Prayer Schedule

Okay everyone--I have great news!  Our prayer schedule is FILLED!  God is so good.  This is my best effort to post the schedule online...it wouldn't transfer over exactly right, but I think you'll be able to see when you are praying at least.  Thank you all so much for your support, encouragement, and continued prayers.  We will let you know soon the specific requests you can be bringing before the Lord.  Let me know if you need to change your prayer time.  Also, these times are assigned according to what time it will be in California.  So, for those of you out of state (or out of the country), please pray according to the assigned time as it would be here.   Again, please be praying at any time throughout the day...this is just so that there is at least ONE person praying at every moment, but it doesn't have to be limited to that.   Thanks again!

By God's grace,

Cheryl's Family 

Time	Prayer Warrior		Time	Prayer Warrior
6:00-6:05 AM	Wendy Gragas		10:10-10:15	Pam Dailey
6:05-6:10	Jason Klopfenstein		10:15-10:20	Pam Dailey
6:10-6:15	Robert Klopfenstein		10:20-10:25	Terry Klopfenstein
6:15-6:20	Justin Klopfenstein		10:25-10:30	Kathy Klopfenstein
6:20-6:25	Joy Klopfenstein		10:30-10:35	Kerrick Klopfenstein
6:25-6:30	Emily Klopfenstein		10:35-10:40	Kalise Klopfenstein
6:30-6:35	Gary Riggs		10:40-10:45	Julie Montana
6:35-6:40	Gary Riggs		10:45-10:50	Pete Montana
6:40-6:45	Kathleen Thomson		10:50-10:55	Cassie Nale
6:45-6:50	Viktor Jelinek		10:55-11:00	Doug Nale
6:50-6:55	Mike Gaston		11:00-11:05	Kelli Braden
6:55-7:00	Nathan Gapper		11:05-11:10	Dave Hiner
7:00-7:05	Naomi Gapper		11:10-11:15	Shannon Jackman
7:05-7:10	Tiffany Benson		11:15-11:20	Susan Donckels
7:10-7:15	Kevin Schlecht		11:20-11:25	Lois Borst
7:15-7:20	Pam Schlecht		11:25-11:30	Lois Borst
7:20-7:25	Emily Hollon		11:30-11:35	Donna Cowell
7:25-7:30	Mary McKarge		11:35-11:40	Aaron Gragas
7:30-7:35	Lindsay Buchan		11:40-11:45	Wendy Gragas
7:35-7:40	Kate Wright		11:45-11:50	Billie Wilson
7:40-7:45	Pete Montana		11:50-11:55	Suzy Riggs
7:45-7:50	Julie Montana		11:55-Noon	Billie Wilson
7:50-7:55	Terry Klopfenstein		12PM-12:05	April Coletto
7:55-8:00	Kathy Klopfenstein		12:05-12:10	Emily Myers
8:00-8:05	Sally Davis		12:10-12:15	Mishka Mackova
8:05-8:10	Kerrick Klopfenstein		12:15-12:20	Anna Thomson
8:10-8:15	Kalise Klopfenstein		12:20-12:25	Mary McKarge
8:15-8:20	Susan Donckels		12:25-12:30	Kaylyn Wright
8:20-8:25	Kelli Braden		12:30-12:35	Brandon Kirby
8:25-8:30	Tim Cowell		12:35-12:40	Brandon Kirby
8:30-8:35	Aimee Cowell		12:40-12:45	Brandon Kirby
8:35-8:40	Anna Thomson		12:45-12:50	Sarah Davis
8:40-8:45	Amy Hallman		12:50-12:55	Kathleen Thomson
8:45-8:50	Nate Hughes		12:55-1:00	Anna Thomson
8:50-9:00	Emily Roberson		1:00-1:05	Mark Ingersoll
9:00-9:05	Becky Martin		1:05-1:10	Stacey Ingersoll
9:05-9:10	Becky Martin		1:10-1:15	Caitlynn Ingersoll
9:10-9:15	Candi Hallman		1:15-1:20	Caleb Ingersoll
9:15-9:20	Shannon Jackman		1:20-1:25	Callie Ingersoll
9:20-9:25	Sarah Davis		1:25-1:30	Caden Ingersoll
9:25-9:30	Lucka Zagorova		1:30-1:35	"Baby" Ingersoll
9:30-9:35	Chuck Hallman		1:35-1:40	Ramona Turmezei
9:35-9:40	Gilda Darnell		1:40-1:45	Emily Klopfenstein
9:40-9:45	Gilda Darnell		1:45-1:50	Sandy Hiner
9:45-9:50	Debi Mendez		1:50-1:55	Julie Johnson
9:50-10:00	Donna Cowell		1:55-2:00	April Coletto
10:00-10:05	Sandy Hiner		2:00-2:05	Anna Thomson
10:05-10:10	Emily Myers		2:05-2:10	Shannon Jackman
2:10-2:15	Steve Cowell
2:15-2:20	Amber Cowell
2:20-2:25	Jeff Kaplan
2:25-2:30	Vivian Debord
2:30-2:35	Vivian Debord
2:35-2:40	Danny Mendez
2:40-2:45	Sherry Mendez
2:45-2:50	Dixie Roach
2:50-2:55	Chary Zegan
2:55-3:00	Robert Klopfenstein
3:00-3:05	Wendy Gragas
3:05-3:10	Emily Klopfenstein
3:10-3:15	Justin Klopfenstein
3:15-3:20	Jason Klopfenstein
3:20-3:25	Candi Hallman
3:25-3:30	Chuck Hallman
3:30-3:35	Sandy Hiner
3:35-3:40	Amy Hallman
3:40-3:45	Ron Proctor
3:45-3:50	Kathy Proctor
3:50-3:55	Rob Hiner
3:55-4:00	Lyn Hiner
4:00-4:05	Katie Lovas
4:05-4:10	Cameron Ingersoll
4:10-4:15	Stacey Ingersoll
4:15-4:20	Mark Ingersoll
4:20-4:25	Caleb Ingersoll
4:25-4;30	Caitlynn Ingersoll
4:30-4:35	Callie Ingersoll
4:35-4:40	Caden Ingersoll
4:40-4:45	"Baby" Ingersoll
4:45-4:50	Gary Bisbee
4:50-4:55	Kate Montana
4:55-5:00	Kate Montana

