When I left yesterday morning, Dad was struggling. He is incredibly weak. He is having a hard time holding his oxygen again and his diahrea continues. We are on day 7 with diahrea. I cannot even fathom how hard that is on him. Don and I were talking about when we have a bug that gives us diahrea for 24 to 48 hours and the affects on our body - and we start from a healthy place!
Yesterday morning, Dad was trying to eat some breakfast and it took everything he had to just get a banana down. Mom said he tried some other food later and they were supplementing with some Ensure. His white count went up to 14.3 yesterday but they can't find an infection. The nurse sent another culture of his diahrea this morning. He is hoping that it comes back "positive" for infection so at least they would know what to treat. The last 3 cultures have been negative. He has no fevers. Please pray for some answers. They started him back on two antibiotics after I left yesterday. They don't know what they are fighting but don't want an infection to get started again. I have not heard the white count for today yet.
When I arrived at 4 am, Dad was very anxious. His sat numbers were low and he was breathing very fast. I talked to him a little bit and prayed. The nurse came in and we decided that a percocet might help with the anxiety. It took just a little bit of time, but he calmed down. He is now sleeping pretty hard and his sat numbers are good.
Last Friday, Dad felt so good. He had told me that he felt like he could get out of bed and walk out of here. Yesterday, he was so weak that he couldn't eat a banana. It gives me anxiety to be on this rollercoaster; it is not surprising that he is feeling anxious as well.
I was reading about Gideon today in Judges 6. The Israelites are in this really tough time with the Midianites ruling over them with cruelty. Gideon feels like the Lord has abandoned them. Then an angel appears to him and tells him not to be afraid because the Lord is with him. Gideon offers a sacrifice and then realizes that the angel was from the Lord. He gets fearful until the Lord reassures him. Gideon builds an altar and names it "Yahweh-Shalom" (or Jehovah Shalom) which means "The Lord is peace".
In the midst of this hard struggle, Gideon remembers that "The Lord is peace". Anxiety does not come from Him. Fear and discouragement do not come from Him. The Lord is peace. This reminded me of other names for God. "Jehovah Rapha" - the Lord that heals. "Jehovah Jireh" - the Lord that provides.
He is "more than sufficient" to meet all of Dad's needs. He is more than able to turn things back around again. He is peace and hope and healing and provision. He is our strong tower. Please continue to pray for stamina and perseverance. Please pray for the diahrea to stop. Please pray for forward steps.
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