Keep praying

You guys have been praying for Bob and Ruth for a while now. Here is their latest update, which best expresses their hearts more than I can share it. Please continue to pray for them. Trish Matthew 11:28 [Jesus said,] "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." We have not sent an update because we have been waiting to know how the doctors think Bob is doing since the emergency surgery one week ago (when they reopened his full chest incision to stop massive bleeding) We were grateful that the bleeding has stopped, and awaiting news of how long until Bob can get up again to walk, etc. Yesterday, the bandages were removed from the skin graft and what a sight! The grafted skin is so thin that you can clearly the muscle that was moved from his abdomen to over his sternum. Although it looks "gross" to us, the medical experts feel the skin looks healthy. It will continue to need dressing 2x/day with antibiotics and sterile gauze. The drain tubes were removed, but doctor ordered bedrest for one more day to avoid stirring up any bleeding. So now we continue to wait for healing and for the blood levels to become appropriate for sending Bob HOME! The risk continues between blood-too-thick that clots can clog his flow of blood, or blood-too-thin to cause internal bleeding. Right now the blood is thick, and an ultrasound determined there is still a blood clot behind his right knee. WAITING has never been a favorite pastime of mine, but we have had lots of practice this year -- waiting for Ruth's cancer medicine to begin to work, (still waiting for it to reduce the tumor more), waiting for Bob's surgeries over and over, for blood tests, for ambulances, for wounds to heal. WAITING carries a mixture of many emotions -- anticipation, anxiety, trust, many unknowns, but sometimes weariness and exhaustion just take over. After a busy week we are temporarily at that place! Our children and grandchildren were all here this week, and they joined me for daily trips to the hospital, taking turns with limited ICU visits (no grandchildren allowed to visit there), and meals on the run. They all were flexible as we adapted Christmas to a celebration at Bob's hospital bedside (see photo attached!) By last night, all the children were back to their jobs and homes, and my sister had returned to NC. It was a quiet night as I stayed in the sleeper chair in Bob's room. Because each morning at 4 a.m. I must take another dose of cancer medicine, we set the cell phone alarm to ring. This morning it woke both Bob & I and we could not return to sleep. Sometimes exhaustion becomes so overwhelming that the body and emotions hurt too much to rest. Standing by the bed, I laid my head on Bob's shoulder (one of the few spots without bandages or wires!) and wept. We know that Jesus understands weariness and tears -- but we also know these moments can offer pity parties that are not healthy. When I weep over the "unfair ordeal" my husband's body has endured, I quickly remember the many, many stories of people in this hospital, or in our acquaintances who have much more severe trials to endure. We remember how many of YOU are lifting us in prayer. We remember that trials on earth cannot compare with the party times of heaven! In fact, many have asked "how do you hold up?" in these difficult times. I need to tell you, our praying friends, that whenever I feel my knees begin to buckle from overwhelming sights or events, or from the sheer weight of the cir****tances, there is an uncanny sense of someone catching me before I collapse. I like to think that God sends his angels to thrust their arms under my armpits and catch me before I hit the floor. ("angels in the armpits" sounds encouraging, don't you think?) Actually, we both continue to be concerned about the stress these cir****tances put on my body, during a time when fighting the cancer needs as little stress as possible. So once again, we rely on prayer and God's control of each tiny detail of our lives. We are eager to have Bob home, for him to get well enough to return to work, for us both to have a healthier 2008. A quote from Jan Frank's book (A Graceful Waiting) states "waiting in hope means that we rest.. not in what God will DO for us, but on GOD who is our hope and expectation." So, even if God doesn't answer in our time or way, we are grateful that HE is our hope. We wish you a NEW YEAR filled with the true HOPE that is found in God and his promises! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

Bob and Ruth are such an inspiration and I love the angels in the armpits analogy-I too have felt them there. I will continue to pray for both of them and hope the new year brings a much needed rest and healing.

Thank you Karen, Ruth has been my Christian mentor for many years now, and I cannot minister to her but to pray. Yet, she continues to minister to me in ways such as this letter. Thanks for caring enough about this brother and sister in our Lord to pray for them. Hugs, Trish