Connect Group - 3/26/08

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed dinner and the discussion last night. A special thanks to Jon for teaching and unpacking the Scriptures for us.
You guys just remember to be holding each other up in prayer this week.
Also, if anyone would be interested in coordinating some meals for Jack and Christi, just let me know. I know Susan and I could definitely do it one night, but if someone could put together and schedule of "who can do what when", that would be awesome. I seem to be crunching time a lot lately.
I love you guys and hope you have a great end to your week and I look forward to seeing you all Sunday!
Blessings!
ZS

Spaghetti Tonight!

This is our week for dinner together so I look forward to seeing you all tonight at 7:00!

I love you guys!

ZS

Baby Lexis...

Hey guys, Alexis is going to have her tubes put in tomorrow (Tues). Because we need to get this done ASAP, we are going to be at Lake Point Medical Center. It is a very common procedure and doctors do it all the time, so I am hoping everything goes very smoothly and this will allow her to get well and stay well for a change. Planning to see all on Wed night.

Prayer Requests

I have a few requests this week.

• I have a good friend, Amy, whose son Cayden was hospitalized last week with an asthma attack. He hasn’t ever had asthma before and they haven’t been able to figure out what might have triggered it. He is back home this week recovering. While Cayden was in the hospital, Amy’s dad was admitted to the hospital and under went emergency heart bypass surgery. They thought he would be able to go home today and due to additional illness, his stay has been extended. Amy’s dad was very active and was supposed to ride in the MS 150 with us, so this was very unexpected. Please pray for them and their family as they recover.
• Our babysitter has moved in with her boyfriend and we believe this is a typical domestic violence situation. There was an incident over the weekend and things escalated when she tried to leave. Please pray for her to have strength and to be able to see more clearly that this abuse is not right and help her accept some help in getting out of this bad situation.
• I have another good friend Aimee who was laid off last week. Please pray that she is able to stay upbeat and optimistic as she is in search of a new job. Although she worked in the housing industry, this was very unexpected and she had been with this builder for five years.
• My neighbor’s mom has recently had a stroke and they have been caring for her along with our other neighbor (her brother) since about Christmas time. She requires constant care and they have moved her into their home temporarily. Chris has recently taken on a new job and is required to travel out of town a few times a month. His wife Pat is very uneasy being left home alone and now has the added burden of caring for her mom. Please be in prayer for them during this time.
• My dad called this morning and he spent the evening at the hospital with my grandmother. Her blood pressure has gotten too high (very medical, I know) and they have not been able to lower it. They have run every test and have been unable to find anything. Please pray for both my dad and my grandmother. This has been a most difficult time for my dad as he takes on the burden of making sure my grandmother is cared for every day and does everything he can to try and make her comfortable. She has extremely advanced (I can’t remember the numbers anymore) Alzheimer’s and stage 4 breast cancer. Please pray that she may have some peace from these painful ailments and my dad the continued strength to take care of himself.

Thank you all for being such a supportive group of individuals.

-Sharon

Up-date on Claire

We still waiting for the test to come back to see if she had any infection that might of triggered this.

She is doing very well today. Just tired they did not give her any sleeping meds last night so she only got about 3 hrs. The Dr. fixed that and she will be getting her full meds tonight.

The results of the MRI are back. Bad news she now has legions on her back. I do not know if these legions are accountable for what happened for up until two weeks ago she was constantly getting stronger.

They Dr. brought up Tysabri again. Though it was just brought up, not really talked about. Claire and I are very un-easy about the drug. But such a decision does not have to be made right now. The last time it was brought up we turned the choice down.

After the steroid treatment, which will last until Sunday, she will be doing some rehab at the hospital. Hopefully she will not have to be there very long. I know that is currently her biggest concern because the last time she was there it was nearly 30 days.

I personally really do not think it will be that long this time.

Anyway that all I know right now

God Bless all of you

Jon

Claire In Hospital

I will let you know more ASAP, but she collapsed.

I am currently waiting for my mother to get here and we will be getting her to Presbyterian Hospital.

Please be praying.


Thanks Jon

Thank You

Claire and I would just like to thank everyone that has brought us food, and checked in on us. So many others in our group are also having difficulties right now and we want you to know that we have been praying for all of you.

Claire got her treatment today, and once it starts working she will probably have rapid improvement. As of today I am still without my shot that I was suppose to get last week, but I should be getting it tomorrow. Never the less the withdrawals, from not getting it last week, seem to have past. I am just very tired.

The food has been a lot of help. Claire has been to unsteady to cook and by the end of the day I could cook but it would currently be a chore. So the food has lifted a large amount of weight off of me. I suspect that things will be getting much better in the near future. Not just for us but everyone in our family.

Many everyone of you take care and again thanks.


Jon & Claire

Prayer Request for Cameron

Hello Family!

I wanted to mention that Cam will be having surgery this Friday morning. It's a day surgery, they will be putting him under but he will not be having to stay overnight or anything. Please be in prayer for Cam, that everything will go well and that he will have a fast and easy recovery and for the surgon that will be working on him. I will share more at connect group.

Thanks Everyone! Love,

Laura

Daylights Savings Time (or whatever happens in the Spring)

This is just a remind to make sure you set your clocks ahead 1 hour before you go to bed Saturday night. Yes, this means you lose an hour of sleep but we don't want any of you to miss church because you were an hour late rising.

Hope this helps to serve as that reminder.

Blessings!

Zach

Vroom Vroom!!

Josh and I did this several years ago and thought it was a great event for a wonderful cause. While Josh won't be joining me this year, I will be joining a couple of my friends as we work the next couple of months to raise funds and train for this event.

Join me for the Sam’s Club MS 150 as I support a great cause! This two-day, 150 mile bike ride is a fundraising event to help fund research as well as local National Multiple Sclerosis Society chapters to be able to assist patients in their area. Amazing progress has been made in medical research in recent years, but a “cure” for MS still eludes us. You can join the fight by supporting me with your tax deductible donation here - http://www.ms150.org/edon.cfm?id=215985, or take a ride with me some night or weekend as I begin to "shape-up" for this event!

- Sharon

Prayers for Jon and Claire

Hey family,
Just wanted to shoot out a quick prayer request for Jon and Claire. They are both very sick right now. Jon wasn't able to get his shot last week and is in much pain. Claire was also unable to get her meds this week and is hoping to get it tomorrow. Jon should get his on Tuesday hopefully.
Just be in prayer for them this week.
Love you guys and we hope to see you all Wednesday night.
Blessings!
Zach