MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2007 11:02 PM, CST

We're back! What a great time. It was tiring for me but well worth it.
I have a TOTALLY new perspective on what you moms out there do. Men, I don't care what your story is, you need to stop and take inventory of what your wives really do each day. It is a strange balance of bliss and blister. I loved it all though and wouldn't trade it. It was definitely a great move.
Emily would literally swim ALL DAY if I would let her. I swam at least 90 minutes a day and on certain days as much as three hours. Have fun at the pool Nana!
Emily is convinced that she is now Abby's mother. She, just like her mom, has no problem picking up the slack for everyone and organizing everyone's day for them. Her "plans" each day were hilarious. She is so task-oriented and conscientious. If she could drive I may have taken her up on her request to totally take over on this trip. What's funny is that Abby has no problem just getting in line. It's hilarious to watch them interact.
I experienced a range of emotions on the trip. There were incredibly sad moments like when we went out on the beach for the first time--a place Kristina really loved--and the girls just played by themselves. That was tough. It was a real practical wake-up call of "our reality" as Kristina would call it. But there were also high moments like when Emily would make a comment about where her mother was and the fact that it was okay because we'd get to go up there too someday. I think she has a decent grip on it but I'll continue to reinforce the truth with her. Abby actually gets it more than I thought she might. She has asked hundreds of times, "Where mommy go?" It may just be rote toddler speak at this point but I just stay consistent with my answer and it seems to appease her.
There are a couple of truths that became clear to me on this trip. First, I KNOW I can do this. It is not easy but I can do this. I'll need help, but I can do this. Secondly, I was incredibly blessed, more than I ever realized before, to have been married to Kristina Jewell. What an impact she had on everyone she met. It just became crystal clear to me how fortunate I was to be able to walk through life with her so closely for over eight years. I mean I knew that before obviously but it was just different on this trip. It was more of a retrospective type feeling that I could not have had before. Life will just be different without her. I'm not going to say it will be horrible because that would not be consistent with the hope we have in Christ nor with her attitude or wishes. It will just be different. And if that's okay with God, it's going to be okay with me. We will get through it and we will do everything in our power to glorify Him in the process.
Thank you mom and dad for being there the past few days. The girls enjoyed seeing you. I enjoyed seeing you. We can't wait to see you again shortly.
I will be wrapping up a few things tomorrow and then will probably try to start working a bit on Wednesday. It will be good to get back into the groove there. Our lives are starting to take shape now. The girls are feeling more comfortable with the new surroundings.
For those of you counting at home, Kristina has now been enjoying her eternal, imperishable, blissful environment with our Lord for 13 days. She loves us and we love her--always.
Thank you for your continued encouragement. I do check the site as often as possible and will continue to post as often as possible as well.
In Christ,
John

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2007 12:27 AM, CST

I'm gearing up for our trip tomorrow. The girls are down for the night. I'm still up packing as usual!
I had a great day today with Emily. We were able to spend about 10 hours together shopping, talking and playing. It was a lot of fun. Nana stayed with Abby. This is definitely new and different but it's going to be okay. There are moments where I have no idea how Kristina did this. Then there are moments where I realize how much fun she must have been having hanging out with these precious girls each day. Praise God that His plan is better than ours because this is a pretty good gig! I love these girls!
For those of you who have been asking how it went when I told them about their mother going to heaven, they have taken it pretty well. I don't think Emily completely understands that Mommy will not be coming back down here but she definitely knows she's in heaven.
Pray for us as we travel. Pray for Miss Dean as she copes back here.
In Christ,
John

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2007 08:30 AM, CST

Miss Dean, the girls and I went to church last night for the first time without Kristina. That was tough. I could sense that the church felt the same burden that we did. This is just a huge weight that will not be lifted overnight. Thank you church for continuing to lift us up in prayer and for taking care of our physical needs with food, hugs and encouragement.
Kristina is now in her sixth day of eternal bliss in heaven. We must not forget that this is the "other side of the coin" to all of this. Kristina gets it now. She understands what her journey was all about and it is indeed well with her soul. She understands why she got to go now and we didn't. And if she could speak with us, she'd tell us that it was a perfect plan and that God wasn't finished with any of us.
Ironically, the one thing that ultimately meant the most to Kristina here on earth is the one thing she can no longer do--witness to the lost. So if you feel an attachment to her legacy and you are inspired by the way she walked through her Christian journey, make the souls of the lost a priority of yours as well.
I am taking the girls on a short vacation beginning tomorrow. Please pray for Miss Dean, Kim and others who will be left here while we're gone. Pray for our safe travel as well.
In Christ,
John

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2007 11:08 AM, CST

I'm home alone with the girls and doing fine so far. They are really sweet. Emily has grasped this much faster than I thought she would. She has questions like, "Is all of her hair back?" and "Does she still have her big shiny teeth?" I've told her that her mom is better than ever now. She's even telling Abby where her mommy is when she asks.
We're going to get through this by God's grace. I miss Kristina badly as you might imagine. I'm learning to do little girl things little by little. God's grace has definitely been sufficient for us and I know He's not going to leave us. If He is a father to the fatherless, I know He'll be a mother to the motherless as well.
Please continue to pray for our strength and comfort in the coming days.
In Christ,
John

