Please pray for George. He knows the Lord. His family has been with him during this difficult time and has him covered in prayer. Join them in this would you?
UPDATES ON GEORGE'S CONDITION ARE AT THE END OF THIS POST - please scroll down after suggested verses
===================================================================================
As you share with George and the family, know that His love and comfort come through His Word. Here are some Scriptures to be read:
The LORD your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7)
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22)
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your [Word] is my delight. (Psalm 119:76-77)
O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love... (Nehemiah 9:32)
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones. (Isaiah 49:13)
I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. (Jeremiah 31:13)
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11)
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. (Psalm 18:16-18)
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3,4)
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. (Psalm 145:8-9)
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain... (Revelation 21:4)
But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love... (Nehemiah 9:17)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)
Be still and know that I am God... (Psalm 46:10)
One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving... (Psalm 62:11-12)
I, even I, am He who comforts you... (Isaiah 51:12)
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8)
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His promises never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry. (Psalm 34:15)
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us... (2 Corinthians 7:6)
Though [your mother] may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. (Isaiah 49:15-16)
Praise be to the LORD, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. (Psalm 68:19)
"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." (Psalm 91:14-15)
The LORD is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:13-14)
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
As you pray, please consider these verses of Scripture:
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies (Psalm 36:5).
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:26).
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in my love (John 15:9).**
** From "God's Love for Me" - Personal Bible Study on God's Love for Us - (c) 2003, 2004 Doug Britton / http://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-selfworthandrespect/godsloveforusandgodsloveforme.asp
December 11, 2008 (3:09pm)
Dad's kidneys are beginning to shut down. His condition keeps worsening. We have told the doctor again, whatever you do, keep him comfortable. Pain meds, air, nutrition, and hydration, at least. Major procedures are out of the question - deadly and useless. I am continuing to sing to him and read Scriptures. He has three visitors coming today.
December 10, 2008
7:11pm: Jane writes:"They can't remove the tube yet. He has fluid build-up issues. They will look for another opportunity to do so."
7:10 - Jane writes:Dad got to have a taste of apple juice tonight, on a sponge. By the intensity in his face, I could tell it did much good.
3:56pm: Jane writes:Since Dad is breathing on his own, the doctors suggested he may be more comfortable with the respiratory tube out of his mouth. They will be reducing his pain meds just a bit, so he will be more alert - maybe able to talk. I told them that was fine, but if he indicated he was in pain, they would have to increase the meds, and if he got in trouble with his breathing, the tube would need to go back in. Otherwise, he is resting easily since the nurses are keeping up with everything. No change in his status or condition.
A visitor from church came at around 1 PM (David Gray), and Pastor Dean Engebretzen and his wife will be coming by this evening for the 5:30 - 6:30 visiting time.
The ICU chaplain stopped by to see me and asked me to tell her about Dad - so I gave her a short bio. She also asked if I had any concerns. We stepped out of the room to talk and I told her that since we have no idea how long Dad will live, and may be in ICU a long time - I would have to go back to VA to my family.
The thing that bothers me the most is the idea that nobody will be there to squeeze his hand and just talk to him about things... things other than "George, we're going to turn you on your side now", or "I'm going to take your temperature."
It is important to me that someone talk to him and show that he's cared for if I can't be here. She assured me that she would do that regularly and tell the volunteers to do so as well, and let him know how the various college football games are going (especially Penn State), pray with him and read Scripture to him.
I also talked with Joe Milazzo (a friend from karaoke) who assured me that his friends would also take turns and come visit a few times a week (the hospital is 1 1/2 hours away from Southern Pines), and talk to him about what's new in their lives.
This is a great comfort to me! I plan (Lord willing) to go back home late this weekend, and return here Dec. 17-20th to visit, then go home and come back after Christmas for a bit, and to take care of Dad's bills again, then my next trip would be after New Year's Day.
If he is still doing well, I will come back as I can, but my job starts up again the second week in January.
December 9, 2008
Jane - (11:49pm) The doctor says that Dad is now considered terminal. He cannot survive the operation he needs to survive. Lynne and I said we wanted them to keep Dad on nutrition/hydration/oxygen and meds for pain and antibiotics and probiotics... not changing anything they are currently doing. I also asked the nurse to play the CD's for Dad when I'm not there. I'll bring some Selah and Casting Crowns Christmas music in to add to the collection, tomorrow.
