Quick Update on Dad

Dad is in about the same condition this morning. According to the
doctors and medical staff, he is stable and recovering at the rate
that they would expect someone to recover at considering his condition.

Please continue to pray against infection and lung damage. They will
continue to asses the situation and wean him off sedation and the
respirator as he is ready.

Justin is recovering well. The doctors say 4-6 weeks recovery for the
broken bones. Please continue to pray.

Thank you for your prayers.

Sent from my iPhone

Thanks,
-Brandon

Update on Dad and Justin (Tuesday Evening)

ICU is closed to visitors for the night. We really enjoyed seeing Dad today. The doctor came by this evening to give us an update. Nothing is sure day to day, but the report this evening was good news and brought a temporary sigh of relief.

These are the facts about Dad’s condition. I would like to ask you again to please help our family avoid speculation. Refer to this blog for the facts. Here is a summary of the doctor’s report:

1. The doctor addressed Dad’s swelling. He said that although it may look bad, swelling is not a bad thing. It is the body’s way to protect the organs from obsessive amounts of fluid by storing the liquid in the tissue where it won’t cause damage. In about 3-7 days (give or take), they expect that his body will discharge most of the fluid, allowing the swelling to go down.
2. The doctors told us that Dad does have pneumonia, which is thought to be the reason for his slight fever. However, his pneumonia is expected because of the fluids, bruising in his lungs, cracked ribs, and lying on a bed for over 72 hours. The pneumonia is under control and is currently non-threatening (again, could change day to day). Please pray that the pneumonia would not affect his lungs adversly. 
3. Dad is on antibiotics to help control the pneumonia and prevent infection. Please pray for protection for his body. He is in a weak state, but we know that God is able to sustain.
4. The doctors are beginning to wean Dad off the sedation and respirator. This will be a slow and careful process. We do not want to rush this, but we do want to be aggressive in removing tubes as they can present a greater risk for infection. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and for God to orchestrate this process in perfect timing.
5. Dad is still on the respirator, but all of his breathes are spontaneous (initiated by him). The respirator is helping him finish some (but not all) of his breathes. His breathing is improving and his lung is no longer collapsed. We hope to see continued strength in his breathing as he comes off the sedatives. Doctors will continue to lower the respirator setting as he improves.

These are the details from the doctor’s report. These details tell us that Dad is on a slow road to recovory. He will have ups and downs, but as long as he steadily improving it is a good sign. There are still a lot of unknowns, but we can rest in the truth... God is faithful.

More evidence of God’s mighty hand:
Justin came down in a wheelchair and got to visit us in the waiting room and see Dad. He is still in some pain and having breathing treatments every four hours; however, he is doing well and is resting now. He is a trooper.

Dad’s doctor from today is a believer. We told him that hundreds (if not thousands) of people are praying for Dad, for Justin, for our family, for this hospital, and for him and the medical staff. He was encouraged to hear about your prayers. Please continue to pray for us all.


We are so thankful to our Lord for this opportunity to walk with Him in this trial. The amazing thing about our God is that He is giving us a greater focus. We do not need to focus on suffering, pain, sadness, and grief. Instead, we can focus on the goodness of God and His soverign power and unending love. We are called to be His witnesses. God is working in our lives through this experience. We are looking forward to the day that we can fellowship with Dad again. Regardless of the outcome, we will trust in the Lord. He is our strong tower.


You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all.

Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord to give up, I’d be a fool
You are my all in all.

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name!

Urgent Prayer Request (Tuesday Afternoon)

Dad’s surgery went well and he is still in ICU for recovery. I know many of you are interested in knowing when he might wake up and when the respirator might come out. At this point, our primary concern is helping him get better. There is a fine balance in timing these next steps. The last thing we would ever want to do is rush something and then need to take steps backwards. We are relying on the doctor’s knowledge, Doc. Dellinger’s council, and the Holy Spirit to walk in God’s perfect timing and will.

After surgery, there is always a risk of common illnesses such as infection and pneumonia. Dad has been running a fever at about 101 degrees. They are doing some blood work and tests to make sure things are okay. We are waiting for the doctors to make their rounds so we can receive more details. In the mean time, please pray that Dad’s body would be protected against infection and illnesses.

