Suffering

This is the most recent post from the Schneemans. Kirk is the pastor of Frontline Church in Ann Arbor, MI. Their daughter is suffering. They are now in Cleveland and he notes here that they miss the support they got in MI at the hospital. Is anybody near enough to Cleveland to give them some support -- food, visits, prayer, some extra cash, ... This has broken my heart more than most.

Dear family and friends,

The roller coaster ride continues. So far, the tunneled epidural catheter (TEC) procedure has had no effect on Rachel's pain. If anything, she is worse today, struggling with a severe headache. On Monday morning they will take her to the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Unit (PACU) to try an anesthetic in her TEC. We are at a roadblock until they can find something to relieve her suffering. We will remain here at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital (Kirk will be sleeping at our Ronald McDonald House room) until they can reduce her pain and transfer her to the Pediatric Rehab Hospital for either inpatient or outpatient physical therapy.

We really miss home. Kirk's parents brought our other two children here for the weekend, but they are now on the road heading for Michigan. It was hard to say goodbye to them, especially since we have no idea when we'll be home. Of course we miss the visitors, meals, and gifts we generously received from so many of you when we were at Mott/U-M.

In spite of the disappointments, we still feel grateful to have outstanding doctors here and outstanding friends there. May God richly bless you for the countless ways in which your prayers, love, and support have kept us sustained.

Together on the journey,

Kirk & Heather