To Our Dear Friends At The Anayat House~
How do we even begin to express what The Anayat House has meant to our family during these past several challenging weeks? Let us begin at the beginning...
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, October 29, 2024, our daughter Melissa Estes, was involved in a serious car accident. We received the terrifying phone call from the Jasper Hospital that no parent wants to get informing us of Melissa's accident and that we needed to come immediately. By the time we drove from our home in west central Louisiana to Jasper, Texas, the medical staff had determined Melissa's injuries were beyond what their small facility could handle and they would need to fly her to a trauma hospital. The only trauma hospital closer to our home denied admittance as they were at capacity. We were told we would have to go to Beaumont, a 2- 1/2 hour drive from our home. The doctor indicated time was of the essence so we agreed. We would somehow figure out the details later. Upon arrival at St. Elizabeth Hospital the trauma team informed us that Melissa had a broken hip, broken ribs and bruised lungs. She was admitted and we stayed at the hospital with her. Melissa underwent surgery to repair her hip.
Fast forward four days. Melissa's breathing continued to decline. She struggled for every breath. Saturday morning after shift change the nurse called for a rapid response and Melissa was moved to ICU. As she was being wheeled away we were told we had to move our things out of the hospital room. My husband and I were suddenly displaced. Where would we go? What would we do?? While in the ICU waiting room someone handed us a brochure for The Anayat House and suggested we call. We called late in the evening. Tressa was warm and so helpful. We were going through the most stressful time of our lives but Tressa became for us a safe port in the storm. That first night, we left the hospital and drove the short distance to the Anayat House. (How wonderful that it was so close to the hospital!) Upon entry we found The Anayat House welcoming, beautiful, clean and safe. Some of our stress began to melt away. Not only did we have a private bedroom and bathroom, everything was meticulously clean and well-appointed.
As our journey through Melissa’s decline and eventual recovery unfolded so did our love, appreciation and deep gratitude for the Anayat House and its incredibly kind and compassionate staff. Tressa, Barbara, Rainey, Amy and Alma went above and beyond to bless us throughout the most challenging moments during our stay. We were overwhelmed to find all the blessings the Anayat House offered. The kitchen had coffee, snacks and foods available for guests as well as frozen meals provided by one of the local churches. We were encouraged to make use of the beautiful living room and the lovely library which is well-stocked with books, games and puzzles. One of the biggest blessings has been the laundry room. We can't even imagine how challenging it would have been to leave the hospital late at night and have to find a laundromat to wash clothes. What a blessing to have laundry facilities on site as well as have the laundry products provided at no charge. It took a tremendous load off our shoulders and we are truly grateful.
What we originally believed would be a few nights stay in the hospital has stretched into a multiple months stay and the end is not yet in sight. Melissa's internal injuries presented themselves slowly but with unrelenting fervor. She has undergone four surgeries and has spent the majority of her hospital stay in the Intensive Care Unit.
Our family cannot emphasize enough what a blessing, a gift from God, The Anayat House has been to us. We never imagined ourselves needing services such as those provided by this incredible ministry. We will never be able to fully express our thanks to The Anayat House for being available to us during the most challenging time of our lives. We shudder to think of what we would have done had we not been offered this beautiful home away from home in which to stay while our daughter has literally been fighting for her life. Securing local temporary housing for our family during this critical time would have exhausted and depleted our personal finances and would have been an overwhelming burden on our minds as well. The Anayat House has provided so much more than housing; it has blessed us with something far greater, peace of mind. Thank you and may God continue to abundantly bless all who support and carry on the mission of The Anayat House.