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2007 12:56 PM, CST

I just wanted to express my gratitude to all of you who were there either Thursday, Friday or both. I was amazed at how many of you came in from all over the U.S. to honor Kristina.
There will be more to come from this site in the coming days as we continue to preach the message of hope and grace that was so dear to Kristina.
In Christ,
John

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2007 12:54 PM, CST

Here is the audio of Kristina's memorial service for those of you who could not attend. What an uplifting time we had celebrating this dear saint's life.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonID=21707125054

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2007 10:08 AM, CST

There have been several calls asking about visitation. Kristina's funeral will be a closed casket funeral and there will be no visitation. The first event will be the funeral at 1:00pm tomorrow at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Juliet, followed by the burial at Wilson County Memorial Gardens on South Maple Street in Lebanon.
God's grace is really covering our family right now. Keep praying that this will continue in the coming days. Kristina has been safely home and fellowshiping with other saints for 5 hours and 13 minutes now. Praise God!
John

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2007 09:56 AM, CST

At 5:00am this morning Kristina met Jesus. We are all grieved, relieved and thrilled for Kristina at the same time.
Her funeral service will be at 1:00pm tomorrow (Thursday) at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Juliet, TN. Her memorial service will be at 6:30pm on Friday at the same location.
John
In lieu of flowers please make your memorial gift to:
The Nursery Ministry of Grace Baptist Church
Grace Baptist Church
201 Belinda Parkway
Mount Juliet, Tennessee 37122

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2007 05:49 AM, CST

At 5:00am this morning Kristina met Jesus. We are all grieved, relieved and thrilled for Kristina at the same time.
Her funeral service will be at 1:00pm tomorrow (Thursday) at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Juliet, TN. Her memorial service will be at 6:30pm on Friday at the same location.
John

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2007 05:19 PM, CST

Happy Birthday to Abby Grace! She turned two today.

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2007 01:00 PM, CST

Kristina is now unconscious and we hope to keep it that way through administering a sufficient amount of morphine. She is certainly not going to be in her earthly body much longer but I'm out of the prognostication business at this point. I can tell you this, it won't be one second before or after the Lord wills. That moment was pre-determined before the foundation of the world.
We will cry and mourn deeply for the loss of our sister in Christ when this happens but we will also rejoice knowing that what we experience each time we see Kristina--her eternal spirit--has been released from her diseased body to dwell in the place it belongs. Kristina is a stranger in this land as are all of us who are knit together in Christ. Even for those of us who are physically living, we are never going to habitate our true residence until we arrive where Kristina is about to go. Praise God for that.
Please pray that Kristina will be comfortable until she has arrived safely home.
In Christ,
John

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2007 07:16 PM, CST

From John & Kristina's Pastor:
Dear Family & Friends,
John just told me that Kristina had a rough night and rough morning. Without medication Kristina would be in excruciating pain. The morphine has been adjusted to keep her sedated.
Kristina and her dear family have endured so much. Many of you have prayed so faithfully that God would heal Kristina physically. It appears at this point that He is going to heal her totally and completely by releasing her from pain and suffering by taking her to Heaven.
In the meantime we should still continue to pray. Here are three request that we can take to our Heavenly Father:

  • Please pray that God would be merciful and end Kristina's suffering.
  • Please pray that God would grant Kristina's family strength and rest for the coming days.
  • Please praise our Lord for Kristina. What a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, sister and friend. Her life has brought great glory to her Lord and her life brought love and joy to us.

2 Tim 4:6-8 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Prayerfully,
Alan Herd
www.gbcmj.com

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2007 09:09 AM, CST

We really thought she was heading to heaven last night. At about 1:30 in the morning Kim woke me and said they thought she may be heading home. Her breaths had become far apart but they returned to a somewhat normal pace about 20 minutes later. She is clearly in steady decline though and we don't anticipate the rest of this process will last much longer.
A special thank you to Jenni Mason and Kerry York. Jenni is Keith's wife and Kerry is Kim's husband. Thank you for the sacrifices you're making at home to allow Kristina's siblings to be here.
More later.
In Christ,
John

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2007 05:51 PM, CST

Excruciating. Just excruciating. That's the only way to describe it. It is so hard to watch this dear saint suffer and to hear her on several occasions say she is ready to go home but her body just isn't quite ready yet. What an awkward position we're in right now! I want God to take her quickly if He's not going to heal her. Our family feels the same way. Kristina feels the same way. The difficulty of the limbo is just unreal. It's like a growing water balloon full of pain that just won't break. But we all know that when it does a flood of hurt will envelope us. But as the days pass, I think we all get settled in a little more in our own individual ways to the coming (likely) reality. Maybe that's why God is holding this up a bit...to give us all that chance to adjust.
Thank you so much to my friends for coming over to Kyle's today to see me. JT, Joel, Matt, Daniel, Mark, John...it was GREAT to see you. What a blessing. And thank you Kyle and Claire for accomodating. What a great group of brothers (and sister) you are!
Even in the midst of this struggle, it is sweet to be able to search the Bible for God's truth around eternal life and to share that boldly with my sweetheart. It seems to comfort her. It takes a lot out of me but it is so worth it. God's truth and His promises of eternal life to Kristina are more powerful than anything that we could do or say in this world. The awesome thing is that all of us who will humble ourselves in the form of an apology to our Lord for our offenses toward Him and embrace His free substitutionary gift...salvation of our souls as a result of the person and work of Jesus Christ...shall also have eternal life. He did all the work, we get to swap accounts with Him and walk away judicially clean in the Lord's eyes. For when He looks upon our account after this "transaction" has been made, He sees the spotless record of Jesus, not ours. To God be the glory!
In Christ,
John

