Surgery on Friday!!

Dear friends and family,
Wow, what a whirlwind of a last 5 months or so. It seems like a
lifetime ago that I first felt some minor pain in my lower back when I
picked up a little kid that I was helping during my Brasilian
community house’s reading week. I certainly had no idea where that
pain would take me and the journey it would lead me on. I would
eventually be forced to bed rest, hospital visits, pain killers and no
answers until I finally had an MRI in early March and was diagnosed
with a severely herniated disc in my lower back. I had tried some
therapy that didn’t seem to work and was told that I would need
surgery if I ever hoped to return to normalcy. I anguished in my last
two days in Brasil about having to leave and attempted to stay in
Brasil in order to have the surgery there, but wasn’t able to extend
my visa. Then I was left with several decisions; return to the US and
face the possibility of a $70,000 surgery without insurance, go
straight to Mexico earlier than planned, changing my ticket to not go
to Colombia and hoping to have the surgery cheaper in Mexico or the
plan I ultimately chose to risk that my back would hold up and go to
Colombia for two months, delaying the surgery and working with Dr.
David Befus (former LAM president) and a microfinance ministry in a
small town affected by the Colombian internal conflict. I had an
amazing two months in Colombia, learning a lot and really enjoying my
experience, I learned to trust God with the pain and much about
microfinancing. I enjoyed working closely with Sael, my Colombian
boss, visiting many small towns, giving out loans, assessing small
businesses and giving people basic business training while sharing
with them the good news of Jesus.
About a month ago I arrived in México to once again be a
leader for the LAM’s Spearhead short term program. I visited a doctor
within my first week in the city and was told I needed surgery
immediately, as soon as possible. I will know back track on a
parallel story relating to financing my surgery. In September of 2008
before leaving the US I had attempted to purchase traveler’s health
insurance, I had clicked the final button that said I had purchased
the insurance, but never received a confirmation email and didn’t
remember paying for it on my credit card bill. I thought I didn’t
have insurance and figured that I had tried, but it wasn’t meant to be
and so I’d just save the $350 and assume my good health would continue
and that I wouldn’t need the insurance. When my back problems started
in January I originally ignored them then finally after one day where
my legs both went numb when I was walking in a park and I literally
could not stand up anymore I realized I needed to go to the hospital.
I went to the hospital, got an anti-inflammatory shot that didn’t
really seem to work, got some x-rays and was told by the public (free)
hospital that I would be alright after a few weeks of rest. I took
them seriously and rested for 2 weeks and just got worse. Then, my
ministry partner Fabio, who was the guy in charge of the soccer
ministry I worked for set up an appointment with his chiropractor
friend. His friend named André agreed to see me for free and after
several visits and therapy decided that I needed an MRI. Thanks to a
friend I managed to get an MRI at a discounted price as if I were part
of their insurance plan and paid about $300 for the MRI, my first
expenses outside of medicine. I then traveled to Colombia not sure
what to do with the finances of the surgery when I got an email in the
middle of April telling me my insurance was about to expire in a month
and that I should renew it. I then went back and checked my credit
card bill to find that I had indeed paid for the insurance and called
to renew it for 3 more months.
Now, coming back to Mexico I saw the doctor and then filed
a report with my insurance company to try for a guarantee of payment.
Since I had paid less than $1/day for my insurance I wasn’t very
convinced they would pay for anything, but thought it was worth a try.
After dozens of phone calls, emails and faxes, to my doctor, hospital
and insurance company and 3 weeks of fighting for it I finally
received a call today from my doctor that my insurance had approved
the surgery and scheduled the surgery for Friday. At one point an
independent doctor from the insurance company reviewed my case, he
originally denied the surgery, but then after a rather strong email
from myself about my pain and severity of the situation gave me his
cell number, I called him and talked for about 10 minutes. He finally
agreed to the surgery after I described some of my more severe
symptoms and then mentioned that he too was a Christian and if I
needed something in the DC area when I got home that I could give him
a call. Two weeks later, more phone calls, faxes and emails I
received that call today scheduling the surgery. I still wasn’t clear
on the finances until I arrived home and saw an email from my
insurance company saying I would owe US$174.46 for the surgery. The
surgery will probably cost about $15,000 (compared to 5 or 6 times
that in the US), will be at the ABC Santa Fe (maybe the best and
newest hospital in Mexico City) with Dr. Javier Parroquin (a Christian
doctor, who has operated on several missionary friends, used to work
at the Mayo Clinic and the American Institute of Sports Medicine in
the US and is probably one of Mexico’s best surgeons) all for $174.46.
I prayed for a miracle, hoping for healing, but I think God has given
me a financial miracle instead and in the process is teaching me trust
in him. So many people, so many times God provided for me
emotionally, physically and financially with this back problem. I
just want to thank all of you.
What a mighty God we serve, I have been brought to tears so
many times throughout this whole ordeal. I recognize the surgery is
just the next step and there will be plenty of struggles to come, but
I feel like God has shown me so much. He has broken me time and time
again and shown himself faithful. I feel very much at peace as I
prepare for the surgery on Friday at 4pm (5pm EST) and would ask for
prayers from all of you. The doctor has two options for surgery
which he won’t decide between until he gets into my back, they both
involve removing the hernia, but one involves having to put screws in
my back. Please pray that this will not be necessary and for a quick
and healthy recovery. I am hoping to be in the US for a couple of
days in July for my sister's wedding and then back for a bit in mid to
late August and hope to catch up with you all. Thank you all for your
prayers and support!!
Love,
Andrew