Update On My Dad

Wow, what a few days it has been. Thank you all for your prayers. My dad is still in bad shape, but has "leveled" in some ways. His big problem is breathing. Greg I know that you and Elaine can relate to the problems he is having because of your mother. The doctor has called his problem "Pseudomonas" which is what Ms. Murial suffered with several times.

To put it in terms I can understand (if I understand it at all) it is a severe infection in the lungs. The doctor put it this way, "You have a man who has emphysema with only 32% lung capacity with pseudomonas infection on top of that, with weak muscles on top of that."

The way he has "leveled" is that his oxygen saturation is in the 90's, but with lots of help. He is on a machine that is not a ventilator, but is the next thing to it. It is called "bipap" and it is similar to what people use that have sleep apnea except it helps him release the carbon dioxide. That is an important part of breathing to say the very least.

Please keep praying that God will open up those lung passage ways. The doctors are doing all they know to do. Emphysema is bad news and something that he brought on himself through years of smoking and years of working in a cabinet shop without the use of a mask. But I know and believe in the power of God if he so chooses to act in dad's situation the way we are requesting.

Thank you all for your love and encouragement. Please understand if I don't comment on your blogs for a few days.