Mom described her day with dad as bittersweet. Good things are happening...fever is staying down, antibiotics seem to be taking care of the pneumonia...he's coughing up less secretions. But as his body slowly heals, his heart is heavy...he's frustrated, he's sad. Mom saw his lip start to quiver today, something she hasn't really seen yet. He was a little more "with it", mom said he seemed to comprehend a little more than he did yesterday. He still tends to nod "yes" to questions kind of as a default, when you wonder if he really understood. His nurse commented he has great manners with the staff, always mouthing "thank you", "you're a lifesaver", and "what would I do without you". Precious.
Mom was taken on a tour of the spinal cord unit today...kind of a reality check of sorts. It's one thing to see dad in intensive care, where they focus more on his immediate health. It's a very different thing to see where he will be spending his next weeks...and months....to see the reality of wheelchairs....the spinal cord gym...the bustle of physical therapists, occupational therapists...countless other "ists" we don't even know of yet. I myself was in the spinal cord unit as well this week, and it makes you start to think of where the nexts months will take us. There is so much ahead for dad, so much work to be done. It's overwhelming.
But we can only take one day at a time, one hurdle at a time. So tonight we continue to pray for the pneumonia to be gone for good...his fever to stay down....but and also for his heart. We really want to pray for dad to have some good conversations with God. Once he does move up to that spinal cord unit, he will be a busy man. But right now he has the gift of peace and quiet, the chance to just be still and know that God is God. So we pray that in the quiet of his ICU room, he takes his frustration and anger to the feet of Christ...that God would be speaking to him this very minute.
We love you so much dad. We pray that you would come out of this a changed man. A better man. A stronger man of God. Love ya, goodnight, love ya.
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13 comments:
Amy,
I just spent 20 minutes leaving a message and it just disappeared. My first sentence in the email I wrote before was, AMY I DON'T GET THIS BLOG THING!
We pray day and night for Bohr and all of you. We know how exhausting it can be. I have always experienced the awsome power of prayer and say it's better than any drug I have ever taken. Of course when we are in crisis, I am usually in the gift shop.
Our Hailee Rose is in Phoenix for the holidays and she called us the other night to check on Bohr. We talked and then she said, Grammy I think Jesus is going to let him live and heal him. She is nine now and I love to see her love for the Lord and her faith.
You are such a wonderful family and Pat & Jeannie you can be proud of your children and what examples they are for all.
Jeannie, thank you for your letter.
Amen!! I wonder how many people have come to know Jesus after reading all your postings. Amy, you are an amazing writer.
I will write a letter because I have some thngs to share but I have to careful on here. I will be censored and Amy will block me from this site.
You are my favorite Trick or Treaters!
God Bless all of you.
God wants our arms around Him. God wants to hear us say, "I love You, Father. I trust You. Whatever You want to give me I accept. I need You. I cling to You. I walk with You. I adore You." Chuck Swindoll
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30
This song from Godspell has been going through my head as I pray for the Bohrman family.
Pat, this one is for you. Hang in there and be ready when God says that it is time to fight harder. Soon, you will be called into action. Remember, Jesus is victor and the price has already been paid and the battle is won in the heavenlies.
Day by Day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day
Thanks Amy for the excellent, day by day reporting.
linda lentz
Ames and Family Bohrman...
My husband Stephen has a real sense with people...he's quiet, but he truly sees people, and I love it about him...
And he's only spent a limited time with Pat...yet this is what he's soothing me with lately..he says
"Pat's too strong a guy...he has too strong a spirit, he has too strong a mind...in every way...he's gonna pull thru this...there's no question"
Means alot to me...just wanted to
share it with you guys....
always our love and prayers...
aunt pol
Mike, Amy, PJ, Mr and Mrs. Bohrman,
Thank you for the continuous updates on "Pops" progress. Our family has been thinking, and praying for you guys during this difficult and trying time. I have learned that every dark cloud has a silver lining in it. You all will look back on this moment and see all of the positive changes it has done to your life. I feel you guys already see many of them like how strong your love is for your family. Pops has already learned a greater appreciation for each one of your touch as you sit by his side helping him to a full recovery. Keep finding that positive thing in every day no matter how small it might be. Keep strong and take care of yourselves.
