Doing Better But A Long Way To Go

Last night in the middle of the night Rachael began to bleed again.  She was given 2 more units of blood and I believe that throughout the day she has been given even more.  Her blood levels were dangerously low.  It was decided, after imaging, that she should be still and see if the work done last night continues to heal, thus stopping the bleeding.  So far there has been minor bleeding up until this evening as I type.

I feel like Burtie Bad News each time someone asks "How is Rachael?  How are you guys holding up?"  It has been since the week of August 11th that Rachael has been dealing with this problem.  Since that date, she has only been home for a total of about 2 weeks. She is so frustrated and sad to still be in the hospital.  It has been quite a weight on all the family.  The gang here at CCS have been fantastic as they offer support in many ways.

Today Rachael is resting comfortably.  She is currently not taking anything by mouth (NPO for the medically inclined) and we hope to get her on clear liquids sometime tonight.  She is very pale, and tired.  This has certainly been a setback.  

Nancy and I got to sleep at home last night.  That has been the exception since the surgery.  It is not at all easy on any of us but as crazy as we are down inside, much more is the peace of the Lord washing over us.  

So instead of Burtie Bad News, here is some good news:

1.  Many folks have been praying and all that prayer amounts to much.  We have been able to walk through this with strength in spirit and peace in our hearts.  I have stumbled a few times in frustration with staff which was totally uncalled for. We got to see God work a few nights back in a miraculous way when Rachael was not responding.  She awoke in the ICU as if nothing had happened.  There is the inexplicable peace that we are holding in our hearts that is directly due to all the prayer.  We both agree that if not for Christ we would be devastated. Rachael and Hanna too.  

2.  Either by example or by sharing of the word, we have been able to bring Christ to many in the hospital.  I have found that just treating the hospital employee as a believer and asking them if they know Christ is a great way to share with them all the neat things we have seen God do through Rachael.

3.   Trials, hardships, tests, we have a whole new outlook on these things.  Quite simply, as Isaiah 45:7, "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things"  and in Deuteronomy 8:3 where Moses was guided to write "And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord"  Now I don't want to get into the agencies or a deep theological study but I know that God is sovereign over all things and to think that all things bad that happen to us are an attack of the enemy is simply not true.  Hebrews 12 is rich with the view on hardship and discipline.  If things are going well all the time and you do not feel like God is training you up via some kind of hardship....well, let Hebrews 12 give you the lowdown on that.

There is more and this is a glimpse.  There is much good news from all of this craziness.  

Pray for our marriage.  It is so hard to focus and invest in our marriage when something like this is going on.  Pray for Hanna, she has already lost her dad back in '05 and this has been a heavy load on her as well.  You would not know it talking with her.  Nancy needs to be lifted up continually as she is at the hospital more than I.  Pray for me for wisdom in handling my family, discerning where needs are to be met and doing so in a way that is love to my family. Also to be a better witness to those we deal with in the medical community.

Thank you all for your continued prayer IT AVAILS MUCH.

Blessings,

Burt