Pray for my friend Kelly: updated (Final Update)
See full original post below the updates (picture and everything after are original)
UPDATE (Saturday): Kelly passed tonight. This morning I told her I'd be by tomorrow to pick her up for church. I should have known better. (Inappropriate humor is a coping mechanism.)
I'm so sad. But at the same time I know that she is at rest with God awaiting the final resurrection (1 Corinthians 15). I will miss her dearly until that day.
UPDATE (Friday): I went early this morning to the hospital because of some other morning obligations. Kelly's cousin was there (didn't get her name). We chatted for awhile. Then I was left alone with Kelly for a few minutes. So I prayed with her, read some Scripture and made some jokes.
There is no change from Thursday. Her blood pressure has remained up just a little from Tuesday. I think it was 48/38 or something like that. Not good, but better than Tuesday. I'm actually getting a bit worried about this thing stretching out. The ONLY good thing about it stretching beyond the weekend would be IF God were to perform a miracle. Otherwise, it's just going to add to the pain.
After about 10 minutes, Kelly's sister Nui came in. Nui is a woman of great strength. She has received (and put up with) lots of visitors. And she's done it with a smile and offering comfort to all who've come. I've seen her do it over and over again. And she's been by Kelly's side every time I have been there. She must be exhausted. Please pray for her.
I continue to pray for the miracle that I know is not likely. I know it's not likely, but I pray in complete faith that it IS possible.
UPDATE (Thursday): Spent some time this morning at the Hospital. Kelly's sister, Nui was there. And a couple of folks from church. No real change. Nui said that her blood pressure was a little stronger last night. It raises the concern that this could be a prolonged thing. I don't really want her to stay with us unless brain activity resumes and "Kelly" truly comes back. I don't want to see her suffer in a vegetative state. I know that can happen.
Her parents went home last night and had not returned yet by the time I left her bedside this morning.
I was grateful for a little time alone with Kelly this morning. I talked to her about some stuff that was shared with me in confidence over the last couple of years. I tried to convince her that there was a troupe of extremely hansome Christian men waiting outside for her to wake up. Didn't work. :(
I was able to read some Scripture to her and pray with her. (I'm shy about my faith in some contexts. A room full of strangers that I don't know and am sure don't share my religious beliefs makes me shy. I don't like to push my faith on them with public displays. This was the first prolonged chance I had to talk and pray and reassure her of God's love and care.
UPDATE (Wednesday): Kelly is still in ICU, but doctors continue to give no hope. They say it's just a matter of time until she dies, even while remaining on life support. They expected her to pass last night and expect again tonight. Doctors have determined that she had a congenital heart defect that they were unaware of.
This would be a tragedy under any circumstances. Here's why it's especially personal for me. A little bit of background...
Kelly joined our church 3+ years ago. And she was a regular part of our home group that has met for that entire time (a group of 8-10 people so we are close).
Being a single Christian woman in BKK is hard. Laura and I really tried to support her by having her for dinner in our home regularly and being a Christian "family" for her in BKK. Her real family lives about 1.5 hrs outside and they are Buddhist. She (along with 5 others) was in our home last Thursday night. And she was in church Sunday, perfectly healthy.
Relationships ebb and flow. There have been times when I have felt towards her as though she was my sister. For much of the 3+ years in Bible study on Thursday nights Laura and Kelly and I took a 20 minute walk together on the way home and we grew closest through those walks. She shared parts of her life with me that I can only say I felt privileged to be chosen as the trusted ear.
Kelly only made it to church once or twice a month. She spent a lot of weekends with her parents about 1.5 hrs outside of BKK. She loved her whole family dearly. But she made her time at church count. She was lay worship leader twice. She was part of the group that initially started the Evening Worship Service. She was involved with some of our Outreach Partners including: Klong Toey Community Center, Mercy House and two weekends ago Chaiyapruk Children's Home.
The world is losing light at the moment. I'm still asking God for a miracle. I know it's not likely. But I'm still mad at myself for writing about her in the past tense above.
I am in shock and very sad as I write this. Kelly is pictured above. Some know her as Kulavadee (her real name). Others as Ning, her nickname. Kelly was her Americanized English name given to her in Starbucks when an American Barista couldn't understand Kulavadee.
Laura and I have known Kelly for about 4 yrs. She is about our age. A beautiful Christian woman that we've grown fond of and close to over the last couple of years.
And now she's in a hospital bed in Samitivej's ICU unconscious. She collapsed last night after exercising. Her heart stopped. And by the time the hospital got life support running she had no brain activity. Doctors are giving no hope. Once in over 10 years of ministry I have seen someone fully recover in this situation. One day he was brain dead with no hope. 24 hours later he was sitting up in bed eating and talking. Only twice have I seen people live.
I know that God often chooses not to intervene miraculously at this point. I don't know why. Despite my experience, I'm praying for a miracle. And that's what I'm asking you to pray for.
