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Prayer for Isaac

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As I lay here at 3:00 in the morning with my head pounding from a migraine for the 3rd night in a row, I am praying for a young man who's head also might be pounding with more intense pain than my own.  Every time my head hurts, which has been a lot lately, it reminds me to pray for him and the upcoming surgery he will be having in about 3 1/2 hours.

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted anything on my blog in over a year.  Constant internet issues, computer malfunctions, business of life, and other trying circumstances have squelched my desire to write and post on this blog.  As I was laying in bed praying and trying to fall asleep, I felt God prompting me to write again in order to share a specific need for a prayer request for our dear friends, the Cremers.


The Cremer Family

We have never lived in the same town as the Cremers, but my husband and I have often wished we did, as we feel we would be very close friends.  Rachel and I get together almost every summer I go back to my hometown to visit and I have always appreciated these brief moments with her.  Our husbands are alike in so many ways with their love of the great outdoors, operating large equipment, riding fast snow machines and motorcyles, need to push the limit, hard working skills, building and creating things with their own hands, and love of their children and God.  Rachel and I have a lot in common in the fact that we are both teachers who taught in the public school system, quit teaching to become stay at home moms, homeschooled our children, struggled with putting our kids in public school for various reasons, and are now working at going back to teaching in different forms.  We have often times tried to convince them to move to Alaska to teach in the same town as us, but the town I grew up in has been their home for a number of years.

The first memories I have of Jake and Rachel, I believe are from when I was in college.  I remember coming home for the weekend and seeing this nice looking but strangely dressed man in church.  He was dressed in homemade leather clothing and I heard he lived in a tipi or cabin or something like that in the woods.  I remember thinking this strange man must be a mountain man our something!  Believe it or not, this mountain man was Jake Cremer.  Don't worry, I don't think he is strange anymore.  Even if he still dressed like that, I wouldn't think he was strange, but it is funny how first impressions are!

Timing is kind of vague in my mind, but I believe it was the next summer that I met Rachel.  I was helping our pastor, Jim Hunter, with a Pathwalkers Camp (the local Bible camp that the Hot Springs Bible church puts on each summer).  Rachel and Jake were helping with the camp as well.  My impression of Rachel was quite different than my first impressions of Jake.  I remember her leading a group of kids on a trail and she was so poised, loving, and kind with the children.  She looked like a natural teacher!  I soon found out that Rachel was a teacher and Jake's fiance.

A brief summary of life since those first impressions...Jake and Rachel got married and moved to Hot Springs, Jake's parents moved to Hot Springs, Jake and Rachel had four children, and they have been a light for Jesus in a sometimes very dark place.  They, like us, have been through their own fair share of trials.  Whether it be watching two different children strapped into a life flight plane at different times in their life, walking with a loved one as they go through their own trials, or crushed or damaged ankles and legs, we have been through some similar things.  Although I must say that Jake and Rachel are facing a greater trial than I have ever faced at this very moment and this is what I would like to ask you to pray for.  Isaac, Jake and Rachel's oldest son at 14 years old, is in need of your prayers.  Here is most of the story in Rachel's words.  I took the liberty of copying it, I hope you don't mind, Rachel....

Isaac is recovering from a head injury he sustained in a car accident on Tues. Dec. 29th in Missoula.  He was a passenger riding with several members of our family. Everyone walked away with minor cuts and bruises except for Isaac and his Grandma Carolyn, who had some fluid build-up around her heart. (She has been released from the hospital and is doing fine.)   Isaac and I took a life flight to Harborview Medical center in Seattle where he underwent neurosurgery in the early morning hours.  This relieved the pressure on his brain and repaired his fractured scull which was puncturing his brain.  He now has an incision with staples that go over his head like a headband.  
The good news!   He is currently recovering from this surgery and doing remarkably well. Tonight he is off of the ventilator and is responsive.  He recognizes his family and is responding to commands.  He has even shown us a sense of humor.  He still has multiple fractures in his face including his orbital sockets and most of his nasal cavity. He does have vision, although his eyes are so swollen that he cannot open them.  The doctors are monitoring them regularly.  

