Please Pray for My Dad

Posted by Brandon under Personal on Sunday, November 1st, 2009

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My Dad is in a hospital 500 miles from where I am. I’d like to be in his room in a chair next to him talking politics or theology – two of our favorite subjects. Better yet, I’d like him to be comfortably at home or back at work. I’m sure he’ll be fine, but I really don’t like the feeling of distance right now.

He currently has a staff infection in his blood stream that began in his right arm, which is so swollen he can’t even make a fist. His blood pressure also won’t come down even with medication. They’re saying he’ll probably be home in a few days, but they said that a few days ago.

You’d like my Dad. He’s one of the hardest workers I know. When he was a kid, he and his sister (my aunt Ann) had polio. He broke his left arm and they put it in a cast. When the cast came off, his arm was permanently atrophied. So all his life, he’s tied his shoes, made carburetors, mowed lawns, cut trees, built houses, and now works as an independent contractor… with basically one arm.

My Dad’s the kind of guy who could have qualified for disability long ago, but has refused. He has the ingenuity, work ethic, and desire to work… like the dickens (which is something he’d say). I got to work with him for a couple of years and wouldn’t trade that time for anything. He was the best man at my wedding and would do anything in the world for me, and for you too.

Maybe you could pray for him?

Update: Talked to my Dad on the phone a few minutes ago (8pm, Monday) and he’s feeling a little better. The really good news is they’ve pretty much ruled out MRSA, which is the staph that’s so hard to cure. They still can’t get his blood pressure down, but it’s not as dangerously high as when he went in. He seems to think it’s a matter of a couple of days of antibiotics. Thanks for everybody who has prayed for him!

Recovering From My Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Posted by Brandon under Personal on Monday, January 19th, 2009

Just a quick update. My wisdom teeth extraction took less than an hour. When we left the oral surgeon’s office we headed to Walmart where I was instructed to wait in the car while my wife got my prescriptions filled. I got bored and tried to get out of the car, which set the alarm off. So I wandered into the store in search of Angie. I couldn’t find her, so I made a bank deposit and stumbled back to the pharmacy again. When she found out where I was, I was in trouble!

Nonetheless, I’m doing great so far – very little pain, very little bleeding, and I’m thankful for the prayers my friends and family have offered. You guys are all great! Here are a couple of life applications…

  • Not all the horror stories you hear are true – it’s not always as bad as your dramatic friends make it out to be. (Sometimes it is though, so watch out).
  • Downtime is nice sometimes. I’m reading, blogging, designing, studying, praying, and thinking, all from the comfort of my bed and I don’t have to feel bad about it one bit.

That’s it, I suppose. Thanks for the prayers!