A Brief Stint

This past week was a difficult path to travel. Getting through football games after the tragic death of a team-mate and friend, mourning with family and friends at the visitation, seeing hundreds stream from the church after the memorial; all a reminder we are just passing through. Travis' dad, Doug made the comment on the last post of their carepages that the community that surrounded them with prayer was like the Verizon Network commercial. Such a great analogy when you stop to think that our Sovereign God is the 'tower' from which all this energy flows!

My Dad, Louis, has also had a difficult week. I reported that on September 29, he had gotten the stint removed that was assisting his ureter. He had a new one replaced the next day. He has not felt well since then. He has had fevers, nausea and next to no urine output. His family doctor orderer blood and urine tests this past Monday when he continued to not feel well. Since his creatine levels were high and the urine test was suspect, Dad's family doctor called and said he needed to go to the Emergency Room at Greenville hospital ASAP, for further testing. In preparation for an appointment with his nephrologist today in Grand Rapids, they did more blood & urine tests and a CT scan. This morning Mom contacted his oncologist and Dr. Curry scheduled Dad for surgery late in the day. They canceled his other appointment and made their way to Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids about 1:00PM. They got him prepped and tried to keep him as comfortable as possible. Since he was an 'add-on' for surgeries in the radiology department, they didn't have an operating room available until 5:30PM. The procedure was quick, but Dr. Curry wanted to keep him overnight for observation. We had to wait for a hospital room to open up before he could be moved from recovery. They were preparing to put him back in the pre-op admissions area temporarily if a bed didn't open soon. They wanted him to be in a regular bed, rather than on the gurney. About 7:00PM the gals from transport came to move him to the 4th floor, right across from the nurses' station. His nurse and nurse assistance are very attentive, with a good since of humor! Mom and I left him in good hands. Hopefully, he will get some much needed rest...maybe. The NA was going to bug him for vitals every 30 minutes for the first 2 hrs, then every hour thereafter for 4 hours, then having the stint creates a constant 'urge to urinate'. We pray tomorrow is a good day.

On a disappointing note, the purse of his roommate's mother was stolen a couple of hours prior to our arrival into the room. They suspect the previous 'tenant' that occupied Dad's bed to be the culprit. His mom received a call from family that the purse had been found at a CVS a couple of miles away. I am sure they will locate the 'idiot and company' since they used her phone to make some calls.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8