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2007 08:45 AM, CST

Kristina's breathing is still fairly consistent but she has been very restless. Her mother was up with her all night long and just went to bed at 7:00am. I was up with her until 5:00am and am back up with her now. Her sister is in her room as well. She seems ready to go based on the few small things we can make out but she is also in pain and just a little scared at times. The first problem we can remedy with medicine and the second with prayer. Please join us in the latter.
John

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2007 07:01 PM, CST

Just wanted to check in again. Kristina's condition is not much different today. It's so difficult to watch her in this state of limbo. We are all slowly adjusting the best we can but it hurts so much. It's hard to know how to pray for her right now.
I had a chance to see the girls today. That was difficult. They've been staying with my mom and dad. It was great to visit with them but it was difficult leaving them. They don't realize what's going on here and, unless Kristina specifically calls for them, I don't think we're going to expose them to it. I'm sure they'll be more resilient than I think but I really worry about them--particularly Emily.
We are modifying the arrangements a bit from what I posted earlier. We will have a funeral one or two days after her meeting with Jesus (depending on the time of day she departs). We will have the memorial the day after that. So it's the same two events, just in reverse order. I'll get that information posted as soon as she joins her Lord in glory.
I want you all to know that my frank words about the imminence of Kristina's passing are in no way meant as a discouragement from asking the Lord to heal her. If the Lord can bring Lazarus out of the grave after four days, He can certainly heal Kristina at ANY moment. So please continue to pray to that end. I just want you to know what we'll be doing if the Lord does call her home.
I've been sharing with Kristina these past 24 hours about how great it will be to shed these tubes and this decaying body and run and laugh and praise her Lord face to face. She said, "I can't wait." Praise God!!!
In Christ,
John

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2007 12:45 AM, CST

John again. Kristina had a pretty good day today. She had a few moments of relative coherence and we were able to share some sweet time together.
I read to her about the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21--where she'll be headed the instant she leaves this world. I told her about Stephen and how he saw the Lord standing from His throne to welcome him into heaven and how that would undoubtedly be the same for her. I am just trying everything I can to encourage her to relax and trust God.
She does not need to be scared, nor does any saint, when they reach this stage. She has truly run the course well. Her residency and her treasure are already in heaven. She will feel more at home there than she ever did here. I already miss my sweet, sweet Kristina so much. But I would not keep her from the prize that awaits her if I could. Would I like to go with her? Sure. I would love it if God called me home tonight quite honestly so I could explore those golden streets with her right away. But He in His sovereignty has not seen fit to do that right now. Only time will tell why.
As always, thank you all for your posts. What an overwhelming day from that perspective. I think we had about 60 or 70 posts just today. That really encourages my family. Throughout the day we all take turns reading the posts and draw encouragement from them.
Please continue to ask the Lord to give us peace in our mortal minds that matches the hope that is in our souls.
In Christ,
John

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2007 11:18 AM, CST

This is John. Kristina is peaceful today. At one point I said, "It will be so great for you to be able to shed this body and get rid of this awful disease." She said, "I can't wait." That says it all in my mind. I then told her how much I loved her and told her how beautiful everyone thinks she is inside and out. She said, "I wish I could see it," and started crying. That's just like Kristina. It was a great opportunity for me to tell her that the whole reason she's so great is that she DOESN'T see it. It's NEVER about her. This lady is so full of the Holy Spirit it's unreal.
I love her so much and I'm having the worst time letting go. This world will suffer as a result of the loss of this saint. She did so much for the people around her by just being her.
Please continue to keep her and our family in your prayers. We are in a crisis mode right now and need a special covering that can only be granted by God. Please pray for that.
In Christ,
John

