Twelve days ago we brought our son, Larry, and his wife, Ashley, to Kaiser
Sunset Hospital in Hollywood for RPLND surgery. After a lengthy surgery, Larry was sent to recovery, and then to his room on the seventh floor.
A few days into recovery, Larry developed a condition known as “ileus.”
Ileus is a Latin word which means ” to hold in check. ” Basically, Larry’s bowels were not awake for eight days. During this time, Larrry was very ill and in significant pain. Through many nights, he had severe stomach pain and bloating against the forty-two staples on his abdomen.
In the midst of the pain, God gave Larry extra grace, and Larry’s spirit has convicted and challenged me each hour. Ashley’s dad, Ernie Baydo from Tacoma, Washington, has been with us in the hospital, and we have spent many hours of prayer together in Larry’s room.
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The ileus not only held Larry’s stomach in check, but our lives have also been in a holding pattern as, here in the hospital, God is teaching us how to wait and what it means to abide in His secret place.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; zthey shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:1, 2, 4)
Through these intense days, we have seen God answering the prayers of His people. We want to thank our church family and friends for your prayers and words of encouragement. Each card, visit, blog comment, text, or call has meant so much. We are thankful also for the many health professionals who have served our son.
In the past several days, we have been able to pass out three cases of A Daily Word, we have witnessed to many, and we saw one person saved.
We are thrilled today to be bringing Larry home from the hospital. We plead with you to continue your prayers as Larry begins chemotherapy treatments in sixteen days. Pray for his continued strength and complete healing. Pray that God will continue to be magnified through Larry and Ashley in the days ahead.
We will keep you posted as God’s work unfolds. Thanks again, and please keep praying.
