None of you know what has been going on with my health over the last month yet, because we have only shared it with immediate family or fellow missionaries whom we work beside here on the field. But now is the time for us to give you an update and let you know what is going on so that you can please pray for our family and our situation at this time.
Last month, I was finishing up our church services when all of a sudden, my right side was so painful I could not even touch it. I went home and tried to lay down, but the pain was so bad that after three hours, I got up and took my temperature, which was 101ºF. So, I went to the local hospital in our town and had my white blood cell count checked. Sure enough, it was also high, which all indicated appendicitis. I then drove myself over an hour to the main hospital in Nairobi. There they did a CT scan to confirm it was a form of appendicitis. They admitted me and took me to surgery the next day.
After the surgery, the surgeon explained to me that they had found a precancerous tumor growing within the appendix, which was causing the inflammation. They had originally thought and reported that the good news was that they had removed it in time without it spreading into the colon or small intestine.
Unfortunately, for my last checkup before next year’s follow-up/checkup, the doctor had to share with me that upon future study from the cancer board and pathology board, they discovered that I have precancerous cells within my ascending colon just where the appendix was attached. Therefore, the best form of treatment to prevent it from spreading any farther throughout my body is to remove the last small part of my small intestine and my entire ascending large intestine.
Now, I have already received a second and third opinion as well, and everything harmonizes with the same conclusion—the best thing to do for my health and longevity of life is to remove it so that there are no more precancerous cells within the tissue.
With that all being said, we need your prayers and support, as I will be going back into surgery on Friday and will have to stay in the hospital one week for recovery and then will have about six weeks total in recovery at home before I can go back to my normal routine. Please pray for us, as this has limited me in what I will be able to do in our ministry. It has added a financial burden to us as well, as we now have medical bills from the hospital that must be paid.
We know that God has a plan through all of this and will see us through all of this, but we cannot do it without Him. And we need the prayers and support of our brothers and sisters praying for us.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update from our family. We thank you for your prayers and support.
Sincerely,
The HESELSCHWERDT Family
Brandon, Ali, Jeffrey, Hannah, & Esther
Romans 10:14