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2007 06:14 PM, CST

This is John. We have been told that Kristina probably has somewhere between 0 and 72 hours left before meeting Christ face to face. While that is awesome for her it is incredibly painful for all of us.
Please pay close attention to this website in the next couple of days if you intend to be present at Kristina's services. Here is our tentative plan when Kristina is called home. If she passes prior to about 8 or 9pm Central time on any given day, we will be holding a memorial service for her the next day at 6:30pm at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Juliet, TN. That address is 201 Belinda Parkway. The number is (615)754-5570. We will end that time with a fellowship in the church.
Then we'll be holding a funeral service the next day, also at Grace Baptist, at 11:00am. We will then take her to Wilson County Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Lebanon, TN where her earthly body will be laid to rest. That address is 618 South Maple Street. The number there is (615) 444-5417 if you are the type that needs to be sure on your directions!
If Kristina passes after about 9:00pm Central on any given night, we will wait until the second day to start this process. So for example, if she passes on Saturday at 11:00pm, we will have her memorial service on Monday at 6:30pm and her funeral on Tuesday at 11:00am.
Thank you all for following Kristina's journey with so much love and compassion. She was so enthusiastic about this site and was amazed at how her story was touching so many people. She lived her life well. She loved her family well. She loved me well.
Kristina never made it about Kristina. It was always about others. She was the most selfless, hard-working woman I've ever known. Just a tremendous mother. It was so natural for her. We will all miss her desperately.
I attended a funeral for a friend of mine's dad not too long ago and was impressed upon so greatly by one of the stories told there. It encouraged me so much and I've often thought about it during this struggle. I want to share it with you now. D.L. Moody once said that you would read in the paper some day that he had died. But, he said, don't you believe it for a second. At that moment he would be more alive than ever.
That's the heart of the matter here friends and family. That's the truth, and we rest in that. You will indeed read soon that Kristina Jewell Schlegel has died. But don't you believe it for a minute. Kristina was made eternally alive in Christ years ago. She will dwell with Him in glory for all eternity. She will never hurt again. In time she will receive a glorified body impervious to disease or pain and she will run and not grow weary. She has not been able to experience life in its fullest sense, nor have any of us, because of this depraved human body. But praise God she will now be able to experience true living as she sheds this "earth suit" as Pastor Alan calls it and enters the eternal bliss of heaven.
It wouldn't be honoring Kristina's wishes if I didn't take the time to say that I want all who are reading this to make sure that they'll be there with this precious saint when their physical lives end. All of the goodness and purity and selflessness that you see in Kristina is the Holy Spirit of God shining through her. That Holy Spirit was given to her at the time she accepted Christ as her savior. It is her down payment for heaven. She recognized a long time ago that she, in and of herself, could not meet God's standard. She was depraved. She was incapable in fact of the total righteousness that God requires to enter His heaven. But through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, God provided a way of salvation. Kristina accepted that free gift and has now become, through Him, the wonderful witness that you all know and love. So please consider today this reality that Kristina has seen by faith for years and is about to experience by sight. Christ bids that you come. Because Kristina did, we know we'll see her again. We know she is eternally sealed and secure. Consider this for your life as well today.
God bless,
John

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2007 11:23 PM, CST

John again. Kristina is sleeping. Her brother Keith, her sister Kim and obviously her mother Miss Dean are all staying here pretty much every night now. My mom and dad are here each day as well to help with the girls. Kristina's dad and nephew have really added support as well.
Today was again difficult. Full of new challenges. But first, for the good news. Kristina's potassium level dropped to 5.8. Praise God! She also had a couple of very small pockets of energy today which was just great.
I appreciate all of your sweet words of encouragement. I am truly overwhelmed at the outpouring of support for us during this time. Here in the battle I strangely don't feel adequate at all. Kristina's family is so strong in terms of taking care of physical needs that I honestly feel that I'm in the way at times. They're so good to their precious daughter, sister, aunt, etc.
We're all grieving in different ways. Miss Dean will sit with her for hours at a time while she's sleeping. She takes care of all of her physical needs in a way that is just unreal. There are many crowns in heaven awaiting her. Please pray specifically for her comfort as she is probably having a more difficult time with this than anyone right now. She says that she "counted on her so much" and that she was "perfect." I agree.
Keith is a rock as well. He and I have had to have some tough conversations and complete some suffocating tasks these past few days. From home health nurses asking me if I want to resuscitate her, to visiting funeral homes, to administering medicine, to ministering to his family--he has been there and stayed strong through it all. Many of you know that it wasn't that long ago that Keith didn't know the Lord. God chose to use Kristina's influence in a mighty way as He recently saved Keith's soul. I now see Keith as a powerful spiritual warrior who is right alongside me in this process. He's a trusted friend and I think it's time to drop the "in-law" from the last part of his technical relationship to me. Thanks Keith. Your sister is being honored by you and so is your Lord.
And all of you have been there as well. Kristina's army of friends has just grown and grown. She's had nearly 2,000 hits on this site just since yesterday. That's amazing. She loves you all so much. All she wants is for people to see Christ in her. That's it. All she wants is for people to come to Christ. Even though she's afraid. Even though she is in the absolute valley of physical life, she is happy when she hears that her life has impacted her brother and more recently her father for Christ. I asked her the other day if the Lord did physically appear to her and told her He could either take her now and her brother and father would be saved as a result of it...or she could live another 50 years, see her girls graduate, be married and have kids, but her brother and father would go to hell--what would she do? She didn't hesitate to say she'd go home to be with the Lord that instant.
If you love her. If you've been touched by her. If you truly see what she's going through and say, "Wow, I think that's the way it should be," or "That's exactly what I want to be like when my time has come," then understand that it can be that way and it will be that way if you possess that same Holy Spirit that Kristina does and you consciously yield to that Holy Spirit in your actions. If you don't know Christ, don't ever assume you'll have time later to get to know Him. Ask Him to save you now. If you do know Christ, please take this as a wake-up call to do the only thing you happen to still be drawing breath to do in the Lord's eyes--glorify Him by telling others about Him and discipling those young in the faith. If you are a shy person...you can speak volumes with your actions alone.
Keith said that the main reason he believes he was so influenced by Kristina is that he's not a big fan of talk. Kristina walked. That is indisputable. A spirit-filled life...a life that says "it's not about me,"...that is the power of Jesus Christ and it PROVES that He is who He says He is. If you are convinced of that you will indeed see Kristina again once she is spiritually released from this dying world. Praise God that I will see my sweet sister in Christ again after she departs this world. And next time it will be forever.
John

