Friday Night

Maryann called me yesterday morning, letting me know that Mom had been moved to CICU. Dad told her that Dr. King wanted Mom moved there in order to be closely monitored and receive more drugs that she otherwise couldn't get in that part of the hospital. He didn't know what the other drugs were for and why she needed to be closely monitored. He did say that her breathing seemed to have gotten worse that morning and she wasn't eating well. I can't imagine what was going through Dad's head and knew that someone needed to be with him. I had Katie and couldn't go right then. Maryann couldn't get off work. I called June and Sandy, while Maryann called Sue. I told June about how I felt terrible that Dad was at the hospital alone, but I couldn't be with him. Luckily, she was able to get off work to be with him. When they were able to go back there with Mom during visitation hours, they still couldn't get a lot of questions answered. Dad said that her breathing got much better. Dr. King told Dad and June that Mom was ate up with infection (C. dif) and he wanted her some where where she can be closely monitored. They left the hospital soon after the 1-2 o'clock visitation hours to come home.

Susan called and asked me yesterday, if I would like to go with her to see Mom at the hospital. She knew Maryann was riding down with Natalie. Sue wanted to go and have someone to ride along with her because it can be a long lonesome trip. Thankfully, Peggy was able to come by and pick up Katie and take her home with her. At the hospital, Maryann, Natalie and Whitney were there all in their garb. The doctors and nurses are saying that C. difficile was very contagious. In order to see Mom in her room, you have to wear a garment cover and gloves. The nurse said that all of Mom's tests came back normal. We met with her GI doctor, Dr. Schaefers. He was very sweet, understanding, and straight forward. Susan and I have been concerned that maybe the odds were stacked against Mom's survival. Dr. Schaefers said Mom was a very sick woman and her kidneys were not functioning properly. She doesn't have any white blood cells in her stool and that concerns him. He wants to check her Gall Bladder to see if we might be facing something other than C. difficile. He wants to do a scan on her Gall Bladder today. He won't be able to do a regular CT scan on her Gall Bladder because it will really damage her kidneys. He said with her history, diabetes, some kidney troubles, heart problems, extreme weakness, yeah she has a lot of odds stacked against her. He later told us that Mom and her family were in his prayers. He went on to ask us to pray for the infection. What? I was amazed that a doctor said that to us. It's very rare that you have a doctor to say that to a patient or patient's family. We all really like him. Him being straight forward with us and showing his Christian side automatically gained my respect. The nurses and doctors at this hospital have been so good to Mom and making sure that she is comfortable. Maryann, Whitney, Susan and myself went out to eat after the 5-6 o'clock visitation hours. We needed to just have a laugh together. Later, Susan told me how she felt guilty from time to time about laughing and having a good time, while Mom is in the hospital fighting for her life. I told Sue that I thought of it from time to time, but I think Mom would want us to continue to laugh and enjoy our life. We made it back to the hospital for the 8-9 o'clock visitation hours just in time to feed Mom her supper. Because she is so weak and she is choking easily now, they have her on pureed foods. They puree the food and put it in molds that look like a pork chop. She was really getting sick to her stomach, so she ate enough that I would say was equivalent to 1 1/2 tablespoons. Earlier, the nurse told June that Mom may need a feeding tube. They have a catheter in Mom now. Whitney noticed her bag (how it wasn't full) at the 5-6 o'clock visitation. When we got back to the hospital at 8:00, Susan asked Whitney about the color of the urine (dark). Whitney said the color was fine, it was the amount she was concerned. In other words, Mom's not urinating very much. You would think that she would because they are pumping her full of fluids and proteins. This might go back to what Dr. Schaefers was saying that Mom's kidneys aren't functioning properly.

Susan and I talked and I believe that we are accepting what is to come. She has suffered for so long, even before the surgeries, with her back and legs. I still have hope that Mom is going to pull through this, but I honestly believe that God has been preparing us for what's to come. Months ago, I've been encouraging Mom to fight to stay with us and not to give up. For the past several weeks, I haven't encouraged her to fight because I know she has suffered so much. It may sound selfish, but I don't want my Mom to continue to suffer. I don't think anyone would say that they would like to see their Mother suffer. It's been very difficult watching her fight and struggle from infection to infection. I found out last night, Susan has stopped encouraging her as well. We are afraid now that Mom is hanging in there for us. Whatever happens, I thank God for allowing me to be with her all last week when she came home from the hospital. That was my blessing! If God calls her home, I have no regrets and I'm at peace because I'll know she's at peace. I told Susan last night that I know Mom misses her parents and her uncle Tom so much. Yeah, we are going to miss her terribly, but it won't be for long. In order to stay sane, I've been thinking of good memories. Some not as clear as others. Memories are a wonderful thing and it's the good ones that will help me get through this time in my life.

A friend from church forwarded me a reminder of prayer for our country. I would take it one step closer and add to pray for your own needs. Please read below for our country and family. I love you and God bless you!

To my friends and relatives: if WE all did this -- even just for a week -- God would take our prayers seriously. Government isn't going to heal our land; our repentance is. Running our country according to the biblical commandments will heal our land -- nothing else.

~~~~~~~~ ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT....8:00 PM Central Time. God Bless !!!

Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders to behold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do so. We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land. This election is the scariest I remember in my lifetime. 1 Chronicles 7:14: If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. The United States of America and our citizens need prayer more than ever ! ! !

If you would like to participate: each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central, 7:00 PM Mountain, 6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, the up-coming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land and that Christianity will grow in the U.S. If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along. Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Thank You. Please pass this on to anyone who you think will want to join us. 'But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.' (Josh. 24:15)