Many of you are no stranger to pain. A number of you reading this are suffering from chronic pain of various kinds. I didn’t know what that was like – I am very sorry for your pain.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
Some of you know that I have been experiencing unexplained pain since May. The pain and numbness started in my lower back and spread to my legs, hips, shoulders and arms, changing weekly and mostly increased over the past several months.
This has been a concerning journey, one requiring dependence on and trust in God even as I have seen my health, strength and wellness melt away.
Since the beginning of August, I stopped running and cycling (reduce variables) and have mostly enjoyed walking/hiking as a form of exercise and mental wellness. I snuck in a few rides this month, which I loved. Activity felt good, however recently any activity results in compounded pain.
In early August I had two MRIs on my spine which led to an initial diagnosis of a minor pinched cervical nerve and a minor lumbar bulged disc. A second opinion led me to understand that these things alone cannot account for the level of pain / numbness I currently experience. After a brain MRI and various other tests ruling out other conditions, one neurologist landed on a suspected fibromyalgia diagnosis. In the past, sitting in a chair helped the leg, hip and back neuropathic pain melt away – it was a sure-fire way to relieve the pain. As of 3 weeks ago the pain is present no matter what.
For those of us with chronic pain, every day can be like a battle. We have to keep on going – we even get good at concealing it.
Last week I returned from a week-long international trip where I led team meetings.
The trip was good, the flights were long, I had opportunities to be active outdoors, and I felt like I could mitigate my pain with additional meds on top of the gabapentin I use to manage pain at night.
Upon my return to my family in Thailand, the leg, hip and lower back pain increased dramatically. I experienced 3 days of out-of-control pain before finally finding the right combination of meds that gave me some relief and allowed me to catch up on much needed sleep. I have learned the hard way that lack of sleep makes my pain worse.
The picture at the top of this post is from a week ago – the last walk/hike Becca and I were able to do together before my condition worsened. With each increase in pain, a new wave of questions washed up. Where are you God? How long will this last? Why isn’t this getting any better?
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 42:2)
God can handle our tears and our hard questions, so we come to him with palms and hearts open.
The increased pain prompted us to pursue and move up medical appointments. I moved up my October routine oncology appointment with Dr. Rattiya to today. We ran all sorts of blood tests – and pretty much everything came back good and fine. But she, like us, is also concerned about my unexplained and worsening pain/numbness symptoms. So tomorrow, Tuesday, I will have a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) where they will sample some spinal fluid to help us get a better picture of what might be going on. We understand that initial results will come on Friday.
Thank you for walking along with us on this journey. We know we are not alone!
Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
– lyrics from Selah’s Wonderful, Merciful Savior
Praying that they can find the cause of the pain and numbness and help find a resolution.
I had an injury in my neck when I was hit by a car at seven and a half years old. I have to get regular Chiropractic adjustments and as the years go by stenosis or type of arthritis is considered severe but I’ve been very thankful I don’t have the pain of what a person with severe stenosis has. But I also every three to four months get a spinal cortisone type shot into my neck to help prevent the sharp pain I would feel and the numbness and things in my hands and arms.
We’re praying for you in the Bloom team meetings.
I had noticed that the longer bike rides / more vigorous activities you normally engage in had fallen out of Strava. So sorry for another hard round of health concerns but will be praying for clear answers with very treatable options going forward! Thanks for sharing your heart and life with us as we try to do our part in lifting you and your family up before the Lord! Lord, Hear our Prayers for Chris and the Hirts!
Dear Chris and Becca;
We, like you, find ourselves in what appears to be and certainly feels like almost never-ending struggles in a few critical areas of our lives.
I can only offer the Lord Jesus, who is mighty to save. Our Good God has plans for us according to His Sovereign Grace which goes before us, which has always been. No schedule, He doesn’t suffer from emotions but is steady, changeless. He knows. I can offer you this encouragement in a verse that I have taped in places where I see it and can be reminded.
2 Chronicles 20:12. For we are powerless against this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do but our eyes are looking to you.
It is not easy. He promises to always be with us; He is our Healer. However, suffering is a big part of ‘taking up our cross’. Suffering is hard, not knowing is hard; every day full of unknowns is very hard. Jesus knew, yet He suffered horribly.
I discovered by the most twisted route that I had a severely compressed spinal cord and required emergency surgery, 3 years ago right now. Without it, I was going to have tetraplegia. I have lingering neuropathy in my hands and feet. Nothing seems to help that including Gabapentin. I am praying for you from a place of understanding, and certainly fellowship in
Jesus Christ. Please let us know if there is any way we can help further. Grace XO
Praying with you Chris! Thank you for the update so we know how to pray!
Praying for and with you, Chris & Becca.
Praying for you Chris and Becca and the kids as you continue to seek answers and guidance on how to deal with this new medical challenge. The days may feel long but God is continuing to walk with you Chris and providing you with his unconditional
love.❤️ Praying for answers and relief for your pain.🙏🏻🙏🏻 Big hugs to you and the family from the Everetts🥰
Jesus you are our faithful leader and savior. Lead Chris and Becca and their family at this time to your provision to healing for this pain. Thank you so much for your faithfulness all along the way and your firm unshakeable promise for now and in the future. All my life you have been faithful.
Praying for accurate results and endurance through all the testing. May God grant you His Grace and Patience on your journey
Jeff and I are so sorry to hear about your pain and suffering, Chris. Praying God will again work a miracle of healing in your body!
