First, thank you for loving our family so well.

I am so thankful to say that my sister is doing well right now. She is stable. She is improving. For this, we are so very thankful!

She is currently in her second stay in the hospital since the beginning of this year. After a 9 day stay in January, she was readmitted on February 14th for a second admission. Earlier this year she became critically ill with severe myocarditis and went into heart failure. She worked so hard to regain her strength, just to be sent back down to OSU with an even more severe case of myocarditis and heart failure. She ended up on a ventilator and was put on the heart lung bypass machine (ECMO) to assist her heart as well as an Impella device to help rest her heart so she had time to recover.

By the grace of God, she is now off ECMO and off the Impella. Her heart is functioning on its own again. That alone feels like a miracle.

But we still do not have clear answers as to why this keeps happening. The doctors are working hard to figure it out so we can prevent it from happening again. Until then, she remains in the hospital being monitored, tested, and cared for.

It has been heavy. Physically. Emotionally. Financially. Two long hospitalizations, ICU care, specialists, time away from work for Gary, and time away from her four kids. It adds up quickly. More than anything, it is the not knowing that is hard.

Psalm 23 has been on repeat in our hearts through all of this:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

We have walked through that valley. And I can say with certainty that God has been with us in that ICU room. In the machines. In the doctors. In the timing, through EVERY step of the way.

We truly believe He is not finished with her story.

If you feel led to give, pray, or share this, we are so grateful. Your prayers mean more than you know. Your support helps take some of the weight off so we can focus on what matters most, her healing.

Thank you for standing with us.

Funds will be received by Gary Gayheart, Emily’s husband.