Blindsided: Medical Mazes (Part Two)

**Names marked with an asterisk (*) have been changed for the privacy of individuals and their families**

When Doctor’s Shrug

Researching online today (2020), documents, studies and even recent evaluations about the yellow-fever vaccine and breastfeeding are readily available, likely because of the push toward “Breast is Best.” Four year ago, however, it was nigh impossible to find the details of documented cases with nurslings, but the Lord had already opened the door for contact with multiple International Board Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and several doctors who were knowledgeable about breastfeeding because of those many years of struggling with breastfeeding that I NEVER thought I would be thankful for! Though the lack of published documentation about the transfer of the yellow-fever vaccine through breast milk yielded more questions than answers, each doctor was able to provide new pieces to the puzzle which aided us toward a clearer answer. We continued to research and pray, knowing that God already knew the answers, until one evening, while scouring the internet for any credible data, the Lord finally guided us to the very cases used as evidence to support not administering the yellow-fever vaccine to nursing mothers!

As it turns out, the only documented cases in nurslings that were adversely affected (yellow-fever encephalitis, etc.) by their mothers receiving the yellow-fever vaccine involved newborns who died within a month of the mother receiving the vaccine. Our little Annabelle*, though a nursling, was going to be nine-months-old by the time we went for our travel immunization appointment, the exact minimum age for receiving the yellow-fever vaccine. If Annabelle* was medically old enough to receive it herself, though not required yet in Zambia until age one, why would it be dangerous for the vaccine to pass through breast milk, except in the possible case of her dose, plus mine, overloading her system? We continued to work with the medical professionals until we all reached the safest conclusion: I would receive the yellow-fever vaccine, not Annabelle*, and my breast milk would provide her with the antibodies my body created in reaction to the yellow-fever vaccine. We were relieved, but we also knew we were not entirely out of the woods, yet.

Our Miraculous God

When we arrived at our travel immunization appointment, we respectfully showed the nurses the clearly-listed requirement for the yellow-fever vaccine on the Zambian Embassy’s website, but they still could not administer it to our family because it went against the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). We followed up in the room by calling the Zambian Embassy, as we had already done over a month prior at home to verify the requirement, and then requested that the nurse come over and speak with the Zambian embassy in D.C. directly. Afterwards, she left for what felt like years, but then came back with the vaccinations and blank certificates we required for the trip! God was faithful, and once again, He answered our prayers in ways that we NEVER could have imagined.

Looking back, God’s hand was evident every step of the way, from finding out that most of the vaccination costs were covered, to keeping Brendon* safe when his neck spasmed up a week after receiving the yellow fever vaccine. The Lord miraculously corrected a prescription note mistake at no cost to us, and then provided just the right pediatrician before the trip to advise us about using jelly packets to help our children ingest their anti-malaria medication! This does not even begin to cover how he provided for the international medical insurance, the approval from a sleep doctor for my husband’s CPAP to be on the plane, or the process of getting my medication authorized for the plane in case of an allergic reaction!

God had been so good to us, and we rested in that knowledge as we continued to wait and pray for God to somehow work through the situation with our tickets and the dangerous protests erupting in Zambia with the upcoming election. Our faith had been tried, our resources spent, and we were exhausted already, but we encouraged each other to keep our eyes focused on the Lord, knowing that the God who parted the Red Sea and made dry bones talk could handle this situation, also. The last thing we expected, however, was for Douglas Stauffer to become the next major roadblock on our way to Africa.

In this series I share my thoughts and opinions concerning these ministers and the events which led to my departure. Click here to continue reading: “Blindsided: Sent to the Wolf, Unaware’” or click on a title below. [Links will be added as new blogs are posted.]

Blindsided Series

Part One: Red Flags and Rose-Colored Glasses

• • Series Introduction
  • Hindsight is 20/20
  • First Warning Signs
  • Circumcising the Critics- Sermon #1
  • Circumcising the Critics- Sermon #2

Part Two: Calloused Carnality and Hidden Harassment
(Sunday, June 3, 2018- Tuesday, June 5, 2018)

• • Douglas Stauffer’s Carnal Message on Carnality- Sermon #3
  • Silent No Longer
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Voicemail to Matthew Olds
  • Personal Response to Douglas Stauffer’s Voicemail
  • Harassment from Douglas Stauffer Begins
  • Private Messages Between Matthew Olds and Pastor Andrew Ray
  • Afternoon Phone Calls with Pastor Andrew Ray and Douglas Stauffer
  • Continuation of Messages between Matthew Olds and Pastor Andrew Ray
  • Crystal Olds’ First Facebook Apology Post
  • Douglas Stauffer Twists Crystal Olds’ Public Apology
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Harassment Crosses Another Line
  • The Olds’ House Divided
  • Face-to-Face with Douglas Stauffer
  • Reduced to Being the Pastor’s Cheerleader

Part Three: Navigating the Masks of Deceit
(Wednesday, June 6, 2018- Sunday, June 18, 2018)

• • Douglas Stauffer’s Twitter Tells All (Part One)
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Twitter Tells All (Part Two)
  • Still Expected to Cheer from the Nursery
  • Our Own Pastor- Friend or Foe?
  • Our Pastor’s True Colors Begin to Show (Part One)
  • Our Pastor’s True Colors Begin to Show (Part Two)
  • One Finger Salute
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Public Apology
  • Straight from the Horse’s Mouth
  • The Illusion of Pastor Andrew Ray
  • Crystal Olds’ Email to Pastor Andrew Ray about Douglas Stauffer’s Harassment and Character
  • Pastor Andrew Ray’s Message on “Biblical Forgiveness”
  • Shredding the Evidence

Part Four: Discerning a Diotrephes: Douglas Stauffer

• • Douglas Stauffer- A Diotrophes at Heart
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Traveling Conceit
  • Douglas Stauffer- Pride He Can Count On
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Pharisaical Comparisons
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Perspective About His Pride
  • A Missionary’s Dream
  • Douglas Stauffer- Clouds Without Rain
  • Planning on a Prayer
  • Crossing I’s and Dotting T’s
  • Medical Mazes (Part One)
  • Medical Mazes (Part Two)
  • Sent to the Wolf, Unaware
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Deceitful Misleading
  • Douglas Stauffer Twists the Truth
  • Matthew Olds’ Email to Pastor Andrew Ray
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Motives Revealed

Part Five: When Closet Skeletons Speak

Part Seven: Rising Up from the Ashes

• • Out of the Fire… With Buckets of Water
  • Our Letter to the Witnesses
  • Finally Speaking Out
  • “What Really Happened (Part One)”
  • “What Really Happened (Part Two)”
  • Douglas Stauffer’s Private Message to Matthew Olds (December 2018)
  • Yet Another Private Message from Douglas Stauffer (December 2018)