UPDATE (Saturday): Kelly passed tonight. This morning I told her I'd be by tomorrow to pick her up for church. I should have known better. (Inappropriate humor is a coping mechanism.)
I'm so sad. But at the same time I know that she is at rest with God awaiting the final resurrection (1 Corinthians 15). I will miss her dearly until that day.
UPDATE (Friday): I went early this morning to the hospital because of some other morning obligations. Kelly's cousin was there (didn't get her name). We chatted for awhile. Then I was left alone with Kelly for a few minutes. So I prayed with her, read some Scripture and made some jokes.
There is no change from Thursday. Her blood pressure has remained up just a little from Tuesday. I think it was 48/38 or something like that. Not good, but better than Tuesday. I'm actually getting a bit worried about this thing stretching out. The ONLY good thing about it stretching beyond the weekend would be IF God were to perform a miracle. Otherwise, it's just going to add to the pain.
After about 10 minutes, Kelly's sister Nui came in. Nui is a woman of great strength. She has received (and put up with) lots of visitors. And she's done it with a smile and offering comfort to all who've come. I've seen her do it over and over again. And she's been by Kelly's side every time I have been there. She must be exhausted. Please pray for her.
I continue to pray for the miracle that I know is not likely. I know it's not likely, but I pray in complete faith that it IS possible.
UPDATE (Thursday): Spent some time this morning at the Hospital. Kelly's sister, Nui was there. And a couple of folks from church. No real change. Nui said that her blood pressure was a little stronger last night. It raises the concern that this could be a prolonged thing. I don't really want her to stay with us unless brain activity resumes and "Kelly" truly comes back. I don't want to see her suffer in a vegetative state. I know that can happen.
Her parents went home last night and had not returned yet by the time I left her bedside this morning.
I was grateful for a little time alone with Kelly this morning. I talked to her about some stuff that was shared with me in confidence over the last couple of years. I tried to convince her that there was a troupe of extremely hansome Christian men waiting outside for her to wake up. Didn't work. :(
I was able to read some Scripture to her and pray with her. (I'm shy about my faith in some contexts. A room full of strangers that I don't know and am sure don't share my religious beliefs makes me shy. I don't like to push my faith on them with public displays. This was the first prolonged chance I had to talk and pray and reassure her of God's love and care.
UPDATE (Wednesday): Kelly is still in ICU, but doctors continue to give no hope. They say it's just a matter of time until she dies, even while remaining on life support. They expected her to pass last night and expect again tonight. Doctors have determined that she had a congenital heart defect that they were unaware of.
This would be a tragedy under any circumstances. Here's why it's especially personal for me. A little bit of background...
Kelly joined our church 3+ years ago. And she was a regular part of our home group that has met for that entire time (a group of 8-10 people so we are close).
Being a single Christian woman in BKK is hard. Laura and I really tried to support her by having her for dinner in our home regularly and being a Christian "family" for her in BKK. Her real family lives about 1.5 hrs outside and they are Buddhist. She (along with 5 others) was in our home last Thursday night. And she was in church Sunday, perfectly healthy.
Relationships ebb and flow. There have been times when I have felt towards her as though she was my sister. For much of the 3+ years in Bible study on Thursday nights Laura and Kelly and I took a 20 minute walk together on the way home and we grew closest through those walks. She shared parts of her life with me that I can only say I felt privileged to be chosen as the trusted ear.
Kelly only made it to church once or twice a month. She spent a lot of weekends with her parents about 1.5 hrs outside of BKK. She loved her whole family dearly. But she made her time at church count. She was lay worship leader twice. She was part of the group that initially started the Evening Worship Service. She was involved with some of our Outreach Partners including: Klong Toey Community Center, Mercy House and two weekends ago Chaiyapruk Children's Home.
The world is losing light at the moment. I'm still asking God for a miracle. I know it's not likely. But I'm still mad at myself for writing about her in the past tense above.
I am in shock and very sad as I write this. Kelly is pictured above. Some know her as Kulavadee (her real name). Others as Ning, her nickname. Kelly was her Americanized English name given to her in Starbucks when an American Barista couldn't understand Kulavadee.Laura and I have known Kelly for about 4 yrs. She is about our age. A beautiful Christian woman that we've grown fond of and close to over the last couple of years.
And now she's in a hospital bed in Samitivej's ICU unconscious. She collapsed last night after exercising. Her heart stopped. And by the time the hospital got life support running she had no brain activity. Doctors are giving no hope. Once in over 10 years of ministry I have seen someone fully recover in this situation. One day he was brain dead with no hope. 24 hours later he was sitting up in bed eating and talking. Only twice have I seen people live.
I know that God often chooses not to intervene miraculously at this point. I don't know why. Despite my experience, I'm praying for a miracle. And that's what I'm asking you to pray for.
