When Your Mind is Muddled {One Thing Our Marriages Desperately Need Today ~~ A Husband's Heartfelt Words as His Wife's Heart was Weak #HeartMonth}

{To read Part 1, the beginning of the series:

"A Husband's Heartfelt Words as His Wife's Heart Was Weak"

click here first.}

These were days that I did not know how to pray.

My mind was muddled, my words slow, my thoughts bewildered. I knew God was with me and that others were praying to a God who hears.

I had Christian nurses who cared for me throughout this time and would pray with me. It was during this time when I could not form my own thoughts that God brought to my mind words of Scripture that I had memorized throughout my life and I could pray God's Words, God's thoughts about God to the God who has made Himself known.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,

but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,

because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose."

{Romans 8:26-28}

Don't ever underestimate the power of hiding God's Word in your heart.

God's Word will be a comfort to you in times when very little else in life is comforting. Even when your own mind is failing, to have God's Word hidden in your heart, in your mind, will bring you a peace and anchor your soul in times of torment and distress.

"The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake."

{Psalm 23:1-3}

During this perplexing time, on September 15th, Jon shared this simple update:

Rebekah's current condition remains in a cycle pattern of lower CO2 which makes her more awake but still a bit confused about her prolonged stay here.

Then the gases rise and make her drowsy to a point where they have to lower them with the bipap machine.

Tomorrow they will do a 3D cat scan of her lung to see what it looks like. I spoke with a doctor inquiring more about her lung function. She had 33% lung capacity before operation. She has maintained this for years. Since the operation her capacity has slightly decreased—not sure by how much till they can do another pulmonary function test to compare with test from pre-op. They know there could be a bit of fluid still on board in her lung making it harder for it to expand. They want to clear the lung and encourage it to reopen to it's pre-op capacity. Bipap helps expand the lung to help her breath deeper. Her shallow breaths off the machine aren't enough along with little activity and energy to expel the CO2 from her body at the rate we all do. They gave a bit of medicine through the BiPAP mask today to help open and expand the lung further. 

Increased Lasix medication through IV works to drain fluids more from her body regularly. Rebekah hates the BiPAP machine, but it is what is best to help her at this time. If that stops working for her then re-intubation will be a strong consideration which will prolong our stay here further and take us back a few steps. Pray with us that these current methods will work for her and we will move on from this cycle we are in day after day right now. In ICU it is easy for a prolonged stay to cause discouragement. 

Rebekah is struggling to feel that she is getting better. It's easy to lose the greater perspective in that environment. Rebekah has a Christian nurse tonight who is speaking encouragement and God's truth to her as she helps her with over the top sensitivity and care.

We trust God will move in powerful ways that will amaze even the brilliant minds here who continue to care for her night and day.

-Jon

~.~.~.~.~.

This is part 9 of the series:

One Thing Our Marriages Desperately Need Today ~~ A Husband's Heartfelt Words as His Wife's Heart was Weak

{for #HeartMonth.}

You can read Part 1, the beginning of the series here.

Read Part 10 here.

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