For the Coast Rat, these are most anxious days and hours.
When my cell phone rang yesterday afternoon at 3:30pm, and I saw that the caller was my brother, I knew something was wrong.
When a member of my extended family calls me during the day, it is seldom just to pass the time.
I punched answer, and said “Hey, what’s up?”
He says, “I’ve got some bad news for you.”
Me: “OK, what is it?
Brother: “Our nephew Steve, is in pretty bad shape and isn’t expected to last through the night.”
Bam! Right between the eyes!
My brother went on to explain what happened to Steve during the day, when he was in one of the Madison hospitals having surgery done, and things went wrong.
Then it was another surgery, with massive internal bleeding, and the doctors said: “We’ve done all we can do; the rest of up to God.”
When I talked with my wife last night, she had spoken with Steve’s mother, my oldest sister, only a few moments before that, and the appraisal was the same.
Pray for Steve.
Steve is about 40 years old, has four children, and lost his wonderful, loving wife, about 5 years ago, to cancer, when she was only about 28 years old. It was very sad.
This morning, I called my sister, and she talked about all that happened yesterday, and that Steve had come through the night, was in ICU, and was stable for now, with a couple of encouraging signs.
She said during all the surgery of yesterday, Steve had received over a hundred units of blood. Pretty serious stuff going on…
This evening, just a little while ago, my brother called again.
Well, things are not looking so good; his kidneys are failing, and they are calling in all the family again, to expect the worst.
As you might expect, I am very upset about Steve, and fear for him very much.
Those of you who are still up yet this evening, and into tomorrow, I would ask that you please include Steve from Madison, Wisconsin in your prayers this evening, and ask God to be with him and his family.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
