March 14, 2004
Dear Praying Friends,
My first week in Taiwan is like whirlwind of spiritual battles!
Monday, I was so joyful that father could speak again after temporary lack of oxygen in brain. Tuesday afternoon, he had fever, shivering and panting, with water in his lungs and sometimes confused in his words. I stayed in hospital all night. Wednesday, he had an acute breathing failure and was sent to ICU, adding breathing and feeding tubes.
For two days we did not know which way things will turn. Should we leave him lonely in ICU to face the shadow of death alone or should we give up treatment, spend some time with him and end his suffering on this earth? It's such an agonizing decision to make. He said before that he did not want to be on tubes just to stay alive. Did we make a mistake by listening to the doctor and prolonging his suffering?
Everyday only two 30-minutes sections we can pray for him and talk to him. Every departure from ICU is another heart-broken moment! Will we see him the next time? Watching your loved one suffer is suffering by itself.
Friday evening's visit, nurse said father had no conscious response for nine hours without any sleeping or relaxation medication. We prayed to give his soul to the Lord. ICU called on 10:40pm and said he woke up O.K.
Saturday 9:30 am, ICU notified us that his heart rate was 200 plus per minutes and was very critical. We rushed to his bedside to prayed until he was calm down. By Sunday evening, father was strong enough to write us that for five days he only ate once and he liked to eat noodle. He also wrote he had two big items to witness for God! His lips said Amen every time we pray.
Praise God for the Grace to know father stand fast on his belief! Even though he is still in ICU with uncertain future, just let us shout with JOY what GOD has done for us today!
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4
In His Merciful Hand,
Lydia Lin
Pray for Peace at heart in ICU March 17, 2004
Dear Praying Friends,
Thank you for your prayers. I can feel the sustaining strength and peace from within. May you also be blessed through the process.
Father is still quite upset for being restrained and left alone in ICU, unable to eat and talk. He wants to go home so that he can talk and eat. But since it will take at least another two weeks for him to be able to breathe by himself, even the doctor is not allowed to unplug him. Temporarily doctor uses sleeping medication to calm him down. But doctor cannot do so for too long.
Please pray that
1. He can accept the condition and feel peace in ICU
2.He will survive this ordeal and come out of ICU so that we can spend more time with him
In His Grace,
Lydia
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