Update Prayer Request

Please continue to uphold this man and his family in prayer today. 


(My relative) Keith Wharton update: heading to doctor to check on progress and new problems. Pray for NO anxiety and pain while getting down the stairs and at the appt. Wisdom for the doctor to find everything we need to address. BAD night of pain last night.


This morning's update from Sue...


"Since leaving the hospital we have seen Keith improve each day.  First day he could only lay on his back and then sit up with assistance. Moving his right leg was an impossible task.  HE had feeling in it and all, just no strength no move it AND it hurt like the dickens! Now four  or five days later he has sat up from laying flat and shifted himself to the edge of the bed. Yesterday he found new freedom in a wheel chair.  He has been in a recliner or bed, until now.  He is in pain while resting as well as moving.  During the day he does better than night.  Still not getting more than 4-5  hrs of sleep per 24 hr time period.

"Today we visited our old doctor from BG for a follow up visit.  He assured us Keith is at the point he assumed he would be. He SHOULD still be in pain, he SHOULD have all kinds of bruises and swelling, and still be on mass pain meds.  The other new pains are torn, pulled, smashed, and tweaked muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.  One major pain that has been crippling for Keith is nerve damage to his right calf.  It has been EXTREMELY painful.  The dr said no pain meds will affect nerve damage and it will be several months to recover.  So, he continues to suffer.  He took one set of stiches out, but said the others are in swollen tissue and still bleeding.  It is like the stitch holes became weep holes for all the swelling.  Those need to stay in an extra week.  The cartiladge in the rib cage got bent to almost a 45 degree.  He said those would be as painful as fractured ribs.  .............


"We still continue to see God's hand in our lives.  We know that through His strenth we can do all things.  just yesterday we were talking about how we were going to keep Keith warm this winter when our heat pump was broke.  We have space heaters, but they are expensive to run.  We decided we just would have to run them.  It isn't worth freezing him to save money on electrcity.  A couple hours later, a wonderful lady from Starbuck called and said her and her husband were going to go in and pay our elec and water/sewer bill.  HE knew we needed it before we did.  God is good." 


From an earlier date: (The beauty and strength in this made me weep. Sue gave me permission to share with ya'll. These are difficult but beautiful times.)


"So those are the facts of our past 11 days. But the great exciting part of it was how the Lord met us, day after day, if not hour and after hour. HE knew this was going to happen and we feel he prepared us for it, little did we know. Keith lost almost 60 lbs in the last 12 months. He would be struggling to move himself around more had he not. Maybe made it impossible. I would not have been able to lift, pull, and roll him like I have been if he was that much heavier. I lost over 50 lbs in the 12 months. My health would not have allowed me to stay awake 95% of the 9 days in the hospital. I would not have been able to bend and pull him around. We have no house payment, we just paid off his truck, making our financial needs smaller during this time. We had just hired a 4th guy, so now they can have more help framing than if Keith left the three of them to do it. Always easier with four. I just finished working that week (seasonal job), no more obligation for me. Same with Amber, freeing her up to take care of her sisters.

"In the hospital, I can't tell you right now out of my exhausted brain how many times I sent out a specific prayer request for a new hurdle and with in hours it was met. THE night from HELL, as Keith calls it, when they were taking him off IV meds to pill form and trying to find the right one that worked. HE spent almost 18 hours riling in pain. I sent out a plea for prayer for the pain to subside and within hours he was asleep. When they said his spleen was torn and needs to come out, again a plea. Within hours they came back in saying they were wrong. IT was just pooled blood rising up from pelvis. SO many more things like this happened. I can't recall them all in my tired state.

"Keith and I told the nurse one morning that we were realizing what God did for our marriage. We had been looking for a resort or something for us to go to just a few weeks back, to have a time alone, just the two of us. To revitalize ourselves and come closer as a husband and wife. Little did we know, God closed all those doors for where were looking and gave us this to be our bonding time. It was our time to become one in the world's eyes. He needed me and I him. I did not leave his side but for moments through the week. I spent a total of 9 hours outside the hospital in 9 days. I think I counted less than 24 hours of sleep. My husband was hurting and I was his helpmate. We were a team. I only wished I could have taken some of the pain from him.

"The pain and confusion from meds are his chief stresses at this point. He trusts he will walk and be good some day and understands it may be a long road. His renewed faith, trust, and reliance on the Lord has been wonderful. Keith finds peace in God's sovereignty. Everything happens for a reason. He chastens those he loves. Keith sings hymns to comfort himself and prays often. He knows it is only by the grace of God he is still here. He no longer wants to "hide his light under a bushel". As he heals and his mind clears out the meds, he has so much to share. We can not thank you all of you prayer warriors enough! Please continue to keep my husband in your prayers as we deal with the pain, confusion from meds, and all the new found injuries and other damage that was not life threatening."