With Love,
Curtis Goens and Family
amy: you are awesome! i can't do anything on my computer until i check the blog. i'm hooked.....and praying all the while. when your mom and i had our little rendezvous together in pittsburgh ( jean the stewardess oops, i mean 'flight attendant' w/ the free flying) a few years ago, we were in that hotel room sharing all night. we had so much to catch up on and so little time. she could not say enough about you 3 kids and your dad. i shared w/ her a saying that my grandmother ( gammy..your mom remembers gam!)used to tell my mom...."you're only as happy as your unhappiest family member".....so you guys sure fit that description.....all rooting and sharing and praying in one spirit for the one member who can't right now. your mom adores you all, and really adores God...so what else can one say?! God bless...... get some rest, amy, but not too much cuz i would really miss the updates.....unbelievably good job! "well done, good and faithful servant"..... :) love, arch/itch aka kathy klick (or, as jean calls me 'the pennsylvania kid'
Dear Bohrmans,
I have to come right out and tell you (and the whole world) my JOY. The other night in my Dad's hospital room, Wednesday night I believe - the days are all runnin' together - my Dad acknowledged for the first time that he LOVES GOD! He was crying when he said it and I bent down to his face...I made him repeat it because he is SO hard to understand. I said Dad did you say you love God? He said, YES! I love God; I love God because of you. I said you love God because of me??? (No way!!) With tears now streaming down my face...he repeated I love God because of you and Jessica!!! Oh people, I have been crying tears of JOY ever since. This is an 83 year old man whom others have been praying for FOR at least 15 years. He has been "fighting" God for, what looked like to us, years and years and especially hard these last few months. My mom would tell me how scared he was. Typically the only time Dad ever used God's name was when it was in vain!!
Jessica and I have both "tried" to talk to Dad about God's love, grace and mercy, off and on for the past 2-3 years. Jess and I now know deep down in our hearts where my Dad will spend eternity - oh Thank You God for that precious gift - and we also know that Dad "loves" God because of God's gift of His Son! Not because of us! I can now say that others should NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up on those that don't have the assurance of a heavenly future. Oh believe me I have doubted so very many times for my Dad, but I would will my spirit to take it right back and try with all my heart, soul, mind and strength to believe His promise for my Dad. Praise God; we are dancin'!!
My Dad is still bed-bound and is probably being transferred from the hospital to a nursing home today for some short term rehab. I honestly don't know if he will ever get any stronger. It seems to me that he is vacillating between wanting to die and holding on to what he has had for 83 years. He is scared. I'm going to bring my bible to his room this morning before they transfer him and I hope to read God's sweet words of life to him.
I'm praying that Bohr's pneumonia would STAY AWAY. I'm also praying that God would do a supernatural work in his heart at this time. You all are so very close to my heart. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose" Rom 8:28
(Jeannie thanks for sending the pics - you all looked so beautiful at PJ's wedding. Jeannie you especially look good in taupe/beige...did you fulfill your mother-of-the-groom duty well; to shut-up and wear beige??)
Love you guys,
Hubbell
This morning I praise and thank YOU, God for another day to honor and worship YOU. I am thankful that Pat's temp is remaining stable & I pray right now that his lungs are becoming clearer and stronger. I thank you for the Drs, nurses, and staff providing care for Pat, please strengthen and give them patience and time to meet the needs of all their patients. I pray for encouragement and physical strengthening for the entire Bohrman family and travel mercies to and from the hospital. I especially ask that YOU gently and tenderly reveal to Pat only what he can take in at this point of his healing. Fortify the entire family with an attitude that will take every thought captive and one which will glorify YOU 2 Cor 10:5-6. Help us all to be cleansed vessels in YOU, Father. "For YOU, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD illuminates my darkness. With you I can attack a barrier, with my God I can leap a wall... For who is God besides the LORD? And who is a rock besides our God? God is my strong refuge; He makes my way perfect." 2 Sam 29-30
I pray we rest in HIM moment by moment for HIS provision and direction.
