Russ Update (Dad)

It turns out that my father does not need a heart transplant. He needs a heart and lung transplant. You would think that hearing those words would have sent me crashing to the floor. It didn't because of the next thing that I heard. My family said that they were giving up control. They knew that it was in the Lord's hands. They don't mean it in the cultural sense. From what I hear from my father as well as people who talk with him, my father is a member of the body. We don't agree on everything but I do believe that Christ is Lord of his life.

PS- He complimented me on a pair of pants that I was wearing over Thanksgiving break. He also didn't follow the comment by telling me that I should be wearing a skirt.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that my father is a fighter. Even with the seriousness of his condition, he is able to joke about things like the professional massage he gets every night to try and relax him. I am thankful that strangers like my aunt's pastor's father took time out of their schedule to visit my father in the hospital and pray with him. I am thankful that my father is seeking the Lord.
My entire family is thankful for all of the support they are receiving during this time.
I am also thankful for God's promises that provide us with joy in difficult times.

Friends and Fellowship Are Awesome

I really appreciate all the friends who have been asking about my dad and praying for him. I also really appreciate the support that people have shown me.

Dad went into the hospital last night because his oxygen levels were dropping too low even with oxygen. I just praise the Lord that He has been working in my dad's life. There has been many great changes in both Dad and my stepmother. If these heart problems are what my dad needed in order to find his way back to the Lord then praise the Lord for heart attacks!

Thankful Thanksgiving Thursday

I am currently in Ohio visiting family. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for the sleep I have been able to get. I slept for 13 hours one night. I am thankful that the Lord does answer prayers, in ways that you would never expect. I am thankful that my cousin rolling his car has turned out to be a good thing. He is fine and many life lessons have been learned.

Pinky's Dad

My friend Pinky was dealt a huge blow last weekend. Her father, who appeared to be in good health, had a massive heart attack while working out on the treadmill. They were unable to bring him back. He is missed by his wife and two daughters. Pinky surprised me a few weeks ago by coming to town and visiting for the day. She encouraged me as I dealt with my own sick father and now I am unable to be there for her. I am currently in Ohio spending time with my father and trying to be an encouragement for him. Right now, all I can do is pray for her and her family. If you have a moment, please join me in praying for the family. Pinky and her parents are members of the body of Christ. Let's pray that they would take refuge in the Lord.

Why I Didn't Go To Law School

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7094387.stm

I have taken one law course, so clearly I am now an expert. I heard about this case when the trial judge awarded costs to the cleaners. I would love to read the published review of this one.

Diabetes Drugs

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071114/ap_on_he_me/diabetes_drug

The above article drew my attention because my father had to deal with a similar issue. He was on a different drug to control his diabetes for quite some time. Recently (read: two weeks ago) he was advised that he actually shouldn't be on the particular drug because it was shown to have the same effects on the heart as mentioned in the article above. WHY DID THEY PUT HIM ON IT IN THE FIRST PLACE? When my father started taking this particular drug, I had to advise him about the side effects that I was aware of. Unfortunately, I was only aware of the side effects pertinent to someone of my age and health status. His doctors didn't even warm him that he would suffer extreme nausea and vomiting because they didn't slowly increase his dosage.

Why did I decide not to go to medical school?

Qualifying Exam

In chemistry we didn't have qualifying or cumulative exams. We took an entrance exam and that was great. We also had other things but no qual. or cum. In my new department, we have a qualifying exam. It is three hours of oral grilling by three to four professors. I will be tested on biochemical nutrition, chemistry, and microbiology. There will probably also be a good amount of safety and regulation thrown in because I have had more than the normal number of hours in that area. I am a bit freaked out because I don't know what to expect. Nobody wants to look bad or stupid in front of people they respect but the point is for them to identify what I know and what I don't know. Basically, they are going to grill me until I break. I don't know how that is going to work for me because I can be pretty defensive about my knowledge base. I really don't want to get into a fight with my professors. Not a good way to facilitate relationships.

Ewww!

I had a hunch that I wasn't alone in the house. Little gifts were being left on the counters. After chatting with the Fruittart/Husband combo and receiving supplies I was set to confirm my suspicions. This morning two dead mice were waiting for me in their traps. I suspected that the stove was their home so I flanked it with traps. The problem now is that I have to dispose of them. I have taken care of mice (alive and dead) for friends before but apparently in the last two years I have lost my nerve. The problem is that the position of one of the mice in the trap is a bit more than I want to tackle. I can do it but I really don't want to. Unfortunately, they are on my kitchen counter and I am not willing to cook until I sanitize either.

Any volunteers want to help me out?

Update

I have not felt like posting lately. Things have been pretty crazy. I had a module that just finished. It was an intense month long course addressing international nutrition policy. My father is not doing very well. His current options are to make him comfortable until he dies or to have a heart transplant. He is in the hospital right now and it is basically a waiting game. My father and I still don't agree on what it means to be a Christian. It has been amazing to see how the Lord is working in his life, through his illness, and sustaining him.

The sermon this morning drew from Romans 9:1-5 and I kept thinking about my father. I sent him two years worth of sermons from Romans and he sent me albums and pamphlets addressing topics such as speaking in tongues and televisions. He has difficulty speaking now and our conversations are rather short these days. I just pray that as he struggles with the gamut of emotions he is experiencing that he would draw near to the Father. Frankly, I don't know how he would make it through all of his tests and procedures without it.