UPDATE: You can now follow Richard’s progress at http://caringbridge.com/visit/richardvance

Richard is in ICU at Children’s hospital in Dallas.

I went and saw him yesterday.  He was lightly sedated and had just finished a blood plasma spinning session. That’s where they take out his blood and put it through a machine that takes out his plasma and puts better plasma in [or so I understand].  He has been in ICU [at the time of writing this] for almost 53 hours, most of which he’s been on a breathing machine.

Last night when I left they said he was beginning to breathe on his own and the machine was just assisting [where as before it was needed to breathe for him]. So that’s an improvement.  Unfortunately the breathing tube prevents him from talking.  So he seems to be able to communicate only with minor head shakes/nods and eye blinks.

As he lies now he’s lost a lot of muscle control because of the nature of the illness.  The doctors expect a full recovery but say it could take 6-8 months depending on his physical therapy.  While I was there I had an opportunity to speak with the neurologist about Richard’s condition.  They had finally diagnosed it but I didn’t write down the name and it was too much to try and remember.

He’s expected to have a couple more days in ICU before he will be ready to go downstairs [where they project he will be there for almost a week].  The time table is a little iffy because there are a lot of variables, but this is the most recent estimate that I’m aware of.

Because he’s so weak and ill they have him on a fairly strict lockdown. Only two visitors back there at a time, no cell phone usage, once you are back there you have to disinfect your hands and don a gown and face mask.

Throughout the next couple of days I ask that you continue to pray for healing and strength in his body as well as peace for him and his family.  Mrs. Rose finally went home last night to get some rest after being up at the hospital for over a day and a half.  Richard’s dad, Ted, was up there for a good part of yesterday and all of last night.

Watching Richard was almost painful in itself.  Because of the treatment and illness his body was exhausted.  He would lie there with eyes closed and then every 10 minutes or so he’d jerk his eyes open and look around for a few seconds then fall asleep.  Nothing seemed restful for him.

The hospital visit reminded me of one of Pastor Chris Frith’s messages about Fact vs Truth.  The facts are that Richard is very sick and that its going to take a lot for him to get better.  But the truth is we believe in a God that is not bound by what doctors say, a God that is not bound by our limited thinking, a God that is not bound by physics or science, and a God that loves us more than we can imagine.

Continue to pray,

Andrew Nemeth