-------------- Original message --------------
From: Kathy Du Bois <[log in to unmask]>

> Hi Guys,
> Well, my dad had hip replacement surgery over a week ago, but he
> hasn't been doing very well. He was moved to a nursing home last
> Friday. This morning, my brother called Greg to let him know that my
> Dad's heart stopped for a bit this morning and he has been taken back
> to the hospital, but I don't even know which one! It's one of those
> times when I could kick Greg for not being more curious.
> I don't exactly know what to ask for in prayer. My dad used to be a
> tough farmer and woodsmen. He worked for more than twenty years
> building tug boats for the government. If something needed to be
> done, my Dad would jump for the chance to serve and do it. He did a
> lot of heroic stuff during W .W.II also and, in short, he has been
> really frustrated with his physical decline over the past few
> years. He's truly just running down. His kidneys have been slowly
> failing for a while. He has been on medication for, the Lord only
> knows what all. For a guy who used to lift 300 pounds, to be content
> with a short walk out to the mailbox, has been a tough pill to
> swallow. I'm sure that he would be much happier in heaven. The hard
> thing is that, first of all, I may not get a chance to say goodbye
> because we are so far apart, and secondly, my Mom has made caring for
> Dad her universe. This is going to be very hard on her. Perhaps my
> prayers are these, peace for our family, especially for Mom, if she
> truly has to say goodbye to the love of her life, and wisdom for us,
> meaning Greg and myself, as we consider whether we should pull the
> kids out of school and head west, or st ay put and wait to hear more
> definitively, what is going on. It's hard to know that the rest of
> the family is gathering, but that we are too far away. I know, I
> will gather with them in spirit, but that is hard to accept.
> Kathy