Looking Out For Lisa

Several weeks back, my sister ended up hospitalized for a recurring back injury. Thinking she was on the mend, but still not 100% we went ahead with our Memphis vacation that had been planned for months. In the wee hours of the morning on January 30th, we left for Tennessee with no clue how much our lives would change in the next 24 hours.

After catching up over lunch everyone kind of went their separate ways to nap or unpack. Lis laid down on the couch and dozed off for a bit. When she woke up she disappeared into Matt and Andria’s bathroom. Worried about her back, I texted her to see if she was ok. She said no...I think I have a stomach bug. Extreme nausea and cramps eventually gave way to unbearable abdominal pain. We made the decision to bring her to the Emergency Room at Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital and when we tried to have her stand up to go she fainted. An ambulance was called and after what seemed like hours she got some pain relief. A CT Scan revealed free air in her belly so the ER physician, Dr. Raydor wanted to consult the surgeon on call that night. At 1:30 am Dr. Raydor came in and said “Dr. Ellis reviewed your scans from home and he is on his way in. He has called an OR team and wants us to get you prepped and upstairs.” A terrifying moment to say the least.

The serious expression on the face of the surgeon in that deserted OR hallway said it all. This would not be easy. “Ischemic bowel. Possible Colostomy. Hopefully got to it in time…” we were terrified. Around 5:00 am Dr. Ellis came out and gave us the update. He had to remove about half of her ascending colon and some of her small intestine. Her bowel was very close to perforating and they caught it just in time. He was able to reattach the colon and small intestine so no colostomy was needed. (Which was the first thing she asked when she woke up!)

Lisa spent the entire vacation in the hospital hooked up to tubes and monitors on a diet of ice chips for 5 days. All with an unwavering faith that she was right where she was supposed to be. At one point one of our friends said God has certainly been with you and she replied “yes….and His name is Dr. Ellis, Amanda, Nurse Gloria, tech Andrew, Andria, Jamie, Nicole, nurse Heather, housekeeper Wanda, case manager Carla…” The list went on.

Now Lisa and her family are facing some tough times ahead.  Missing  weeks of work has put a serious strain on this family’s finances. And now they will have the added burden of medical expenses, additional travel costs because she had to stay in Tennessee longer than expected, and more potential for missed wages due to testing and appointments to figure out why this happened to her. My sister is one of the most generous people I know. If she has it, it’s yours. If she doesn’t, she’ll try to find a way to get it. If there is no way, she’ll sit with you and cry, or pray or give you just the pep talk you need. She has a giving spirit that can not be denied. She overflows with love and kindness and is not afraid to show it.

If she has ever made you laugh, showed up when you needed someone or touched your life in any way, we are asking for you to help her out now. If you are able to give financially, please do! Every little bit helps! If you can’t, please share this post for others to see. But above all, please keep her in your prayers as she fights this battle and gets back to the bubbly, funny girl we all know and love!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!