My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Many of you have been asking about my whereabouts lately and so I thought I would provide an update and answer some of the questions.
During the shutdown, I worked from home for the most part. Just prior to the shutdown, I had been working with medical staff on some issues with my back that had cropped up since my fall last year. It was decided just prior to the shutdown that I would need to have a procedure on my lower back and some surgery (I thought minor) to fix an issue in my neck. They were put on hold, but as restrictions lifted the doctors decided it was best to get the issues fixed.
The procedure on my lower back went very well and most of the pain is gone from there. The surgery on my neck, as it turns out, was not quite as minor as I thought.
I did have the surgery at St. Joseph in Tacoma and I just received clearance to return to work. Healing will continue for some time and I ask for your prayers for that process. I am limited in what I can do for the next several months so I do need prayers – they DO work.
I have many thank yous to send – I hope I get them all. Thank you to all the prayer warriors out there. I also want to thank the medical team at St. Joseph who put up with me for 4 days, the doctors, nurses and assistants. I have a special thank you that must go to Dr. Jon Hillyer (our parishioner) and his staff, who has gone far above and beyond in caring for the post-surgery complications.
I am blessed to be back to work to do the work I was ordained to do on your behalf.
May God Bless all of you.
-Deacon Bill Hamlin