(260) 356-2312
Bishop Emeritus Wilber Sites, Jr., has improved greatly since Wednesday. He was suffering from congestive heart failure which is now being managed and is under control, and he is headed the right direction. The other complication was an upper respiratory infection (rather than the suspected double pneumonia). The family
greatly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers at this time, as well as the graciousness of God in Wilber’s life.
Bishop Emeritus Wilber Sites has been hospitalized with double pneumonia. About 11:00 Wednesday morning, he checked into the Chambersburg Hospital (Chambersburg, Pa.).
Wilber Sites served as bishop 1977-1989. He is the father of Denny Sites, senior pastor of Jerusalem Chapel UB in Churchville, Va.
Please keep Bishop Sites and his wife, Mossie, in your prayers.
We received word that Bishop Emeritus Wilber Sites has been hospitalized with double pneumonia. About 11:00 this morning, he was checked into the Chambersburg Hospital (Chambersburg, Pa.). They are trying to drain the excess fluid, since it affects his heart.
Wilber Sites served as bishop 1977-1989. He is the father of Denny Sites, senior pastor of Jerusalem Chapel UB in Churchville, Va.
Please keep Bishop Sites and his wife, Mossie, in your prayers.
Sharon Cherry was supposed to have surgery today for breast cancer. But it’s been postponed. Her husband Kevin, pastor of Heart O the Lakes UB (Brooklkyn, Mich.), writes:
“It is to happen next week now, sometime, date unknown. The MRI that she had on Monday revealed several more large suspicious places all on one side deeper in her chest. Her other side is clear. They will schedule either another MRI or an ultra-sound to look at these spots individually in the next few days.
They are thinking it will involve a more radical approach for surgery. It does not mean that it is a more aggressive form of cancer. In fact, the one biopsied is one of the four lesser kinds of cancer and a very treatable form. They are simply trying to determine what has been there all along, and identify what up to now has not been seen.
We appreciate so much your concern and prayers! Postponing such stress is not always the best choice, but Sharon has a great attitude toward it. I know it comes from her confidence in our great God!
Chris Kuntz, worship leader at Union Chapel (Fort Wayne, Ind.), sent out this update on Gary Reiber. Gary was hospitalized New Year’s Eve with Toxic Shock Syndrone.
“Great news! Gary is home! The doctors sent Gary home today (Monday, January 5), and he is now resting within his own confines. He will be going to the doctor tomorrow morning to have his liver enzymes checked and again on the 12th for a complete checkup on all vitals and organs. He is still on antibotics and will be for awhile, but for the most part, he is getting better.
“It will be a while before he is back on the horse again. Imagine a tornado going through the neighborhood and ripping everything apart. The storm may be gone, but there is still a lot to clean up. Same with Gary. He has a lot of recovery to do, but thank God he can do it at home. He walked into the house tonight under his own steam and crashed on the couch. He is suppose to be using a walker to aid his leg since it was hit the hardest.”
Chris wrote up a timeline of what happened with Gary during the first few days. You can read it following the link below.
(more…)
Gary Reiber, pastor of Union Chapel (Fort Wayne, Ind.), was hospitalized just before New Year’s with what’s been diagnosed as Toxic Shock Syndrome. After a scrape in a basketball game, his leg swelled up bright red. His body began shutting down, and he ended up in Intensive Care. For a while, there was concern about whether or not he would survive, and the family was called in. That serious.
Gary is now at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. His protein and oxygen levels are still low, but he’s progressing, and is back to eating solid food. He’s expected to remain in the hospital another week or so, and be out of commission for several weeks after that. We’ll keep you informed about his progress.
On another health-related note: Sandie Birdsall came home from the hospital on January 3.
Sharon Cherry, wife of Pastor Kevin Cherry of Heart O the Lakes UB (Brooklyn, Mich.), has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, January 7.
Kevin writes:
The doctors are not greatly concerned, but cancer is cancer. Hers, fortunately, is one of the four better kinds and is highly treatable. She will begin radiation after surgery.
However, she also is to have an MRI [probably Monday or Tuesday] to check out the other spots that are deeper in her chest. If they are found suspicious, a more radical surgery will likely take place on January 7. If more is discovered, then she will receive chemo as well.
We are both very much at peace with this, knowing our God is able to heal, and able to see us through whatever comes. His strength is ours. We are His. We are not losing sleep, we are not anxious (I keep asking her and don’t sense it in her), but there are moments of emotion. This is your invitation to join us in prayer!
Please do join in prayer for Sharon. Sharon is the daughter of Russ and Nellie Birdsall, who spent their lives in service to the United Brethren church as missionaries in Sierra Leone, at Huntington University, in the pastorate, and as short-term missionaries in Macau and Jamaica.
Sandie Birdsall, who suffered a brain aneurysm on December 1, is now out of Intensive Care–though still in the hospital. The following is from Brent Birdsall’s Facebook post. Brent and Sandie served as UB missionaries in Africa, and Brent pastored both the Emmanuel and College Park UB churches in Indiana. He is now on staff with a church in Minnesota.
GREAT NEWS! At 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, Sandie was released from ICU!!!! We are so grateful. Many indicators show that Sandie has come through the worst of her brain hemorrhage and its aftermath. The Interventional Neuroradiologist team who performed the initial emergency surgery on December 1 and the subsequent angiograms/interventions have released Sandie from their care. An appointment will be scheduled for June 2009 to check her aneurysm and the coiling procedure they performed in such a timely manner.
Prayer request: Sandie has been diagnosed with ICU psychosis. Check www.medicinenet.com for an article explaining the ailment. In laymen’s terms, it means, “Get me out of this darn place!!!” Sandie’s symptoms were primarily anxiety, agitation, or some paranoia. The other day when talking about the nurses, she said to me in hushed tones, “I don’t trust them anymore.”
Hopefully, as Sandie moves to a quieter section of the hospital and is allowed more rest and less interruptions, her recovery will be more speedy. Let me say, lest you worry, I am nominating many of these ICU nurses for sainthood. They truly have been “angels of mercy” who lovingly, faithfully, and competently cared for Sandie as she was snatched from the brink of death.
I’ve been told that Sandie will forget most of what has happened these last 16 days. I will never forget and am deeply indebted to the staff of Fairview Southdale Hospital and to the first responders from the city of Apple Valley.
Sandie’s not out of the hospital, but this is a great leap forward. Oh, by the way, she did better with her swallow test. With a little more rest and study [ lame joke], maybe she’ll pass tomorrow.
Thanks again for your prayers and notes. They play a huge part in Sandie’s recovery. We’ll keep you posted from fifth floor. Adieu, Room 350, may we never meet again.
Dale Miller resigned as pastor of Montgomery UB church (Montgomery, Mich.) effective the end of December 2008.
Evelyn Woodall passed away December 6. She is the mother of Nick Woodall, pastor of Stryker UB church in Stryker, Ohio.
