Much Prayer Needed Please!

My father has Parkinson's with autonomic failure.

"Autonomic failure is a very tough disease that kills and devastates the lives of thousands of people," says Roy Freeman, assistant professor of neurology at the Medical School. "Without treatment, every vital function eventually stops working."

Autonomic failure is a progressive deterioration of the nervous system that controls such involuntary but vital functions as heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, and bowel and bladder functions. It is common among elderly people with a variety of diseases including diabetes, Parkinson's, and some less-well-known maladies.

Dad has had this disease for almost five years now. The doctors have all said he is the worst case they have ever seen. He went downhill almost immediately. He didn't get to spend his retirement like he thought he would. He loved to travel, tinker around the garage, spend time with his grandkids and be involved at church. Instead he has spent the last few years inside his home. The only travelling he has done is to and from the hospital. He has got to spend alot of time with my kids though! Just not in the way he had hoped.

But dad has never complained~not even once. He is a fighter. For a soft spoken, gentle caring man he is very tough. He is the bravest man I know.

Every day brings a new problem for dad. Every day brings a new challenge for mom to take care of. She is his constant companion and nurse. She never leaves his side unless one of us comes over so she can take her shower. She loves him more than anything. It's obvious the way she rubs his head and kisses him every few minutes telling him what a wonderful husband he is and what a good provider he has always been. She reads the Bible to him everyday. They listen to hymns. They watch games shows together. They listen to audio books often. Dad even likes Lori Wick novels! Mom has done her very best. She is very tough. And she is the bravest woman I know.

This past week has just brought on too many new challenges for mom, my family and the hospice nurse (that only gets to some once a week) to take care of dad. His bed sores on his bottom have gotten (is that a word?) so bad and now he has diarrhea . Today brought on yet another problem.

My dad went to the hospital today by ambulance. He will be in the hospital a few days so they can try to get his sores a little better, his bowels under control, his blood pressure up, his temperature down, and the list goes on and on.

When (or if) he gets out he will be going to a nursing home. My mom says she can stay with him from early morning to late at night. This was a tough decision for her I know. I guess because we know that he won't be coming home again. Oh, I know I don't know the future. Only God knows. I know He can still perform miracles, but I also am in touch with reality.

Please just be in prayer for my family at this time. If you've faced this same situation then you know exactly how to pray. If you haven't, than just please pray for God's will to be done in this situation. Pray for my mom to know that she has done her very best. Pray that my dad is comfortable. Pray that I can be strong for the both of them. My heart is aching and I can barely breathe today.

Thank you.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phillians 4:13