Friday, February 22, 2013

Treatment Approved

We went to Dr. Deb the other day and we were told that the treatment plan was approved.  Yea!  The treatment for the osteoporosis consists of one injection every six months for two years.  This injection is extremely expensive...it must be made of liquid diamonds.  Each injection costs $2700 but our Tricare insurance covers 80%.  Dr. Deb also set Dayle up with a rheumatologist for the osteoarthritis in her fingers. Her appointment is on March 19th. So finally things are getting done to get my Dayle the treatment she needs.  Praise the Lord!  We hope to leave Lake Havasu around the first of May and return to the Pacific Northwest but again it depends on Dayle's treatment.  Dennis at Fir Point Bible Camp called the other day asking when we will be returning.  I told them that if nothing else comes up that we will be there the end of May.

We are still quite active in serving at the church.  And I am still nursing my wounds from that most dangerous sport--Softball.  My knee is almost healed, my toe doesn't hurt anymore.  But yesterday while fielding a hard hit ball it took a bad hop at the last moment and the middle finger on my right hand got in the way.  The ball hit the finger straight on at the nail causing the nail to be pulled up just a little.  My finger then began to bleed a lot.  We had to stop the game and wrap up the tip of my finger to stop the bleeding.   But we won so it's OK.  We have only two more games left in the season and even if we should loose both games we still win the league championship.  Dayle wants it to be over now so I will stop getting hurt.  Even though playing on the team is a lot of fun and great exercise (and a great reminder that I am not 30 years old anymore) I have had many opportunities to share my faith.  Please pray for Tony.  His wife is a Christian and he and I have had several conversations about the Lord.

Before my softball injuries, we took an afternoon and went for a hike.  We also took our two dogs and Stan and Stephanie's dog, Tramp.  Tramp is a golden retriever.  See that cupcake looking mountain in the distance.....that is where we hiked.  I wanted to hike around that whole thing.  It is actually a lot bigger than it looks.  But I did go around the whole thing.




We made it.

Tramp was tired....
...and decided to take a nap.

A picture from the top facing north.
It has been over a year since I was the interim pastor of Bethany Bible Church.  During that year Pastor Dennis McBride has been grounding the people on what a church is to be all about, and training up leadership.  Attendance has been quite low and there are only 12 members.  We have been praying for god to bring the increase.  In the past three weeks there have been two new couples and both have said that they are staying.  Both said that they love the friendly people and the great preaching.  It does appear that God is in-fact bringing the increase.  Please continue to pray for this small struggling church.  There are some real financial struggles right now.  Two of the heating/cooling units are inoperative and one needs to be replaced. These are very costly.  One unit costs in the neighborhood of $5,000.  but we are also convinced that our God will supply!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

First Month In Lake Havasu City, AZ

I looked at a calender the other day and discovered that we have been in Lake Havasu City for a month already.  Wow, the time has gone so fast.  So, I guess it is true...the older you get the faster the time goes by.

Since we have been here we have been busy at the church fixing, and cleaning, and organizing.  The sound system in the sanctuary needed an upgrade and some sound issues sorted out.  This took a couple of days and is still a work in process.  My good friend Stan and I have made quite a team in all these various projects.  I have been participating in leading music and filling the pulpit.  Pastor Dennis hurt his back really bad and I had to fill in for him.  We have made Bethany Bible Church our official home church and we are now actual members.  It is really a good feeling to have a home church and to have a pastor again.

Dayle jumped right into ladies ministry.  She has been attending all the ladies functions including a bible study on Tuesday morning.  She helped plan and set up for a Valentine's Chocolate Extravaganza.  There was so much chocolate that even a chocolate lover would get their fill.  Dayle has also been ministering to a couple of shut-ins by visiting them and taking a cleaning crew over to their homes.

Remember my last post where I was whining about having a Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Week?  Well, it is amazing how the Lord worked everything out.  I was called by the Senior Softball League and was put on a team.  I was able to finally fix my computer by putting in a new hard drive and reinstalling all my programs (Until my new hard drive crashed just the other day.  Another new hard drive is on its way).  Dayle's replacement lap top computer arrived and I put in her old hard drive and everything works perfectly.

But the best thing was that Dayle found another doctor here in Lake Havasu City.  We were a bit skeptical at first.  This visit to the doctor's office was completely different than the first one.  Dr. Debra Gulyanics walked in to the room and introduced herself to both of us and said, "Just call me Deb."  Doctor Deb sat with us to get to know us.  She gave my Dayle a full examination and addressed every concern.  She said that her condition is very treatable but we just have to find the right treatment for her.  She ordered a full blood work up.  She also said to not take the drug that the previous doctor prescribed.  A couple of days later we went to the lab and they took six vials of blood.  After the results came in we returned to doctor Deb and went over the lab results one by one.  Each and every test was either in the normal range or better than normal.  Then Deb said, that she cannot figure out why Dayle has osteoporosis.  So Dayle in now on Doctor Deb's "problem child" list.  Deb consulted with some older doctors in the office and they suggested a treatment plan which involves an injection every six months.  So, the staff at the doctor's office is seeking approval from our insurance because it is very expensive.  We will know more this coming week.  So it looks like  we will be returning to Lake Havasu City every six months, unless the doctor can arrange for Dayle to get the injection elsewhere.
Dr. Deb Gulyanics...Our new best friend.


We are really enjoying the warmer weather and the bright sun.  We love being in a church again and being able to serve.  I will be preaching again on March 10th in both morning and evening services.  We have also had much opportunity to get out and enjoy God's creation.  I am riding my bike almost every day which keeps me in pretty good shape.  The softball league also keeps me active too.  We had a double header the other day and there I discovered that senior softball can be very hazardous to one's health?  See picture.  It looks worse than it really is.  Just a scrapped knee and a stubbed tow.  I think I need new baseball shoes.  I also tweaked my back.  But it is all OK because we won..both games. 




The Shepherd's Conference is just a little over two weeks away,  Myself and four others will be attending.  Dayle will spend the week with my sister.  Dayle will also be going to spend a month with Stephen, Neeley, and Jack.  She leaves the middle of March.  Neeley needs to go back to work for one month so Dayle will babysit while Neeley is at work.  Then Neeley will cut back to just two days a week.  Stephen will watch baby Jack one day and a good friend from their church will watch him the other day.  God really answered our prayers concerning this situation.

Jack 7 weeks old...holding his head up.

As far as future ministry plans there are a couple of things in the works although nothing is definite yet.  But if nothing else, we will return to Fir Point Bible Camp to serve for the summer.  We love having the freedom to go where ever we are needed.  And we just pull our house with us.  What a blessing.

Please keep my Dayle in your prayers as she gets treatment for her osteoporosis.  Also pray for insurance coverage.  One injection costs several thousand dollars.  (It must be made of diamonds or something.)  Also, pray for me to have witnessing opportunities on the softball team.