Posted on 11/16/2006 3:01:34 PM PST by Jeffrey_D.
Just received this e-mail from my niece, Gretchen regarding Chris.
Just wanted to give you what seems to be the final update. I went to the hospital yesterday morning and sat with the family for a few hours. We were informed that Chris took a turn for the worse on Tuesday night. He started having continuous seizures and running a fever of 104. I think the fever was due to the amounts of ammonia in his body. I am unsure of the type of cancer, as it is a name I have never heard before. One of the tumors was sitting on his liver, not allowing it to detoxify the blood being pulled in. His ammonia level jumped another 4 points yesterday leaving him at 275, a normal persons levels are under 30. His blood pressure was dropping and his heart rate was double that of a normal person resting, at 160 beats per minute. They upped his dosage and were administering it every two hours instead of 4 to treat the ammonia levels. They can't/couldn't do anything about the ammonia levels because of the one tumor (keep in mind there wheresoever, that were rapidly reproducing) on his liver, but couldn't get the ammonia levels down because of the tumor.... no surgery because of how Whig the levels were. So basically we were looking at a double edged sword. They took him in for an EEG as I was leaving the hospital yesterday, and were also going to do an ultra sound to determine wether or not there was a way to relieve the pressure on the liver. Initially the EEG came back normal, showing no signs of damage due to the seizures.
This mornining I got a phone call saying that Chris is completely brain dead. With everything I have read, once you are completely brain dead, you essentially are dead. The only thing keeping him breathing is the ventilator. They are however, waiting for the final member his family, Chris' brother, to get here, as they had a grueling drive from Seattle, Washington. They couldn't fly with the baby, who was 4 months premature, and had only recently been released himself. Once Kenny arrives, I believe they will make the decision to pull him off of life support.
I want to thank you and all of your friends for keeping myself, and especially more than anything Chris and his family in your thoughts and prayers. It means so much. I will get an email address for sherry and pass this chain of love along to her. I love you guys and miss you. Thank you again for all of your heart warming thoughts and prayers.
God Bless,
Gretchen
Jeff & Rennie wrote: (e-mail)
Gretchen,
If you can you might want to share that link with Sherry and let her know that there are now "Hundreds" of people that she doesn't know, praying not only for Chris, but for all of you
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1739072/posts
Love ya lots,
Jeff
Oh my, I'm so very sorry to read this. I will continue to pray for Chris' family: especially his wife & children... that His love, comfort and strength reach them and help them through this.
Sad update ping for your Prayer Warriors.
Prayers are continuing for this family. Lord God in Heaven, comfort thy children during this time of grief and sorrow. May Your grace touch upon them and bring them relief from their pains. In Jesus' name, Amen.
How terribly difficult. Perhaps some day the family can read this and find some solace.
"Just up the road from my home is a field, with
two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like
every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are
walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.
Looking into theeyes of one horse will disclose that
he is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but
has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.
If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a
bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you
will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the
field. Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets
her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow
her.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see
how she is always checking on him. He will listen for
her bell and then slowly walk toward her and trusts
that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to
the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops
occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend
isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not
throw us away just because we are not perfect or
because we have problems or challenges. He watches
over us and even brings others into our lives to help
us when we are in need.
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by
the little ringing bell of those who God places in our
lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping
others see.
Good friends are like this. You don't always see
them, but you know they are there. Please listen for
my bell and I'll listen for yours. "Be kinder than
necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind
of battle."
God be with you all.
Prayer for comfort mercies at this time for the whole family. God keep all of you in His tender loving care.
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0187.htm
PLEASE SEND THIS TO THE FAMILY!
I may say to those of you also who have been bereaved—if you believe in providence you may grieve; but your grief must not be excessive. I remember at a funeral of a friend hearing a pretty parable which I have told before, and will tell again. There was much weeping on account of the loss of a loved one, and the minister put it thus. He said, "Suppose you are a gardener employed by another; it is not your garden, but you are called upon to tend it, and you have your wages paid you. You have taken great care with a certain number of roses; you have trained them up, and there they are, blooming in their beauty. You pride yourself upon them. You come one morning into the garden, and you find that the best rose has been taken away. You are angry: you go to your fellow-servants, and charge them with having taken the rose. They will declare that they had nothing at all to do with it; and one says, "I saw the master walking here this morning; I think he took it." Is the gardener angry then? No, at once he says, "I am happy that my rose should have been so fair as to attract the attention of the master. It is his own: he hath taken it; let him do what seemeth him good."
C.H.SPURGEON
GODSPEED!
I am so sorry about this and at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It just seems so sad if someone in the family passes on during this time. Keep us posted. Prayers being said.
Prayers coming your way...nothing is impossible Jeff.
Keep your head up.
Scott
Prayers for Chris and his family.
May God's love enfold you during this time of trouble. May the grace of Jesus's love carry your soul towards peace.
Ray
Prayers and thoughts on the way.
I cannot tell you how much I loved your post. It is so true, and I cannot thank you enough for posting it.
Thank you. I loved being able to share it.
I am so sorry. May the Lord hold all of you close to His heart.
What a lovely post. I'm going to save that and share it with a lot of other folks. Thank you so much.
Oh Dear Lord God....please, let Thy will be done.
Help this precious family in their hour of need...
Prayers, and your ping lists PLEASE...
Praying and bumping.
Oh...I am so sorry to hear this...
What a horrible decision they will have to make...may God comfort them and guide them.
Prayers up
sleuth
Prayer bump
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.