Both Sides of Health

We've not had much to say on the blog in the last couple of weeks; or maybe it was because we were so busy that everything since the last time has been anti-climactic. Our activities have been pretty routine lately, so we have felt no need to be repetitious here.

Gary has been busy giving priesthood blessings lately, especially to five of the sister missionaries who haven't felt well. Two weeks ago, however, an LDS worker at the University of California at Irvine hospital called the mission office and asked if someone could come right away to administer a blessing to a 27-year old man who had been in a bad accident and who had coded twice already that day. Signe dropped Gary off there. This poor man had more tubes and machines hooked up to him than I knew possible, and although he was still in a coma, Gary gave him a blessing, partly including his mother and father and family who were there in the ICU. The parents pulled the plug on him 6 days later. Gary said the administration was the most unusual he has been a part of, since it was more spirit communicating with spirit.

But now on the other side of the coin, these past two weeks have been spent trying to get Gary feeling better. Three times in his life he has been told he would never walk again: the first time as a child when he contracted polio, the second when his back was broken in a car accident in 1963, and in 2007 following an operation on his spine. So Gary feels like he his back is operating on borrowed time. He is therefore not surprised that his scoliosis is so bad in the lumbar that it is pinching the nerves on his right side, causing not only incredible pain but some immobility. Thanks to Signe and our chiropractor, Dr. Francis, traction and adjustments are being made to Gary's back so that he won't lose any more mobility and so that the pain can be lessened enough so that he won't have to take any more pain killers. He is grateful and accepting of whatever, but he could use your prayers.