Love<><
Jen
Dear Bohrmans,
As you prepare for your move from ICU to the spinal cord unit that certainly is welcome progress.
We continue to pray for all of you as you work through this with Pat.
Pat has God given talent to look at difficult problems and solve them (he is very talented).
We pray God will also guide him through his latest challenge and show us new a talent that Pat has.
It is a new day and another opportunity to praise and glorify our God. He wonderfully, carefully and especially made each and every one of us to have a relationship with Him. Oh how we get caught up in the "world". Focus on recognizing your blessings today. Call out to God with praise, concerns, petitions, thanksgiving, lamentations, feelings and emotions. He already knows every word before you speak it. He is a wise and wonderful Heavenly Father. He loves you so much. Nothing you can do today or in the future will make him love you less. Jesus lived this life as half God and half man. He knows exactly what we struggle with as humans. The Holy Spirit came after Jesus returned to Heaven to daily allow us to be filled and renewed with God's strength, power, wisdom and knowledge if we seek Him. Thankfully, we can draw on the power of God to take us through each day. We need to pray, call out, run to the feet of Jesus, kneel at the foot of the cross, think a thought....and He will be there. Jeremiah 33:11 tells us if we call out to God, He will answer us. Allow God to whisper in your ear today and tell you how much He loves each and every one of you. This is a modern day miracle story that is being recorded for all generations to tell of the wonderous love of God for all of His people. The future generations will read these words of love and encouragement and shout for joy to our Lord who brought the Bohrman family through this time. Sing praises today. Jump and dance for joy. Smile and be kind to all you encounter. Many are watching your excellent, honest and open example of what it means to live a "Christan" life. You have the opportunity to bring Jesus in the flesh to all you meet in person and through this blog. I too check many times during the day and read all the comments. I have been blessed with seeing the impact of this situation and how meaningful and powerful words can be. "Speak" words of love, assurance, comfort, strength, encouragement, peace, hope, kindness, goodness, patience...by your love you will set the captives free to know Jesus for them selves.
linda lentz smile today ! rejoice today!
Dearest Pat, As I have been praying for you and imagnining how trapped and frustrated you feel, I have been remembering when God finally got my attention 9 years ago. He'd been trying to talk to me for a very long time, but I thought I was listening well enough. When he slammed me on my back so that the only place I could look was up to Him, I finally heard Him calling me. You have been slammed hard, Pat, and I know He wants you to look up. He is teaching you whatever it is He thinks you still need to know. I know you have loved Him with a great heart, but there must be something more He wants to tell you. In fact, He is not only reaching out to you, but to all of us who love you. He is teaching us too.
Some people say that God will never give us more than we can handle, but I know that is not true. He WILL give us more than we can handle so that we will turn to Him to get us through whatever our lesson is. Rom 8:28 tells us He works all things to the good of those who love Him. That means He will work even the most horrible, challening, almost make us want to give up things to change us for the better. Try to trust in that, dear, Pat. He has plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Love, Treva
PS I created a Google acct for this blog, and it won't work, so I'm annonymous. It's easier.
Dear Friends of the Bohram family,
Pat and the family will be facing the highs and the lows of the healing process in the days ahead. Please please be sensetive to them. Pray for them and love them but be careful not to preach to them. Remember this is not your blog. They are doing us a great favor by keeping us informed on how to pray. Pray on!
We pray for unity and ask God to cover this blog site with His special power of everlasting love and concern for all man kind. It is critical, that this be uplifting, positive and transparent. God is the author of truth and is honored when this happens. Amen
aloha
was viewing your pics online and you are looking good my friend
Still think of you everytime I do the Hilton stairs
from your Hawaii friend,
eric
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