in Liberia that she has had salmonella and it is likely that weakness from one thing has led to other problems. This morning Melodie felt like she was going downhill again, but by afternoon I could see she was getting more strength. She was sitting more, talking more strongly and laughing.
A doctor came by and asked more questions. Later a nurse did the same - obviously on a mission from the doctor. They are trying to clarify what medicines she has taken and for what. It is our impression that tomorrow we will know much more about what they are presently finding through their extensive lab work.
Meanwhile we can only assume that the prayers of so many people are being answered because it is unreal how buoyed we feel. Both Melodie and I feel practically giddy to be where if, in a worse case scenario she has a terrible relapse, it will be dealt with immediately with the whole world of modern medicine at the doctor’s disposal. Melodie has lost all of her sense of dread of what nasty thing was in store for her next. As for me, I am making my way around this area of London with confidence and not gotten lost yet. (Those of you who are aware of my total lack of a sense of direction can marvel along with me about that.) As a nice aside, the weather here is just beautiful and the people have been very friendly and helpful.
So, I guess that’s it for now. Please continue to pray.
[/Quote]
As of today, Melodie has received the final conclusion from the cardiologists that they can find nothing wrong with her heart. This is a great blessing. She has had the same type of test (echocardiogram) done twice in London that was also done here, but they do not see the same problem. The doctor who did the echocardiogram here said he saw an “abnormal mitral valve with an irregular echogenic mass seen at the anterior leaflet, significant regurgitation and poor coaptation of leaflets” (sounds bad even to a non-medical person like me!). Melodie also saw her heart on the screen and says that she saw the problems referred to in the report. She also saw the screen on the machine in London and agrees that all of the problems have disappeared. Since there were less than five days between the tests, I find it very unlikely that this changed naturally (or in response to the antibiotics). I can only conclude that God healed her of that problem. (Now I wish he had healed her other problems at the same time, but am thankful for however He decides to work!) I believe this has been God’s response to the prayers of thousands of people who have heard about this through emails, facebook and prayer chains. For this we give Him all the glory!
However she still is nauseated at times and is very weak. Since her heart has been given a clean bill of health, she will now be put under the care of the infectious disease department. They are planning on cutting back on the antibiotic to see if that could be causing some of her symptoms. If the disease recurs they then will be able to do a culture to try to determine which antibiotic would be more suitable for curing her.
We appreciate your prayers for her – and Nancy – in the coming days.
Mark and Nancy Sheppard – for Melodie
Baptist Mid-Missions
Liberia
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
Melodie has been officially diagnosed with falciparum malaria, which does not respond to the treatment she was given for malaria in Liberia a week ago. Obviously it has been one thing after another and her (apparent) salmonella weakened her and made her more vulnerable to this type of malaria. She began treatment (with quinine) around noon today. Presently Melodie is nauseated and very, very weak. (Quinine is one of those medicines that makes you wonder if it is better to have the disease rather than the treatment!)
However, that being said, Nancy says she and Melodie are not discouraged. Instead they feel hopeful that the treatment she is receiving for malaria could actually be the one that ends the series of health issues that have brought her to this point. Please pray to that end.
However, that being said, Nancy says she and Melodie are not discouraged. Instead they feel hopeful that the treatment she is receiving for malaria could actually be the one that ends the series of health issues that have brought her to this point. Please pray to that end.
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
Dear Friends at SI.
I just received an update from Nancy in London. Melodie is obviously doing better today. She was very weak today, but not in pain or nauseated. Nancy says her strength seemed to increase as the day wore on. She is almost done with her course of quinine so the doctor decided to give her another medicine for malaria which she will take for the next few days - just in case. When she started on the new medicine tonight she felt very nauseated again, but they gave her some medicine for that and she is feeling better now.
Unless something unforeseen happens tomorrow she will be discharged on Wednesday morning. Nancy has been in contact with Dr. Peter Jackson who is a former missionary doctor to Nigeria with SIM. He and his wife have graciously invited Nancy and Melodie to stay with them in their home about half an hour out of London. He will be picking them up on Wednesday morning and driving them there, which is greatly appreciated since Melodie is not strong enough to walk and take subways (and trains?) to their location. They plan on staying with the Jacksons until she gets the final OK from the doctors and Melodie feels strong enough to travel.
Please continue to pray for Melodie that she would be strengthened in the coming days, that whatever microbes which have been making her sick would be completely eliminated and that she would not be nauseated by the malaria treatments.