The prognosis, even if he had extraordinary measures, would have been bleak too. Just a slower death. Even with a temporary pacemaker (which was suggested to give him a bit longer if his heart "blocked", Dad's organs would still shut down, one by one. If God wants to heal Dad, He will. But if God decides to take God home - and Dad's heart stops beating, we will let him go. This was Dad's wish, and there is no reason to prolong his death when he has heaven waiting.
I had a bit of an emotional meltdown after talking to the doctor - already missing Dad's jokes, laughter, singing - his smile. But we have had good days together. I am grateful for that. Whatever God wants to do, His ways are perfect.
Jane - (11:39pm) The doctor says that Dad is now considered terminal. He cannot survive the operation he needs to survive. Lynne and I said we wanted them to keep Dad on nutrition/hydration/oxygen and meds for pain and antibiotics and probiotics... not changing anything they are currently doing. I also asked the nurse to play the CD's for Dad when I'm not there. I'll bring some Selah and Casting Crowns Christmas music in to add to the collection, tomorrow.
The prognosis, even if he had extraordinary measures, would have been bleak too. Just a slower death. Even with a temporary pacemaker (which was suggested to give him a bit longer if his heart "blocked", Dad's organs would still shut down, one by one. If God wants to heal Dad, He will. But if God decides to take God home - and Dad's heart stops beating, we will let him go. This was Dad's wish, and there is no reason to prolong his death when he has heaven waiting.
I had a bit of an emotional meltdown after talking to the doctor - already missing Dad's jokes, laughter, singing - his smile. But we have had good days together. I am grateful for that. Whatever God wants to do, His ways are perfect.
Jane - (11:27pm) Jane talked with the doctor, but Dad's days are in God's hands.
Jane - (10:13am) getting advice that I should make some arrangements now, just in case. So much I don't know and have to find out.
December 8, 2008
(12:28pm) No change with Dad this morning.
Jane Clark writes: 10:47am Dad's doctor called tonight to let me know that Dad is now considered critical. His echo cardiogram showed an abscess on the heart - quite extensive - from the aortic valve to the mitral valve. This is from his bacterial infection, the one they haven't been able to get rid of.
Lynne Marie Jackson writes: Got a call from the doctor, Dad has an extensive abcess on his heart. He is too weak for an operation, but will need one to fix it.
December 7, 2008
Jane Clark writes: It's been a rough day for Dad. He had a fever over 103 this morning and was not responsive when I came in. His blood pressure was falling again, and his cultures were still coming back positive.
December 4, 2008:
(3:50pm) Surgery went well! Dad had an ulcer and it's being treated.So much better than we'd feared. Thank God.
(2:59pm) Dad is having an endoscopy, to find out why there is blood where it doesn't belong. They think/hope it is just an ulceration, something fixable while they're doing the endoscopy. There is blood in his stool, from his stomach tube and his nose tube. They don't know why. His blood count is pretty good. If they need to, based on their findings, they may install another drain (different procedure). The doctor has seemed confident that he will be okay - she knows the whole process that follows a complicated surgery, such as he had, but to us - it seems he is falling apart. We do appreciate your continued prayers.
They are hoping his colon is not compromised by the infection to such an extent that they would need to operate on that too. It's a rough road. I will update as soon as I have more info.
(10:57am) Dad's kidneys are ok. Concern about swelling now in abdomen. Dad is getting a CAT scan. Doc thinks it is more than the infection (C. Dificil).
(10:30am) Dad's condition... as I understand it
Lynne was called to the hospital before visiting hours in ICU. Dad is in pretty serious trouble, but they are not sure why. He has two things he's on antibiotics for. His blood oxygen level is low. Still high temp (103+), heart rate fast but blood pressure low (shock?) kidneys may not be working right. Dad is mumbling - often incoherent. Lynne wanted to talk to him before they put the breathing tube in so she could understand him. I expect to go down again Friday evening or Saturday morning.
December 3, 2008 (7:53pm) His daughter Jane writes at 7:53pm this evening:
'Dad is being moved back into ICU - fever, infection, weakness, heart rate elevated. Please pray!'
No comments:
Post a Comment