Confidence in the Name of the Lord

"Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared." Pr 3:25-26

Well, my dad is in the hospital again.  But this time it's under much better circumstances when compared to his last stay in June/July.  ...Let's consider the blessings, shall we? :)

#1

Mom got to drive him there herself,

instead of having to call 9-1-1.

#2

He's fully responsive,

instead of being totally unresponsive.

#3

Well... I can't think of anything that fits here. 

It just seems like there's always a "number three!" ;-D

Last week (and the week before) Dad started to slowly go downhill again.  We noticed his balance and coordination were off and that he was having more trouble cognitively.  Each day his symptoms seemed to gradually worsen.  Mom ended up calling his MS doctor last Thursday and the doctor said he wanted to do an MRI.  On Monday they got that done, and then yesterday they called and said he needed to be admitted in the hospital!  (Even with all the surprises we've had thrown our way, we honestly weren't expecting to hear this one!) We found out he has a new, large 'enhancing' lesion on his corpus collosum.  He also has a smaller lesion on his medulla, which controls the swallowing.  Thankfully that lesion isn't considered to be enhancing.  They were able to get Dad started on IV steroids last night, which they'll administer every 24 hours through next Sunday.  They are also going to get him started on plasmapheresis treatments, hopefully sometime tomorrow.  That being said, he will probably be in the hospital for a minimum of 10 days. 

I can honestly say I'm feeling quite confident right now.  And while the doctors, nurses, and entire medical staff are awesome at this particular hospital, our confidence does not lie in any one man's ability alone--but solely in God's healing power and provision!  "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh..." Philippians 2:3b 

Like always, God is in complete control of everything and we trust that He will work all things out according to his perfect will.  In the mean time, we will continue to pray, trust, hope, and believe. :)

The fruit of righteousness will be peace;

the effect of righteousness will be quietness

and confidence forever.

Isaiah 32:17

This is the confidence we have

in approaching God: that if we ask anything

according to his will, he hears us.

1 John 5:14