Please Pray for Sara

My dad's cousin, Sara Benton, has just recently come into some bad health. The text below are e-mails sent by her sister, Ellen. Please pray for Sara and her doctors, and that her insurance gets its act together. I hate insurance companies that don't pay for needed tests and procedures! Our thoughts and prayers are with Sara and the Benton family.

Nov 24, 2008 2:55 PM

Many of you know or know of my sister Sara Benton. She has requested prayers for her health. Last week Sara was admitted to the hospital in Olney with fluid in her chest between her lungs and heart. The fluid was drained and tested for a variety of items. Doctors have given her MANY possible issues, most very serious. There were cancer "markers" found and she is getting a PET scan tomorrow. She is currently only being treated for pneumonia. Our family, of course, wishes Sara would come to Springfield where they can get more done in a more timely fashion, but she is comfortable with the doctors she has been assigned. She would like prayers for her strength and the doctor's knowledge. Thank you.>>Ellen and family

Nov 25, 2008

Tuesday's scan was canceled due to insurance issues. I don't know the whole story, but there are still samples that were sent out-of-state and the insurance won't pay for anything else until those results are back. It's all very disheartening.>Thanks for your thoughts, prayers...>Ellen

Nov 29, 2008

OK, Sara had more fluid taken off both sides of the chest cavity on Thursday. Friday she went to Effingham and had a PET scan that should show where the cancer cells/markers are coming from. Due to other circumstances I don't know when she'll know the outcome. While in Effingham the Dr. from a Springfield Cardio group was able to run another ECG to check the amount of fluid around her heart (which had been building over this time). He said the fluid was making her heart collapse somewhat and sent her to Springfield to have it drained in a way that fluid should not build back up there. I "happened" to go down for the PET scan so the doctor said I could drive her. She is still in recovery for observation after the surgery to remove over 800 cc's of fluid around her heart. Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you very much.Ellen