Prayers, Please.

***Update to the update***
Literally, 30 seconds after I posted the previous update my Mom called to say the breathing tube was out!! Yippee!! They are reintroducing pain medication (a big relief, I'm sure!). His voice is hoarse, but he is seeing visitors and doing well.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

***Update 7/16/08***
Rick's blood pressure has not been able to get under control. Because of this, they have not been able to wake him up since his surgery yesterday. He is not allowed pain medication or muscle relaxers until they have the breathing tube out and he is able to breathe on his own. His is in what would be compared to as a drug induced coma - although he is aware of what's going on around him, to a certain degree.
My Mom is under a extremely large amount of stress and I ask that you continue to send prayers their way.
Again, I will update you when I know more.


***Update***
My Mom called before 11:00 to say that the surgery was complete!! (We thought it would take much longer).
Rick did really well, his valve is in place and the rest of his heart looked good and didn't seem to need any more attention.
He will be in 24 hour recovery (Mom is probably just now being let in to see him).
They hope to have him home by Saturday. David (my brother) will fly in Friday to be his caretaker for a week.
Continue to keep him in your prayers through his recovery.
Blessings!!


My step Dad, Rick, is having open heart surgery as we speak. If you aren't on the up and up on his diagnosis I posted a while back about his heart problems.
Today, Rick is getting a heart valve replaced. My Mom just called to let me know that they just put him on the "lung machine" that will breathe for him during the surgery.
I believe he is in good hands and will come through this with no problems.
Pray for him today, for me.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I will post again as I know more.