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2007 10:39 PM, CST

This is John. Things are progressing so quickly now that even those of you who have seen Kristina in the past couple of weeks would have a hard time grasping exactly where she is today. She is in and out of it most of the time--never completely coherent for more than a few minutes at a time. She is extremely fatigued and disoriented.
Yesterday her potassium level reached an alarming 7.3. Normal is between 3 and 5 and 7 would be enough to put an otherwise healthy person in the ICU. Eight would likely take her life. We're not out of the woods yet on that. High potassium levels affect the kidneys and heart. In a worst-case-scenario, the elevated levels could shut down her kidneys and/or stop her heart.
We have had some sweet time with Kristina the past few days. It has only gotten really bad in the past 36 hours or so. She was able to relay several of her wishes to us and has been able to come to grips with the reality that the Lord is likely calling her home.
Tonight we celebrated Abby's second birthday party a few days early. I am so happy she had a chance to see it but it was without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever had to see. Seems as though I'm saying that again every day as new challenges are presented.
Please pray for peace for our family right now. This is absolutely excruciating at times. We are all pulling together and, I believe, handling things well under the circumstances. But this is the absolute valley folks. I know some of you who are reading this have no doubt experienced this in your own families and know exactly what I mean. But for those of you who haven't, PLEASE kiss your spouse, your kids, your close friends and loved ones and DO those things that you think you'll want to do someday. Do them now. You can't take too many pictures. You can't write too many letters, make too many videos, etc. You can't say "I love you" too much. Trust me.
God has been impressing upon us that our lives are not ours when we are in Christ. Christ created Kristina, He chose her before the foundation of the world, He bought her with His own blood and sealed her with the Holy Spirit until He would mercifully take her home one day--extracting her vibrant and eternally living soul from her dying, diseased body. That time appears to be very soon for her. We must accept that Kristina was on loan to us for 33 years. We do not own her. We do not make up the plan for her life. God has always been in control of her. He has always done right by her and He's not going to change that now. This is His will and we will ultimately accept it and praise Him for it--as impossible as that sounds right now.
Thank you all for your prayers and your posts. I'll do my best to get timely updates out under these difficult circumstances.
In Christ,
John

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2007 11:04 AM, CST

This is John. We're home safely now. Kristina is so happy!
Thank you all for the prayers and posts. We are so blessed to have such a great support system.
I also want you to know it is important that Kristina uses whatever time and energy she has left to pour into her girls. That's what's most important to her. Her energy level is quite limited each day.
With all of this in mind, we would appreciate no visitors at this time. Please e-mail, post or even call me on my cell phone if you have any thoughts, prayers, requests, etc. But the time we have left is precious family time. Thank you in advance for respecting this wish.
God bless!
John

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2007 01:54 PM, CST

From Kristina & John's Pastor:
Dear Family & Friends,
The clinical news concerning Kristina is not good. The chemotherapy has caused Neuropathy (numbness and partial paralysis) in her feet and hands. The doctors now believe that the swelling in her stomach is also related to the chemotherapy.
Dr. Spigel told John & Kristina that clinically there was nothing that can be done to reduce the swelling. Because of the swelling, Kristina will not be able to take anymore chemotherapy. Clinically, without the chemotherapy, the cancer will spread and take her life.
Kristina wanted you to know the severity of this latest report and wanted you to know that the clinical prognosis is she has weeks to months to live.
From a clinical standpoint this is sobering news.
As Christians, we view things with spiritual eyes and from a spiritual perspective. We are thankful for doctors, nurses and medicine, (Kristina is getting the best care possible) but we know that God has the last word.
I believe it is proper to continue to ask God to heal Kristina. Through our prayers we will ultimately find out what God's sovereign will is for Kristina....but for now, we know He wants her to live.
Also continue to pray that God will grant for Kristina and John, wisdom, strength and the peace that passes all understanding in the coming days.
I know John & Kristina are thankful for your love for them and their precious girls, Emily & Abby. They are also thankful for your continued prayers and daily concern for them.
As their Pastor, I have been blessed to see brothers and sisters in Christ truly loving each other with the love of our Lord. I can see how God has used Kristina and John to cause us to desire a closer walk with Him and a closer walk with our loved ones.
I have also seen God use the lives of these dear saints to call some to Salvation. And I know, Kristina and John's prayer is that many more will come to a saving faith and knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We believe the Bible teaches the chief aim of man is to bring glory to God through the life that He has given us. Kristina and John have been true to this ultimate and eternal call.
Please continue to allow God to do His work in your life and please continue your faithful prayers for Kristina, John and their dear family.
In Christ's Love,
Alan Herd
Pastor - Grace Baptist Church
www.gbcmj.com

 

 