In Christ,
Mark and Nancy Sheppard
BMM, Liberia
I just received an update from Nancy in London. Melodie is obviously doing better today. She was very weak today, but not in pain or nauseated. Nancy says her strength seemed to increase as the day wore on. She is almost done with her course of quinine so the doctor decided to give her another medicine for malaria which she will take for the next few days - just in case. When she started on the new medicine tonight she felt very nauseated again, but they gave her some medicine for that and she is feeling better now.
Unless something unforeseen happens tomorrow she will be discharged on Wednesday morning. Nancy has been in contact with Dr. Peter Jackson who is a former missionary doctor to Nigeria with SIM. He and his wife have graciously invited Nancy and Melodie to stay with them in their home about half an hour out of London. He will be picking them up on Wednesday morning and driving them there, which is greatly appreciated since Melodie is not strong enough to walk and take subways (and trains?) to their location. They plan on staying with the Jacksons until she gets the final OK from the doctors and Melodie feels strong enough to travel.
Please continue to pray for Melodie that she would be strengthened in the coming days, that whatever microbes which have been making her sick would be completely eliminated and that she would not be nauseated by the malaria treatments.
In Christ,
Mark and Nancy Sheppard
BMM, Liberia
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
Praise the Lord for answered prayer.
Dear Friends,
We would really like to thank you for your prayers on Melodie’s behalf during these last difficult weeks. We also want to give praise to our Almighty God who has chosen to work and bring healing to Melodie.
Melodie improved enough to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday morning (10/2). Dr. Peter Jackson (a former missionary doctor to Nigeria with SIM) picked up Melodie and Nancy on Wednesday morning and drove them to his home on the outskirts of London. He is now retired, but he and his wife operate a guesthouse for missionaries in situations like ours. Both Melodie and Nancy have their own bedrooms and they share one meal a day with the Jacksons.
Melodie is now over the sicknesses that forced her to be evacuated from Liberia and now just needs to regain her strength. When I talked with her today she said she sleeps like a baby – 16 hours a day! Both Nancy and Melodie feel she will be strong enough for them to return to Liberia on Sunday, October 11th.
On Melodie’s Facebook, she posted the following:
Even though she is no longer “sick” please continue praying for Melodie. She needs to regain her strength in the coming days. Once she gets back here she is planning to take it easy and will not pick up her regular schedule until we are sure she is strong enough to do so.
In Christ’s service,
Rev. Mark and Nancy Sheppard
BMM, Liberia
We would really like to thank you for your prayers on Melodie’s behalf during these last difficult weeks. We also want to give praise to our Almighty God who has chosen to work and bring healing to Melodie.
Melodie improved enough to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday morning (10/2). Dr. Peter Jackson (a former missionary doctor to Nigeria with SIM) picked up Melodie and Nancy on Wednesday morning and drove them to his home on the outskirts of London. He is now retired, but he and his wife operate a guesthouse for missionaries in situations like ours. Both Melodie and Nancy have their own bedrooms and they share one meal a day with the Jacksons.
Melodie is now over the sicknesses that forced her to be evacuated from Liberia and now just needs to regain her strength. When I talked with her today she said she sleeps like a baby – 16 hours a day! Both Nancy and Melodie feel she will be strong enough for them to return to Liberia on Sunday, October 11th.
On Melodie’s Facebook, she posted the following:
[I am] finally out of the hospital!!!!!! I am weak, tire easily, and underweight (wow - what a problem to have!) but I am in London and I am ENGAGED!!! Detailed updates on all as soon as I have the mental energy to write them up (hopefully soon). Thanks SO much for all the prayers! Please keep them coming!!As far as the “engaged” part goes, Melodie asked us not to share this widely until now, but Kevin Kejr asked her to marry him right before she left to go to the hospital on September 20th. This was a great encouragement to her in the depths of her sickness and showed to all of us the love Kevin has for her. Like she said, we will give you more details in a future update.
Even though she is no longer “sick” please continue praying for Melodie. She needs to regain her strength in the coming days. Once she gets back here she is planning to take it easy and will not pick up her regular schedule until we are sure she is strong enough to do so.
In Christ’s service,
Rev. Mark and Nancy Sheppard
BMM, Liberia
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
My Unexpected Journey with Illness 10/4/09
Recently the Lord has taken me on a very unexpected journey. The past 6 and half weeks I have gone through something I would never have chosen or expected. Yet God is good and I know he has allowed me to go through this for his greater purposes in my life.
On Thursday, August 20th, 2009 I woke up feeling tired, but fine. After eating breakfast I came down with a nasty bout of diarrhea and severe stomach discomfort. I had a lot of things to do that day, including an appointment that could not be rescheduled, so I pushed myself and went out with the car anyway (crying). I made it through the next few hours (using the bathroom at every stop) and finally came home where I was able to rest. I felt better (and the diarrhea subsided) by evening and I was able to eat a normal meal. The next day I was weak, but otherwise normal. That night I couldn’t sleep because of heart palpitations that lasted most of the night. Finally I fell asleep at about 4 in the morning.