They will leave Dad on the respirator and sedative until we know more. Please continue to pray often.

Justin is doing well. He is in some pain as he continues to recover. Please pray for the pain to let up and for opportunities to rest.

So many good reports, but so far to go. Certainly still a serious condition. Please pray, and find peace and rest in God as we trust Him together.


There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail.
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say, “It is well”.

Jesus has overcome, and the grave is overwhelmed;
The victory is won, He is risen from the dead!

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain.
I will rise on eagle’s wings
Before my God, fall on my knees, and rise.

Continuing the Mission for Jesus (and for Dad)

Justin is in a room and out of ICU. Since his surgery, he is experiencing quite a bit of pain. They are trying to control that with pain medication but tonight he reports his pain level at an 8 even with the meds. His shoulder has been causing a lot of pain too, so my mom asked the medical staff to take another look at the x-rays. It turns out that he has a small fracture. They have positioned his arm comfortably and given him pain meds so he can sleep.

Dad is in ICU and doing well tonight. He will get at least one more night of rest under sedation before his real trials begin. When he is awake, he will probably be in a significant amount of pain. This will bring a whole new set of challenges. It will be tough, but my dad has never been one to back down from any challenge.

My dad has a challenge for all of you men.

Dad has been a full time associate pastor at Western Hills Church for over five years. He has proven for many years that he is a man that never makes excuses, always rises to the occasion, and never backs down from a challenge.

The big project he was working on at church was the men’s Wild Game Feast (this Thursday, April 15 at 6pm). It is a special event design especially for men. The event includes a wild game meal, a car show, small door prize give-a-ways, and some big time give-a-ways (like a shotgun, fishing trip, etc.).

Steve Harris will be there to speak to them men and present them with a choice, “Is the message and story of Jesus true?” I listened to Steve share the message at a men’s meeting and I will certainly say that it is a message every man needs to hear before he makes up his mind about Jesus Christ.

The thing about this event is that it requires men to bring their friends. Dad has given hours and hours into preparing for this special event. He also has given dozens of personal and public challenges to men over the past several weeks to invite and bring their friends to the event. Dad was working with several men personally to invite them to come. If he could, he would be out of bed and inviting people to hear about Jesus.

Since he can't do it, will you help him get it done?

I want to ask you men, on behalf of my dad, to come to this event and invite men to come. Any man 12 and older can participate. Tickets are $5 each and available at Western Hills (405-634-1454). Invite the men in honor of my dad, but more importantly invite them for the sake of Christ and for the sake of their eternal future. Please, please, help us honor Dad by participating in this event. I can’t wait to tell Dad about the outcome and what God did in the hearts of the men in attendance. Please help us make this report an excellent one.

Again, this Thursday, April 15 at 6pm at Western Hills Church. Call 405-634-1454 for tickets. Invite men 12 and older to attend. Thank you for serving our family in this way. I know it will greatly encourage my dad.

More updates to come. Looking forward to watching God show his mighty, awesome power tomorrow. Please continue to pray.

Update on Dad and Justin (Monday Evening)

Dad and Justin are both out of surgery and recovering.

Justin’s surgery went very well. They put a screw and a plate in his ankle. The screw will come out eventually, and the plate may come out as well. The doctors were able to clean up any damage caused by the break. They feel as though everything will heal well on its own from this point on. Justin is being moved out of ICU and into a room right now.

Dad’s surgery was a great success. The doctors worked with skill and wisdom… our prayers for the Lord to guide the surgeons through the surgery were answered! The doctors were successfully able to stabilize the breaks in the pelvis area without making any large incisions. We will know more by this Friday about how long the external fixator (that is providing stability) will need to stay attached to provide the necessary support. Please pray against infection as Dad continues to heal.

His vital signs have been stable since the surgery, and right now we are praying that the doctors will be able to begin consider weaning him off the ventilator as he continues to improve.

We are continually grateful for the prayers and support from our friends and family. Tomorrow will bring new choices, decisions, and challenges. Please continue to pray that we will have the grace to walk in the Spirit and follow the promptings of the Lord.

