As I sat by Dad's hospital bed late yesterday watching
the approaching storm, I was reminded of the emotional
and physical process he has been through over the past
4 months since discovering he had a front-lobal non-
Hodgkins lymphoma tumor. Surely (to his body) the attack
by this foreign mass, the chemicals introduced to fight off
the invader and the radiation aimed directly at the un-
wanted addition were in some sense like the wind, lightning
and heavy rains of the storm; a violent process but also
hopefully a cleansing one. We wait on the backside looking
for the ray of hope on the horizon.

UPDATE ON DAD:

Although the news last Monday of the tumor being gone
was an answer to many prayers, Dad had a difficult week
following this news. Our hopes for signs of improvement
and a return to good enough health to be able to go home
have been temporarily delayed. Our desire for clearer
understanding has not.

After a couple of days of restlessness, fever, loss of
balance, physical decline and some labored breathing, Dad
was moved Sunday from Richland Place to Baptist Hospital.
He potentially has a urinary track infection and/or
pneumonia but will go through a broad range of tests to
hopefully figure out more precisely what is happening.

Following 4.5 hours in the ER Sunday afternoon, Dad was
moved to a private ICU room after another MRI scan of his
brain. He was resting but the resting was neither deep
nor continuous.

Today he was visited by Dr. Penley (oncologist) on his
rounds and also by a speech pathologist to do a swallow
test, He could not stay awake long enough for the
swallow test to be administered (to be continued
tomorrow). We are also expecting doctors to discuss the
MRI, a urologist consultation and hopefully at some
point this week we will be able to get Dad in to see a
Neurologist also.

Mom left Sunday evening (with a little coaxing) with the
Householders to eat dinner, return to Richland Place to
get her car to return home to get much needed rest with
Dad under watchful eyes at Baptist. This has been quite
an emotional roller coaster. She is exhausted in all
aspects!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

~Both Mom and Dad in the week ahead as we wait and hope.

~For the doctors, nurses and technicians who will be
caring for Dad.

~Clearer understanding about what is causing his decline.

~That we will be able to get on top of it in order to
begin a road to recovery.

~That Mom will be able to REST physically and mentally.

~Ultimately, we want Dad to be strong enough to come
home and for the grandchildren to have more time to be
with him. It's so hard for them to see him in his
current condition. They don't understand why Papa isn't
himself.