[Jassy]

I hope this won't be too long. I wasn't sure where to post this - Prayer request? General Chitchat? I think it fits best here in Prayer Request. This is MY Testimony. It's what all of you have never heard about me as yet, except for maybe a couple of you.

Please pray for my friend Marlene. She gave me the OK to request prayers for her online. She's a wonderful Christian that I have known for probably 20 years. She has Neurofibromatosis - Type II (NF2). It's hereditary. That condition causes tumors to grow on the nerves, anywhere in the body. It's common for them to have tumors on the auditory nerves, and surgery cause instant deafness. Their father and all of the siblings became deaf. Their father had NF2 and died from it. Marlene and all of the 3 others siblings have it also. One sister died of a brain tumor that she refused to have surgery for. It was horrible for her husband and their son (who is 17) to watch her just waste away and die. They've all had brain tumors operated on (craniotomies). Marlene calls that "simple" surgery!

Now she has been having problems with balance, her right leg dragging and decreasing leg strength and loss of feeling. It started in her toes and now is up to her chest. She was sent to a doctor who told her it was not a neurological problem but an ear problem, and sent her back to the ENT. All of this took several months, during which her condition worsened rapidly.

The ENT doctor was angry and asked if the doctor had done any verification with a neurosurgeon. He had NOT! So the ENT doctor told her that it was NOT an ENT problem and he sent her to a spinal specialist, telling her that it was most likely a spinal tumor. Yesterday, she found out that it is indeed a spinal tumor. She has a immense 4 x 4 cm tumor IN the spinal cord.

She had told me that she had decided that, if it was a high-risk surgery - and that she would likely end-up paralyzed, she didn't want the surgery. I told her that I would have the surgery. The alternative is that she would gradually lose functioning. The tumor is also into her left lung, and is causing her a lot of back pain. If that tumor is left, she will end up unable to breathe and paralyzed anyway - it will just be gradually taking over her ability to function.

I told her that if there was any chance that the tumor could be removed, I'd go for that chance, with prayer. She agrees with me and so she will allow an exploratory surgery, where he will carefully check her functioning as he goes along. This is really difficult because, not only would it cause paralysis, but she would lose functioning of bladder and bowels.

Marlene said that this surgeon is very, very skilled and that he told her he has never had even ONE case of causing paralysis from surgery on the spine. He is the top spinal surgeon. He does many different types of spinal surgeries, including tumors, accidents, and rebuilding of the spine.

Please keep her Marlene in your prayers. Please remember her everyday. She and I are very close. She lives right near me and we email each other almost daily. She is really precious to me and I trust in the Lord that he will watch over her and guide the surgeon's hands.

Marlene knows that I'm very concerned about the outcome of her surgery because the same surgeon will be doing surgery on me at some point in the future. I have had 3 surgeries on my upper spine with a halo device (screwed into the skull) and I have lower spine problems also. The doctor will have to rebuild my spine.

I've never told people here about my "testimony." I have rare proportional dwarfism. I'm 3'9" tall and weigh about 74 lbs. My condition is a degenerative one involving all of the connective tissue in my body. My spine has never been "normal." Instead of being a hollow round tube, mine is flattened and twisted. I have a dual types of scholiosis of the spine. It's really not noticeable though. My spine is twisted as well as curved.

So I would also appreciate your prayers for me. I deal with a lot of pain everyday. I've had probably 40 surgeries in my life. I'm not telling you this to elicit your sympathy - but simply because it plays an important role in my testimony. I believe in and love the Lord with all of my heart. No matter what I have been through, He has always been there for me. I haven't always had the best attitude - but there have been times when I've been told that the entire hospital had heard about me and my JOY. It is good to be able to show that, no matter what I go through. Unfortunately, I do have pain and can't always be bubbly and smiling. I'm human.

Please pray for Marlene. I love her dearly. She is one person that really understands. And also pray for me.

I've been reluctant to talk about my physical problems here because I've been really hurt in the past by Christians who have said that my faith is FAULTY because if I had TRUE faith, I would be HEALED. That hurts! Sometimes the LORD can be shown in more profound ways in the life of someone who is dealing with tremendous obstacles. The apostle Paul is my HERO!! I can't believe what that man went through and his testimony remained rock solid. That is such a humbling example for me.

Please pray for me also. I am twice-divorced. My first husband was there for me in 3 spinal surgeries (in my late 20's/early 30's), but he divorced me. My 2nd husband just simply couldn't deal with all of the medical issues, even though he knew about them before we married. He had an affair on me and got a girl pregnant (while we were still married). He had been in a drunk driving accident and would be coming home drunk every night. He moved in with the woman that he got pregnant and left me stuck with the entire rent on our home, alone. So, right or wrong - I divorced him. My second husband feels so much regret. He cried at our divorce (this is a man I had only seen shed tears ONCE). He recently told me that I was one of the most amazing women he's ever met. And that he has never seen a human being like me. He said that he learned what real faith is, from me. Oh boy, now I sound like I am bragging. I don't mean that. I'm glad that he has woken up and made changes in his life. This comes about 3 years later. His son is now 2 years old.

Please pray for me also - and please don't judge me. We shall let the LORD do that. I know I'm not perfect - but I have STRONG faith. I know that God had a reason for allowing me to be born this way and to have my entire life become a testament of faith to him. If you're going to tell me that I'm weak in faith and that I should be healed, go ahead - but I can tell you that I've heard it all, many times over. The Lord HAS heard many prayers for me - mine and that of others. There were 3 separate times when doctors expected that I would die - and I didn't. They don't know what "saved" me - but I do - and I tell them!

One of my spinal surgeries was done as an emergency to correct the halo device that had been moved when a nurses aide pulled me up by grabbing the 2 bars of the halo, going down to the brace. The halo is attached with a spring mechanism to keep the device in place. That had been for the upper 2 vertebra - C1 and C2. With a spinal injury at that level, it would cause death - because that controls life functions of breathing and heartbeat. So they had to remove and replace the halo with me AWAKE. It's SURREAL when they're drilling into your skull!! I have been through a lot! I was joking with them during this. I told them that, if they put a piece of glass on top of the halo, I could be a coffee table! One nurse later told me that I had NO IDEA of the kind of effect I had had upon the entire staff in that operating room - and that it had spread all over the hospital. Everyone knew about me! She knew that it was my FAITH that kept me positive and joyful, no matter what I went through. I hope that the entire hospital knew of the REASON for the JOY that is in me.

I also became DEAF at the age of 22. I became deaf in one ear gradually, by age 18, from so many ear-related infections and problems. Then I became totally deaf in the other ear, following surgery. So I've been deaf for over half my life. I don't know why - but God wanted me to be a very VISIBLE proof of His glory and faith. Becoming deaf is the point at which I truly started to HEAR the Lord's VOICE!! I finally started listening to Him, through His Word. You know what? I wouldn't go back and change a thing. I know that all is to the GLORY of our LORD and HIS purpose will be IN us. It will be MANIFEST. You know: FRUIT! I'm nowhere near perfect and I still deal with a LOT, everyday, but I definitely have JOY!! And I love the Lord with all my heart - and I put Him FIRST in my life.

Please pray that I always am able to share the JOY that is in me, whenever I must go through medical things. I don't ask to be GIVEN the opportunities - for I know that they will come!! But I do ask that I maintain my JOY! Please pray for that!

Thank you for listening and for your prayers.

In His Love with JOY!
Jassy