Update on Grace, Thursday, Aug 12

Thursday. Latest update 7:55 PM.

7:00 AM - No news yet, but I wanted to share with you a couple of things Jan and I said in conversation yesterday that Jan said really ministered to her. I asked Jan last night if it was okay if I posted these here today, and she said sure. We hope these might minister to someone else reading this as well.

The first was as we were returning from the first visit of the day to see Grace. Grace had still been asleep, and Jan was quite stressed, and we were praying while we were driving. I could hear the frustration in Jan's voice as she wrestled with the dilemma of wanting to beg God for Grace to live and come through this ordeal, but not wanting to argue with God if it were His will and His plan otherwise.

I could hear the frustration and anguish in her heart as she wrestled with this, and I said to her, "It's okay to tell God what you want. Even Jesus did this, remember? Remember when Jesus said 'Father, please take this cup from me! Yet not my will, but thine be done.' Even Jesus told God what He wanted, but in doing so, subjected His own will to the Father's. So I think it's perfectly okay for you to tell God what you want, how you feel. He knows, anyway, but it's okay to tell Him."

Jan smiled at me through her tears, and said, "Thank you. That's exactly what I needed to hear."

Then later yesterday afternoon, while we were leaving our first visit to Grace in the new facility, Jan was again pretty close to the edge. It's very difficult to see Grace still unresponsive after so long. Jan exclaimed, "Why does it have to hurt so much?"

Again, God put the right words in my mouth. I said, "It hurts so much because you love her so much. It wouldn't hurt so much if you didn't love her like you do. But you know, it's worth the hurt to have the love."

Jan said, "That's twice today you've said exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed it."

I'll be the first to confess: it wasn't just me. There's no question I am a better tool for the Lord to use when I stay more in touch with His word, and stay in prayer.

I will probably go see Grace today about 9:15. Then I teach a trombone lesson, then I'll meet Jan to visit Grace again about noon. Then I have a lunch appointment, after which I'll be able to come back here and post an update.

Let's all pray I have some good news to report then.

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5:00 PM - Sorry I haven't updated sooner, I've been out of the house until just a few minutes ago.

I stopped and saw Grace less than an hour ago, and she's still sleeping.

I went to see her about 9:20 this morning, and again just after noon (Jan was with me then), then again after my lunch appointment.

This last time, she was relaxing fairly peacefully while the nurse took a blood sample - out of the line that's staying in her neck. The nurse is an extremely nice and caring lady, and agreed that we are very glad that they can take blood samples whenever they need them, and administer IV medications through the existing line, and not have to keep sticking her over and over again.

Right after I got home, I got a call from the case worker at Select, and gave her more information, got her phone number, and put in a request that when Grace finally does wake up, to have someone please call me, just to put all our minds at ease.

As soon as I hung up from that call, Bill arrived from Missouri, with his dog Rocky. Rocky seems to be happy in the back yard, and Bill is patiently waiting for me to finish this posting so he can hear all the latest updates in person.

We'll probably go visit Grace again as soon as Jan gets home, and I'll post here again after that. Especially if there's news.

Keep up the prayers, please. I think they're needed now more than ever, as Grace seems to be coming back to us, and we want her to avoid as much post-op pain as possible. Thank you all. More later.

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7:55 PM - We just got back from visiting Grace again. We took Bill with us this time, for his first visit to see his Mom since her accident and surgery.

Grace still was not awake. It seems she's close to waking up, because she was rolling her head from side to side, and when you held her hand, she would squeeze back.

They had put a device in her mouth to help her breathe easier. It looked like a pink plastic flat junior nutcracker. The nurse told me on my previous visit that it helped keep the tongue out of the back of the throat, and made it easier for her to breathe.

Jan and I both observed that the ICU at the other hospital seemed better because the nurses and doctors there were always readily available and would gladly talk with us during every visit. At this new place, it's difficult to find the nurse, and the nurses on duty there are always very busy. We haven't yet seen or heard of (or from) a doctor at the new place.

Here's a little something on the lighter side to close out the evening: I wore a yellow shirt today. Bright yellow. School bus yellow. Jan wore a Kelly green shirt to work today, and to the hospital tonight. When we got out of the car to go into the hospital, we noticed Bill had put on a bright red shirt. I noticed this and said no one would have any problem seeing US coming! Jan remarked that we looked like a traffic light. And it was true. Unfortunately, the colors weren't quite loud enough to rouse Grace. More's the pity.

Please do keep praying for Grace. Pray for her comfort and rapid recovery, her rapid release from this phase of her healing. Prayers are our best weapon at this point.