Dear Followers,
Just wanted you to know that I am at the hospital with dad. He is not doing well. All of my attention is focused on him. My brother is on his way from WI and Gay, Nikki, Mom and I are manning the ship. He is receiving the best care but it is definately a David and Goliath story. My dad is fighting pneumonia, another uti and now renal failure. They are making him comfortable and hitting the infection squarely in the face with the "nuclear bomb" of antibiotics. We are now on the Medical floor and have a new team of doctors.
The prognosis is not good. They have told us that the next 12 hours will be critical. He is struggling to keep his heart rate down below 150 now and he is on a non rebreather straight oxygen mask. His stomach pulls in and out everytime he breaths. The bright spot was when Alex and Natalie came by to see Grandpa. I told dad they were here and he smiled! It made their day and ours. In some ways it is a blessing that his memories and mind are still in tact while his body is failing around him.
It is in times like these that you really see the wonderful character in people. Before I left school today two of my girls came up to me and asked me if we could pray as a class for my dad. The incredibly cool thing was that one was a Muslim and the other a Christian. I know they are lifting my dad up in prayer as well as numerous others. If that wasn't incredible enough Mrs. Fitts and friends, I don't even know how many, at school worked so that my lesson plans were ready to go and she even brought us dinner tonight. If it weren't for her I would not have been able to be with my dad and I surely would not have eaten.
Earlier today in the ER John Reeder, Mark Hearn, and Paster Dan all came by to pray with dad. If God didn't know where he was before then there was a spotlight up to heaven from my dad's bed as these three men of God raised their voices and prayers to Him. What a blessing to have the assurance that my dad is surrounded by great Christian men.
This is one of the hardest roads I have ever had to travel. I have to wonder what makes our journey through this world so different. Some make a grand entrance into this world and sneak out and others struggle with every breath that they take. I know God has a plan and that we have no way to understand His purpose in so many things we struggle with but it sure is hard. If you are reading this please continue to pray for my dad. I know prayer works. They have told us that he will probably not make it through the night. That is the saddest news I have had in my life.

Sincerely,
Debbie