Week One Update

Dear friends, today marks one week from when Sarah left for Sanoviv.  It’s been a good week, but honestly a hard week.  I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been praying thus far for Sarah and her healing.  I can’t count how many people have been asking me how Sarah is doing.  And to know that so many people care is truly a blessing.  As it’s been a week since my last update, I figured it would be easiest to let friends know how she is doing through another blog post.

First off, Sanoviv is absolutely gorgeous.  It sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean, and each patient’s room has a balcony overlooking it.  Sarah and my mamma can hear the waves each night as they fall asleep.  The weather is wonderful and it’s a very relaxing atmosphere, and the food is delicious and incredibly fresh and healthy.  Part of her treatment is detoxing as well, so everything from the food they eat to the coconut water they drink has a purpose.  Every single one of the doctors there is incredibly kind, especially Sarah’s personal doctor.  All of the staff are wonderful as well, and my mamma described to me this community there among the residents.  It’s like everyone knows that everyone else is going through pain too, and they are all in this together.  Kindness fills that place. 

This past week Sarah’s treatments consisted of a lot of testing and then detox.  This week they will begin treating her Lyme disease.  It’s been crazy busy thus far from doctor appointments to treatments like massages to timed intervals in their pools and hot tubs that each serve a particular purpose.  Unfortunately with a lot of their treatments they inject IVs into Sarah’s arms, or at least they were trying too, but Sarah’s veins were not cooperating well, which meant a whole lot of needle pokes and a whole lot of pain.  This morning they actually inserted a central line just below her clavicle so they can give her IVs through that rather than poking her so many times a day.  It actually had to be done by a surgeon, so they put Sarah to sleep and then lodged it inside of her.  She is so brave.

Earlier this week, because of her body detoxing, Sarah was running a fever and got quite sick.  That was a hard day.  It’s hard to be sick, but it’s even harder to be sick away from home.  Yet rather than just sitting and feeling sorry for herself, Sarah spent her time resting while listening to a radio drama of Little Women.  She also spent some time reading the cards from friends at the worship night benefit.  My little sister has taught me that when the big things in life just hurt, we have to choose to find joy in the little things, like lighting candles or making a cup of tea or reading a good book. 

Sarah is incredibly strong, but no matter how much courage you have, everyone gets discouraged at times.  The schedule that she has to keep in very strenuous with many appointments and treatments, and then feeling sick on top of that is overwhelming.  Sarah said to my mamma that she is so thankful for everyone who sent her there and for their support and prayers and she knows that it’s an amazing opportunity, but it’s still hard being there.  She misses home and her family and her friends.  One more piece of news also discouraged Sarah.  After the testing and meetings with doctors, they determined that Sarah needs to stay at Sanoviv for three weeks rather than the two weeks she had originally thought she would be there. 

All this in mind, Sarah is thankful to be there, courageous in her treatments, and pressing on.  Could I ask for continued prayers these next two weeks as she continues more treatments?  Please pray for encouragement as she misses home, for wisdom for her doctors, for patience as she waits, and for drastic, miraculous, and beautiful healing that can only come from God.  Thank you for all of your love and kindness shown to my family in this hard time.  Our God is faithful.  

One last thing, some of my friends and I are committing to pray for Sarah and her healing each day at 10:30 a.m.  It's an opportunity to talk to God, be honest with him, plead on behalf of our friend, and grow personally in prayer.  Anyone from my area is welcome to join.  I'll make the coffee.