Update (8/21/10):

I think it’s about time for an update and a whole lot of praise to the Lord!  Sawyer was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, August 12, just days after fighting for his life in the ICU.  He is still weary and recovering, but he is doing remarkably well.  He is on antibiotics to heal an infection in his hip/abdomen area, and though surgery is a possible treatment for this infection, we are praying that the antibiotics will be all that he needs.  By Sunday, August 15, Sawyer was asking to go to church–praise the Lord for this young man’s hunger for God!  LCA (Sawyer’s high school) began classes on Tuesday, August 17, but Sawyer is not back in class yet.  I believe he will attempt to go back (starting with half days) sometime next week.  His body wears out easily, so pray for stamina for Sawyer to make it through long days of school as he starts his senior year.  Continue to pray for Sawyer as he visits doctors to monitor his health and as he moves toward a full recovery.  Praise God with me for His awesome work and answer to pray in this young man’s life!

Update (8/8/10):

From the missions director:  They believe Sawyer has MSSA instead of MRSA.  While this is a scary thing also, it is a little less resistant to antibodies, so the treatment will be a bit gentler on his body.  Praise God for every piece of good news we get!  :)

Also, I spoke to Dylan (Sawyer’s older brother) yesterday.  He said that the family is exhausted; they haven’t slept or eaten really for days because of the shock and fear of the situation. They are so grateful for the food and gift cards that were sent to the hospital. They are able to get some rest now because Sawyer is “in the clear” even though he still has to recover fully.   Continue to pray especially for Sawyer’s mom, Cherri, as this has weighed on her heavily and she is beyond exhaustion.  Praise God for this godly family who love one another so much and have so much faith in the Lord.  I continue to be amazed at the miracles God has done for Sawyer throughout this battle.  Praise God, JEHOVAH-RAPHA, the one who heals.

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Additional update from the missions director at Sawyer’s high school:

Hey Guys,

I know many of you are keeping up with Sawyer’s condition from students and/or Facebook, but for those who don’t have access I wanted to pass on a bit more info.  I just got back from the hospital.  I took up a bunch of snack foods and drinks and gift cards of local restaurants that deliver to the hospital, etc.  This is from all of our LCA HS family…not just me.  The family hasn’t been leaving, eating much, or sleeping much, so they need to keep up their strength!  Sawyer actually got to watch the news coverage of the LCA prayer time this afternoon.  His story has also been on news stories in Ohio and the 700 Club. ??  :) He has been in and out of awake and they tell me that it’s been very odd to watch since he is so ill they are not sure minute to minute if he’ll pull through, but when he’s awake he’s normal, funny, feisty Sawyer.  :)  Today Sawyer had nuclear medicine testing to pinpoint where his excessive bleeding was coming from internally.  The one hour test took over three hours before they concluded that the bleeding has stopped without explanation.  This is the first piece of good news they have had, and the first time Drs have said that this “may not be fatal.” He said that if Sawyer were just in “average” health he would not have made it through the night.  I cannot imagine what this family is facing!

A few prayer specifics:
* pray for continued healing, and that the bleeding does not begin again
* his fever is now hovering around 102.  a good drop from the 105 it had reached, but they still have him on ice blankets, so he is a bit miserable
* pray for continued clear testing, as they are still not 100% sure that it is MRSA
* pray for his family (especially his parents) to get some sleep and to eat
* pray that God would be glorified in all of this… and in all of us as we walk through this with them.

They are not wanting a lot of visitors until he gets a bit more stable.  They are not in a room, so they are overwhelming the family room, hallways, and waiting rooms.  :)  I know they are feeling the love and prayers from LCA and that is what they are asking…more prayer, everyone praying… send info to your prayer warriors, etc.

Love to you all.
Melissa

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PRAISE UPDATE:

I awoke this morning (evening in the States) to an inbox/Facebook page flooded with notes of prayer for Sawyer.  Thank you for you prayers and support.  I also awoke to some of the most JOYOUS news.  I received an email from another former student, a very close friend of Sawyer’s family.  Here is what she wrote:

Miss Hatcher are you ready to get chills…

Dylan just called and said they did this test that will detect where Sawyer is bleeding internally and what’s causing it (it’s apparently the best test you can find) and the test came back that there’s no bleeding..he’s not bleeding internally anymore..the doctors said they cant explain why and they said it was the most bizarre thing they’ve ever seen..it was a miracle..and now they found out a while ago he is not ceptic anymore…it is a lot easier to fight the MRSA when its not in the blood stream…So now the main thing is treating the MRSA ..but he is not bleeding anymore and they said his blood is going back to normal..The doctors may not have been able to explain why he all of a sudden stopped bleeding..but we all know it’s God working in the miraculous ways that he does..just wanted to keep you posted.

Psalm 116:1-2 “I love the Lord for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

PRAISE THE LORD with me for this miracle!  Continue to pray for complete healing for Sawyer, but hallelujah to the Lord for the way he has already healed.  What a testimony of God’s goodness and the power of prayer from the faithful.  I also give praise for the faith of my former students and for the way they are giving all the glory to God for Sawyer’s healing; it does a teacher’s heart good to hear this kind of testimony.  Please continue to pray to and praise God with me in this time.  I will update again when I know something more.

Rejoicing, Christel

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Dear friends,

I am asking for prayer for a former student of mine from KY.  His name is Sawyer, and he will be a senior this year.  I just learned that he is in the ICU with what the doctors think is MRSA.  MRSA is a type of staff infection that is resistant to antibiotics.  I don’t know too much about it, but here is some information I read on http://www.mayoclinic.com:  “Staph skin infections, including MRSA, generally start as small red bumps that resemble pimples, boils or spider bites. These can quickly turn into deep, painful abscesses that require surgical draining. Sometimes the bacteria remain confined to the skin. But they can also burrow deep into the body, causing potentially life-threatening infections in bones, joints, surgical wounds, the bloodstream, heart valves and lungs.”

I received this word about Sawyer at around 6:45 a.m. (Eastern time):  “Doctors weren’t sure that he would make it through the night.  Folks are meeting this morning to pray. They have given him a blood transfusion and are praying that his platelet levels go back up and that his 104+ fever will come down. They have him in an ice blanket. I’ll keep you updated. Just pray.”

Sawyer and his family members are strong believers.  They are good friends of mine.  Please pray for complete healing for Sawyer, and pray also for encouragement and strength for Sawyer and his family during this time.  The Scripture says in James 5:14-15, “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.”  In Exodus 15:26, the LORD calls himself JEHOVAH-RAPHA, “the one who heals.”  Please lift up Sawyer to the God who heals.  I will give you more information as I know it.  Thank you.

In His Grip,
Christel