Well, quite a few of you have thanked me for the “great job” I’ve done at keeping this site updated — only to have me take my eye off the ball for a few days. It was partly due to some personal issues I’ve been handling with one of our grown kids, but it was also me just plain blowing it. I apologize to those of you who have continued coming here daily for updates, only to find that there’s no news. I think I’m back in the saddle again; a day or so will tell me for sure. I’d covet your prayers for my problematic progeny, though I can’t divulge any details without violating confidentiality (I CAN tell you that neither the legal system nor “little feet” are involved, which I know is a blessing not every parent enjoys).
I did speak with Gina a little bit ago. Billy continues to do well. They are making plans to move Billy to Fort Sanders ‘Select’, which is – among other things – a “launching pad” to Patricia Neal. They still need to clear up the insurance, and a few minor details, but it looks like this could happen soon. Pray for the details to be worked out, and watch this space for updates.
Gina is still getting a good number of people visiting, especially in the evening. But she has a need that some of you — especially those who know Billy pretty well, but not necessarily JUST them — could meet. In order for Gina to get away for a couple of hours, whether to visit her mother, check on her dog, or just stuff a little sanity back into her noggin, someone needs to stay at the hospital in the room with Billy (I don’t know if the hospital requires it — it doesn’t really matter, since Gina’s not ABOUT to leave unless someone is there). If you can be available to visit for, say, 2 1/2 or 3 hours, call Gina and arrange for a time to do so. If you are a Madison Avenue member, call Hazel Bennett and sign up for a slot so we don’t have two people show up at one time, and no one at another. This is probably Gina’s greatest need right now.
Actually, it’s her second greatest need. Her greatest need continues to be for your prayers. Pray for Billy and Gina, and Theresa and Boo (Theresa’s husband); also, the doctors and nurses. Start praying now for the people at Ft. Sanders who will care for Billy. And pray for your humble blogger that I will be true to this commitment.
A couple of other little bookkeeping matters:
- If anyone would prefer to receive these updates by email, please let me know. I’ve created a new email address for this list: pattyupdate@yahoo.com.
- I could use a partner (or two) in maintaining this blog. Ideally this would be someone who visits or speaks with Gina regularly, and can either update the blog (which is not hard) or can send me emails that I can just cut & paste to the blog (which is even easier). It wouldn’t hurt if they’d give me a gentle “nudge” if they see I haven’t updated the site in over a day.
- People are checking this blog daily when preparing to pray; if you have prayer requests, send them to the email mentioned above, and I’ll pass them along. One caveat: God can hear the prayers of everyone in the world, but we are limited; this will not work if every person sends their entire list of prayer concerns. But if you have a special prayer on your heart, let us add our prayers to yours.
Thank you all for your faithfulness in prayer for Billy & Gina.
-joe baker