Parkinson’s Disease and Deep Brain Stimulation

We’ll start off by letting everyone know exactly how Parkinson’s disease affects the brain and body and thus how Deep Brain Stimulation (also known as DBS, not to be confused with VBS) surgery will help to correct these deficiencies.  I’ll try to make this as simplified as possible (we all know that nobody benefits from using unnecessary medical terms when you can just speak plain and simple English!).  So, here goes.

 In the human brain, we have nerve cells called neurons located in the substantia nigra (sorry, I had to use that one!).  When these cells die or become impaired, Parkinson’s disease occurs.  What these cells are supposed to do is produce a vital chemical called dopamine.  When dopamine is being produced in correct amounts, it controls smooth and coordinated function of our body’s muscles and movement.  However, with Parkinson’s disease, these cells produce less and less dopamine and this is how the progression of Parkinson’s disease occurs.  The less dopamine being produced in the brain, the more symptoms of Parkinson’s appear—tremor (shaking), slowness of movement, rigidity (stiffness), difficulty with balance, stiff facial expression, shuffling walk, muffled speech, etc. 

The direct cause of Parkinson’s is still unknown and there is no known cure of the disease either.  Over 1.5 million Americans suffer from this disease and about 60,000 more are diagnosed each year in the US alone.   Until recently, the only treatment for Parkinson’s disease was medications that either replace the dopamine loss or mimic the affect of dopamine.  These medications are not a cure for the disease, but simply alleviate some of the symptoms.  Typically, doctors will try and stay away from surgery as long as the medication is effective.  However, as the production of dopamine becomes less and less in the brain, the medication becomes less and less effective no matter how much the dosage of medication is increased.  When a patient reaches this stage, doctors begin to look at the patient as a candidate for DBS. 

 DBS is a procedure in which stimulators are inserted into the affected areas of the brain to “remind” the cells that have stopped producing dopamine to get back to work.  It’s kind of like the wake-up call that we all need once in a while to stay on track.  In this procedure, doctors insert a device into the chest much like a pacemaker for a heart.  This device is connected to wires that travel under the surface of the skin into the brain.  These wires are directly inserted into the area of the brain where the neurons have stopped working.  The device electronically sends “reminders” through the wires to the affected areas.  Thus, the cells begin to produce dopamine again all on their own.  This procedure is still not a cure but will simply reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s significantly.  There is an 80% success rate—success meaning the patient notices a significant difference before the surgery and after, with most patients being able to function almost completely normally taking at least half the dosage of medication prior to the procedure!  With such drastic results, you can see why this procedure is worth “taking the chance,” so to say.  There are only about 10-20% of Parkinson’s patients who are eligible for surgical treatments and every DBS patient goes through extensive testing and preparation to see if they qualify as a good candidate for this procedure.  We’re trusting that because Cheryl has been so highly recommended for this procedure by so many doctors and health professionals, God is opening the door for her to give it a shot.  Cheryl is walking into this operation with realistic expectations, knowing that the only guarantee she has is in knowing that God is in control of all things and He is her Hope beyond any doctor or procedure.   She continues to say with the psalmist:

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken…Find rest, O my soul, in God alone. –Psalm 62

With her confidence placed in Him, she will go in for surgery on November 5 at UCLA.  Please continue to pray for her as she prepares for this operation.  Pray for a continual trust in the Lord and an unshakeable hope in Him and his promises that far exceed the things of this world.  Thank you to all of you who have already blessed her in such rich ways.  Today, I found her crying not because of fear or anxiety, but because of how overwhelmed she was because of the support of her family and friends.  Thank you so much! 

 

Continuing to trust HIM,

Cheryl’s family