Saturday was up there with the worst day of my life, although over the past 6 weeks, there have been several close runners up. Diarrhea began, vomiting, and then HIVES! Horrible, head to toe, none-stop-itching hives! The 30 minutes before the Benadryl kicked on were literally the worst 30 minutes of my life. We naturally called the doctor at this point where he prescribed a strong antibiotic.
The following days were a bizarre repeat of these past two days. Felt better Sunday, couldn’t sleep Sunday night due to a pounding heart, and woke up Monday where the exact same thing happened as Saturday (diarrhea, vomiting, hives). Felt better again Tuesday, couldn’t sleep Tuesday night because of heart palpitations…. and then was admitted to ELWA hospital Wednesday morning when the “horrible day” part of the cycle repeated. (I did take Benadryl early in the morning, which at least prevented me from getting hives again). I had a fever of 103 when I went into the emergency room.
The tests in the hospital did not reveal anything too conclusive. There was no malaria, typhoid, hepatitis, etc. I was started on a very strong and thorough antibiotic and I started to improve. The doctor (Dr. Sacra, an American missionary) thought, based on the information we did have, that none-typhoid salmonella was what I might have.
I do have a history of mitral valve prolapse, which was not yet confirmed by an echocardiogram, but several doctors had noticed slight abnormalities with my heart. Because of this the possibility of endocarditis (an infection on my heart valve) was mentioned.
I went home after four days with the IV cannula still in my hand. My dad, “Doctor Daddy”, would continue to give me the IV antibiotics from home. I improved daily and started doing ministry related things (around the house) that I really needed to have done by a certain date (in retrospect I may have pushed too hard). The antibiotics were stopped after a total of 11 days.
Two and a half days later the cycle started again, just the way it had before. Oral antibiotics did nothing. Friday I went back to the hospital where a cannula was again placed in my hand and I received some fluids. I went back home later in the day. Sunday was an awful day of burning fever and horrible, pounding heart palpitations.
During all of this we had been returning to the hospital about every 2 days to get the cannula replaced. The antibiotics are very strong and my veins were swelling painfully or the cannula would get clogged, sometimes even after one day. No one likes needles, but I have always tried to be brave when it came to being poked. Towards the end I ran out of usable veins and I would sometimes just cry as the nurse would poke and poke or blow my now fragile veins. I didn’t know how long I would need to be on the antibiotic but I new I was running out of places to put the cannula..
Monday I went to Harbel Medical Center (Firestone’s hospital, perhaps the best in the country), where I had a lot of lab work done. We were also given the same antibiotic, only produced in Europe, not India or China. Four days later we found out that I did indeed have salmonella.
Thursday afternoon heart palpitations began again, and pretty much did not stop for the next 4 or more days.
On Friday I returned to ELWA for more blood work and an echocardiogram. (The echocardiogram could only be done by a visiting Liberian doctor - the only one in the whole country trained to do these). The visiting doctor confirmed the mitral valve prolapse, as did Dr. Sacra. On the top of the valve a questionable spot was noticed. The spot could have meant endocarditis. Because of this, Dr. Sacra advised us to seek medical care in the US.
The blood tests indicated my body was still working hard to fight something serious, and also revealed malaria, something I had never had before. That evening I took a one-time malaria treatment.
Saturday I felt very sick again. I was nauseated all day and very weak. My dad booked tickets on a commercial flight for my mom and me for Wednesday, and we all hoped I would be well enough to make it to the US.
Sunday was another very difficult day. I had more heart palpitations, fever, and severe nausea. I laid in bed all day and vomited the only food I was able to eat. By evening we knew I could not make a commercial flight. By God’s grace the short term medical insurance I bought covered medical evacuation to Europe, so my dad began making plans to fly me and my mom out as soon as possible. We would go to Europe to get me stabilized, then eventually make it the rest of the way to the states. I would stay in the US as long as I needed to treat whatever problems I had. Dr. Sacra agreed with this decision and also advised me to return to the hospital that evening.
My best friend Kevin, whom I had been dating for 10 months, spent the whole day (September 20th) with me Sunday (after returning from church). We had been talking about getting married but I was not expecting a proposal, certainly not then. But Kevin was prepared with a ring (and permission from my dad), to ask me to marry him, since we did not know how long I would be away and he wanted to make it official before I left. Of course I said yes! In my time of suffering Kevin’s proposal was the greatest gift he could have given me. Though I was sick and being readmitted to the hospital, I couldn’t wipe the ridiculous grin off my face.