We are praying for total and complete healing.  There are some things of immediate concern.   Please pray specifically against infection.  Isaac's scull fractured in a way that compromised the protective barrier around the brain called the Dura.  This allowed some of the fluid that protects the brain to leak out and to possibly allow infection to come in.  He will have surgery next week to better repair these areas.  Also, pray specifically for his eyes to regain all of their functions.  All tests indicate that his eyes are working and are intact but we are not yet able to tell for certainty how Isaac really sees. Also pray for wisdom for his doctors, nurses and surgeons.  He will be having a specialist work on his cranial/facial repair and this surgery is very delicate and precise.  Because of the extensive damage to his face, Isaac's nasal cavity will not currently allow him to breath through his nose.  This is a concern because he only has one option to breathe and it becomes more complicated when needing surgeries.

Overall, Isaac is doing remarkably well.  We are thankful to God and all of the skillfull nurses, doctors and surgeons that have taken such good care of our boy.  Priorities come into sharp focus during times like this and we are extremely grateful to have such loving friends and family.  We give all the glory to God.  He is our sustainer and refuge.  We have much to be thankful for and we are very thankful for you.

Each post that Rachel and Jake make speaks mountains of their faith and I am amazed at the strength God has given them to endure what I consider one of the hardest trials a parent will face of seeing their own child in pain.  Just read this next post by Rachel and let the enormity of the words sink in as you pray for Isaac.


The hospital is full of distractions and my thoughts easily drift into the unknown and then fear takes hold.  Words like endoscopic, transorbital , transnasal , brain floor fracture, surgery, staples, neurosurgery, trauma, fractures, risk,  MRI, CAT scan, CSF leak, brain injury, OT, PT and long term rehab spin my emotions and I come out dizzy, overwhelmed and disheartened.  I look at Isaac and begin to think how can this be?  How quickly I would trade places with him if I only could.  I feel helpless and so totally dependent.  I begin to feel myself go to the edge of "what if?"  But then a still and quiet voice whispers to me, "Rachel, I am on my throne and I have never left".  Jesus reminds me of His words and I am assured as I remember "Holy, Holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come"  and I too can give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne.  It takes away my fear and then peace overwhelms me.  I  identify with Peter when he writes, " Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." (read 1 Peter 1)  Yes, truly I need Him in every way and when I worship Him I can feel joy even in the darkest moments.  This is why I write to you about my faith in Jesus Christ.  It truly brings me joy. 
Isaac will have surgery tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM to repair the orbital and nasal fractures.  The plan is to have endoscopic surgery that will access the fractures through an incision in the eyelid.  He has a fracture near the top of his right orbit that will need to be lifted and placed.  This procedure will be delicate because of the close proximity it is to the brain and the pressure on it. The team will also assess the fractures in his scull and the puncture in the dura.  They will evaluate as they proceed.   He will have an excellent team of surgeons - some of the best in the nation. 
Currently, Isaac is resting after a day of exams, tests and CAT scans.  He is being very courageous.  Please continue to pray for him emotionally and spiritually. 
- pray that he will not have any CSF leaks
- protection for his eyes
- protection and healing for his brain
- wisdom and discernment for Isaac's surgeons, nurses and doctors
- Peace during the surgery
- total and complete healing
- for the rest of our kids as they are away from us - and Grandparents as they take such good care of them while we are with Isaac.
We know that Isaac has the best care possible and we also know the Great Physician.  Thank you for checking in on him and passing on such encouraging messages.  It is so good to not go through this alone.  We are tired tonight and hope to get a good sleep for tomorrow.

As I lay awake and pray for you and your child, Jake and Rachel, I pray you truly are getting good rest.  I know the draining emotions that come from waiting in the hospital to see what happens next.  Not to this extreme by any means, but I pray for rest my dear friends as you will need strength for tomorrow. Isaac, you are greatly loved by your Heavenly Father!  We will be praying for you throughout the day.  May God grant you strength and peace that passes all understanding.  You have already been such a witness of God's love even in the midst of such a trial.  It gives me encouragement and strength to face my own trials with God's grace.  We love you Cremer family!

Thanks for praying for these sweet friends everyone!


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