SPENDING THE NIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL

Joe wasn't feeling too good yesterday and so did not make it to church.  He really wanted to go since it was Communion Sunday and we were having our Friendship Feast after church, but just didn't feel he could do it.  So I brought him some lunch home.  Beef stew, penne pasta, green beans and scalloped potatoes.  I took it to him in bed and he ate up.  Everything was good and he loved it all.

We were both full and didn't eat dinner, just went to bed.  Around 11:30 p.m. we were watching TV and we heard the wind pick up.   I had forgotten to take the trash can to the back yard.  It was still in front of the house from trash day.  I started to get up to do it and Joe told me he would do it.  I said to him that he wasn't too steady on his feet and he said he would be fine, put on his jeans and shoes and left.

A couple of minutes later I heard him screaming, "Help me!  HELP ME!"  I went running downstairs and here he was coming in the front door covered in blood and with what we thought was a broken finger.  He asked me to take a picture of it.  If you have a weak stomach, don't look.

I quickly got dressed and we rushed to the hospital.  Center city doesn't have very much traffic around midnight.  I parked outside of the ER and asked for someone to bring out a wheelchair.  They did and as he was being wheeled in I went to find parking.

He had x-rays, cat scans, blood tests and who knows what else done on him.  Because the blood was pouring from the cuts around his eyes and the cut on his chin they thought he might have injured his neck and so immobilized it.  His clothes are covered in blood.  I don't know if I can get it out, but I will try.  The nurse told me to used hydrogen peroxide.

Here is the scrape on his arm.  He must have hit the back step because of the way it's a 90* angle.
 

Joe's finger was not broken, but dislocated.  The doctor set it and he said it feels 100% better.  He also got four stitches in his chin.  When Joe falls, he does it right.
 

We got there around midnight and I stayed until about 5:30 a.m. when Joe insisted I come home to get something to eat and a couple of hours of sleep.  He wants clean clothes, a pair of glasses since his were broken, his Bible, and one of his medications which they don't have there.  He also wants me to run a couple of errands for him before I come back.  He is being held in observation for a couple of days.  Probably coming home on Tuesday, but maybe Wednesday.  The one doctor thinks the culprit to his frequent falls is one of his medications and they will see what they can do about changing the dosage.

Please pray for Joe.  Thank you in advance.

Kathy