Dear Friends,
Kristina will be having a CT scan on her abdomen today. I would like to ask each of you to specifically pray that the scans reveal no new cancer in that area. The doctors are checking to see if the cancer has spread to her colon and also to check on the cancer in her liver.
As John stated before, the swelling and fevers must subside before Kristina is able to leave the hospital. Tomorrow will be day 14 of her hospital stay. Please pray for Kristina physically as well as emotionally. Not seeing her girls is very difficult. Kristina's desire has always been to be a godly wife and mother. Let's continue to petition the Great Physician and pray for her complete healing so that she can resume the roles that she longs to fulfill.
Thank you for all of the sweet post and prayers that are being said for the Schlegel and Mason families. May God receive all the glory!
In His love,
Stef

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2007 06:42 PM, CST

The swelling in Kristina's feet and legs has subsided some, but the swelling in her abdomen has not changed.
In order for Kristina to come home or have additional chemo treatments, her abdominal swelling must subside. Please make this a specific prayer request to our Lord.
John

 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2007 11:53 PM, CST

Friday, Jan 26th update:

Kristina is exhausted. I don't know what other procedures they could have left at this point. She had the colonoscopy today. The anasethesia has wiped her out. The swelling/fluid retention is a real issue. She literally has about 25 pounds of excess fluid trapped in her stomach, legs and feet. That simply has to subside before they can even consider releasing her. She is starting to get bed sores so we have really made an effort to keep her out of bed.

Please pray that the doctors can get her swelling under control.

Saturday, Jan 27th update:

Kristina has had a rough morning. She had difficulty breathing this morning and the doctors were concerned that fluid was getting into her lungs. They are treating her for this and have her on oxygen.
They believe this is all "chemo" related and they hope it will pass. The results of her colonoscopy are good. No polymps or signs of cancer. So this is great news.
Please be vigilant in your prayers.
John

 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2007 01:25 PM, CST

Kristina will be having a colonoscopy today at 2:00 p.m. She is still retaining fluid in her abdomen. Thankfully she is not suffering from any pain currently, but the retained fluid has made her very uncomfortable.
Please continue your prayers for Kristina.
John

 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2007 11:25 PM, CST

Kristina had about five hundred cc's of fluid drawn from her stomach yesterday morning. Seems to have relieved her a little. Let's praise the Lord for this small blessing!

Dr. Spigel told us today that Kristina's cancer has not progressed but it also has not gotten better. This was initially discouraging as we hoped it would have been great news. But it certainly could have been worse.

Dr. Spigel believes that we are receiving some benefit from this chemo and that it makes sense to continue it if Kristina's immediate symptoms subside. So we'll need to take a break for sure but the plan for now is to start it back as soon as she can handle it.

Please pray for Kristina's spirits to be lifted, for healing and for ultimate trust in our Lord.
God Bless,
John

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2007 09:37 AM, CST

Kristina has an enormous amount of discomfort in her stomach now. It is painful for her to even turn in her bed.

Dr. Spigel came by this morning. He had not seen her since Friday morning. He said her stomach was definitely larger today than it was then and that he suspects she has as much as two liters of fluid in there. This means she will definitely have another ultrasound today and will hopefully have much of her discomfort relieved through draining the stomach.

Spigel had still not reviewed the scans. He indicated that the new scans show cancer present in the liver (didn't specify how much), a few small nodules in her left lung and cancer still present in a couple of lymph nodes. He said his best guess is that it's not any worse but he can't say for sure without reviewing the scans sometime today.

Whether the chemo is working or not there is a chance she'll have to come off of this chemo if it becomes apparent that it is the root cause of her fluid retention, gas and neuropathy. We know it's causing the latter.

There will be many hard decisions and difficult conversations to be had in the days to come. But for now we have to get past this first hurdle of Kristina's immediate symptoms improving enough that she can leave the hospital. That means her stomach must go down and she must be able to move around more. If not, she's at risk for blood clots. We now know she'll be here at least through tomorrow
night. Chemo is obviously off for tomorrow.

Please pray for Kristina's nerves. She REALLY doesn't want to have this fluid drawn but she knows she needs to. Also pray for the Lord to strengthen her trust and complete reliance upon Him.

Thank you all so much for continuing to lift us up.

John

 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2007 06:07 PM, CST

Kristina still has no pain but has a very swollen stomach and is fatigued. Both docs came by this morning. Really nothing new except that they both seemed encouraged that her appetite was starting to come back and her color and energy were better. Those are the factors that will determine when she can go home--not the size of her stomach. She will not be having a colonoscopy. There is a
decent chance she will have fluid drained from her stomach either today or tomorrow. I'll keep you posted as I receive more information.
John

 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2007 05:31 PM, CST

Kristina's blood transfusion has really started to benefit her today. Her color has returned and she's had a bit more energy.

But for those of you who have seen her lately, you know that's not saying much. She's still quite frail and tires very easily. For that reason we still would prefer no visitors at this time. She is resting very well which is DESPERATELY needed.

Please keep up the prayers. Specifically pray that the enemy might not steal Kristina's joy and her assurance during this time of suffering.

Thank you!

