Ira Update

= Good = OK = Poor



Ira is doing OK
I spent Tuesday night with Joe and Ira at the hospital. When I arrived the doctors and nurses (about 7 of them) were busy "putting Ira back together" after he had extubated himself. Joe was looking on the whole scene understandably concerned, but also with a look of "been here before."

Joe and I had a good few hours talking, watching basketball (Duke vs. NC), and eating taco soup. At about 9:30pm Ira started to wake up, and for the next seven hours struggled to calm down and fall asleep. I only stayed until about 12:30am, but Joe was by Ira's bed until 4:30am when the next round of his methadone treatment was administered; Ira succumbed to exhaustion only after he received the medicine that would allow him to finally rest easy.

Personally, it was one of the most difficult and heartbreaking things I have ever seen, and I found myself weak and scared standing by Ira's bedside. I cannot comprehend how Joe, Laura, and their mothers are able to stand by him hour after hour and in moments like this. I guess only the fierce love of a parent and some special indwelling of God empowers them to stand.

To my knowledge Ira had a good evening last night (Allison visited Laura), but still struggled at times in-between his methadone treatments. Thank you for your prayers, support, and grace.

Jason