Oh buddy...

A while ago, our local church did a sermon series on the garden of Gethsemane and how it was a time of intense testing and pressure for Jesus as he prepared for his work on the cross.  The image used to represent this testing and pressure is that of the olive press - The olive press was a large millstone type stone that used to crush the olives with intense pressure to get all of the oil out.  This is how Annie and I feel.

Monday, Jackson had a head scan that revealed he had a substantial brain bleed on this right side sometime during the last four days. This is the type of bleed that caused us to be so careful with him for the first 72 hours.  Nobody knows when or how the bleed happened but only that it has.  There are many things that could happen now and both Annie and I are trying very hard to focus on each and every day instead of looking to the future.  The doctors have told us that this type of bleed will not guarantee that Jackson will grow up with mental handicaps but that it does substantially raise his risks for them.  They have scheduled another scan for next week and that should tell us more.

Today (Tuesday) Annie's dad had a heart-attack.  He was rushed to Mercy in Des Moines (the same hospital we are at) and they are planning on doing open heart surgery to do a by-pass in the next few days.  They have to wait so long because he has been on blood thinners and want his blood to "thicken" more before surgery.
 
Please pray for God's presence in both of these things.  This is a really a tough time for both of us, as there are so many questions with out answers. We are both emotionally & physically spent - and are feeling "crushed" by all that is being piled on.
Please pray for:
Healing for Jackson & Arvin - and the skill and knowledge of the doctors & nurses.
and for peace of mind - body & spirit for both of us and our families


Ben & Annie