(We haven't taken the time to update this since our last August newsletter yet.)
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Hello prayer warriors,
Thank you so much for your prayers for Nathan as we have been trying to find an answer to his migraine issue. I know that it's not the next month yet, but we wanted to give you an update because there is pretty significant news on this topic, and we wanted to keep you posted. On Monday, August 21st, Nathan went in to Reed Migraine Centers to get the test procedure. It was a super quick procedure with no complications. Nathan was sent home for 3 days to test how much it helped him. |
What Nathan did to test it:
- We went to the mall for a walk together as a little family of 3. There were plenty of bright lights in there, and walking that far has recently been pretty difficult for him because of his vertigo.
- We turned the bright lights on in our house that we have had to keep off all year because they cause Nathan nausea and worsen his headache.
- He cooked a couple of pretty great meals for us in the bright kitchen light. He has been getting super exhausted doing any active work like cooking or cleaning even with the bright light off.
- He left his sunglasses off in all of these bright light situations, including the car rides. That has been unbearable for him for a long time.
- We went to the mall for a walk together as a little family of 3. There were plenty of bright lights in there, and walking that far has recently been pretty difficult for him because of his vertigo.
- We turned the bright lights on in our house that we have had to keep off all year because they cause Nathan nausea and worsen his headache.
- He cooked a couple of pretty great meals for us in the bright kitchen light. He has been getting super exhausted doing any active work like cooking or cleaning even with the bright light off.
- He left his sunglasses off in all of these bright light situations, including the car rides. That has been unbearable for him for a long time.
ALL OF THE TESTS WENT WELL!!! He felt sooo much better! Absolutely all of Nathan's symptoms from the past year dramatically improved.
- He felt very mild discomfort when he was in extremely bright light like the sharp glare of a roof shining in his eyes, but I also feel mild discomfort in that situation, and there's nothing wrong with me. Other than that, he was just fine in normal bright lights.
- The only time he felt nausea was when he was out walking and drinking coffee. If he needs to stop drinking coffee to feel better, that's a small price to pay.
- He felt a very mild headache at the end of his day full of testing the limits of this device, exposing himself purposely to very bright lights and being active, but it was SOOO much better (90-95% better) than it was!
- At the end of this year of pain, his vertigo got so bad that he looked drunk every time he stood up. With this device in, I couldn't tell that he felt vertigo at all. He was able to walk normally. He says that he felt very mild vertigo sometimes still, but not enough to severely affect his quality of life like before.
We are so thankful for this huge answer to prayer! God is so good!
- He felt very mild discomfort when he was in extremely bright light like the sharp glare of a roof shining in his eyes, but I also feel mild discomfort in that situation, and there's nothing wrong with me. Other than that, he was just fine in normal bright lights.
- The only time he felt nausea was when he was out walking and drinking coffee. If he needs to stop drinking coffee to feel better, that's a small price to pay.
- He felt a very mild headache at the end of his day full of testing the limits of this device, exposing himself purposely to very bright lights and being active, but it was SOOO much better (90-95% better) than it was!
- At the end of this year of pain, his vertigo got so bad that he looked drunk every time he stood up. With this device in, I couldn't tell that he felt vertigo at all. He was able to walk normally. He says that he felt very mild vertigo sometimes still, but not enough to severely affect his quality of life like before.
We are so thankful for this huge answer to prayer! God is so good!
Unfortunately, he had to go back in on Wednesday to get the implants removed. I wish he could have kept the test device in until he could get the full procedure done, but that's not how it works. They have put in the request to our insurance to see if they will approve the full procedure. Reed Migraine Centers says that, in most cases, it takes about 3 weeks for insurance to send the approval and for them to get him back in for the appointment.
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Our plan was to be up in Illinois for all of September to visit several of our supporting congregations up there all at once and avoid the gas money and time needed to go up and down that distance, but it looks like we will need to split that trip in two so that we can come down for his appointment and then head back up for the rest of the month.
Here's some cute baby therapy. ;)
Prayer Requests:
- thanks that the trial procedure on August 21 was so successful.
- that Nathan would have the patience and hope needed to manage the next 3 weeks before he has that pain relief again.
- that God would provide the finances for us to move forward with the full procedure.
- that we would have safe travels up to and back from Illinois this coming month and that we would have great visits and conversations with people who want to see the Gospel furthered in Kenya.
- that we would find more partners to meet with in the last couple of months before we head out in December.
- that the process of obtaining Jay's passport would go smoothly and in a timely fashion.
- that our budget needs will be met so we can go to Kenya in early December, in time for us to join the mission school for the second trimester of the year.
- prayers of thanks for all of the financial support that we have received so far.
We are truly blessed to be in so many people's prayers during this process. Thank you so much for your continued prayers.
- that Nathan would have the patience and hope needed to manage the next 3 weeks before he has that pain relief again.
- that God would provide the finances for us to move forward with the full procedure.
- that we would have safe travels up to and back from Illinois this coming month and that we would have great visits and conversations with people who want to see the Gospel furthered in Kenya.
- that we would find more partners to meet with in the last couple of months before we head out in December.
- that the process of obtaining Jay's passport would go smoothly and in a timely fashion.
- that our budget needs will be met so we can go to Kenya in early December, in time for us to join the mission school for the second trimester of the year.
- prayers of thanks for all of the financial support that we have received so far.
We are truly blessed to be in so many people's prayers during this process. Thank you so much for your continued prayers.
HOW TO SUPPORT US
To support the Pittmans’ ministry online, click here. One-time or automated contributions are available.
OR
Mail a check to:
Global Lutheran Outreach
6709 Ficus Dr.
Miramar, FL 33023
Put "Pittman" on the memo line of the check.
Global Lutheran Outreach is a not-for-profit corporation under section 501 c 3 of the Federal Tax code. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by the IRS.
OR
Mail a check to:
Global Lutheran Outreach
6709 Ficus Dr.
Miramar, FL 33023
Put "Pittman" on the memo line of the check.
Global Lutheran Outreach is a not-for-profit corporation under section 501 c 3 of the Federal Tax code. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by the IRS.
GLO now officially has a way that they can accept stock donations to our ministry support fund! Working through Thrivent, they can accept the stock, liquidate it and put all of the funds that come from that into our support account. Since you would be donating the stock to a not-for-profit corporation under section 501 c 3 of the Federal Tax code and not cashing out the stock yourself, you don't have to declare that stock as income or pay taxes on that donation at all.
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If you are interested in donating this way, please email [email protected] to get further information on how to do it.
Thrivent Choice Dollars® can help missionaries!
Are you a member of Thrivent Financial who's eligible to direct Choice Dollars®? Choice Dollars charitable grant funds can make a world of difference to our organization as we work together to send missionaries! Your Choice Dollars directed to Global Lutheran Outreach support missionaries who are underfunded or experience a temporary shortfall in funding.
Directing Choice Dollars is easy. Simply go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice to learn more and find program terms and conditions. Or call 800-847-4836 and say "Thrivent Choice" after the prompt. If you have donated your choice dollars to GLO and would like them to be earmarked for us specifically, please email us at [email protected] with the amount that you have donated and express that you would like to donate them to us. We can forward your email to GLO, and they will get those funds out of the general GLO pot and sent to our support account. |