Sometimes Life is Difficult

The last 5 days have been an emotional challenge for Ron and I.  We really concerned about Ron's brother, Ryan.  I haven't taken the time to update on here, so I'll try to explain what is going on.

Last Thursday afternoon, Holly called a squad for Ryan.  He had been sick for what we understand to be a couple of weeks and was simply not improving.  When the squad came they checked him out. Said that his oxygen levels were low, BP was not good and something else (but I just can't remember).  They said they could only transport him to Circleville, not up to the James in Columbus where he has been seen since before the transplant.

So Holly decided to take him herself.  Anyway, they admitted him and gave him oxygen.  The rest is a bit of a blurr as to specifics, but they discovered he has pneumonia with fluid around both lungs.  They needed to do a biopsy to determine exactly what type of pneumonia.  On Friday he was moved to ICU and was not breathing well at all!

Ron and I decided we needed to go.  We had been on family trip with my parents and brothers family to a KOA campground.  That made it possible for us to be 2 hours closer to Columbus and we were able to leave the kids with my parents - the Lord worked that out!

So on Friday evening we went to Columbus.  We arrived at a bad time, because there were very few "visiting hours" in the ICU.  So...we waited.  They did actually let us go back about 30 minutes early for visiting hours.  We were encouraged.  He was alert and talking and even joking some.  We couldn't hear him real well because he had a full mask on -eyes to chin- that was giving him oxygen.  When they had moved him to ICU they had to give him 100% oxygen.  They were beginning to ween him a little, but it was a slow process.

While we were in visiting him, the Pulmonary doctor came.  The plan was to do a do a biopsy on Saturday morning of the fluid on his lungs.  The difficult part of that is that they would have to put him on a ventilator to do it.  He was not at all happy about that, but the doctor assured him it was reversible and could come out!

So...Saturday morning the biopsy was done.  The ventilator was put in and he was pretty out of it for that time.

Thankfully he didn't have to have the vent too long.  They were able to put him back on the full face mask and by Sunday evening he was even able to eat a little bit too.  Slowly they have increased his good intake and oral meds.

Now tonight he is suppose to be moved out of ICU to his own room.  The word is that he will still be in the hospital for a week or so and will probably go home with oxygen.

We don't know anything for sure yet, but it appears that what is going on is the graft vs. host disease.  I have mentioned this before.  It is his body rejecting the stem cells from Ron.  He had graft vs. host in his mouth, diagnosed early this year.  So now they are thinking that it is progressing.

He needs prayer!  I have written all this to say, please pray!  Pray for Ryan, for healing!  Pray for Holly, for rest, encouragement and wisdom.  Pray for the 4 girls, who start school next week and have been dealing with all of this for too many years.  Pray for Ryan and Ron's parents (Ron and Frances).  Frances went to Circleville on Thursday after she learned he had been admitted.  She has been with the girls since then.  Ron was able to go down over the weekend and even was able to sit with Ryan while he was in ICU.  He is now back home alone.  Please pray for everyone!  Ron and I are struggling now knowing what to do, how to help.

Life is difficult at times.  It's downright unbearable at others.  The only constant...Jesus!  He is our Hope.  He is our Strength!  We put our Trust in HIM!