Update on Life

I've been out of circulation for nearly a month. Time to share an update. Bear with me as I unfold a brief chronology. In the weeks to come I will again be out of commission, but until that time I will post a few vignettes of hospital life in Prague.

I had been having diarrhea and went to the hospital, returning four days in a row for tests. On the fourth day, October 2, I was admitted to the infectious disease ward. Then I started bleeding, heavily. It got bad.

On October 3, I was rushed to surgery. The doc said have this surgery or die. He performed a sub-total colectomy. He took out my large bowel altogether. My librarian daughter said, "oh, he disemboweled you!" 

So then, I was put in surgical ICU to begin recovery. The docs kept saying "this is no small surgery."

On October 14, I was well enough to go home and was waiting for my wife to come get me. I took a nap. When I awoke I was in the throes of a heart attack! No history of such things. So they rushed me to cardiology and put a stent in one of the arteries. The doctor (a Czech, of course) actually said to me, "I have some good news and some bad news." He said my heart was functioning well with the stent, but that all my arteries are in bad shape and I will need bypass surgery in 4 to 6 weeks.

I ended up in the hospital for more than three weeks, just arriving home a few days ago. Now we will travel to the US for the surgery. I'm not worried about having it done here, but family is in the US. 

• Please pray for my body.
• Please pray for my wife. She's taken on a lot of new burdens, including care and worry.
• Please pray for our travel. I've been cleared to travel on November 4.
• Please pray about finances. Insurance will cover only a small portion of the medical costs in each country.

God has been evident in my trials. His sovereignty is unquestioned.

Joshua 1:9. "Have I not commanded you: be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed. The Lord your God is with you wherever you go."