Good Update for Praise and Prayer - Beryl and Meryl and all the
Dear Praying Friends,
Here is a good, positive update about Beryl, Meryl and the rest of our family as at the evening of Wednesday 28 Dec 05. For a brief summary, please read just the sentences in bold type.
In short, a miracle has occurred, for which we rejoice and praise God from the bottom of our hearts! This has been great for us but has also made us acutely aware of those who do not see similar things happening in their lives. We think, particularly, of two pairs of good friends who respectively lost a relative and a good friend who died over Christmas. Without seeking to suggest that others less blessed, and realizing that challenges to our faith come frequently and unexpectedly, we humbly share with you what we have seen God do in our lives in the last week. We are also very much aware of several other friends whose relatives have had a series of health crises in the last several months of their lives, although there is not much we can do about that! For every one of us, the exact timing of our death is outside our control!
Thanks, hugely, for all your prayers for Beryl, Meryl and all of us since I wrote to you on Friday evening, 23 Dec.
Summary – for those who didn’t get the last email. Originally we hoped Beryl would come home from hospital a week ago today but she took a turn for the worse and continued declining through last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. One of the two doctors involved with her phoned Meryl on Thursday afternoon and told her that he did not think Beryl would last much longer. She had developed cellulitis in both legs and they could not treat it intravenously with antibiotics. They might be able to do this if she went to the nearest general hospital 25 miles away at Taunton. Beryl declined this invitation and decided to take things as they came in Minehead hospital, which is basically a triage hospital and looks after less serious or terminal short term patients. The cellulitis continued to get worse. Meryl was constantly at her mother’s bed side simply holding her hand, expecting her to die at any moment. Beryl was only semi-conscious. I was mobilizing prayer and making arrangements for Toby and JoAnn to urgently fly to UK from USA. Charles arrived late on Thursday, on a pre-arranged plan of some months standing. Thankfully, Grandma realized he was at her bedside.
Beryl was no better all day Friday and on Christmas Eve. She was now having antibiotics (painfully) injected into her thighs several times a day. We and you all prayed hard. On Saturday, Christmas Eve, we particularly prayed offensively against the attacks on her body, mind and soul by the arch-enemy, Satan, and prayed positively for peace, comfort, mercy and a dignified departure.
Toby and JoAnn had a long but safe and smooth flight (3 actually) and were visiting Beryl by noon on Christmas Day as we joined them at the end of the church service at Beryl’s church, next door to the hospital. Beryl was overjoyed to see them.
Unexpectedly, but miraculously, in the 24 hour period between the evenings of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Beryl started to get better. Progress has continued this week. Today, Wednesday, the doctor who phoned Meryl last week to warn her of his view gave his clearance that she is well enough to move as originally planned to a full care home in Birmingham on 30 Dec. But we have to be realistic and clear minded. The same doctor tonight said to us that he thinks Beryl’s life expectancy is not great mainly because of her heart condition which will continue to deteriorate. So we will simply continue to lift her up to the throne of Grace and leave all these things, especially timings, in the Lord’s hands.
Beryl got out of bed and walked on Monday, Boxing Day/26 Dec, for the first time in a week. She has walked a little more each day since. She is now taking antibiotics orally and her legs are much better, although not yet fully back to normal. Her sodium levels are still down. She is on a different drug to eliminate the fluid retention and oedema/edema she continues to have because of her failing heart. The new drug seems to encourage higher than necessary potassium levels so there will be an ongoing balancing act with her medications. Her macular degeneration and Parkinson’s continue to advance and Beryl finds life difficult, especially the blindness aspects, although she readily smiles and laughs at a joke. It is likely there will be another crisis in the foreseeable future. However, Beryl seems more at peace, has regained her hope and is shows incredible courage and determination. All she wants to do now is get to the care home at Little Aston, a suburb in the northern part of Birmingham, about 160 miles from Minehead.
We have had much opportunity to pray together with her these last few days and talk about what the Lord has done. This has not been unnoticed by the hospital staff although most of the other 7 ladies in the same ward are not well enough to absorb all this – their health sometimes seems more tenuous than Beryl’s was.
Beryl shared with Charles last week that she fully believes it is God’s will that she goes to Little Aston – we agree!
Beryl told us that she remembers nothing from last week when she was so ill – probably a good thing! Neither did she have an ‘out-of-body’ experience! She recognizes the miraculous nature of what she has been through. We have laughed about the sign on the wall in the nurse’s office: ‘Angels work here – miracles sometimes happen!’ These caring and compassionate nurses take their angelic calling seriously and are full of love and compassion for those they look after, yet retain their ability to keep their patients as independent as they possibly can be.