John

 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2007 10:28 AM, CST

We just saw Dr. Spigel's oncology partner. He didn't give us a whole lot of additional information. He did confirm that at least some of the source of Kristina's bloating is trapped gas. That does not mean, necessarily, that the liver is not a prominent factor. We just won't know until Dr. Spigel sees the side-by-side scans on Monday.

The GI doctor just left. He said that he does believe that her swelling is likely caused by gas. He does not believe we should do a colonoscopy today. He reviewed the CT scan of her abdomen and indicated that he didn't see an enlarged colon which may rule out certain infections. He's waiting on the results of her stool samples before making a recommendation. The idea of draining what's been deemed a "moderate" amount of fluid from her abdomen is still a possibility for today--partially for relief and partially to analyze it for further infection possibilities.

I wish we had more information. Kristina is feeling a little more perky this morning. At least that's my impression. That means I should have gone to bed MUCH earlier last night!

Thank you all for you prayers.

John

 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2007 10:09 AM, CST

Hi everyone, this is Stephanie, John asked me to post for Kristina and update you on her progress. She will be receiving two pints of blood today over a six hour period. The oncologist came by this morning and said he really wants to keep her tonight to make sure they are on top of whatever caused her fever.
John says that Kristina is resting and feeling better. Please keep Kristina and John in your prayers and also the doctors that they will be given divine wisdom to treat Kristina. We trust and believe that the Lord has Kristina right where He needs her to be to be given the treatment and care that she needs to feel better. We praise God for His grace and His goodness in all things!
Thank you for all of your sweet post. It is such an encouragement to the entire Schlegel family.

 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2007 07:29 PM, CST

This is John. Please pray for Kristina. She has a 103 temp and I'm taking her to Baptist right now.

 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007 10:19 PM, CST

This is John. Kristina really struggled today. Her stomach is still very bloated. It has actually increased in size today. It is very uncomfortable and has now started to affect her breathing. She also has a condition related to the chemo called neuropathy. Basically that means that she is unable to really grip anything with her hands because she has no sensation with them. She can't tell when she has a good grip on something or not. The same sensation is happening on her feet. It makes it difficult for her to walk.
Kristina was uplifted this evening when Alan, Randy, Daniel, Lisa and Stef came over to pray with her. It was a much-needed therapy for her that I know made a huge difference. We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives who care so much for us.
I want to thank David Filson for all that he is doing for me. What a great friend you have become to me David. I thank God for your presence in my life.
I also want to thank all of the other men that have come alongside me during this time of need and picked me up when I was down. Thank you Corb, Daniel, Matt, Doug Blumhardt, Doug Scott, Hunter, Tommy, Keith, Marvin, Joel, JT, John A., Brian, Fred, Scotty and I'm sure several others that I'm forgetting. I haven't really stopped to thank you before. Your prayers and your friendship are invaluable to me.
Dear friends and family, please continue to lift up Kristina and the rest of our family during this extremely trying time for us. There's no easy way to describe it. She's suffering. Like never before she's suffering. And that means that all of us are. By God's grace we will not only get through this but prayerfully will glorify Him in the process. Please pray for our attitudes and our wills to be in accordance with God's attitude and His will. This is His battle not ours. It is His predetermined outcome not ours. And we can trust that whatever that outcome is is absolutely best for us in the end. It's easier to say that than to live it though.
Thank you all for your love. I'll do my best to keep you posted while Kristina is working through these nasty side effects that make it difficult for her to type.
In Christ,
John

 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2007 09:31 PM, CST

This is John. Kristina was able to have her chemotherapy today. Her blood counts are down quite a bit so please pray that they won't go too low. Kristina was extremely tired tonight as well and has been in bed for a little over an hour.
Please pray for Kristina's peace in addition to her healing. Your prayers are precious to us.
In Christ,
John

 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2007 09:01 AM, CST

Hey, it's me. I'm off to have a treatment. I'll post when I get home.
Blessings,
Kristina

 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2007 08:36 PM, CST

This is John. I'm sitting next to Kristina now and she's asked me to journal. Today has been a better day except for her stomach. It is still quite bloated. Her energy level is not great but it's certainly been worse in the past. She was able to get more food down today than she has in the past few days which was great!
Thank you Kim for taking Emily tonight. She was so excited to get to spend time with Macy. Thank you Miss Dean for all you're doing. We are so fortunate to have you. Thank you Jonathan for all of the time you spend with the girls. They love you as do we. Thank you to my mom and dad for being there for us. Emily is looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Thank you church family for your continued prayers and encouragement. Thank you Marvin Cropsey for praying for me specifically. You have humbled me with your intense dedication. I'm so thankful to all of the men and women who have specifically told me that they keep us in their prayers daily. It really is humbling.
Please keep your prayers and encouragement coming. We are so thankful to all of you for the love you've displayed during this time.
In Christ,
John

