What a Roller Coaster Ride!

Again...from Richard. Wow, when God says to trust HIM...He means it! :) Please continue to pray for my uncle, their family and the doctors who will be with them.

We've had a change. Dad and I are coming home tomorrow morning. This will play out one way or the other in a few days.

The new doctor said we are at a fork in the road. To the left is CJD. There is no treatment; only make Dad as comfortable as we can until God calls him home. To the right is the brain inflammation. The treatment is 5 days of steroid IV. We did day 1 today and will do day 2 before we leave. Since that is all there is to do, he can receive days 3-5 at Baptist. They assured me there is nothing else for them to do here so we might as well be in AR close to family and friends.

They have done all the tests they can do. None of the results clear his condition up any more than what I have told you. His brain continues to look good on studies; they only have what they see clinically to go on. There are 2 results that are not in yet. One is the CJD test and Mayo would have to send their sample to the same lab Baptist sent theirs to. Those results are not in yet. It is the most definitive test we have for CJD. The other test is for this other possible -- and treatable -- condition. The doctor flatly told me he doesn't care what that result is because he is not waiting on it. Thus, the steroid treatment has been initiated. It works or it doesn't. It's that simple. He would do nothing different were it his father and he would take him back home for the steroids.

The treatable condition was explained to me this way: it is as if Dad has a cancer and the body is attacking it. The cells in his brain have similar characteristics to the would-be cancer cells, so the body is attacking them. Essentially he is attacking himself. The steroids will put a stop to this. If he has this latter condition, the steroids generally work very well and he should have a good recovery.

Basically, we are at an all-or-nothing position now and should know which it is in a few days.

Dad and I are flying out tomorrow morning. The doctors here have spoken with his doctors at Baptist. There is a bed waiting for him in ICU South, the same place we were Tuesday when we left. The Mayo doctors will stay in touch and will follow his progress. If there is any change, they will take him back immediately.

Clinically, they say it presents like either but at this point more like CJD.

I am reminded of the battle where God had the army get a drink and sent home everyone but the ones who kept their eyes up as they cupped water in their hand to drink. I have been taught God likes to do things that make it clear it was Him and not anyone else at work so only he gets the glory. We are at that place.

It is time to double up on our already massive and intense prayer work. The prayer is very specific and the stakes are extremely high. Let's be faithful and persistent in prayer and watching for a miraculous showing from God.

Dad is where Dad has always been -- in His hands.