Even the Sky is Crying Here, (Updated tonight).

Right now I'm just heartbroken. One of our young neighbors; a wonderful young man, Brad, was in a bad car accident on his way to school, during the bad weather we've been having this morning. He's sustained brain swelling, but is breathing on his own. It's serious enough that they want to transport him to an hospital in New Orleans, as soon as the weather permits. I'm having a hard time writing between bouts of tears and prayers; this young man is a rare gem in today's society. He's what every parent dreams his child would be; clean cut, polite, hardworking...just an all around terrific person. He was on his way to school...Nicholl's University, where he is studying medicine, when he collided with another vehicle on or near a bridge...one which I don't like, even on a sunny day. Please...PLEASE help us to pray for his full recovery and for his family, ...the best kind of people in the world...because this is such a scarey time for them just now. Thank you; we'll let you know how he's doing.

Later that evening

I went to the hospital to be with the family. Brad is still in Thibodaux's hospital, in an induced coma, in the ICU. They operated, putting a monitor on his brain, and the report is that his brain function is fine, but there's swelling. His brain stem suffered some damage, but not the spinal column, except for, perhaps a few vertebraes. Thank God he's not paralyzed. I could not believe that I had the honor to be able to actually go in with his Mom and aunt, to pray with him.

This young man just 'made' his 19th birthday last Saturday. He had gotten a barbeque pit, so Cappy and I, seeing him and his little girlfriend out in the driveway working on it, stopped to joke with him about it. His aunt said that, Brad is already a good cook and he had recently made his own smoker to make beef jerky...made it himself.

I mistakenly understood that he was on his way to school this morning, but found out later, that, instead, he had gotten up at 4:30 a.m. (!), to go to work in the lab, drawing blood. Actually, he wasn't due to work this morning, but volunteered to go work ...on his day off..."what kind of 'kid' does that?", to quote his proud aunt. The best kind of human possible, I say. The world needs more like him, so Please, I implore you once again, please keep him and his precious family in your closest prayers,...and so Cappy and I can selfishly actually get to taste some of Brad's Cajun bbq and 'backseat stir the pot', while he's busily sweating over the pit.

Next morning:

I should have known better than to call the hospital to ask how Brad is doing, because they can't tell personal information about their patients over the phone. I don't have the family's sundry cell phone numbers, so couldn't call, directly,to learn any news, so, took a chance and called their house across the street. His younger brother, Matt, answered the phone and said that Brad had a good night's sleep and that no other complications had come up, and that he was headed to the hospital himself. So, that's good news. I'm going to find someplace to take this pot of chili I made for them, and head that way myself. Once again, thank you for your continued prayers, and we will keep you informed.

Tonight:

I just got back from the hospital. I spent time with the family and made a couple of new friends. It's a good thing the ICU waiting room is huge, because so is Brad's crowd, who are waiting for him. Most of his family spent the night there at the hospital. They are exhausted, but not tired of waiting; never tired of waiting for Brad. They remain there, steadfast, waiting for any improvement; waiting for Brad to 'come back' and wake up. And while they wait, they love one another and also anyone who shows up to wait with them. I got to go in and pray with Brad again and his Mom, Monica. The room was dark and still. He needs his rest, and come Monday, the doctors will begin to wean him off the medication which has put him in the temporary coma. As I was leaving, his Dad, Steve told me that Coco and Shadow, the two dogs aren't eating or drinking...they haven't for the last two days; and these are Big Dogs. Somehow they know. I just don't know about dogs sometimes. When I got home, the very first thing I did was to walk across the street and give them each two big Milk-Bone biscuits and talked to them. I told them everything was going to be okay, so they'd better eat now. Coco started chomping on one of them, and Shadow disappeared back into the shadows, but I saw she had one of the light colored 'bones' in her mouth. I stayed while Coco, the big brown beast, chomped away on another one. I'm not sure who got the last one, him or Shadow, but it got cold, so I walked back across the street, where my three 'brats' were standing there with all six ears standing straight up and they were wearing looks of indignation, so I got them their supper. First things first, boys.