|
from April 1.)
Dad is dead.
He died last night around 10 p.m. The nurses had warned us in the early afternoon that he was failing and that we should expect the end at any moment. They pumped ever-increasing amounts of fluids into him in order to maintain his blood pressure, but his failing veins and arteries could no longer hold in these fluids. Then, his kidneys shut down and no fluids came out at all. The potassium levels rose, and the nurses assured us that these elevated levels would eventually cause heart failure.
The nurses' shift change took place at seven, and another nurse came to take care of Dad. She watched how things were going and, then, around eight-thirty, tried again to talk us out of coding him. Mom found this upsetting, and I did not blame her. It seemed that every time we turned around, someone new was trying to explain to us why coding him was a bad idea. - Once again, I intervened. I had to ask the nurse not to speak with Mom about it again.
As Dad's breathing became more labored and his heartbeat fainter, we gathered around his bed. "We" included Nicole, Scott [my brother], Mom, and me. We stood and watched as he slowly stopped breathing. Around ten, the nurse and another aide came in to intubate him. This coincided with his final breath.
We were ushered into an adjoining waiting room as the staff attempted to revive him. 30 minutes passed, and then the doctor came out and told us Dad was gone.
Extraordinarily painful. He was loved as much as any man I know. Maybe not as widely, in that he was not known by the masses, but loved as deeply, by all that knew him.
(If you would like to visit the memorial page we have created for Dad,
just click here: In Memory: Stanford Christian Pilet)
PRAYER REQUESTS
For Mom Pilet (Joyce). She is doing remarkably well, but we know the pain of loss is still fresh. Pray that God will encourage and sustain her through the days to come.
For Elim, that he will make rapid progress.
For all our friends in Mongolia, both Mongolian and ex-pat.
For the Training Center, that short-term (1-2 years) workers and a suitable office space will be found.
For Becky, our teammate, as she is the only ABWE missionary currently in Mongolia.
For more ABWE missionaries to be appointed to Mongolia.
|
|
