the essence

Emotionally Charged

Tuesday night we received information that one of our dear friends & elders at our church, Todd, had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. There wasn't much information to go on & no one knew for sure what happened. His teenage daughter called me & it just broke my heart talking to her. I was supposed to be working until midnight, as I do every Tuesday, but Ray had just happened to offer to take my shift earlier in the day. I took him up on it with the hopes of going to bed early that night but, after receiving the news that Todd was in critical condition & talking to his daughter, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I should go down to the hospital to be with the family.

I'm very glad I went to be there to support them; pray together & just hold them while they cried.

The kids were all asleep & Ray was supportive for me to do down there. It's amazing how many people were there to be with the family. We go to a small meeting but it's like family & people are there for you in a heart beat if you need them. Even the doctors & nurses were surprised whenever they found out this room full of people were there for one patient.

After I arrived Todd was moved up to ICU & given CT scans & then the neurosurgeon came in to deliver the news from the scans. It was the first real diagnosis that had been given & it was bad news. I've never been there when a doctor delivered bad news before & I felt sick to my stomach.

Todd had a massive hemorrhage deep in his brain. The doctor said it was in the worst possible location, very difficult to reach & to have a chance at survival he would need immediate surgery. The doctor was doubtful he'd be able to get the shunt in but the surgery was successful!

Wednesday the prognosis seemed more hopeful but now, several days later, the news hasn't improved.

We haven't given up hope but I ask for all of your prayers. We just love this family, Todd is such a loveable man, his wife is the sweetest thing & he has two dear teenage children.

Todd has been in a coma since Tuesday night (not medically induced) & last I heard is still bleeding, has an off & on high 105 fever & breathing on his own only 50% of the time.

I got home from the hospital at 1am that night (after working until midnight the night before & getting up around 6am) so I've been physically as well as emotionally exhausted this week. It's been a very surreal fog since Tuesday filled with continuous prayers for Todd & his family.