Health Update

I thought I would take a minute to give a heath report for those of you who have been praying for me and wondering about what has been going on. About two weeks ago I was hit with severe pain in the upper digestive track, chest, and back. When taken to the emergency room they really were not too sure what was going on. I was admitted to the hospital for two days in order to maintain the pain and slowly began to feel better, but still quite weak. One week later after a couple of tests I headed back to work where I lasted for about an hour and a half before my doctors called me and told me to get myself back to the emergency room. They told me that my liver functions were too high and I needed to be observed and do a few more tests. The culprit turned out to be my gall bladder, which was removed that same night. At this point they told me I needed to stay two more days because they saw that my common bile duct was inflamed and my liver functions were not going down. But after two days of morphine and no food, my liver functions showed a slight improvement, which resulted in being released from the hospital at 11:00 am on a Friday morning. By 8:00 PM that night I was back in the hospital with the same pain but this time it was accompanied with terrible nauseousness which lasted for about 24 hrs. This was the worst time during the entire ordeal, but 12 hours into it, I had an ERCP procedure. This is a procedure where they send a camera down the throat into the small intestine where the common bile duct empties into the intestine. Once there, they make a small incision making the opening a bit larger and send an even smaller instrument into duct with a ballooning device used to clean out any stones or infection.

Two days later I was able to come home after 7 nights in the hospital, the last five being consecutive. During that time I have lost approximately 13 lbs., and have become extremely weak. I am still on a liquid diet but I am beginning to look forward to solid food in a day or two (the fact that I am starting to look forward to it is a good sign). Last night was the first night to sleep at home in a while, and since nights tend to be a bit harder than the days, being able to stay home without having to go back to the hospital was experienced as a great victory. I will be recovering for at least the next three weeks. Though none of it turned out to be life threatening, this type of thing has a way grabbing hold of you and shaking any misdirected confidence from your life, for which I praise God that He saw fit to try my faith.

Needless to say the Lord was my source of strength during the entire ordeal even though providence shouted otherwise. Psalm three, which I had been studying in sermon preparation, was a source of much comfort during this time. Though my enemies were not carnal, they did not fail to raise their heads, but he is faithful, not because we are worthy, but because He is faithful.

Thank you for all your prayers,

Doug

Psalm 3-

A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.
Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah.