Urgent Prayer Request

Yesterday afternoon my mom was Christmas shopping and received a call on her cell phone. It was Dr. B, my Grandparents neighbor. Yesterday afternoon when Dr. B’s son was getting off the school bus he saw my Grandpa, Pawpaw, passed out on the sidewalk in a pool of blood. Dr. B’s son ran into his house screaming for his mom. Dr. B ran outside and had her son call 911.

We think Pawpaw was walking from his house to the mailbox. He tripped and fell. We have no idea how long he was passed out on the sidewalk and we are so thankful Dr. B’s son found him.

My mom dropped her stuff and ran to the car. She called my dad on her way and he rushed to Pawpaw’s house. Luckily, my Grandparents live a minute away and in the same neighborhood. When my dad arrived the paramedics were loading Pawpaw into the ambulance. A police officer was spraying the pool of blood with a hose. My dad said it was a significant amount of blood. Pawpaw has a pacemaker and takes Coumadin, which is a blood thinner. It’s very common for pacemaker patients to take Coumadin. One of the side effects of Coumadin is you bleed easily and it’s hard to control the bleeding.

At first Pawpaw seemed stable. I was supposed to go out of town today for work. My parents said to go. At 11:00 PM last night my mom called and said, “Your dad said you should not go.” The bleeding in Pawpaw’s brain had increased and the doctor informed us he has permanent brain damage. His heart rate dropped and was in the 30 range. At 11:00 last night the doctor said he had anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 hours to live. I rushed to the hospital, my parents rushed to the hospital, and my brother started his drive from Dallas.

When I arrived at the ER, Pawpaw’s heart rate had gone up and was in the 60 range. They were moving him for the ER to ICU. We were there until 4:00 AM but there was no change in his condition. The doctor told us the situation is not looking good and will probably result in death. His vitals are okay, he’s on a ventilator but the brain damage is permanent.

I keep asking myself how this is possible. He was just walking to the mailbox and now he has permanent brain damage… just because he wanted to check the mail? How? How does this happen? Why? Why did this have to happen to him? Pawpaw told me he has prayed that he would outlive my Grandma because she has dementia and needs full time care. Pawpaw wanted to be the one who took care of her because nobody else can care for her and love her the way he can. Why couldn’t that simple, humbling, and sweet prayer be answered? Why?

If you remember, will you pray for my family? We are so devastated. I almost fainted last night at the hospital and I'm sick to my stomach. Pawpaw is my mom's dad. Please pray for my mom. So far, she's holding up but I don't think reality has set in yet. My poor Grandma... because of the dementia she keeps asking us where Pawpaw is and when he'll be home. Each time we tell her what's going on, it like the first time she's heard the bad news. She can't even begin to process it. Thank you so much for your prayers.