Hi everyone! We have created this page to post updates on Scott’s back surgery and recovery journey. What started as routine back surgery ended up in numerous complications. Your prayers, thoughts, and encouragement have meant the world to us, and we thank you endlessly for lifting us up (both physically and in prayer!) during this time. Many have asked how we can best support “Pastor”, “Papa Scott”, “PayPay”, “Pastoral Advisor”, “Chaplain”, “Friend”, and “Mentor” and our answer will always be continued prayers.

God has been so good to us and has proven time and time again he always provides. While we anticipate expenses to be higher than the amount shown, we have created a GoFundMe for those who have asked for ways they can help. Thank you for your prayers! Much love ❤️

We’ve recapped his story below, and we will continue to post updates here for his overwhelmingly caring and thoughtful village of family and friends:

Pastor Scott underwent extensive back surgery on February 4, 2025. The surgery took longer because his back was much worse than the CT showed, and after 9 hours, surgery was complete and he was placed in ICU for acidosis and high potassium. The surgeon said the anesthesiologist was very concerned due to his history of kidney disease, and their plan was to leave him intubated so they could try to get him normalized quicker.

--Update 2/10/2025--

Hey Friends,

I feel like I am supposed to give an update on Scott. He is still in the hospital and is out of ICU. He has had multiple complications, and God has delivered him and will continue to deliver him. After the longer-than-expected surgery, his kidney function began to drop. He was in a lot of pain. Although the surgery yielded the expected outcome with his back, he was not himself and not doing well. He was diagnosed with kidney injury. His kidneys were functioning at 21%. He developed a blood clot in his leg. The doctors told us they had concern of it traveling to his lungs. They couldn’t start him on Heparin because it was too close to the time of surgery and he would be a bleeding risk. He was short of breath, developed pneumonia, spiked fevers, and showed signs of sepsis. Doctors gave us the news that because of his weakness, we would need to plan to go to in-house rehab for 2-3 weeks after he is discharged from the hospital. And then, Friday morning, he woke up not able to move his legs and had diminished sensation. He could only wiggle his toes. An MRI was done, and it showed the nerves in his back were being compressed. Doctors were making plans to do emergency surgery, but he was anemic and needed a blood transfusion before going into surgery. Meanwhile, they started him on Decadron (steroid) and God’s people prayed. I saw a metamorphosis right before my very eyes. That night, he was sitting on the side of his bed and eating a meal for the first time. Currently, he has a new pain being evaluated that is intermittently excruciating.

Our God is faithful and will see us through to victory. Until then, we are going to let our light shine on dark days, our love grow through all seasons, and proclaim the goodness of God ALL of our days.

We appreciate your many prayers. We feel them and see the evidence. To God be the glory.

We love y’all very much

--Update 2/12/2025--

Hey Family and Friends,

Scott is going to a hospital that specializes in rehabilitation in the next couple of days. The best description of this current journey is a woman in labor. Scott is pushing through to victory, and he has a God-given wife whose heart overflows with love as his labor coach! The push is intense, but in the end, there will be glory to behold! Thank you ahead of time! Much, much love!

--Update 2/16/2025--

Hey Friends and Family,

Scott was sent to the emergency department from the rehab hospital this morning and is being transferred back to Mayo hospital by ambulance. He is having complication on top of complication, and things are compounding. This makes day 12 in the hospital.

Please continue to pray for his health and our family as we navigate these storms. Jesus is our Lighthouse, and you, dear friends and family, are our Aaron and Hur (Exodus 17).

Thank you for the beautiful and humorous cards that you have been sending him! You can hold up sending them since he is moving facilities.

—Update 2/18/2025–

We had three different surgeons come in today and it was determined that Scott has a hernia that needs repair but it is not emergent. The excruciating pain he is experiencing is nerve pain from either his back (post surgical foraminal narrowing) or a fluid-filled mass near his spine. His legs are weak, especially the right and he requires a walker to walk short distances and a wheelchair for long distances.

His length of recovery is dependent upon the cause and extent of nerve involvement. If the compression of nerves is due to post-surgical swelling it will be weeks to months before he is back to normal. If he has nerve injury it could be up to a year for the nerves to regenerate.

Surgeons consulted pain management doctor. She said they can’t do the nerve block but they are putting him on a medication that helps dampens the central nervous system. It can cause long QT syndrome (irregular heart arrhythmia) so they’ll watch him for that.

We had three different surgeons come in today and it was determined that he has a hernia that needs repair but it is not emergent. The excruciating pain he is experiencing is nerve pain from either his back (post surgical foraminal narrowing) or a fluid-filled mass near his spine.

His length of recovery is dependent upon the cause and extent of nerve involvement. If the compression of nerves is due to post-surgical swelling it will be weeks to months before he is back to normal. If he has nerve injury it could be up to a year for the nerves to regenerate.

The vascular surgeon is coming in and we’re going to talk to him about the fluid-filled cyst. The pain management doctor thinks some of it is pressing on a nerve. We’re going to discuss the risk and benefits of draining it or not draining it.

If it doesn’t get drained, and he does well on the new pain medication, he could potentially go home in a couple of days, perhaps Friday. Then he would follow up with Physical Therapy and whatever doctor he needs to see at home.

That’s man’s report. We will see what God says!