It has been very helpful to have a waiting room upstairs where the family can retreat and find some rest and peace. We would like to ask our friends to continue to meet downstairs as you come visit and support the family. We want everyone to feel welcome to come and visit at any time during the day or evening. We value your support. If you could continue to serve us in this way, we would greatly appreciate it. As Dad and Justin continue to improve, we may be able to post some visiting hours.

Please feel free to direct others to this blog. Things are continuing to improve, but there are still several obstacles to overcome. Justin is awake and our prayer is that Dad will be soon. If you would like to send a card or note, feel free to do so.

This verse has meant something to me this afternoon: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind.” Continue to walk with us in truth and love. God has a plan and we will trust Him for it; regardless of the outcome.

Update on Dad and Justin (Monday Morning - going into surgery)

Dad and Justin are being taken back into the OR for surgery. Justin’s surgery should last about one hour, and we should be able to see him in two hours. If a room opens up, he will be moved out of ICU and into a room after surgery. If not, he will return to ICU.

Dad’s surgery is not as sure. The surgery should last 2-6 hours. He will need some down time after the surgery before he returns to ICU. We hope to be able to see him later this evening or tonight before visiting hours close in the ICU at 10pm.

The surgery plan is to repair his pelvis bone and provide the stability he needs to recover. We are hopeful that the surgeons may not have to make a large incision. However, if necessary, the surgeons may need to open him up to repair the damage. If they do, they will also repair his bladder. If they don’t have to open him up, the bladder will heal on its own over time (there has already been some improvement!).

The doctors say that if everything goes as planned, dad should be in the same condition that he was today by tomorrow morning… except his injuries would have been taken care of. That means we would be able to stop focusing on repair and start down the road to recovery! At that point, we would be able to start talking about timelines for removing the ventilator and sedation.

So here’s the deal, pray hard now. Pray that God would guide the hands of the surgeons. Pray that Jesus would bring comfort to Dad and Justin's hearts through the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that Dad would continue to fight and never give up. Pray that Justin’s surgery would be clean and allow for quick recovery. Pray for my mom as she deals with leaving my dad and brother and spends time with the Lord. And while you’re at it, pray for complete healing for my mom’s medical condition.

Prayer is critical right now. Please pray hard, and pray now. Don’t stop praying today. We can feel your prayers and we can see God move. We know that prayer matters, so please continue.

We will give an update after the surgeries. Until then, continue to pray.

We can add Australia to the list of international places of prayer for our family. Hannah Jernigan (sorry, I don't know your new last name) is there with her new husband. They and thousands of people at Hillsong are praying for Dad, Justin, and our family.

Update on Dad and Justin (Sunday Night)

What a day. This day had many ups and downs for me personally. It was very looonnng. God has been showing us the power of His mighty hand throughout the day. The Lord is so good.

I want to add Turkey, Belize, and South Korea to the list of places where people are praying for our family internationally. The list of churches, homeschool groups, families, and individuals praying for Dad, Justin, and our family in the States is growing rapidly. Please keep praying and passing the word… your prayers are working and making a difference!

We are so glad that our friends and family came to support us today. Thank you for demonstrating your love and support to us. We know many of you are planning to come tomorrow to pray for our family as both Dad and Justin face surgery (Justin’s ankle and Dad’s pelvis). Due to the scheduled surgeries, the family wants to ask you to help us maintain an atmosphere of peace and order. We would like to close the upstairs ICU waiting room to family only. For our dear friends who want to come and visit, we would like to ask you to use the downstairs waiting room and chapel. This will allow the family to have a place where they can retreat and organize in order to serve Dad and Justin in the best possible way.

We just finished our visiting time with Dad and Justin. ICU is closed to visitors for the rest of the evening. Justin is doing well and is looking forward to having a good night’s sleep. In his own words, his pain level has dropped from a 8 or 9 to a 4 or 5. He was able to drink water and eat some solid foods today. Justin said he feels like tonight is going to be a good, restful night. Please pray that his hopes become a reality.