Sunday I did not sleep well and Monday was another horrible day of nausea and vomiting. Since Friday I had been praying and praying that I would not feel so sick the day I had to leave. Just rolling over was nauseating and I couldn’t keep any food down.
Tuesday morning I woke up feeling a little better and was able to take a bucket bath (all they offer at the hospital) before leaving bright and early for my emergency medical flight to London. Greg/Buster drove us in the Acres of Hope ambulance and also took care of our paperwork at the airport (such a blessing!). I never could have imaged 2 months earlier, as I waved good-bye to Alvin on his emergency medical flight, that I would be leaving the country the same way.
The flight went really well and the doctor and nurse took great care of me. We stopped in Morocco to refuel then made it the rest of the way to London. We landed in the Royal Air Force Academy where I was transferred straight into an ambulance. Just 30 minutes later I was admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
I have never seen so many tests done so fast! The night I arrived I had numerous samples taken, tons of blood, an EKG, two ex-rays, and an echocardiogram. The efficiency still astounds me, after coming from Africa!
At the hospital everyone was just wonderful. They were all so kind and considerate. Nurses from all over the world took care of me including a wonderful lady named Venus from Zambia.
The first tests showed pretty severe anemia (7.8 HB for you medical people) but nothing else too astounding. The head cardiologist looked at the pictures from the echocardiogram and said the amazing words “I don’t think we are dealing with a heart problem.”
The next day of testing malaria showed up - falciparum malaria (the worst and most deadly kind). Treatment was started the next day with quinine, after all the tests were confirmed and the medicine was rustled up from pharmacy.
The infectious disease doctor explained that for some reason it has been found that salmonella and falciparum malaria seem to go hand in hand. This would explain why I got malaria after never having it before in my life. Malaria could also have accounted for the severe anemia. The doctor also explained quinine would probably make me feel sick because when it kills the parasites the dead parasites will give you the symptoms of malaria again.
So the first day on the medicine I was miserable with malaria symptoms. Some magical “anti-sickness” tablets they gave me really helped with the nausea so I could still eat. Since the lab had not seen anything relating to the salmonella, they began to only give me a third of the antibiotic they were giving me before. (It seems the final antibiotics in Liberia, or soon after, finally killed the salmonella). Little by little I began to regain my strength. My anemia improved considerably every day. The doctor said malaria can hide the hemoglobin(?) in other parts of the body (capillaries?) and as the malaria is killed, those are released back into the blood where they belong. (Something like that - don’t quote me word for word here). By the time I left my hemoglobin was up to about 12, which is considered normal (although normal for me has been closer to 15, since I have been very healthy in the past).
I was given a second echocardiogram one of those days, where two specialist’s looked at my heart. Both said I had a very healthy heart and no mitral valve prolapse. It was thus confirmed that I have no heart problems.
By Monday evening I began to feel normal again. Wednesday (the 30th of September) I was able to leave the hospital after a stay of seven days. (My mom had been staying in an inexpensive hotel nearby.) We are now staying with a wonderful British couple who are retired SIM missionaries. They used to be in Nigeria but are now back at home here and their main ministry is hospitality for people like us - missionaries and others who need a place to stay for awhile. They have been a huge blessing to us. My mom and I both have our own rooms and they have a beautiful “garden” in the back. Plus, he is also a doctor! So I am in good hands.
Everything still feels pretty surreal to me. I was so sick for so many days I couldn’t think about anything but making it through the next moment. But I have been so amazed and blessed by the many (more than a thousand, at least) people who have been praying for me, and those who donated so generously to my medical expenses.
I must say I am so privileged to have been trained in the Word of God as I have been. Through this whole ordeal I have never worried that God had forgotten about me, been angry that he was allowing this to happen, or doubted his goodness in my life. Some people think theology and a good knowledge of the Bible don’t really have anything to do with daily life. But they are so wrong. It has changed who I am and gives me the strength to make it through the most difficult times. The Nouthetic counseling training I received last year has also been invaluable during this time as it also greatly influenced the way I think and significantly increased my trust in God and the way he is working in my life.
In all my life I have been very strong. Growing up in Africa I never got malaria. I have never been hospitalized or been in a car accident. I have cracked my collarbone (twice, as a kid) but that was localized pain that healed fast. I open the jars for my mom, run the house when she is away, can look after 2 two-year-olds alone and make dinner and clean the kitchen at the same time. But when I was sick my mom was feeding me, a nurse bathed me and I couldn’t even use the toilet on my own. Those things are humiliating, yet I didn’t feel that way when I was going through them. I was just thankful. Thankful God had provided me with such loving people to care for me in my time of need.
