WANDA TURNER SUFFERS A STROKE

Wanda Turner is the widow of Richard Turner, and they faithfully served the Lord as missionaries in Brasil for 16 years in partnership with Baptist Faith Missions. I hope you will fervently pray for her - and for her family as they care for her. dsp

From: Jonathan Turner
pastorjturner@gmail.com

June 1, Tuesday
Hello Bro. Dave,
Today, Mom had to be rushed to the hospital, Lynchburg General, in Lynchburg, Virginia. She evidently suffered a stroke sometime mid-morning. She talks out of the side of her mouth and her speech is slurred. Her arm, I am not sure which, is also numb. She also is having trouble swallowing.

Late this afternoon she got choked and could not stop. She coughed up huge amounts of blood. So they also are now looking at her throat and, along with all the other tests to find out more about the possible stroke, they also will be doing tests to find out where the blood is coming from. The CT scan they did this afternoon did not show any hemorrhaging in the brain.

Rich and Kim, my older brother and sister, were up at the hospital with her all day. Mom is very nervous about cancer and obviously very tired after everything she has been through today. Please get this out to as many people as you can.

She really needs God's people praying for her.

I will continue to update you as I learn more.

Thank you Bro. Dave.
Jonathan Turner


June 2, Wednesday
Hello Bro. Dave,
I sent you an earlier e-mail about Mom and I wanted to send another giving you an update.

Mom is at Lynchburg General in Lynchburg, Virginia. Rich and Kim live close by. Her room # is NEO 3.

The MRI showed definitely that it was a stroke. It affected the part of her brain that controls things like swallowing. IF I understood correctly the stroke happened at the back and base of her brain. She currently has a feeding tube up her nose and down into her stomach and cannot speak clearly or loudly.

I do not know anything else about the coughing up of blood.

Please be praying that among other things her swallowing ability comes back quickly. The neurologist said it could be a matter of days or weeks, but that he believed it would come back.

Her home address is 20 Jesup Way, Apt. 205, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24502.
Her home number is 434-239-0457.
twanda2010@aol.com

I don't think she will be going home for several days. Her right arm continues to be numb, and when she tries to talk her speech is slurred and only half her mouth works.

If you could Brother, please get this information out. I would really appreciate it.
Jonathan

Saturday, 5 June
FROM JONATHAN TURNER / pastorjturner@gmail.com
Bro. Dave,
Thank you for sending Mom's information out. I know that you have so much on you, and so I really appreciate you doing this. You have contact with folks that I have only heard of over the years that know Mom and Dad or that I have never met and much less heard of.

It was made possible by my church and some folks in my church for me to fly up yesterday to Lynchburg. I will be here till Wednesday.

This is the latest on Mom. The feeling is returning in her arm. The side of her mouth is not drooping as bad as it had been. Kim, my sister, told me it seems to get a little bit better every day. She still cannot swallow. She is still coughing up lots of mucus and other stuff, but no more blood in the past 36-48 hours. IF the swallowing does not return by Monday she will have to have surgery to put the feeding tube, currently in her nose, into her stomach. Mom does not want to go through that and so we are asking for God to intervene and give her her ability to swallow back before Monday. If God chooses to allow her to have surgery they will go down her stomach.

Mom is very worried what they might find....in other words, cancer. She has a long of history of severe acid reflux disease and with the recent coughing up of blood she is fearing the worst. If she does have to have the surgery pray that there would be no cancer.

Sometime next week she will be moved to the other hospital in Lynchburg - Virginia Baptist - where she will begin intense therapy to regain her ability to swallow.

Please continue to pray for Mom. She's a fighter, but more importantly, God is the Great Physician. I will do my best to keep you all updated.
Jonathan Turner


MONDAY, 7 June, Noon
Hello,
I apologize if you already saw this on facebook or if you get this message more than once.

God is working in Mom's body.

She has made some significant improvements over the past 48 hours.

She was able to pronounce an high pitch "e" sound this morning. This is one of the exercises she has to do to strengthen her throat muscles. Yesterday no sound would come out.

Her speech therapist came in this morning and Mom was able with some help able to eat ten ice chips. She did not get choked.

Tomorrow morning they are planning on doing the procedure to move the feeding tube to her stomach. Pray the procedure is a success.
Pray that they do not find anything serious in her throat and stomach when they look around
Pray that the right side of her body continues to get stronger.
Finally, pray that a bed opens up over at Virginia Baptist Hospital so that she can be transferred and begin the intense therapy that she needs to fully regain her ability to swallow.
Jonathan Turner

17 June Update from Jonathan Turner
I apologize for going several days without sending an e-mail update.  We had our Bible Conference among other things that kept me from sending out e-mail updates.  

Here is the latest about my mother.  

Kim and Rich got things straightened out at the nursing home/rehab. facility.   They have stayed on top of the people there to make sure Mom's room is cleaned everyday and that Mom is properly taken care of. 

Mom has made good progress with her rehab.  I spoke to her briefly on the phone last night before church and she now has sound to her voice.  She does not have it completely back, but I would say it has returned 60 to 70 percent.  

Her swallowing is coming along each day.  Monday, my brother Rich told me she was able to swallow 10 times on her own when she turned her head to the left or looked straight ahead.   Yesterday, Mom told me she was now swallowing the ice chips without letting them melt completely.  We praise God for small victories.  

Also, Rich told me yesterday that the 45 minutes he was there with Mom during his lunch hour she did not have to cough up her saliva and other material even once which says that she is swallowing some.  

She has agreed to move to a first floor apartment which will save her from having to walk up and down so many steps.  

I appreciate everyone praying for her.  She still needs God's people praying for her.  Thanks.
Pastor Jonathan Turner