Aug 08 2001
No celebration today
Today is my only nephew Ben’s 17th birthday, and also my friend Reidun’s birthday, but it hasn’t been a day for celebrating. My father is in intensive care for a severe blood infection caused by a gallstone which blocked the major bile duct of his liver. He’s on serious intravenous antibiotics and is sedated and on a ventilator. My older sister Beth is with our stepmother Margaret and calling me with progress reports. The doctors say Dad is doing wonderfully well, but it’s hard not to worry when you live on the other side of the planet (I live in California and he lives in England). Somehow I think I would feel better if I could see him and hold his hand. I bet Beth felt the same way when Dad had his stroke here last November.
I will know more tomorrow after Beth calls. Whatever your beliefs are, please pray for him, light a candle, or hold him in your thoughts, or whatever it is. We need all the help we can get.