Need Prayers

I just responded to the prayer request from Oldschoolcuda and It reminded me to update and thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for my Dad who is still in the hospital after 15 or so days. Long story short, (not really) he has Emphysema (COPD) pretty bad. Fluid started building up in his lungs from his sinus's draining but that's not why we took him to the hospital. A few weeks ago he started talking like his tongue was swollen. Along with that his throat muscles wouldn't work right and he couldn't swallow. He kept saying he was ok but we knew better. After too many days of not eating he was very weak. That's why we sent him. He was in the Intensive Care Unit for a few days with a chest tube, forcing oxygen and suctioning out the fluid. Even after a few days, his blood o2 levels were in the upper 70's to low 80's. (it should be 100) A neurologist studied his symptoms and came up with a test. If the serum he injected in Dad's i v line would make him talk normal without a thick tongue there was a good chance he had Myasthenia Gravis a relatively rare nuro-muscular disease that attacks the nurons that make your muscles work. Within 20 seconds of the injection he was talking normal as you or me. They put him on some meds for it for a couple days but it wasn't helping. He was giving up. He was tired of fighting and asked us to "pull the plug". That was a tough thing to hear!!!! He has a living will and we had to honor his request.
We were so lucky to have a nurse named Taylor that came in with an idea the neurologist wanted to try. Double the dose and double the frequency of the meds for 12 hours and put him on b-pap. Taylor talked Dad into not giving up and giving it a try. She told him that she wanted to come in tomorrow and see him alive. Well she did! She is an angel! He started getting better the very next day. We were all making funeral plans because that's what Dad wanted but Taylor changed his mind. God bless her and the Dr. that came up with the test. Mom cried when I told her about all you kind folks that sent prayers and well wishes. From all over the world we received strength from you kind folks. We are all so grateful. He is in Rehab now after laying in a hospital bed for 14 days hooked up to machines to keep his lungs working and nourishment in his blood. He is still pretty week but he can walk down the hall and back with a walker and do some exercises twice a day. He is on semi solid foods and was so excited to have a pancake with butter and lots of syrup this morning for breakfast. Don't take anything for granted. The little things mean the most sometimes. That's almost the end of the story. Hopefully he can go home next week and get back to life. I feel confident he will celebrate his 80th. birthday on April 21st. Thanks again and God bless you all. Mike
Here's a couple shots. I didn't have the heart to take a photo of him at his worst. so what you see is in ICU and in Rehab.