In this section of the web site, we shared information that we had on Lynette's medical condition and other developments relative to her activities and treatment.
September 7, 2005:
Nathan called tonight with the following update:
First, they want to thank everyone for their prayers regarding the start of school for Tristan and Katherine. Nathan reports that the kids are doing great in school and are having just a wonderful experience. This has been a great blessing to everyone in the Hoppe family and Nathan and Lynette want to thank everyone who has prayed for this situation.
Secondly, on the medical front, Lynette is experiencing less pain now than was reported in the last update. She was given two units of red blood cells last Friday and this seems to have helped her pain and her energy level. She also underwent another upper torso MRI which showed a mixed result. On the plus side, there are no major tumors that are compromising the structure of her spine or putting pressure on her spinal cord. On the negative side, there are many smaller cancerous areas that have spread throughout her spine. This diffuse spreading with many smaller areas makes radiation treatment less viable and effective.
Finally, the condition of Lynette's mother, Marcy, continues to deteriorate as she battles with liver cancer. Nathan and Lynette ask that you please include Marcy in your prayers.
September 18, 2005:
Nathan called tonight with the following update:
Nathan and Lynette have made the decision to visit Albanian together with the children. Their plan is to leave the United States on Sept. 23rd and to arrive here in Albania the next day. They will return to the U.S. on October 6th. Those of us here, in Albania, are overjoyed with the prospect of seeing them all again.
However, Lynette has been feeling very poorly for the last 4 days. She is going to see the doctor on Tuesday to check her blood count and see if she needs another two units of red bloods cells. These treatments have helped her very much in the past.
Nathan and Lynette ask for your prayers that she will feel well enough to make this trip to Albania, as planned. They also ask for your continued prayers for Lynette's mother Marcy, who, as we reported before, has liver cancer.
September 24, 2005:
Nathan called last night with the following update:
Sadly, Lynette was not feeling well enough yesterday to make the trip to Albania. She is on a new pain medication, which is much stronger than what she had been taking, in order to alleviate the serious pain she has been experiencing for the last week. They are struggling to get the dosage right, and the medication has the side effect of strong nausea.
She also returned to the Mayo Clinic and received another blood transfusion. They are hopeful that this transfusion (which has always helped Lynette in the past) combined with the new pain medication kicking in, will allow them to come to Albania on Oct 3rd.
Please pray that Lynette will feel well enough to make this trip to Albania.
September 29, 2005:
Nathan called today with the following update:
Lynette is still struggling with her hemoglobin level. This past Thursday (Sept. 22nd), she was given a transfusion of 2 units of blood to bring up her hemoglobin count. On Wednesday of this week (Sept. 28), they checked her hemoglobin level again and were hoping for a level of 11.0. The result was 9.5 and this is moving in the wrong direction. Lynette will return to the clinic on Friday for another blood test.
In order for her to make the trip to Albania, the doctors want see her level back up to 11.0. The Hoppe's are asking for your prayers that they will see this level on Friday, enabling her to make the trip to Albania. Please pray for her as she struggles to return to her home in Albania and spend some time with all the people who love her here. At this point, Nathan believes that it will take a miracle for her to be able to go, but that all things are possible with prayer. Please help us pray for this miracle.
October 5 , 2005:
BY GOD'S GRACE, AND WITH THE PRAYERS OF MANY PEOPLE, LYNETTE ARRIVED YESTERDAY FOR HER 10 DAY VISIT TO ALBANIA.
Nathan described the trip here as "blessed, every step of the way". Knowing it would be a long, difficult trip for Lynette, Nathan had arranged for a wheelchair to meet every plane, a business class seat for Lynette, and the first place in all customs and immigration lines. The goal was to tax her as little as possible.
Even though she was tired, Lynette mustered the energy to meet with many people here already. She has met with Metropolitan John Pelushi, Bishop of Korça; with some of her Albanian friends, as well as with many members of the Orthodox mission team serving here in Tirana. The joy in having her here is difficult to describe. She looks absolutely beautiful, but at the same time, fragile. All of us here, Americans, Greeks, and Albanians, want to spend as much time with her as possible, without tiring her too much.
Please pray for Lynette and the Hoppe family as they spend this blessed time together in Albania with many of the people who love them. At this stage of Lynette's illness, a trip like this does not make her doctors happy. They were very frank with Lynette about the risks of taking this trip. But she was determined to come and many here are blessed by her courage and strength.
Lord, hear our prayers.