One thing I know is that if you have never experienced something, you can’t truly empathize with a person. I consider myself a very empathetic person, but I have never had a serious problem with my health. Constant nausea and vomiting are what chemo patients deal with. Someone with Crohn’s disease struggles daily with intestinal discomfort and diarrhea. My illness seemed to never end - many people have chronic illnesses. Additionally, I have been so weak I now know what it is like to not be able to bathe yourself or to even use the bathroom without help. I have shed countless tears during times I was so sick all I could do was cry. My heart has pounded so much my chest hurt, I have ached with fever over and over again, been poked and prodded countless times, and I have endured many scary sleepless nights. Though I never ever want to go through any of that again, I am already thankful for how the Lord is going to use these experiences in my life.
I have been so pleasantly surprised by the many, many caring comments people have left on my facebook page. Additionally, my dad received over 600 email responses to the update he sent out to our prayers supporters, as I was about to leave Liberia. People have shared my need in small groups, churches, and even over the radio. And those prayers were answered. The speed and smoothness in which the emergency medical flight was arranged was astounding. The care at the hospital was phenomenal. No one was ever grumpy or short with me. They took my illness, symptoms and concerns all very seriously. My favorite nurse Venus (from Zamia) was so touched by our ministry in Africa and she made me feel comfortable even in the most awkward situations. The food was amazing and tasted like a restaurant (I kid you not).
And the mitral valve prolapse and possible endocarditis? Well, I have a strong, healthy heart with not a trace of mitral valve prolapse. Was it a miracle? I could very well be. I can’t explain it and I saw a prolapsing mitral valve on the screen in Liberia, and I saw a strong, normal valve on the screen in London. The discomfort I was feeling with my heart could be explained by my anemia, low potassium and low electrolytes. No matter what, I am so thankful for a healthy heart and to have been in a first-world hospital during the weakest part of my illness and so the doctors could do all their tests to see if there was anything else wrong with me.
We are planning to return to Liberia on the 11th of October. Since all my problems were addressed here we don’t feel there is a need to go all the way to the states. I am very anxious to return to Liberia where my fiancé lives and to my family, friends, and ministry.
I am still so very, very weak, and tire pathetically fast, so this time in England is just what I need to regain my strength. I lost more than 15 pounds of muscle and fat, and I was actually pretty much at my ideal weight when I got sick! So I am not happy about the weight loss, but I AM happy about putting it back on! Gaining back the muscle will take time. Yesterday was a hard day for me and I was reminded that fully recovering after being so sick is not going to happen overnight.
I know I am only beginning to learn all the things God will teach me through this experience. I truly do desire to be made more like Christ, and it is times like this I realize two things 1. Becoming like Christ is very hard. And 2. God has taken me seriously! He is allowing me to experience the things he knows I need to go through in order to look more like his Son.
I also learned that God wants me (all of us, really) to trust him with the unknown. As I had a relapse of the salmonella, and then the malaria, no emotional wall was going to protect me from feeling sick, and it wasn’t going to make things any easier to tolerate. At times I have wanted to sort of brace myself for the things God was going to bring my way. Yet this time around I really had to just let go and just put one foot in front of the other and hold on to the grace God gave me, one moment at a time. After 6 weeks I can already notice a change in my thinking. Again, God will use what he needs to teach us what we need to know…
I am so thankful to God for bringing me through this and so thankful for all that I will continue to learn from this in the coming months and years. I am so thankful I got insurance even though I didn’t think I would ever need it. (Let this be a bit of advice for all you short termers traveling overseas!) I am so thankful for my wonderful mother who has so patiently cared for me and for the rest of my family who was there for me when I was still in Liberia and are taking care of things while we are away (including the 2 two-year-olds I mentioned). I am thankful for Dr. Sacra who looked after me so well in Liberia. I am thankful for the Jacksons who have opened their lovely home to my mom and me while we are in London. I am also thankful to all you who have supported me in prayer through this difficult time. Because of you I always felt protected. I wish I could thank each one of you individually…
Please continue to pray for me as I try to regain my strength. Just going about normal living activities wears me out.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
In Christ alone,
Melodie Sheppard
Recently the Lord has taken me on a very unexpected journey. The past 6 and half weeks I have gone through something I would never have chosen or expected. Yet God is good and I know he has allowed me to go through this for his greater purposes in my life.