Dad is still sedated and on the respirator. They have turned the respirator down so that he is doing more breathing on his own. He has responded to people talking and to touch several times today. If they did not have him sedated he would be awake, but in great pain. Some of the excitement he has experienced today has caused his heart rate to greatly increase. When I saw him, his heart rate was at 127. Please pray that his heart rate will go down overnight.

Justin is scheduled for surgery at 10am for his broken ankle. It should be minor and fairly quick. Dad is scheduled to have reconstructive surgery on his pelvis tomorrow at 10am. The RN said that this type of surgery normally gets pushed an hour or two past the scheduled time due to emergency surgeries the doctors must perform. Dad could be in surgery a while. This is the last VERY critical part to beginning recovery. There are many risks involved in this type of surgery. Please keep him in your prayers.

So, Rachael, Jon and I went to see the SUV (Ford Explorer) at Puckett’s today. It was in pretty bad shape (totaled to say the least). After seeing it, you realize that it was really a miracle that anyone survived.

The vehicle rolled at least twice. Dad was thrown during the first roll.

God certainly spared their lives. The wrecker said he had seen wrecks that had less damange where people didin't come out alive. God spared them for sure!

There is no way you would know this was a SUV! It was hard to recognize at first!

This was Justin's side of the SUV. He was hanging upsidedown in his seat. His seatbelt could have very well saved his life.

Dad's side was completely crushed.

As you can see, God really spared Dad and Justin. The outcome could have been much different. As much as we are facing now, we are grateful that they are still both alive.

Dad is certainly not through this yet. Please keep praying for him to fight and for his body to recover. The surgery is the next critical step at this point. Tomorrow will be a long day. Keep us in your prayers and pass this along to your friends.

Check back for more updates! Thanks again for your love and support. Remember to make today count... tell someone about Jesus' love today.

Update on Dad and Justin (Sunday Morning)

We just spoke with the doctor in charge of Dad’s urinary tract injury. He told us that Dad’s bladder has a perforation that is causing the blood in his urine. At this point, the injury is not severe enough to need surgery. If the doctors have to open him up for his pelvic injuries, they will go ahead and repair the bladder. Other than that, they plan to let his bladder heal on its own. This is a good report because it means that the condition is not urgent.

Dad’s pelvic injuries are somewhat extensive. The pelvic bone is fractured on the back-left side and in the front. He also has some ligament damage. The doctors are looking at possible options and are creating a plan that they will share with us tonight. Doc. Dellinger came home early from vacation and is continuing to offer support and wisdom. We are so grateful to have him here.

The injuries to Dad’s pelvis will require three months without walking. His bones will need time to heal and strengthen in order to make a full recovery. It was encouraging for us to see him respond to us a little this morning and even lift his arm, move his legs and feet, and open his eyes for just a second.

Dad is still sedated and on a respirator. Everything is looking good, and the purpose of the sedation is to keep him from moving around and causing greater injury to himself… and so he can rest. We plan to talk with a trauma doctor in a little while who will give us a timeline for sedation and for the respirator.

Please continue to pray. A lot of decisions will need to be made in the next 24 hours, and we want to make sure we make the best choices so that he will have the quickest recovery. We are excited about seeing him awake, but we also know that will bring pain, discomfort, and possibly cause him to react in fear. Please pray for peace for his mind and minimal pain levels.

As for Justin, he is continuing to improve. He will need a small surgery (outpatient type procedure) to help his broken ankle heal properly. He is hungry and thirsty, but has to wait to eat and drink until after surgery. AND A GREAT PRIASE REPORT – THEY HAVE JUSTIN SITTING IN A CHAIR!!!

We will keep you updated. Please feel free to share this blog address with all your friends and family. We want as many people to pray as possible. Your prayers are working. I received an encouraging email from Luke Hodges saying that we could add Japan to the list of places where people are praying for our family. People are literally praying all around the world!

I know many people are stepping up to help meet physical needs for our family. Thank you so much for your support and demonstrations of love. We will let you know what is happening and if any needs arise. We love you all and appreciate you so much. May God receive glory as we, His church, seek Him first!

Oh, feel free to comment with updates from the church service at Western Hills this morning. We would love to hear how things went! We missed being there with you this morning.