Rachel Held Evans in intensive care

[punkiepie]

10 hours ago, nausicaa said:

I'm a glutton for punishment and read the comments. Is the "Russell Lewis" who commented the same Russell who married a much younger Amanda Smith and whom we've discussed here before? 

He looks awfully familiar and I remember the one we who married Amanda playing an instrument professionally. The Facebook says he plays for the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. If it's the same person...wowza. I no longer feel bad about any of the teasing he got on here.  

After a little bit of research, I’m almost certain they are one in the same.  Here is the public fb pic from the Russell Lewis who commented on the Pulpit Pen blog:

Spoiler

 

And here is the engagement announcement  picture from Amanda Smith’s parents’ blog:

                     

One in the same. At least IMHO!

In this archived thread 

there’s a lot more information on them from around the time they got engaged and married.

 

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by punkiepie
put too large picture in spoiler box

[JermajestyDuggar]

I guess it’s good that Russell seems to old to procreate. 

[nausicaa]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I guess it’s good that Russell seems to old to procreate. 

I've had this uncharitable thought ever since I saw him in a Confederate flag tee on their blog...

[Howl]

It seems that Rachel's hospitalization resulted from a severe reaction to antibiotics.  That is terrifying.  Still sending healing vibes her way.  

I responded to this on the 'Disturbing' Fundie Couple thread here.  Don't want to derail from the focus on Rachel. 

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I guess it’s good that Russell seems to old to procreate.

 

[punkiepie]

I found RHE shortly after I left my old IFB church, smack dab in the middle of my faith crisis, and I can't describe how much of an impact her words had on me.  I was in this place where I could no longer believe in the god my church preached, so I felt there were only two choices available to me: 1. Either God was real and really horrible or 2.  There was no God, it was all one big fairy tale.  Part of that is because of the way IFB churches teach- either everything, the way it is written in the Bible and preached by preacher, is true, or none of it is true.  After spending a lifetime in church, believing the things I believed, it was really terrifying to now be faced with the thought that there was no God. 

I was at a really low point when I stumbled on RHE's blog, back before she was famous.  We even became FB friends because we had several friends in common from my fundie days.  I read her whole blog and first book in a few days and it was like a light bulb turned on in my head;  maybe God/Jesus weren't the problem, maybe it was the teachers teaching about God/Jesus.  Up until then, I just accepted what had been taught to me as truth, and it was their "truth" that I couldn't accept or believe in any longer.  The idea that children who had never heard the word of God would go to Hell for eternity was something that just seemed evil to me.  And if that was the truth, then I didn't want to believe in a God who would do such a thing.  RHE first introduced me to the world of progressive Christians, Christians who struggled with the same indoctrinated beliefs that I had, Christians who doubted the inerrancy of the bible.  It was because of her that I realized that my religion was destroying whatever faith I had left.

This was over 10 years ago, and I've come a long way in my faith journey. I still don't know what I believe,I don't go to church anymore, but I sometimes pray, although I'm not sure to whom I'm praying.  But in those early years where I felt so alone and isolated, RHE was pivotal in helping me change the way I viewed religion, God, and the bible.  

[Evangeline]

@punkiepie Thank you for your story. After the 2016 election, the faith crisis that had been building in me for years came to a head. I just could not do faith the way I'd been taught if it this was the result. I'd read some of RHE before that time but picked up Searching for Sunday during one of my darkest moments, and it turned out to be exactly what I needed. Even though I already knew it in my head, it made my soul realize I didn't have to walk away from my faith entirely. I just had to find a new tribe. And I did. I will never forget that Rachel helped me do that. Still praying daily for her. We need her voice in this world so bad. 

[VVV]

On 4/23/2019 at 9:38 PM, nausicaa said:

I'm a glutton for punishment and read the comments. Is the "Russell Lewis" who commented the same Russell who married a much younger Amanda Smith and whom we've discussed here before? 

He looks awfully familiar and I remember the one we who married Amanda playing an instrument professionally. The Facebook says he plays for the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. If it's the same person...wowza. I no longer feel bad about any of the teasing he got on here.  