This week has been challenging for us all in many respects and has been an incredible answer to many, many prayers. We did have a lovely time as a family, unexpectedly all together, even with visiting Mom/Grandma in hospital three times a day. Meryl and I attended a hugely encouraging and inspiring full Anglo-Catholic (incense and all!) Midnight Communion in a local, ancient, Anglican church. This is not our usual choice of worship style but for that occasion it was absolutely what we needed. Charles cooked excellent full dinner meals on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Charles and I walked 4.5 miles along the hills and cliffs near Minehead on Boxing Day afternoon – an all too rare opportunity for both of us and most enjoyable. Today, Wednesday, Meryl and I spent the day with Toby and JoAnn (we also visited Beryl) taking the local historic steam train a few miles down the coast to Watchet where we froze as we walked in the town, had lunch and came back on a later train. JoAnn experienced a steam train for the first time and had a cultural experience as she learned how to open British train doors from the inside out!
We have a crazy few days ahead of us, for which we seek your prayers. Meryl is hard at work sorting out and packing clothes and other belongings that Beryl will take with her to Little Aston on Friday. Her brother, Tony (alone – Rita stays at home), comes tomorrow, Thursday, morning to help take his mother there. Toby and I go to Taunton to find and rent a small van to take Beryl’s belongings to her new home; and we load it on our return. Friday will be spent getting Beryl to Little Aston. We plan to celebrate New Year at Tony and Rita’s home. Meryl and myself, Toby and JoAnn, are staying at the home of some long standing Army friends a few miles from Little Aston so it will be good to see them again. Toby and JoAnn plan to rent a car so Toby can show JoAnn where he grew up and went to school – and she wants to see a ruined castle! We plan to return to Minehead via Watford on 3/4 Jan, meeting Tony and Rita here so as to clear and clean Beryl’s apartment so it can be redecorated and sold. Toby and JoAnn fly from Bristol, England to Albany, NY via Newark, NJ on 7 Jan and, at some stage yet unknown, Meryl and I will go to Watford for a few days, see some other friends in Kent and elsewhere. We plan to make another visit to Little Aston to see Beryl prior to us flying to Washington DC from London on 30 Jan. During all this time I will be trying to keep on top of my work with the Alpha for the Military ministry, knowing that at least four new courses are scheduled to start in US units in January, whose course leaders will need prayers, advice, help and encouragement by phone and email.
Unless there is a significant change in Beryl’s condition, I do not anticipate writing an update about her for a couple of weeks. It has been incredibly difficult, but important, to find time to write this one!
We wish you all a continuing very Happy Christmas, knowing that the liturgical Season runs at least until Twelfth Night and Epiphany.
With Jesus love and blessings,
Noel and Meryl
(http://noel.dawes.net and http://noeldawes.blogspot.com)
Here is a good, positive update about Beryl, Meryl and the rest of our family as at the evening of Wednesday 28 Dec 05. For a brief summary, please read just the sentences in bold type.
In short, a miracle has occurred, for which we rejoice and praise God from the bottom of our hearts! This has been great for us but has also made us acutely aware of those who do not see similar things happening in their lives. We think, particularly, of two pairs of good friends who respectively lost a relative and a good friend who died over Christmas. Without seeking to suggest that others less blessed, and realizing that challenges to our faith come frequently and unexpectedly, we humbly share with you what we have seen God do in our lives in the last week. We are also very much aware of several other friends whose relatives have had a series of health crises in the last several months of their lives, although there is not much we can do about that! For every one of us, the exact timing of our death is outside our control!
Thanks, hugely, for all your prayers for Beryl, Meryl and all of us since I wrote to you on Friday evening, 23 Dec.
Summary – for those who didn’t get the last email. Originally we hoped Beryl would come home from hospital a week ago today but she took a turn for the worse and continued declining through last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. One of the two doctors involved with her phoned Meryl on Thursday afternoon and told her that he did not think Beryl would last much longer. She had developed cellulitis in both legs and they could not treat it intravenously with antibiotics. They might be able to do this if she went to the nearest general hospital 25 miles away at Taunton. Beryl declined this invitation and decided to take things as they came in Minehead hospital, which is basically a triage hospital and looks after less serious or terminal short term patients. The cellulitis continued to get worse. Meryl was constantly at her mother’s bed side simply holding her hand, expecting her to die at any moment. Beryl was only semi-conscious. I was mobilizing prayer and making arrangements for Toby and JoAnn to urgently fly to UK from USA. Charles arrived late on Thursday, on a pre-arranged plan of some months standing. Thankfully, Grandma realized he was at her bedside.
Beryl was no better all day Friday and on Christmas Eve. She was now having antibiotics (painfully) injected into her thighs several times a day. We and you all prayed hard. On Saturday, Christmas Eve, we particularly prayed offensively against the attacks on her body, mind and soul by the arch-enemy, Satan, and prayed positively for peace, comfort, mercy and a dignified departure.
Toby and JoAnn had a long but safe and smooth flight (3 actually) and were visiting Beryl by noon on Christmas Day as we joined them at the end of the church service at Beryl’s church, next door to the hospital. Beryl was overjoyed to see them.
