Bill MacDonald
Dear Friends,
Today was Laurel‘s best day yet since she was hospitalized on Feb. 6.
Today, she was taken off sedation and breathed on her own for more than 4 hours. !
The doctor told me this evening that “her lungs are a million times better than they were last week” when he and I had last talked (the attending physician changes every few days). There was amazement in his face and eyes; the excitement was real for him (imagine what it was for me!). “Her oxygen is good, her blood pressure is good, and her lungs are doing very well. She hasn’t completely woken up yet; I hope she will do that tomorrow,” he added.
My friends, we have been praying that God would act above and beyond what the professionals expect for Laurel, and she has come much further in the past week than they had anticipated for her. I am very pleased by this, and I thank God for his healing mercies toward her. I pray that he will continue by touching her kidneys and helping her to wake up fully soon.
Finally, in a conversation I had with a friend today in which I was describing how I am coping with this situation, my friend affirmed how my faith is keeping me strong. I thanked my friend for that, but redirected the sentiment to this: It is not by my strength or effort that I’m clinging to God and holding on. It is, rather, that God is clinging to me, and Romans 8 promises me that NOTHING can pluck me from God’s hands nor from his love.
Lord Jesus, help me to keep trusting in you, and to keep pointing all of our friends to you as the only One worth trusting in this world. Forgive me of my sin, Father, and by your Holy Spirit, make me more like my Savior Jesus, in whose name I pray. Heal my wife, Lord. Restore her to our family, if it be your will. Amen.
Laurel has opened one or both of her eyes a few times in the last two days, but she hasn’t woken up and been truly alert yet. Her breathing continues to improve. They have gentle music playing in the background in her room, and when I go to visit her tomorrow, I’ll use her tablet to play some of her favorite music.
That’s the update for today on her. The boys just arrived home! My thanks to my sisters-in-law, Kelly and Nancy, for transporting them in stages to Maine, and to my sisters, Mary and Priscilla, for getting them the final two stages through Maine to our house!. ❤ Parenting resumes now.
One of the needs we have faced was that our washing machine had broken down a few months ago and we had been going to the laundromat to get our laundry done.
This week, generous and loving friends arranged to have that taken care of. Thanks to them, we have a completely refurbished machine that was installed on Thursday. I’m so grateful for it! I’ve done three loads already today! God is blessing us through the kindness of his people. All I can say is, “Thank you,” and to God be the glory!
Christian and I went to see Laurel this morning. As he took her hand and began talking to her, she moved her head back and forth. It was the first time I’d seen her do that, and I encouraged her to do it again. Nothing. Christian began talking again, and she moved her head again. I talked, and she stopped. I realize there wasn’t any rhyme or reason to it, but we still got excited and for my nervous son’s sake, made light of the fact that when he talked she moved and when I talked she didn’t.
She is breathing on her own most of the time now, praise God, and as we sat with her, moved her head and arms a number of times. We still wait and pray for kidney function and full wakefulness in God’s timing.
In response to my request for prayer regarding logistical things, several people have already offered to help with specific things, and I’m thankful for that. God is good because he loves us, and I’m humbled by that love. The glory is his alone!
Dear friends,
Laurel continues to improve. There are no earth-shattering strides to tell you about today, but it is the Lord’s day, so with so many gathering and praying for her on this day, we hope for further healing of her body. It was refreshing to worship God with his people this morning and to have my boys with me.
The outpouring of love of God’s people continues unabated. Christians from our town are praying in their churches, too, even though some of them do not know us personally. To God be the glory!!
Members of our church are helping to meet logistical and practical needs for the boys and me. IF there’s a snow day for the boys, I have a place for them to go that won’t be a burden for another school family and won’t be an allergy issue for M. Meals, cleaning, and other issues are finding solutions that just three days ago were puzzling my mind. The Lord is kind to me!
As the days and weeks move along, there will be needs and opportunities to help for those that want to and haven’t had the chance to yet. For now, we seem to be all right. To God be the glory, honor, and praise! Amen. We love him, because he first loved us. He is faithful. Hallelujah!
The nurse I spoke with this evening said the Laurel had a good day. There continue to be many encouraging signs of recovery and improvement, which are clear answers to prayer. At the same time, she said that Laurel still has a very long path ahead before she will be well. She said that it will take some months for Laurel to regain the strength that she has lost, but she spoke encouragingly to me on the phone. She emphasized that the prayer is making the difference in Laurel’s recovery. It was refreshing to hear that acknowledgment!
Laurel had at least two visitors today; our niece, Leah Dorman, and Mark Fowler. Thank you, dear ones, for going to see my dear wife. I could not get in to see her today. The nurse, a fellow believer, promised to give Laurel my love and tell her I’d be in tomorrow.
May God continue to hear our prayers on Laurel’s behalf, to restore her kidneys and other functions, and to encourage her spirit. May God comfort our children, and give me the strength that I need for each day. May He grant me wisdom and guidance for being a good father, husband, and employee.
Friends, I still covet your prayers and support. I am nothing without God, and you are his instruments of love to us. I rest in Him. To him be the glory, honor, and praise!
Love,
Bill, for Laurel, Christian & Michael
Bill MacDonald
Okay, Folks. If you’re visiting Laurel, please look for this guestbook and sign it. My heartfelt thanks to my niece, Leah, for providing this. ❤
Mack Ames Books and Maine Moose Patrol 