Terry - Update.
Pastor Homer Trecartin sent this update today on his son's condition.
Thanks for all the prayers the feedback is VERY encouraging. He is still critical so keep up the prayers, please.
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"Homer Trecartin" <homer@adventistmeu.org> View Contact Details View Contact Details
Subject: Update on Terry - 9 May 2005
Thank you all for your prayers and emails. This morning I logged on and had 174 emails - most of them about Terry. I haven't had a chance to read them yet, but I feel comforted just knowing you wrote. I hope to get to them soon, but for now I am writing this instead.
This morning the doctors were quite encouraged by changes Terry made last night. One even said he was excited. His blood pressure had stabilized and they had been able to stop all bp medication and had stopped pumping large amounts of plasma in to replace what his blood vessels were losing. Terry had also started to come to enough that the tubes were bothering him. He was struggling against them. They had to sedate him to keep him from accidentally pulling one out or something. Those are all good signs, but Terry is still in very critical condition.
During the day they decided they had to get his leg stabilized so they could move him for further tests without causing blood clots at the point of the break and increased shock to his system. The orthopedic team brought their surgery equipment up to his room and screwed a stabilizing rod on the outside of his leg. That procedure aggravated a condition they had been telling us about in the morning - his lungs. Apparently his lungs are one mass of bruises right now. They are not punctured, but were providing less and less ability to get sufficient oxygen into his blood. They have done several procedures on his lungs and inserted a tube into each side of his chest to relieve some of the pressure from fluid build up around them. They said they expected this because the huge impact that broke his back would also have badly bruised the lungs. They told us things will be up and down today and tonight and they will probably have to suction his lungs several times. By tomorrow they are hoping this situation will be stabilized so they can take him out for an MRI on his back.
When we went in this afternoon they were just finishing up all those procedures. The room was quite a mess and he looked bad. It seemed to be a big setback from the morning and we all had a hard time with that visit. Afterward we went out to the park and enjoyed the sun and fresh air. We ate a little and all felt quite a bit better after a couple of hours out there. We went back to the hospital and found Terry looking much better tonight. His oxygen levels, heart rate, etc. were good. We feel some better again tonight, but are getting ready for bed knowing a call could come at any time saying his body was shutting down from the shock and trauma.
It is midnight now, and I must get ready for bed, but I wanted to send you this update. We still cry. We still worry about the future. But we are also at peace knowing that God has used Terry for these 27 years, and used him again today - even though Terry probably doesn't realize it right now. If God has a work for him to do tomorrow I know He will keep Him through the night to do it - and that is really the same situation we all are in. If God has a work for us to do, He will wake us up in the morning and give us the strength to do it. We want to do it faithfully so that He can come soon. We are tired of the suffering and death we see all around us.
We really appreciate all your prayers so much. Thank you for supporting us during this difficult time.