Unexpectedly, but miraculously, in the 24 hour period between the evenings of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Beryl started to get better. Progress has continued this week. Today, Wednesday, the doctor who phoned Meryl last week to warn her of his view gave his clearance that she is well enough to move as originally planned to a full care home in Birmingham on 30 Dec. But we have to be realistic and clear minded. The same doctor tonight said to us that he thinks Beryl’s life expectancy is not great mainly because of her heart condition which will continue to deteriorate. So we will simply continue to lift her up to the throne of Grace and leave all these things, especially timings, in the Lord’s hands.
Beryl got out of bed and walked on Monday, Boxing Day/26 Dec, for the first time in a week. She has walked a little more each day since. She is now taking antibiotics orally and her legs are much better, although not yet fully back to normal. Her sodium levels are still down. She is on a different drug to eliminate the fluid retention and oedema/edema she continues to have because of her failing heart. The new drug seems to encourage higher than necessary potassium levels so there will be an ongoing balancing act with her medications. Her macular degeneration and Parkinson’s continue to advance and Beryl finds life difficult, especially the blindness aspects, although she readily smiles and laughs at a joke. It is likely there will be another crisis in the foreseeable future. However, Beryl seems more at peace, has regained her hope and is shows incredible courage and determination. All she wants to do now is get to the care home at Little Aston, a suburb in the northern part of Birmingham, about 160 miles from Minehead.
We have had much opportunity to pray together with her these last few days and talk about what the Lord has done. This has not been unnoticed by the hospital staff although most of the other 7 ladies in the same ward are not well enough to absorb all this – their health sometimes seems more tenuous than Beryl’s was.
Beryl shared with Charles last week that she fully believes it is God’s will that she goes to Little Aston – we agree!
Beryl told us that she remembers nothing from last week when she was so ill – probably a good thing! Neither did she have an ‘out-of-body’ experience! She recognizes the miraculous nature of what she has been through. We have laughed about the sign on the wall in the nurse’s office: ‘Angels work here – miracles sometimes happen!’ These caring and compassionate nurses take their angelic calling seriously and are full of love and compassion for those they look after, yet retain their ability to keep their patients as independent as they possibly can be.
This week has been challenging for us all in many respects and has been an incredible answer to many, many prayers. We did have a lovely time as a family, unexpectedly all together, even with visiting Mom/Grandma in hospital three times a day. Meryl and I attended a hugely encouraging and inspiring full Anglo-Catholic (incense and all!) Midnight Communion in a local, ancient, Anglican church. This is not our usual choice of worship style but for that occasion it was absolutely what we needed. Charles cooked excellent full dinner meals on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Charles and I walked 4.5 miles along the hills and cliffs near Minehead on Boxing Day afternoon – an all too rare opportunity for both of us and most enjoyable. Today, Wednesday, Meryl and I spent the day with Toby and JoAnn (we also visited Beryl) taking the local historic steam train a few miles down the coast to Watchet where we froze as we walked in the town, had lunch and came back on a later train. JoAnn experienced a steam train for the first time and had a cultural experience as she learned how to open British train doors from the inside out!
We have a crazy few days ahead of us, for which we seek your prayers. Meryl is hard at work sorting out and packing clothes and other belongings that Beryl will take with her to Little Aston on Friday. Her brother, Tony (alone – Rita stays at home), comes tomorrow, Thursday, morning to help take his mother there. Toby and I go to Taunton to find and rent a small van to take Beryl’s belongings to her new home; and we load it on our return. Friday will be spent getting Beryl to Little Aston. We plan to celebrate New Year at Tony and Rita’s home. Meryl and myself, Toby and JoAnn, are staying at the home of some long standing Army friends a few miles from Little Aston so it will be good to see them again. Toby and JoAnn plan to rent a car so Toby can show JoAnn where he grew up and went to school – and she wants to see a ruined castle! We plan to return to Minehead via Watford on 3/4 Jan, meeting Tony and Rita here so as to clear and clean Beryl’s apartment so it can be redecorated and sold. Toby and JoAnn fly from Bristol, England to Albany, NY via Newark, NJ on 7 Jan and, at some stage yet unknown, Meryl and I will go to Watford for a few days, see some other friends in Kent and elsewhere. We plan to make another visit to Little Aston to see Beryl prior to us flying to Washington DC from London on 30 Jan. During all this time I will be trying to keep on top of my work with the Alpha for the Military ministry, knowing that at least four new courses are scheduled to start in US units in January, whose course leaders will need prayers, advice, help and encouragement by phone and email.
Unless there is a significant change in Beryl’s condition, I do not anticipate writing an update about her for a couple of weeks. It has been incredibly difficult, but important, to find time to write this one!
We wish you all a continuing very Happy Christmas, knowing that the liturgical Season runs at least until Twelfth Night and Epiphany.
With Jesus love and blessings,
Noel and Meryl
(http://noel.dawes.net and http://noeldawes.blogspot.com)
posted by Noel Dawes | 12:29 PM
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