A Journey of Pain, Presence, and Restoration

A Son’s Timely Rescue
My son drove all the way from Ohio to Greenville to help us. While I was going back and forth to the hospital with severe abdomen pain, he packed up our belongings into a rented SUV. His plan was simple but loving: take us back with him to Ohio so we could be near family during this difficult season.

Months of Struggle and Unexpected Closeness
The move to Ohio brought months of new challenges. I struggled to eat and began losing weight rapidly. Yet in the midst of it, something beautiful happened. Sandy and I spent nearly every waking hour together in our son’s townhouse. We sat in the living room with our computers and the TV, watching her favorite shows. Those quiet, shared moments drew us closer than we had been in a long time.

The constant pain was hard on all of us. It was the first time I had faced long-term suffering, and my family—especially Sandy and our sons—took it heavily. Still, the trial had a way of pulling our family tighter together.

A New Church Family and Deepening Dependence
During this time, my son introduced me to a strong church in Dublin, Ohio, that broadcast its services. Because of the pain, frailty, and heavy medication, I was mostly confined to the living room. Eventually, Sandy, Aaron, and I moved into our own townhouse in the same city as my son Shane’s home. The closeness of family became a great comfort.

The Lowest Point: Pneumonia, Hospitals, and Hospice
After many difficult months and continued weight loss, I dropped to 118 pounds and was hospitalized with pneumonia. The doctors began ECT therapy on my head. Following treatment and initial recovery, I was moved to a rehab facility for the elderly, where I slowly started eating again.

While there, I had the opportunity to witness to my elderly roommate. Later, my doctor placed me in hospice due to life-threatening conditions. Many assumed the end was near.

Freedom on the Brink of Death
Surprisingly, facing the possibility of death brought a deep sense of freedom and joy I had never known before. I never fully believed I would die, but the experience was profound. In hospice, I began sharing openly with nurses, assistants, and visiting pastors about our family’s journey and the supernatural ways God had moved through my memorization and meditation on the Psalms.

I felt liberated. God had brought me to the edge, and instead of fear, I experienced peace and purpose. As I started regaining weight, I had wonderful opportunities to minister to my entire medical team. They became more than caregivers; they became part of our lives. Sandy and I would talk for hours about ministry, God’s appointments, and His faithfulness. I almost didn’t want to leave hospice because of the rich fellowship we enjoyed there.

Graduation from Hospice and Continued Healing
After six months of steady eating and improvement, all my vital signs stabilized. It was time to “graduate” from hospice. Though I still dealt with pain from the effects of such extreme weight loss and continued some medication, God had kept me alive. I made it to appointments with specialists, and through additional ECT therapy, I began to feel better.

The Breakthrough: Cancer Removed and Strength Restored
Last week marked a significant turning point. For a long time— even before the abdomen pain started—I had a skin growth near my windpipe that had slowly become cancerous. The skin doctor removed part of it earlier, but I needed a follow-up procedure. Four days ago, they cut out the remaining cancerous tissue from my pectoral area near my windpipe.

Yesterday, for the first time in a long while, I was pain-free and eating normally. My strength has returned. Last night, I texted my church with excitement about my future plans to attend services in person once again.

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Through every hospital stay, every pound lost, every moment of weakness, and every conversation in hospice, God was at work. What the enemy meant for harm, the Lord has used to draw our family closer, deepen our faith, and open doors for ministry. I am grateful to be on this side of the valley, stronger and more expectant than before.