I just talked to Mom, and she is trying to pack for her stay at the hospital.  She is absolutely worn out; even SHE quit counting how many times Dad got up last night.  Dad said that he was really tired tonight too.  Apparently he must have managed to top his high score for number of times to get up in one night.  I don't know how he could top fifteen, but it must have been a very long night.  He will  be getting another catheter put in while he is in the hospital, which means that, for a few nights anyway, they both can get a little sleep.  They are also putting in his "port" in the morning.  Since Dad's veins are so small, they have decided they aren't going to use a "pic" line anymore.  He will be put to sleep in the morning, have the port put in, and Mom is hoping she can have them put in the catheter while he is asleep.  That was another very painful procedure for him during his last visit, so hopefully both procedures can be done at once.

Kevin is on his way to Nashville tonight.  He will spend the night at the "Barnes Hilton" and he will be their navigator/wheel chair driver/hospital guide for the day.  I am really glad he could take off work tomorrow; Mom has no sense of direction, and it really puts a lot of stress on her if she thinks she has to navigate rush hour traffic, and then get into Vandy construction to park, find a wheel chair for Dad and navigate all the different buildings with their VERY long corridors.  Thankfully, she hasn't had to do this by herself yet.  One of us has always been able to go along with them.  That is just one more example of how God has been so good to us through this time.

Dad has been very emotional lately.  He likes to talk to his friends and family, but more often than not, he starts to cry before the conversation is finished.  Tonight was no exception.  I told him that everyone at church missed him and loved him, and he got upset.  Our church has been Dad's life for 39 years, and, for now, it's gone.  That has probably been the hardest adjustment Dad has had to make.  How do you just stop doing what you've done for 39 years?  How do you adjust to not seeing your church family that you've seen several times a week for the past 39 years?  How do you come to terms with the possibility that you might never get to preach again at your church of 39 years?  It upsets me to think about it, so I can only imagine what is going through Dad's head.  He knows where he's supposed to be.

Dad's second round of chemo starts tomorrow, and with it comes new hope.  I have been clinging to Dr. Reddy's word that two rounds may start to bring our dad's memory back.  We were hoping it would happen sooner, but that apparently was not meant to be.  I AM NOT GIVING UP HOPE.  The Bible is full of stories of people who believed, and they were healed.

WHEN HE HAD GONE INDOORS, THE BLIND MEN CAME TO HIM, AND HE ASKED THEM, "DO YOU BELIEVE THAT I AM ABLE TO DO THIS?"  "YES, LORD," THEY REPLIED.  THEN HE TOUCHED THEIR EYES AND SAID, "ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH WILL IT BE DONE TO YOU"' AND THEIR SIGHT WAS RESTORED.   Matthew 9:28-29

JUST THEN A WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO BLEEDING FOR TWELVE YEARS CAME UP BEHIND HIM AND TOUCHED THE EDGE OF HIS CLOAK.  SHE SAID TO HERSELF, "IF I ONLY TOUCH HIS CLOAK, I WILL BE HEALED.  JESUS TURNED AND SAW HER.  "TAKE HEART, DAUGHTER," HE SAID, YOUR FAITH HAS HEALED YOU."  AND THE WOMAN WAS HEALED FROM THAT MOMENT.  Matthew 9:20-22

IS ANY ONE OF YOU SICK?  HE SHOULD CALL THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH TO PRAY OVER HIM AND ANOINT HIM WITH OIL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.  AND THE PRAYER OFFERED IN FAITH WILL MAKE THE SICK PERSON WELL; THE LORD WILL RAISE HIM UP.  IF HE HAS SINNED, HE WILL BE FORGIVEN.  James 5:14-15

It doesn't matter what problem we're facing; the Bible always gives us encouragement, comfort and strength.  How much easier our life would be if we put EVERY problem we face in God's very capable hands.  He has an answer for all of them; He's just waiting for us to ask.

Love,
Renee