 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 09, 2007 09:54 PM, CST

Let me start off by saying THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Keith for taking me for my treatment today. What a long day.
I had a tough night last night. I started feeling a lot better yesterday. I spent a lot of time with the girls. I lifted Abby a lot and I pulled a muscle in my back. I was in a lot of pain most of the night. This morning was really hard getting ready. I was able to take some meds and it took the the edge off.
We got to Sara Cannon at 10:30. They called me back and started the IV. The nurse couldn't get it to work and had to pull it out. It was really painful. I started crying. I think I'm just over it. They brought another nurse over and she was able to get it the first time. We then headed downstairs. We met with Dr. Spigel's nurse practitioner. My red blood cells are really low. They gave me a shot to help boost my red blood cells. I will get that shot every three weeks. The shot really burns going in. The nurse was really sensitive to that. Praise God for good nurses.
My feet and legs started swelling yesterday. The swelling is not from the cancer. Praise God! I was also given a muscle relaxer to help with my back pain. I've learned my lesson. I'm not strong enough yet to tote Abby around. That is really hard. I know this is temporary.
I didn't get to start chemo until after 3:00. We left there at 4:35. The day actually went by pretty quickly. Keith and I just talked a ton and made the most of it.
Enough about all of that. I'm sorry for all of the complaining. Please continue to pray this chemo is working. This has been rough.
I hope everyone is having a good week. I miss everyone. Keep posting. I love them. Oh, I'm going to beat you Mel....just kidding.
Blessings,
Kristina

 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 07, 2007 05:49 PM, CST

The past couple of days have been tough. The medicine isn't helping with my stomach. I hate that...I had to have that shot and it hurt pretty bad. I'm not sure what they're going to do. This is keeping me at home all the time. I go back Tuesday to have a treatment and I meet with Dr. Spigel. Please pray that God will give them the wisdom to find something to help with my stomach. This is really taking a toll on my body.
I'm slowly starting to wean myself off of some of my pain medicine. My stomach is really swollen and very uncomfortable. Dr. Spigel doesn't feel like it's the cancer, but maybe all the pain medicine. My pain has gotten a lot better. Please pray I can get off of some of these meds. I can't stand my stomach like this.
I sure miss everyone. I'm ready to be "normal" again.
Thanks to the ladies that are so devoted to praying for me. I love you guys. Claire, no crying! I'm kidding....I do my share of crying too. I miss you girl.
Heather, I'm sorry. I will be praying for you.
I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for the posts. They're just what I need. I feel like I'm on an island at times.
I'll keep everyone posted on how I'm doing. Keep posting.
Blessings,
Kristina

 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 05, 2007 09:40 PM, CST

Today ended up pretty good. It didn't start out that way. My stomach was upset when I woke up and I thought it was going to be one of those days. John took me to see Dr. Spigel and things started looking up from there.
We didn't get any great news but we didn't get any bad news either. He said that the bloating in my stomach isn't really a sign of the cancer being worse. He said it's more likely that it has to do with the pain medication I've been taking. Since my pain has not really been that bad since starting this new chemo, I'm going to try to slowly stop taking the medication. The bloating is definitely uncomfortable but at least it doesn't hurt.
I was prescribed Ridilan to help with my fatigue. Apparently it gives adults a boost in energy while it calms down children. I have noticed quite a bit more energy since taking the first dose so I'm praying that it helps me to be more active, or at least to stay awake more.
Thank you to all of you who have continued to pray for me and ask about me. I so wish I could talk with all of you like I used to. By God's grace I'll be able to again soon.
Please keep your encouraging posts coming. I hope to see my church family this Sunday.
Blessings,
Kristina

 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 02, 2007 08:00 PM, CST

Today has been pretty good. John took me to do lab work. All of my levels are coming back up. This is probably why I'm feeling a little better. I go back Friday to meet with the doctor. We have a ton of questions for him.
John's parents had Em and my mom had Abby. This made for a nice nap for me today. John, Mom, Jonathan, Abby and I went out for dinner tonight. It was so nice to just get out.
We just got back from getting Emily from John's parents. I think she was ready to come home. I can't believe it....she has it made over there. Gary and Nancy, thank you for taking such good care of her.
Claire, it was nice talking to you today. I'm sorry that I did most of the talking. It was nice to have a friend on the phone and be physically able to talk. Thanks for always making me feel normal about things I'm thinking or doing. I love that about you.
John is going back to work from the holidays tomorrow. We're going to miss him terribly. He does so much around here. He has really stepped up as an AWESOME daddy.
Please continue to pray that this chemo is working. I'm not trusting in the doctors, but it's hard to hear that if this doesn't work...you have months. I'm praying for a miracle. I know God can heal me if He so chooses. My hope is in Him.
I hope everyone is having a good week. Where are the posts?
Blessings,
Kristina

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 01, 2007 01:06 PM, CST

Happy New Year! I didn't get to see the New Year roll in. I slept right through all the fireworks. Thanks Claire and Kyle for having John over. I'm sorry I couldn't make it over.
What did everyone do for New Year's?
I'm feeling a lot better today. I have to go have more Lab work tomorrow. I pray all my levels are in normal range.
Jenni, thank you for spending the day with Emily. She had a great time.
Mel, we're glad you're back. We missed you. I haven't seen anyone. I haven't been out of this house in forever. Girls night out is going to happen.
Please pray that I will continue to feel better. This has been tough. I pray God is using this chemo to kick my cancer's bootie. I just wish the side effects weren't so hard on me. I will endure whatever. I just want to live.
I'm not putting my trust in the doctors. I'm only trusting God. I think this is where God has wanted me to be for a long time.
Keep posting!
Blessings,
Kristina