I'm the one who knew Russell as a work colleague decades ago and yes, that is the same person. I was really disappointed to see that comment. 

Not trying to excuse that horrid comment in any way but I would bet there are a lot more fundies who are privately thinking the same thing; they just know better than to say it out loud. It is standard fundy theology.

[louisa05]

23 hours ago, Howl said:

It seems that Rachel's hospitalization resulted from a severe reaction to antibiotics.  That is terrifying.  Still sending healing vibes her way.  

I responded to this on the 'Disturbing' Fundie Couple thread here.  Don't want to derail from the focus on Rachel. 

 

I had a severe allergic reaction to an antibiotic in 2003. Since then, I have developed hypersensitivity and have an allergic reaction or adverse side effects to almost everything now. Dangerous side effects not "just nausea".  And that is an aside for the P.A. that insisted last summer that I was lying to her and I just need to "suck it up and tolerate an upset stomach"--then prescribed something that I found out from the pharmacist I absolutely should not take based on a previous reaction. 

It is terrifying. My doctor wanted to hospitalize me in 2003 and my insurance refused to approve it. Instead I was at my parents's house, not left alone for three days and the doctor assigned a nurse in his office to check in with us three times a day by phone and called himself after office hours each night for the first five days. 

I am terrified every time I have to take something now. Typically, my doctor and NP will have me try to recover with only drugs to manage symptoms before we go to an antibiotic. Last round of antibiotics for a UTI, I was getting some red patches on my chest and face. I got a steroid shot and took Benadryl around the clock until I finished the course. 

[livinginthelight]

Update: Rachel is still in a medically induced coma because of the constant seizures. It is the seizures which are the problem, and not the infection. She was transferred today to her third hospital. Her husband thanks everyone for their support.

Edited April 27, 2019 by livinginthelight

[ColeJo]

While I don't agree with everything Rachel says, her books helped me fall in love with the church and the Bible all over again.

Antibiotics are not something to mess with. I did three rounds of antibiotics because doctors wanted to cover their backsides when I sought treatment for a cat bite that wouldn't stop draining. I did a round of doxycycline, Keflex, and Bactrim. On Bactrim, I went psychotic and I felt like I was going to die. I got a second opinion and learned that the "infection" was an eczema flare-up from trauma to the skin. If I was prescribed topical steroids with the first round of antibiotics, it would be likely that the psychotic wouldn't have happened. It took me forever to recover mentally. I made sure that there is a note in my chart regarding the adverse events.

[indianabones]

On 4/25/2019 at 7:25 AM, louisa05 said:

I had a severe allergic reaction to an antibiotic in 2003. Since then, I have developed hypersensitivity and have an allergic reaction or adverse side effects to almost everything now. Dangerous side effects not "just nausea".  And that is an aside for the P.A. that insisted last summer that I was lying to her and I just need to "suck it up and tolerate an upset stomach"--then prescribed something that I found out from the pharmacist I absolutely should not take based on a previous reaction. 

It is terrifying. My doctor wanted to hospitalize me in 2003 and my insurance refused to approve it. Instead I was at my parents's house, not left alone for three days and the doctor assigned a nurse in his office to check in with us three times a day by phone and called himself after office hours each night for the first five days. 

I am terrified every time I have to take something now. Typically, my doctor and NP will have me try to recover with only drugs to manage symptoms before we go to an antibiotic. Last round of antibiotics for a UTI, I was getting some red patches on my chest and face. I got a steroid shot and took Benadryl around the clock until I finished the course. 

Have you ever looked into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome? That's how mine manifested.

[Smash!]

I hate that doctors describe antibiotics just to cover their asses. They are a live saver but sometimes trigger allergic reactions. Not to mention antibiotic resistence which is a huge problem. So they should only be prescribed if recessary. Luckily my GP has a lot of common sense which is why I love her and when I had Salmonella told me as long as I made steady progress in recovering she wouldn‘t give me antibiotics unless I wanted it. I had to promise her to call immediately if things got worse.

[apple1]

12 minutes ago, Smash! said:

I hate that doctors describe antibiotics just to cover their asses.

