It’s now been seven weeks and three days since our lives dramatically changed when my husband fell going into church September 30. I’m thankful for the Lord’s healing power. The orthopedic doctor was surprised at the progress Paul has made when he saw him at his six-week check-up. He no longer needs the immobilizers for his broken knee cap and elbow, and he is able to walk with the walker.
Because of the risk of falling while he’s on a blood thinner, I keep reminding him that I need to be beside him when he goes anywhere. But sometimes he forgets or stubbornly decides he doesn’t need my help. That’s scary!
I’m concerned that Paul still is hardly eating anything. He has no appetite and every day has nausea and tummy pain. Until he’s off the blood thinner for the blood clots in his lungs there are no tests that can be done to find the answer. He has now lost over 30 pounds since August 27.
The threat of a stoke because of the Afibs he had in the hospital continues to concern me. He is wearing a heart monitor for 21 days. An Echo and CT scan are scheduled for December 4. He will see the cardiologist Dec 5 and the oncologist Dec 11. I’m trying to trust the Lord and not worry. Please keep praying. Our 55th anniversary was ten days ago.
The medical bills are mounting up into the thousands plus the $2,000 I’ve already spent on durable medical equipment our insurance didn’t cover (I’m appealing), pull-ups, waterproof pads, bathroom grab bars, meds, and so much more. We’ve also had the added expense of needing to replace our washer and dryer plus unexpected (aren’t they always?) car repairs. We even had to replace a toilet that cracked and threatened to cause a flood until I finally figured out how to turn off the water to the house!
Financially things were already tight because I was only able to pay myself half of what I had hoped for directing this year’s conferences. I’d hate to calculate how much I earn an hour! The conferences are my ministry, but I do need income from them – now more than ever – to supplement our Social Security checks. The evil one is ridiculing me for “foolishly” giving in scholarships an amount almost equal to what I earned, but I promised the Lord 35 years ago that I would not turn people away because they can’t afford to come.
Father keeps nudging me to make our needs known. That’s hard for me. I’m far more comfortable being on the giving side. Friends have suggested a Go Fund page. Instead, if Father leads you to help us financially, I’d like to give you a copy of #My Family Too. It will be available by mid-December. It’s an updated edition of the first book I wrote that was rejected 42 times over a five-year period before it was finally published in 1989. (See my February 13, 2015, post “Tempted to Give Up?”)
Back in the 1980s editors I met at conferences affirmed it was well written, but they admitted they did not want to touch the topic of incest or publish personal experience stories. (It was long before memoirs became popular.) My sister, mother, and stepfather are now home with the Lord, so there is no longer a need to use a pen name. I am trusting now is the time for Father to use #My Family Too! in Ephesians 3:20 ways.
Whether or not you feel led to send a gift to help us financially (I will, of course, report as income the $15 cost, including shipping, of each book), please know that I appreciate your prayers, emails, and Facebook posts so much. Forgive me for not responding. It’s been impossible to keep up with being a full-time caregiver, and now I need to start planning next year’s conferences. Prayer is needed for the conferences, too. When Outlook crashed a week before I left for the Colorado conference in May, the emails “safely” stored in folders for 2019 prospective faculty and invites/acceptances were all deleted. Father, please help me connect with the people You are calling to serve on faculty next year.
P.S. * You can use this link to send a gift https://paypal.me/MarlenePaulgift or you can mail a check to 951 Anders Road, Lansdale, PA 19446.
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