My Dear Friend Anna

Our dear friend Anna Peterson, pictured below, was pregnant with her 7th child when this picture was taken. The post below was copied from Anna's sister-in-law's blog page. Please read and pray for our dear friend. Anna's husband, Brian, was our pastor in Fresno and he was the one who married me and Tom, and baptized Ryan. Three of their kids were in our wedding. The Peterson's are dear friends and our hearts are breaking over Anna's situation right now.

Brian and Anna with Samuel, Kiah, Kate, TJ, Nathan and Meghan (oldest to youngest)

Charles' sister, Anna, went into the hospital on Friday morning to have a baby.  Just a routine induction.  The baby, Micah William Peterson, entered the world yesterday morning, December 31st 2011, weighing 9 lbs. 14 ounces.  A healthy baby boy!! 

Anna however, has had a lot of complications since his birth.  She had passed out during the delivery due to massive blood loss and the doctors had to perform an emergency c-section.  While in the OR, Anna continued to lose massive amounts of blood, as well as having seizures.  In order to stop the bleeding, she had to undergo a full hysterectomy.  Meanwhile, we were receiving rapid text messages via my mother-in-law to pray desperately for her.  As you can imagine, it has been a scary ordeal for the entire family. 

After surgery, Anna's vitals began to stabilize.  She was still in critical condition, however, things had started improving.  The bleeding had seemed to stop.  She had begun to wake up and was able to communicate by writing on a notepad.  She was taken off the ventilator and was breathing on her own.  All very good signs.  By last night, they were able to move her to the ICU wing. 

Then, just within the past several hours, the bleeding has started back up again.  Blood clots have been found in her legs and lungs.  She has needed 12 bags of blood.  Anna was immediately whisked back into surgery.  The issue now is that she is both bleeding and clotting at the same time.  She has been re-intubated and is sedated again. 

Charles' parents are enroute to California as I type.  One of the most difficult things for them has been that they live on the opposite side of the country.  In fact, the whole family does.  As everything has unfolded over the past 48 hours, everyone feels helpless.  We have had to keep reminding ourselves that the BEST thing we can do for Anna and her family right now is to pray......and to spur others on to pray for her as well. 

Please, would you pray for Anna right now?  Would you stop what you are doing and take a moment to "lift your eyes until the hills" towards the Great Physician?

"I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

~Psalm 121