That seems to be a thing of the past in this area. It actually seems that many providers around here have gone in the opposite direction.

Over 80% of antibiotic use in the US is agricultural - in animal feed, with the antibiotics then being largely excreted in waste and found in runoff. Antibiotics are even used in some places to spray fruit trees to act as pesticides.

While there are still places where overprescribing to humans is an issue, the problem is much bigger than that.

[JermajestyDuggar]

3 hours ago, apple1 said:

That seems to be a thing of the past in this area. It actually seems that many providers around here have gone in the opposite direction.

Over 80% of antibiotic use in the US is agricultural - in animal feed, with the antibiotics then being largely excreted in waste and found in runoff. Antibiotics are even used in some places to spray fruit trees to act as pesticides.

While there are still places where overprescribing to humans is an issue, the problem is much bigger than that.

I agree. Some doctors have become the complete opposite. My mom said her doctor wouldn’t prescribe an antibiotic last time she thought she needed one. Luckily my kids haven’t needed too many antibiotics in their lives.

[louisa05]

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I agree. Some doctors have become the complete opposite. My mom said her doctor wouldn’t prescribe an antibiotic last time she thought she needed one. Luckily my kids haven’t needed too many antibiotics in their lives.

They are a last resort for me. Unfortunately, to get a doctor or PA to agree to that is difficult. I have sat in offices and begged them to consider other options. The only ones who listen to me are the ones who treated the original reaction. They don't even prescribe for a UTI until the lab culture comes back in order to make sure we aren't treating with antibiotics if we don't have to. One time, my symptoms were actually improving when the culture came back. We went with drinking a gallon of water a day and doing follow up lab tests over the course of a couple of weeks instead of antibiotics. It worked. It was miserable, but it worked. 

Trouble is that that doctor is now 65 miles away from me. When I have been sick enough to not wait to get there, I've done urgent care with sometimes bad results. 

 

[livinginthelight]

Update from her blog:

April 30th, 2019 Update

The neurology team at the hospital is weaning Rachel off of the coma medication. This is a multi-day process that started a few days ago. This is not the first attempt at weaning but it is the first attempt at the current facility. Our hope is that she has had time to heal, the medications used are helpful, and the seizures won’t start again.

Amen to the last sentence. I'm praying. As mentioned above, she's one of the good ones. I personally love her writings and usually agree with her conclusions.  Even people who disagree with her can, and do, respect her.

 

[louisa05]

Rachel has died. Early this morning per her husband's post. 

I have no words. 

[Jana814]

29 minutes ago, louisa05 said:

Rachel has died. Early this morning per her husband's post. 

I have no words. 

Oh my G-d that is so sad!!  

I’m sure it was mentioned but does she have kids? 

Edited May 4, 2019 by Jana814

[PennySycamore]

It really is, @Jana814!  One of my daughters would often share things that Rachel had posted on her Facebook.  I messaged my daughter just now with the sad news.  

Her death is a huge loss for the church.  It needed her voice more than ever.

[feministxtian]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just no. I feel like I've been punched in the gut right now. 

[anniebgood]

• Evidently she developed swelling of the brain which basically burned her brain up. She has several young children. RIP Rachel. ?

[louisa05]

Just now, feministxtian said:

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just no. I feel like I've been punched in the gut right now. 

She wrote some excellent stuff that helped me come to terms with the type of evangelicalism that I dealt with in my life. 

And she wrote one of the best pieces ever about modesty standards that I have linked and sent to countless people to try to explain how that rhetoric is so false and so potentially damaging to women and girls. Here it is for anyone interested: 

http://qideas.org/articles/modesty-i-dont-think-it-means-what-you-think-it-means/

@anniebgood She has a 3 year old son and a daughter who is nearly 1. 

Article on Slate.com with quotes from her husband: 

https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/05/rachel-held-evans-the-hugely-popular-evangelical-writer-is-dead-at-37.html

[EowynW]

I am sitting here sobbing. She was the first author I found after I left my old life. She opened the doors to freedom for me. 

[Evangeline]

This is just devastating. I'm so sad. 

[hoipolloi]

This is terrible. I had so hoped that she'd recover.