On Thursday, August 20th, 2009 I woke up feeling tired, but fine. After eating breakfast I came down with a nasty bout of diarrhea and severe stomach discomfort. I had a lot of things to do that day, including an appointment that could not be rescheduled, so I pushed myself and went out with the car anyway (crying). I made it through the next few hours (using the bathroom at every stop) and finally came home where I was able to rest. I felt better (and the diarrhea subsided) by evening and I was able to eat a normal meal. The next day I was weak, but otherwise normal. That night I couldn’t sleep because of heart palpitations that lasted most of the night. Finally I fell asleep at about 4 in the morning.
Saturday was up there with the worst day of my life, although over the past 6 weeks, there have been several close runners up. Diarrhea began, vomiting, and then HIVES! Horrible, head to toe, none-stop-itching hives! The 30 minutes before the Benadryl kicked on were literally the worst 30 minutes of my life. We naturally called the doctor at this point where he prescribed a strong antibiotic.
The following days were a bizarre repeat of these past two days. Felt better Sunday, couldn’t sleep Sunday night due to a pounding heart, and woke up Monday where the exact same thing happened as Saturday (diarrhea, vomiting, hives). Felt better again Tuesday, couldn’t sleep Tuesday night because of heart palpitations…. and then was admitted to ELWA hospital Wednesday morning when the “horrible day” part of the cycle repeated. (I did take Benadryl early in the morning, which at least prevented me from getting hives again). I had a fever of 103 when I went into the emergency room.
The tests in the hospital did not reveal anything too conclusive. There was no malaria, typhoid, hepatitis, etc. I was started on a very strong and thorough antibiotic and I started to improve. The doctor (Dr. Sacra, an American missionary) thought, based on the information we did have, that none-typhoid salmonella was what I might have.
I do have a history of mitral valve prolapse, which was not yet confirmed by an echocardiogram, but several doctors had noticed slight abnormalities with my heart. Because of this the possibility of endocarditis (an infection on my heart valve) was mentioned.
I went home after four days with the IV cannula still in my hand. My dad, “Doctor Daddy”, would continue to give me the IV antibiotics from home. I improved daily and started doing ministry related things (around the house) that I really needed to have done by a certain date (in retrospect I may have pushed too hard). The antibiotics were stopped after a total of 11 days.
Two and a half days later the cycle started again, just the way it had before. Oral antibiotics did nothing. Friday I went back to the hospital where a cannula was again placed in my hand and I received some fluids. I went back home later in the day. Sunday was an awful day of burning fever and horrible, pounding heart palpitations.
During all of this we had been returning to the hospital about every 2 days to get the cannula replaced. The antibiotics are very strong and my veins were swelling painfully or the cannula would get clogged, sometimes even after one day. No one likes needles, but I have always tried to be brave when it came to being poked. Towards the end I ran out of usable veins and I would sometimes just cry as the nurse would poke and poke or blow my now fragile veins. I didn’t know how long I would need to be on the antibiotic but I new I was running out of places to put the cannula..
Monday I went to Harbel Medical Center (Firestone’s hospital, perhaps the best in the country), where I had a lot of lab work done. We were also given the same antibiotic, only produced in Europe, not India or China. Four days later we found out that I did indeed have salmonella.
Thursday afternoon heart palpitations began again, and pretty much did not stop for the next 4 or more days.
On Friday I returned to ELWA for more blood work and an echocardiogram. (The echocardiogram could only be done by a visiting Liberian doctor - the only one in the whole country trained to do these). The visiting doctor confirmed the mitral valve prolapse, as did Dr. Sacra. On the top of the valve a questionable spot was noticed. The spot could have meant endocarditis. Because of this, Dr. Sacra advised us to seek medical care in the US.
The blood tests indicated my body was still working hard to fight something serious, and also revealed malaria, something I had never had before. That evening I took a one-time malaria treatment.
Saturday I felt very sick again. I was nauseated all day and very weak. My dad booked tickets on a commercial flight for my mom and me for Wednesday, and we all hoped I would be well enough to make it to the US.
Sunday was another very difficult day. I had more heart palpitations, fever, and severe nausea. I laid in bed all day and vomited the only food I was able to eat. By evening we knew I could not make a commercial flight. By God’s grace the short term medical insurance I bought covered medical evacuation to Europe, so my dad began making plans to fly me and my mom out as soon as possible. We would go to Europe to get me stabilized, then eventually make it the rest of the way to the states. I would stay in the US as long as I needed to treat whatever problems I had. Dr. Sacra agreed with this decision and also advised me to return to the hospital that evening.
