Abby's surgery

Our seven-month old daughter Abigail is scheduled to have surgery next Monday, Sept. 26, at 9 am on her right kidney/ureter. While still in the womb, she was diagnosed with ‘hydronephrosis,’ or fluid on the kidney. As a result, her right kidney drains very slowly and is now almost twice the size of her left one.

The surgeon will make a small incision on her side, remove a piece of her ureter where it joins to the kidney, then reconnect the ureter to the kidney. The operation will take place at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital and should take 2-3 hours. If all goes well, most of her kidney will be saved, and she could be discharged as early as Tuesday afternoon.

Here are some ways you can pray for our family:

• Thank the Lord that doctors noticed her condition early, that she is not in any pain, and that her right kidney still has a lot of healthy tissue
• Pray that she will stay healthy, as she has been fighting off a cold and allergies this past week
• Ask God to guide the hands of Dr. Chamberlain, his staff, and medical students as they operate on our daughter
• Pray for God to sustain Natalie and me, as we are already tired from so many other medical crises in the past year
• Intercede for us, that we will not give into fear, but will rest in God’s sovereignty, his wisdom, and his love. We want to know our Savior better through this season of suffering
• Praise the Lord for Natalie’s parents who are watching Dylan and Heidi for the week so we can focus on caring for Abby. My mom will also be arriving in another week to help out.
• I’ve written about this trial in a “Minister’s Message" scheduled to be published next Wednesday in our local newspaper. Pray that God will use this article to draw other people to himself.
• Pray for Abby’s salvation. As she grows older, we hope God will give her a heart that loves and serves Jesus.

I will rejoice in the LORD;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

GOD, the Lord, is my strength

(Habakkuk 3:18-19)