Melissa Hamrick–Please pray!
I am posting this very special blog in honor of a friend. She is fighting leukemia. When I say that she is fighting, I truly mean it. I have never seen or heard of someone having so much faith in the face of so much despair and pain. Except maybe Job. Currently she is over two weeks post stem cell transplant and there has not been engraphment as of yet. She is dependent of oxygen now and it does not look good for her. Please lift her name in prayer.
Here’s her Story taken from her Caring Bridge page:
PLEASE PRAY!!!
Good news and Bad news, Other Chemo didn’t work, but new appears to be working. White cells down, Blast cells down. Praying for more of the same. Please Pray.
This all began with a visit to the emergency room July 15, 2007. Melissa had an awful headache, had experienced a nose bleed and noticed bruising. Megan, a friend, was supposed to “hang out”, came over and after seeing how “wiped out” Melissa was, insisted that she go to the emergency room. Melissa argued that it was nothing and she would be fine with a little rest. Melissa had just finished her last final on Thursday at John Marshal Law School and felt the stress of the final on top of a very demanding full time job at a law firm was the cause for her feeling exhausted. A little R&R and she would be fine. Megan, was insistent and argued with Ben & Melissa until they gave in and went to the Emergency Room. This was quite a victory, because anyone who knows Melissa knows that you seldom win an argument against her. Melissa has an incredible internal data base of knowledge and facts plus her ability to process your words, then assemble a crushing retort in a nano-second is astounding. Megan gets a gold star for her persistence. I believe she saved Melissa’s life.
At 9:05 pm on Sunday July 15th I received a call from my son Jason. Melissa has been told that there may be traces of Leukemia in her blood.” At 1:00 am Monday morning the doctor had her moved to Northside. By 3:30 am she was in her room. More tests. By 5:00am a specialist “Dr. Solomon” came in and confirmed our worst nightmare was a reality. Melissa has Acute Leukemia and we must move quickly. By 6:30am she was hooked up to a dozen IV’s and machines. Then, they doped her up and we all sat around in shock and fear until about 9:00. It had only been 12 hours and we were all physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.
I had lunch with Melissa and Megan last Friday. It was fun and we laughed and joked. Melissa seemed fine on Friday. Melissa’s goal of being in the top 5% of her class is typical of her enthusiasm for everything she does. Melissa and Ben just bought a new home in Marietta. Ben just started a new job with a big company that is very demanding, long days and night school. The energy and love and fun of being around Melissa and Ben are incredible.
Melissa has a heart of gold and loves intellectual debate. How many people do you know that can actually quote Plato (off the top of her head) and compare his philosophy with modern governmental policies and current social movements. Melissa loves God and is a mature Christian and has accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Melissa and Ben were consulted and were told the devastating news that she would not be going to college next semester. Ben and Melissa are concerned about losing their jobs and their new home.
The absolute most painful moment (so far) was when Melissa looked me square in the eyes and asked me if she was going to die. I was frozen. Thousands of answers were bouncing around in my head. My mouth was open but no words came out. Megan, the Christian warrior (who could easily defeat Goliath) was standing beside me and stepped forward and said very frankly. Of course you are. We all are, not a person in this room will escape it. But, you’re not going to die any time soon. You are going to fight this thing and win and live a long productive life. By then, most of my tongue was forming a word and I said, “yeah”. I love Megan.
Ben stayed with Melissa last night and slept on a chair as he has ever night since. Ben is a mighty man, great in his love for Melissa and his love of the Lord. Ben comes from good stock, fearing the Lord. I’m so thankful to the Lord that Melissa has Ben. They have been married 4 years on July 26th and I can’t imagine Melissa with anyone else on this planet but Ben. At their wedding, everyone in the entire congregation was weeping at the same time. It was amazing, it was so “right”. I believe the Holy Spirit attended their wedding and blessed their marriage and was in that very room and that was why everyone cried at the same time. Even Jason cried.
Driving home last night, Alice and I talked about the fact that it has only been 24 hours since all this started. It is astonishing how their entire world has been turned upside down. How Melissa and Ben’s home, and jobs and education and dreams of building a family and everything has been smashed in one day. If it be God’s will to heal Melissa, then so be it. We are praying for strength, grace and healing from God in a flesh world filled with contamination and evil.
The most incredible thing I’ve ever witnessed is the hope, the praising God, the glorifying God’s name and the prayers from literally hundreds of people. Not a single friend or family has blamed God or cursed God, but instead praised God for giving us strength, endurance, friends, family, each other and giving us Melissa. God is great. Glory be to God forever. Of this I am sure, Leukemia does not own Melissa.
Melissa is a child of God and Melissa already has the victory, no matter what. By the blood of the Lamb, we have victory.
http://tinyurl.com/jesuslovesyouthisiknow
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