My best friend Kevin, whom I had been dating for 10 months, spent the whole day (September 20th) with me Sunday (after returning from church). We had been talking about getting married but I was not expecting a proposal, certainly not then. But Kevin was prepared with a ring (and permission from my dad), to ask me to marry him, since we did not know how long I would be away and he wanted to make it official before I left. Of course I said yes! In my time of suffering Kevin’s proposal was the greatest gift he could have given me. Though I was sick and being readmitted to the hospital, I couldn’t wipe the ridiculous grin off my face.
Sunday I did not sleep well and Monday was another horrible day of nausea and vomiting. Since Friday I had been praying and praying that I would not feel so sick the day I had to leave. Just rolling over was nauseating and I couldn’t keep any food down.
Tuesday morning I woke up feeling a little better and was able to take a bucket bath (all they offer at the hospital) before leaving bright and early for my emergency medical flight to London. Greg/Buster drove us in the Acres of Hope ambulance and also took care of our paperwork at the airport (such a blessing!). I never could have imaged 2 months earlier, as I waved good-bye to Alvin on his emergency medical flight, that I would be leaving the country the same way.
The flight went really well and the doctor and nurse took great care of me. We stopped in Morocco to refuel then made it the rest of the way to London. We landed in the Royal Air Force Academy where I was transferred straight into an ambulance. Just 30 minutes later I was admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
I have never seen so many tests done so fast! The night I arrived I had numerous samples taken, tons of blood, an EKG, two ex-rays, and an echocardiogram. The efficiency still astounds me, after coming from Africa!
At the hospital everyone was just wonderful. They were all so kind and considerate. Nurses from all over the world took care of me including a wonderful lady named Venus from Zambia.
The first tests showed pretty severe anemia (7.8 HB for you medical people) but nothing else too astounding. The head cardiologist looked at the pictures from the echocardiogram and said the amazing words “I don’t think we are dealing with a heart problem.”
The next day of testing malaria showed up - falciparum malaria (the worst and most deadly kind). Treatment was started the next day with quinine, after all the tests were confirmed and the medicine was rustled up from pharmacy.
The infectious disease doctor explained that for some reason it has been found that salmonella and falciparum malaria seem to go hand in hand. This would explain why I got malaria after never having it before in my life. Malaria could also have accounted for the severe anemia. The doctor also explained quinine would probably make me feel sick because when it kills the parasites the dead parasites will give you the symptoms of malaria again.
So the first day on the medicine I was miserable with malaria symptoms. Some magical “anti-sickness” tablets they gave me really helped with the nausea so I could still eat. Since the lab had not seen anything relating to the salmonella, they began to only give me a third of the antibiotic they were giving me before. (It seems the final antibiotics in Liberia, or soon after, finally killed the salmonella). Little by little I began to regain my strength. My anemia improved considerably every day. The doctor said malaria can hide the hemoglobin(?) in other parts of the body (capillaries?) and as the malaria is killed, those are released back into the blood where they belong. (Something like that - don’t quote me word for word here). By the time I left my hemoglobin was up to about 12, which is considered normal (although normal for me has been closer to 15, since I have been very healthy in the past).
I was given a second echocardiogram one of those days, where two specialist’s looked at my heart. Both said I had a very healthy heart and no mitral valve prolapse. It was thus confirmed that I have no heart problems.
By Monday evening I began to feel normal again. Wednesday (the 30th of September) I was able to leave the hospital after a stay of seven days. (My mom had been staying in an inexpensive hotel nearby.) We are now staying with a wonderful British couple who are retired SIM missionaries. They used to be in Nigeria but are now back at home here and their main ministry is hospitality for people like us - missionaries and others who need a place to stay for awhile. They have been a huge blessing to us. My mom and I both have our own rooms and they have a beautiful “garden” in the back. Plus, he is also a doctor! So I am in good hands.
Everything still feels pretty surreal to me. I was so sick for so many days I couldn’t think about anything but making it through the next moment. But I have been so amazed and blessed by the many (more than a thousand, at least) people who have been praying for me, and those who donated so generously to my medical expenses.
I must say I am so privileged to have been trained in the Word of God as I have been. Through this whole ordeal I have never worried that God had forgotten about me, been angry that he was allowing this to happen, or doubted his goodness in my life. Some people think theology and a good knowledge of the Bible don’t really have anything to do with daily life. But they are so wrong. It has changed who I am and gives me the strength to make it through the most difficult times. The Nouthetic counseling training I received last year has also been invaluable during this time as it also greatly influenced the way I think and significantly increased my trust in God and the way he is working in my life.
