Morley Update 2012 #14

Everyone - Once again my update was delayed by a trip to the hospital. For those of you who are tired of hearing about my illnesses feel free to skip this first paragraph to get to ministry news. Here's the health stuff: On Tuesday I had not felt very well all day and had several bouts of double vision that came and went. After dinner I had a headache and was feeling chilled but went out to the kitchen to debone some chicken for a Team Fellowship we were hosting the next night. I started feeling kind of weird - double vision and my tongue, upper lip and nose went numb. This scared both Kent and I so I called my cardiologist - not knowing which doctor to call. He said I should see an internist but that he was at the hospital and since we are only a few minutes away I should just come in. Kent got me to the car and we drove to the hospital. They took me right in a room and examined me and sent me off for another cat scan of my head. A neurologist came in and examined me and said she wanted to keep me but that she didn't think at that point it was an embolatic episode (stroke) and was more inclined to think that it was a visual migraine and would hopefully clear by morning. The next day my double vision was worse and I was seeing vertical movement as well. When the neurologist checked me this time she said it was much more pronounced and my eyes weren't tracking so she felt that I had had a small stroke located in a very small area of the brain which controls the eyes tracking together. She said the veins in that area are very small and it would only take a tiny clot to block one. She said on reviewing my MRI from the other night she saw 3-4 other "acute' spots with tiny clots. Then I also had this problem they found when I was in before at the back of my brain. She said that she felt some of this was a congenital defect. She said "Your artery is quite small and it should be large. There is also a lesion there from a past clot." She said that this is the area of the brain that controls stability and visual things. I asked her how long she thought the double vision etc would last and she said "I don't know but maybe weeks". Since I could do nothing but lay with my eyes closed this sounded a bit daunting. However I woke up at 2am Thurs. morning and my vision had cleared - it was fine all day although I felt a little unstable and tired. The doctor let me come home but I must keep getting my blood checked every few days to make sure we get it in the acceptable range and that it stays there to prevent something more from happening. Once again I liked my doctors very much and felt I had good care. My double vision has not returned but I do still feel a bit unstable when I am up and around. I am able to do household tasks (laundry, fixing dinner etc) and Kent is great to help so we are managing fine. Hopefully this will be the last of it and I can just concentrate on getting my blood levels where they need to be and building up strength.

Ministry News. Kent continues to go in to the ARC. As I mentioned in a few letters back his friend "H" a young Kurdish man has returned to his own country. Before he left he accepted the Lord and Kent was able to give him a series of 5 lessons on what it means to be a Christian in Farsi so he can study. He expressed a desire to tell others of his faith. Kent put him in contact with a friend who is a missionary in Kurdistan and we found out the the town he is going to is the same town where Kent's other friend another "H" who became a Christian while here is living. Kent is in contact with "H2" on Facebook so is able to follow up a bit that way. It is always sad for any of us when a refugee with whom we have made a connection and who speaks English moves on. However Kent said the day the "H" left he met a couple of new guys who spoke English came in and he was able to have a good conversation with them.

Last Sunday was Easter here in Greece so on Wednesday we had a special day just for refugee believers. There was a time of worship/singing in Farsi, a message translated into Farsi and then several refugees shared their testimonies. Afterward we served a meal. This went very well and is something we may try to do on a more regular basis. There is always a balance between getting refugee believers involved in local churches and also providing times for them to worship and share in their own language with other believers who are in the same situation as they are.

Kent continues to keep up with being to the team leader as well as the added things he has had to do to care for me. In a couple more weeks the former team leader will be no longer coming to the ARC on a regular basis and will no longer function on the leadership team. Their baby is due the middle of May and they will be transitioning back to the states probably at the end of June. We will really miss them but know that God will continue to raise up people to manage the different areas of ministry. Thank you all for your prayer for me and for Kent and for the encouraging notes etc. I look forward to the day when my letters will no longer be about my health but I will be back to ministry at the ARC. In the meantime I am just taking my time at home and concentrating on getting well. We love you all.

Serving Him Together,
Kent and Myrna Morley
Tripoleos 76
Elliniko 16777
Athens Greece
011 30 210 96 38 625
backhoeboy1@juno.com
http://kent-uniquelymorley.blogspot.com
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