Asking for another set of miracles. Big and small to allow you to walk through this valley as you wait as we wait together with hope for yet another reprieve! Love to you both, Karen and Steve
Praying that our Lord will lead the way to answers and intervention and relief and rest. Praying also for you and Becca as you await those results above. He is the Great Physician and you are in His hands.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers for relief, for healing and most of all for an awareness of your sustaining presence full of love and goodness.
I’m so sorry for your pain Chris. We will be praying for you. As you know, my mom has had Fibromyalgia for a few decades. It’s a beast. Praying for some answers and relief! Much love
“What shall we say to all this? If God be for us, who can be against us?…Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.” Romans 8:31,37 (Amp)
Praying for you, Chris and Rebecca’s, that the Lord will give you strength and peace and healing!
“What shall we say to all this? If God be for us, who can be against us?…Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.” Romans 8:31,37 (Amp)
Praying for you, Chris and Rebecca, that the Lord will give you strength and peace and healing!
Lord, have mercy! Christ have mercy on Chris and all who love him! Hold him close and fill him with hope as he puts his trust in you.
Van and I are praying for you, Chris!
Chris & Becca – I’m so sorry to hear of Chris’ journey with pain. I pray the Lord brings relief and healing and grace to daily face the challenges you are walking through. I don’t know if you’ve seen my daughter Kate on staff in the middle school at Grace. The Lord has really gone before her. Yahweh is with you…
So, so sorry to hear of this development, Chris. Lord, hear our prayers or Chris and his family.
We will be lifting you up in the days and months ahead. So sorry for this setback.
Oh my! I’m sorry for your pain, Chris ! Praying that you get the fixable issues fixed, and that you have lots of support and tools to help with the rest of it. I just emailed you and Becca a link to a book about fibromyalgia that was written by one of my former doctors. (He closed his practice to care for his wife through her cancer journey.)
My 32 year pain journey has finally led me to having back surgery on October 9th in hopes of having my increasingly severe pain cut by 50-75%. I would appreciate your prayers, and I will be praying for you ♥️
Chris
We are so sorry for the pain that is putting you through this trial. The Lord is near and hears our cries.
I too will share a spinal tap with you tomorrow (Tuesday) to determine some neurological issues of my own.
Neither of us will be alone in this tomorrow. The Lord will be our comforter and companion as we await outcomes.
We will be praying continually for you Chris. We will know His peace and be surrounded by His grace and love.
Mark McCluskey
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy! Grant peace and comfort to Chris, keen insight by his medical team, and assurance of your abiding presence with the entire Hirt family.
With love and rising prayers,
Scott and Jill
Chris and Becca – We are so very sorry to read this! We will pray.
Oh dear people, this is so sad to read. We prayed for you right away.
My heart is with y’all. Let me know if you want some local acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine leads, including a Christian friend. You can ask your oncologist what she thinks about that.
Chris, Becca, and family —
May God be your rock of refuge, the place where you can always go (Psalm 71:3), and may his healing hand be upon you.
I am so sorry you’re going through all this. Prayers of healing and that you would have patience and peace during this trying time.
Chris, sorry to hear about the increasing pain and health concerns. It must be frustrating that they can’t yet find an answer. I’ll be praying for your tests this week and for some relief and comfort from the pain. God’s strength and peace to you!
I will be adding my prayers to those here and many more. May you feel the prayers of your brothers and sisters, of the body upholding you, Chris, and you, Becca, and each of your kids.
Hang in there Chris, we are all rooting for you!👍🏻
Chris and Becca
Spending some time with your in-laws, parents who shared their concern of health issues, our prayers continue.
The women’s condo Bible study is on Habakkuk where, as with you Chris, the prophet started with “how long Lord, will I cry for help?”
We know the answers given in this book, but for you, right now it’s unknown, but with the many of us bringing you, your situation to the Lord, we are trusting for His work in and for you, no matter the answer.
We lift Chris up in prayer to our Almighty, Healer,Compassionate, All knowing God. Who else can guide you through this process. Have mercy oh Lord and relief from pain and anguish of soul, mind and body. We love you guys.
The Steensmas
Dear Chris & Becca & family
We hear you. We lift you before our Lord knowing He cares deeply and loves deeper. May you sense His loving arms surrounding you & give you a calm peace & comfort to get through each day as you trust Him for the answers to care for you and your family.
I’m very sorry to hear your news Chris. Praying for you my friend.
Chris, I am praying for your healing and for wisdom for your doctors.
Sorry to hear about this, Chris. Many of us have chronic pain. Our pastor has fibromyalgia and has requested retirement once a replacement is found. He has a few good days but struggles on. Of course, y’all are in our prayers. Frank and Erica
Keeping a positive attitude is absolutely a life saver. Open palms and open heart alongside the love and support of your family and friends will get you through this next trial. Praying for a quick diagnosis leading to quick relief!
Chris, you are in my daily prayers that the medical specialists will be able to determine the underlying reason for this extreme pain so it can be properly addressed & controlled.
God bless you & your family.
Chris,
Rhonda and I are praying for you Becca and the kids. Wisdom for the Dr, discovery of the underlying issues and of course healing.
Hi Chris and Becca,
I have not experienced the level of pain you are experiencing.
We prayed for you this morning!
With love in Christ,
Ken