Things really were as bad as Heinz described them last night. I arrived at the hospital at around 11am today to find that Ralph was in the ICU, his life hanging in the balance.
He looked miserable: his head was shaved and with suture marks on both the left and the right side; there was a big tube coming out of the left side of his head; the right side of his face was purple, especially the ear area (the ear itself was not visible, it was bandaged); his entire face and head, swollen almost beyond recognition; a trachea was connected to his throat, providing air to the lungs; his right upper arm is broken, his left clavicle is also broken; his jaw is broken and wired shut (to allow the bones to heal); scrapes, cuts, and bruises on his face, throat, and arms, with blood marks throughout. Horrible, absolutely horrible.
At once, upon seeing Ralph, the suffering of Christ on the cross made perfect sense to me. Whatever Ralph is going through, God in Christ has already gone through it. God co-suffers with Ralph because of Christ's suffering on the cross. Thank God for the Resurrection!
Ralph's unconscious, machines are doing everything for him, including breathing. There are somewhere in the vicinity of 10-15 cables connecting him to various machines. A nurse sits just outside his room 24/7, monitoring his condition.
I was able to keep my composure on the outside, but on the inside I wept and wept and wept. I think the presence of the TWU chaplain who arrived almost at the same time I did helped me keep it together. He prayed for Ralph and our family.
Later in the afternoon, around 5pm, Heinz, Melanie, and family arrived. The details of the accident are still sketchy. We visited Ralph together, and we prayed.
The nurses in ICU are very kind.
Providentially, I'm reading Caring right now, by Morton T. Kelsey.
He looked miserable: his head was shaved and with suture marks on both the left and the right side; there was a big tube coming out of the left side of his head; the right side of his face was purple, especially the ear area (the ear itself was not visible, it was bandaged); his entire face and head, swollen almost beyond recognition; a trachea was connected to his throat, providing air to the lungs; his right upper arm is broken, his left clavicle is also broken; his jaw is broken and wired shut (to allow the bones to heal); scrapes, cuts, and bruises on his face, throat, and arms, with blood marks throughout. Horrible, absolutely horrible.
At once, upon seeing Ralph, the suffering of Christ on the cross made perfect sense to me. Whatever Ralph is going through, God in Christ has already gone through it. God co-suffers with Ralph because of Christ's suffering on the cross. Thank God for the Resurrection!
Ralph's unconscious, machines are doing everything for him, including breathing. There are somewhere in the vicinity of 10-15 cables connecting him to various machines. A nurse sits just outside his room 24/7, monitoring his condition.
I was able to keep my composure on the outside, but on the inside I wept and wept and wept. I think the presence of the TWU chaplain who arrived almost at the same time I did helped me keep it together. He prayed for Ralph and our family.
Later in the afternoon, around 5pm, Heinz, Melanie, and family arrived. The details of the accident are still sketchy. We visited Ralph together, and we prayed.
The nurses in ICU are very kind.
Providentially, I'm reading Caring right now, by Morton T. Kelsey.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on Ralph, a sinner.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living Go, have mercy on us all,
for we are all sinners.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on Ralph, a sinner.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living Go, have mercy on us all,
for we are all sinners.
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