Health Update for Rev Bernabe G Garcia 24Nov2012 pt 1

Saturday, November 24, 2012

This report will be in two parts.  The first one Health Update for Brother Bernabé G. Garcia will be posted both here (www.vofr.org or www.voiceofrestoration.org in English and www.vozderestauracion.com in Spanish)  and on www.Facebook.com/BernabeGarciaJr .

The second part Rev Bernabé G. Garcia’s vision for The Voice of Restoration, Inc. will only be published on The Voice of Restoration website in both English and Spanish.

Part 1

Health Update for Brother Bernabé G. Garcia

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.  I am very happy to be able to report the following good news about my father’s progress in the hospital.

As you know, my father was transferred from St. Joseph’s Hospital (a short term acute care hospital) where the main focus was preventing his death.  He was under the attack of three deadly health problems: Pneumonia, E-coli in the blood, and a UT infection that was attacking his respiratory system.  The doctor at St. Joseph’s was very blunt and brutal in his assessment that my father’s death was imminent.  After the prayer chain started late Friday night, early Saturday morning his recovery has been amazing.

Within a few days he was transferred out of St. Joseph’s ICU to Kindred Hospital which is a Long Term Acute Care Hospital, but not into the ICU unit.  The first few days were hectic as Dad was not being very cooperative with his healing process and very feisty with the staff.  However, as his mind cleared from the deadly attack he had miraculously managed to survive he was able to understand me as I explained to him the purpose of the B-pap machine and the oxygen tubes.  I explained exactly what needed to be accomplished so that he could be released into our care at home, and assured him that our goal was for him to be released from the hospital.

He began to be more cooperative, and my Brother Joseph’s care and persistence, along with patient explanations of my father’s explanations were vital to that end.  Joseph has been the most consistent companion of my dad during this time, and has had many conversations with my dad.  Both Joseph and I agree that my dad’s health is currently the best it has been anytime in the last year…  That really drives home how bad his health has been since it is obvious he is still not ready to be released from the hospital.

A few days ago, seeing the progress in my dad’s health, the respiratory therapist began lowering my dad’s oxygen level to see if it could be reduced to a level which could be administered at home.  Currently his oxygen level is too high for home administration and requires a hospital setting and doctor care.  That was at 10 Liters of oxygen.  The oxygen level was lowered to 8 liters, and four hours later when it became clear my father was still doing well it was dropped to 5 liters.  It is currently down to 4 liters! 

Dad has also been reacting well to physical therapy, which is targeting him to re-awakening his muscles in his arms and legs.  About a year ago dad had stopped struggling to keep those muscles active and they had slowly atrophied to the point where he could not walk on his own, and really struggled to move and sit up well.  Being weakened by his latest health crisis has exacerbated the problem, and the doctor has suggested that with intensive therapy the muscles can be prodded back into an active state. 

On Thanksgiving Day, we were notified that Dad was actually past the need for an acute care hospital, and could actually be released to go home, or transferred to a hospital that specialized in rehabilitation.  We were in agreement, and my father was willing to have my father transferred to a rehabilitation hospital where they would be giving him 3-5 hours of physical and rehabilitation therapy every day.  The doctor is confident that dad can recover most if not all of his mobility!  That would mean that he could walk again on his own or at least with a walker.

Dad was also recently weighed, and we were all shocked to discover that he had lost well over forty pounds and now weighed only 309 pounds!  He weighs less than I do now!  Can you believe it?  I have been sweating and working like a dog at the gym for two months to lose my 30 pounds, and here dad lost over forty pounds in less than a month while "chilling on his back"… hehe

So on Monday, after the convention is over, our family will be taking a tour of the Rehabilitation Hospital that my father’s doctor has recommended we take Dad to.  We are very excited about the doctor’s prognosis for my father’s health.  The doctor is quite confident that our father will be able to recover much of his mobility and be able to function much better and healthier going forward.  This in itself is a miracle since we were told when he checked into Kindred that the goal would be for him to be ready to transfer in six to eight weeks.  How great is our God, that he has greatly shortened the healing process for his apostle.

Please continue to keep him in your prayers for his lungs, and for his muscles.  Dad is willing to do whatever it takes to recover his health as completely as possible.  Pray that God keeps his desire strong to live and function actively.  We love and appreciate each and every one of you!  

My father was happy to receive the greetings and love from all that have sent them, in particular from Brother Manuel Muñoz who gave us the message from the church in Juliaca, Peru that had sent their greetings and love.  

Amen.  

This ends part one of my report.