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For those of you who watched our Church Service - you've met James. He does the scripture reading and prayer, and this past Sunday, he did the prayer for blessing the elements of communion.
Yesterday, about 3:30 in the afternoon, he was preparing to do some landscaping in his backyard by the pool. He and his wife were working, talking, having a great time, when she suddenly heard a "thud", and James was face down on the ground, unconscious.
She told her mother to call 911, while she ran next door to get a neighbor who is NEVER home, but due to Covid..... he, a veteran with CPR training, came over and started CPR immediately. His wife called me, and I was only 3 blocks away, so I arrived at the same time the ambulance did. The Paramedics took over CPR, and began trying to find a pulse, and after a brief time, James started coughing and gagging, though still unconscious (they were trying to get the airway in him).
Long story short, James was taken to the hospital, and I drove his wife and her mother, but we were told at the ER that there was absolutely no admittance. We would have to wait in my truck, and get updates by phone.
We saw the ambulance that brought him to the hospital was still there, so we walked over to see if they could tell us anything. The lead paramedic knew me in my role as police chaplain, and told us "wait here, I think I can get you in". Not only did he get us in, he got us to the room, just outside in the hallway, where her husband was being treated.
The doctor came out several times to give updates - EKG was not showing heart attack, not yet known what was wrong, but they were doing the thermal cooling blanket and keeping him on respirator to mitigate any brain damage due to lack of oxygen while he was "out".
Finally, the doctor offered to let his wife into the room to see him - with signs everywhere saying "ZERO VISITOR POLICY", then a nurse came over and asked, "are you his pastor"? I confirmed that I was, and she said "if you'd like to, you can go in and pray with them".
As of now, James is still in stable condition, being kept unconscious for cooling, and his wife will only have phone contact with the hospital -- no more visiting.
Please pray for James -- he is not only one of my very best friends, he is part of our ministry team!
Yesterday, about 3:30 in the afternoon, he was preparing to do some landscaping in his backyard by the pool. He and his wife were working, talking, having a great time, when she suddenly heard a "thud", and James was face down on the ground, unconscious.
She told her mother to call 911, while she ran next door to get a neighbor who is NEVER home, but due to Covid..... he, a veteran with CPR training, came over and started CPR immediately. His wife called me, and I was only 3 blocks away, so I arrived at the same time the ambulance did. The Paramedics took over CPR, and began trying to find a pulse, and after a brief time, James started coughing and gagging, though still unconscious (they were trying to get the airway in him).
Long story short, James was taken to the hospital, and I drove his wife and her mother, but we were told at the ER that there was absolutely no admittance. We would have to wait in my truck, and get updates by phone.
We saw the ambulance that brought him to the hospital was still there, so we walked over to see if they could tell us anything. The lead paramedic knew me in my role as police chaplain, and told us "wait here, I think I can get you in". Not only did he get us in, he got us to the room, just outside in the hallway, where her husband was being treated.
The doctor came out several times to give updates - EKG was not showing heart attack, not yet known what was wrong, but they were doing the thermal cooling blanket and keeping him on respirator to mitigate any brain damage due to lack of oxygen while he was "out".
Finally, the doctor offered to let his wife into the room to see him - with signs everywhere saying "ZERO VISITOR POLICY", then a nurse came over and asked, "are you his pastor"? I confirmed that I was, and she said "if you'd like to, you can go in and pray with them".
As of now, James is still in stable condition, being kept unconscious for cooling, and his wife will only have phone contact with the hospital -- no more visiting.
Please pray for James -- he is not only one of my very best friends, he is part of our ministry team!
THAT's gonna be fun to straighten out!
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