In Savannah, GA For A Family Emergency - 10/7 Update

Wednesday, 10/7
My Aunt, Elizabeth McVey, is getting better. She is still in Intensive Care, but we hope that won't be for long. They did put the tube in her trachea and now attach the respirator on it only at night while she sleeps. The goal is to wean her off the respirator completely and then wean her off the trach tube over the next week. She is alert now and interacting as much as possible. She can't talk, but sometimes wants to write notes to us. I've kidded her that she "writes in tongues" and I don't have the gift of interpretation. She seems in good spirits, at least as much as anybody could be in her situation.

Our plan is to go to Atlanta at the end of the week. We fly out on Sunday for our GW International Leadership meeting in Canada next week. I canceled a ministry trip I had last weekend, but can't cancel this one. We'll have about 60 people coming in from six countries. I would appreciate your prayers that my aunt will continue to improve while we're gone.

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Saturday 10/4
I'm still in Savannah with my Aunt, who is still in Intensive Care. At this point, her biggest problem is her physical weakness. She has been on a respirator for days and doesn't have the strength to breathe on her own. She will wake up when she is roused up and she understands what's being said to her, but sleeps most of the time otherwise. Today they will put a tube in her trachea in hopes that it will make it easier for her to breathe on her own. They will be able to connect oxygen to the tube if/when she needs it but they'll attempt to have her breathe more and more on her own. We would appreciate your prayers that she will gain physical strength. Tomorrow is her birthday. What a lousy way to spend your birthday. Thanks again to those who are praying with us.


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Wednesday night - 10/1:
Thanks to those who have expressed that you've prayed for my Aunt. I had to return to Savannah today because they have learned that her lung has had blood clots and one dislodged, apparently causing a heart attack. She'll have a heart cath tomorrow morning (Thursday)which will show the cause and extent of damage to her heart. I realize some who are new to my blog may wonder why the personal info, but from the beginning I've indicated that I would use this blog for both public and personal blogging. Close friends and family members read this to stay abreast of what's going on in our personal lives. Others have expressed their interest too. So I post the highs and lows here. This is a trying time for our family and we appreciate the concern and prayers of those who have responded.

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Monday 9/29:
I wrote the post below a few days ago. My Aunt improved and Melanie and I returned home. After we came back, she declined again and is back in Intensive Care on a respirator. The doctors are saying she is improving though. We are waiting now to see if the improvement continues before making a decision about whether to go back to Savannah immediately.
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Melanie and I are in Savannah, Georgia to be with my Aunt, who had an accident that required emergency surgery. She was walking for exercise, stumbled over a root growing out of the sidewalk, and fell to the ground. She fell face first and broke her nose and her neck. While it was a horrible accident, we are very thankful that the surgery was a success and she will fully recover. We thank God that there was no paralysis. The situation could have been much worse.

Her husband (my Dad's brother) died exactly 100 days after my dad died a few years ago. They never had children, and she has no family here in town. We would appreciate your prayers for our Father to make clear how to best move forward as she leaves the hospital and recovers. She's a strong and godly woman who we love much and want to see the best scenario unfold for her.