The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ~James 5:16
Our Fourth of July weekend is not at all what we expect. For several days, Danny is dealing with an intermittent cough that simply refuses to go away. When he spikes a fever last Thursday, we know he has to address this issue pronto.
Son, Nicco, to the rescue! He promptly drives over and takes Danny to a reliable urgent care just north of us. The doctor on duty determines that the next step should be a visit to the emergency room. Danny and Nicco decide that the Piedmont ER in Jasper, GA, probably won't be a madhouse this close to the holiday, and though it's a 40-mile drive, it's much less congested than it would be if they head downtown to the main Piedmont hospital.
Imagine my surprise when, in the wee hours of the morning, I discover that Danny is back home and in bed! What??? I think that at least the hospital would have kept him overnight for observation, especially when the doctor he sees says his pneumonia-like symptoms are triggered by a medication, Amiodarone, that Danny has been taking ever since the pacemaker incident in January of 2024.
Yes, the doc makes the wrong call.
The very next day, July 4th, sees a lather and repeat. But this time, Nicco takes Danny downtown where he can see doctors with whom he is familiar, and who know his medical history on a more personal level. His cardio surgeon's PA takes him off that insidious "A" drug, secures the necessary breathing treatments, and prescribes a more substantive medicine for his cough. To top it all off, the pulmonologist with whom Danny has a scheduled check up the next week, drops in for his assessment, so that nixes the need for keeping that appointment!
But here's the biggest surprise of all. Danny's oldest son, Giovanni, shows up unannounced at the hospital!!! Here are the two guys clowning around.
Having his boys with him does wonders in lifting Danny's spirits and gives him the encouragement he needs to keep on keeping on.
So much so, that Danny sends me a meme on Sunday morning stating the same phrase as is featured in the title and header of this post. How it makes my heart sing, even though it will be quite some time before we can literally return to singing together at church.
I attend our church solo that day. Lots of prayers are said and so many folks who know and love Danny are praying for his healing, which we trust will happen in God's time. Would all of you, dear readers, pray for Danny, too? I trust that all your sincere prayers to our loving Father on Danny's behalf will all be powerful and effective.
And truth be told, each and every one of us who know and love the Lord are too blessed to be stressed.
Amen!
I write the draft for this post today on Sunday afternoon. Here is the medical update on Monday from the doctors back on a regular schedule. Danny will remain in the hospital through next weekend. When he is discharged, he will most likely have to be on oxygen for a while. The damage from the Amiodarone is not to be taken lightly. He's been advised that it could take months for him to truly get over this. Continued prayers for Danny and our family are so very much appreciated. And while you're at it, please remember and pray for all the victims in the horrid flash floods in Texas over the weekend. I can't even imagine the hurt and grief these families are enduring right now, but God does.