In all my life I have been very strong. Growing up in Africa I never got malaria. I have never been hospitalized or been in a car accident. I have cracked my collarbone (twice, as a kid) but that was localized pain that healed fast. I open the jars for my mom, run the house when she is away, can look after 2 two-year-olds alone and make dinner and clean the kitchen at the same time. But when I was sick my mom was feeding me, a nurse bathed me and I couldn’t even use the toilet on my own. Those things are humiliating, yet I didn’t feel that way when I was going through them. I was just thankful. Thankful God had provided me with such loving people to care for me in my time of need.
One thing I know is that if you have never experienced something, you can’t truly empathize with a person. I consider myself a very empathetic person, but I have never had a serious problem with my health. Constant nausea and vomiting are what chemo patients deal with. Someone with Crohn’s disease struggles daily with intestinal discomfort and diarrhea. My illness seemed to never end - many people have chronic illnesses. Additionally, I have been so weak I now know what it is like to not be able to bathe yourself or to even use the bathroom without help. I have shed countless tears during times I was so sick all I could do was cry. My heart has pounded so much my chest hurt, I have ached with fever over and over again, been poked and prodded countless times, and I have endured many scary sleepless nights. Though I never ever want to go through any of that again, I am already thankful for how the Lord is going to use these experiences in my life.
I have been so pleasantly surprised by the many, many caring comments people have left on my facebook page. Additionally, my dad received over 600 email responses to the update he sent out to our prayers supporters, as I was about to leave Liberia. People have shared my need in small groups, churches, and even over the radio. And those prayers were answered. The speed and smoothness in which the emergency medical flight was arranged was astounding. The care at the hospital was phenomenal. No one was ever grumpy or short with me. They took my illness, symptoms and concerns all very seriously. My favorite nurse Venus (from Zamia) was so touched by our ministry in Africa and she made me feel comfortable even in the most awkward situations. The food was amazing and tasted like a restaurant (I kid you not).
And the mitral valve prolapse and possible endocarditis? Well, I have a strong, healthy heart with not a trace of mitral valve prolapse. Was it a miracle? I could very well be. I can’t explain it and I saw a prolapsing mitral valve on the screen in Liberia, and I saw a strong, normal valve on the screen in London. The discomfort I was feeling with my heart could be explained by my anemia, low potassium and low electrolytes. No matter what, I am so thankful for a healthy heart and to have been in a first-world hospital during the weakest part of my illness and so the doctors could do all their tests to see if there was anything else wrong with me.
We are planning to return to Liberia on the 11th of October. Since all my problems were addressed here we don’t feel there is a need to go all the way to the states. I am very anxious to return to Liberia where my fiancé lives and to my family, friends, and ministry.
I am still so very, very weak, and tire pathetically fast, so this time in England is just what I need to regain my strength. I lost more than 15 pounds of muscle and fat, and I was actually pretty much at my ideal weight when I got sick! So I am not happy about the weight loss, but I AM happy about putting it back on! Gaining back the muscle will take time. Yesterday was a hard day for me and I was reminded that fully recovering after being so sick is not going to happen overnight.
I know I am only beginning to learn all the things God will teach me through this experience. I truly do desire to be made more like Christ, and it is times like this I realize two things 1. Becoming like Christ is very hard. And 2. God has taken me seriously! He is allowing me to experience the things he knows I need to go through in order to look more like his Son.
I also learned that God wants me (all of us, really) to trust him with the unknown. As I had a relapse of the salmonella, and then the malaria, no emotional wall was going to protect me from feeling sick, and it wasn’t going to make things any easier to tolerate. At times I have wanted to sort of brace myself for the things God was going to bring my way. Yet this time around I really had to just let go and just put one foot in front of the other and hold on to the grace God gave me, one moment at a time. After 6 weeks I can already notice a change in my thinking. Again, God will use what he needs to teach us what we need to know…
I am so thankful to God for bringing me through this and so thankful for all that I will continue to learn from this in the coming months and years. I am so thankful I got insurance even though I didn’t think I would ever need it. (Let this be a bit of advice for all you short termers traveling overseas!) I am so thankful for my wonderful mother who has so patiently cared for me and for the rest of my family who was there for me when I was still in Liberia and are taking care of things while we are away (including the 2 two-year-olds I mentioned). I am thankful for Dr. Sacra who looked after me so well in Liberia. I am thankful for the Jacksons who have opened their lovely home to my mom and me while we are in London. I am also thankful to all you who have supported me in prayer through this difficult time. Because of you I always felt protected. I wish I could thank each one of you individually…
Please continue to pray for me as I try to regain my strength. Just going about normal living activities wears me out.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
In Christ alone,
Melodie Sheppard
MS -------------------------------- Luke 17:10
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