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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2008 08:03 PM, CDT
Today we right with a very heavy hearts. As we know yesterday was not a good day. Today started out not good with a 3am phone call from the hospital. Scotties oxygen level dropped to 82 and they had to go up even more on the nitric machine to 32. His oxygen level went up slowly throughout the day and is now at 93.
We asked to meet with the doctor to discuss Scottie's condition. We met with Dr. Schinco who is great. She explained that her biggest concerns are the chest infection and that they are throwing every antibiotic at it that they can. In a perfect they would do surgery to remove the infection but there is no way Scottie would survive it. Not much hope that the antibiotics will take care of it. Next is his heart. The right side of his heart is being heavily strained due to the high pressures, and it cannot keep working against those pressures. It will eventually fail. Problem is we drop the pressures his oxygen drops off. Next is that if he were to survive all of this she feels he would have to be on the ventilator forever. In short his quality of life if he survives all of these issues would not be very good. Those that know Scottie well, know that he would not want to live like that. So we are now faced with a very difficult decision. The machines are basically keeping him going. We knew this all along but were hoping for his lungs to heal good enough to turn the machines off. That has not happened.
This is a very hard decision. We know that Scottie has fought the good fight as hard as he can and because of that we do not want him to continue to struggle, and also want things to be as peaceful and painless for him as possible. We also know that the doctors have done absolutely everything that they can to help Scottie heal. Therefore the only thing left is miracle from God. We have not given up hope for that miracle and it will happen if it is Gods will. If not, we know that Scottie will finally be totally healed and with the Lord.
There is not push for us to do this. It is basically our decision as to what we do and when. The final decision will definitely not be made tonight unless God makes it for us. Tonight we will discuss it more and pray about it alot.
The only verses that come to mind are;
Luke 42
Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;
yet not my will, but yours be done.
Matthew 6:10
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We now need you to pray specific prayers for God to perform a miracle if it is his will. And if not we need God to speak to us to know that Thy Will Be Done in our decisions.
God Bless,
Scott and Beth Marlowe
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2008 01:11 AM, CDT
I am sorry that I am so late with my message tonight, but it has been a long day. We visited with Scottie this morning and then went to church. Then we met with Dr. Schinko to talk about procedures tomorrow. Then we met with CJ to talk about procedures for organ donation. It was somewhat comforting to know that some of Scotties organs will be used to save someone's life and that it will happen within 24 hours.
Baring a miracle which we still have not given up on, they will begin turning off the life supports around 12:00 noon tomorrow. This is somewhat up in the air depending on scheduling for the OR, we will know a more definite time in the morning.
I feel that I must a story with you that happened yesterday(Sat) morning. We received a call at 3am that his oxygen level had dropped off and they had to go up on his Nitric and Vent settings. So we got dressed and went straight to the hospital. His oxygen was low at 82%, but slowly creeped up to 85%. I had only been asleep for about 2 hours when we received the call and little Will was with us so I decided to take him to the little room as we have come to call it. I pulled 2 chairs together for him to sleep on and 2 for me. The nurse was gracious enough to bring us pillows and blankets. Well I also fell asleep for about an hour or two. Well I had a dream or vision depending on how you look at it. Scottie came to me in his hospital gown threw his arms around me hugged me and said I'm sorry I didn't mean for this to happen. Someone at that moment opened the door to the room and I awoke so my dream was not finished or maybe it was. I tell you this because I know it was from the Lord. I had only had one other dream the whole time we were here and it was a after a rough day and Scottie came to me and said I am ok. I know it was the Lord for several reasons, one is because as Scottie was walking up to me it was as if his face was changing between Jesus and Scottie. Another is I could have stayed in the room with Scottie and let Beth go with Will but I chose to go. Another is God has amazing timing and knew what discussions would take place later on with the doctors and the dream/vision helped to ease the pain of those decisions and helped me know that we were making the right decision. We are only certain of 2 things tomorrow, first, whatever happens it will be God's will and what is best for Scottie, and second that Scottie will be healed either way.
This is one of my favorite songs about our walk in the Christian faith. Some of you may know it. It just says it all.
Weak and wounded sinner lost and left to die, Raise your head for love is passing by,
Come to Jesus, Come to Jesus, Come to Jesus and Live
Now your burdens lifted and carried far away, Precious blood has washed away the stain,
So sing to Jesus, Sing to Jesus, Sing to Jesus and Live,
Like a new born baby don't be afraid to crawl, Remember when you walk sometimes we fall,
So fall on Jesus, fall on Jesus, fall on Jesus and Live,
Sometimes the way is lonely is steep and filled with pain, So if your sky is dark and pours the rain.
Then cry to Jesus, cry to Jesus, cry to Jesus and Live,
Oh and when the love spills over and music fills the night, And when you can't contain your joy inside,
Then dance for Jesus, dance for Jesus, dance for Jesus and Live,
And with your final heartbeat, and kiss the world goodbye, then go in peace and laugh on glories side,
And fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus and Live, fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus and Live!
God Bless,
Scott and Beth Marlowe
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2008 09:39 PM, CDT
Dearest Friends,
Today was about as perfect a day as it could be under the circumstances. Our dearest Scottie made the trip from the 8th to the 2nd floor with no problems at all even though they had to move him with all of the tubes and equipment hooked up to him. This was so they could get him to the OR for the organ donations.
We had some very good quality time with him and many of his Navy buddies were there to visit him. The hospital was great as they let us have open time yesterday and today. It was so great to see him surrounded by both of his families us and the Navy.
This morning before leaving the motel I prayed for God to give us reassurance that we had made the right decision. As our family and friends were gathered in his room on the 8th floor we had a service for Scottie out of our prayer book. As Paul was conducting the service Scottie blood pressure and heart rate dropped way off, he rebounded but that was God's sign that we were right in our decision. What a relief! It was a beautiful service and I know that Scottie knows we were there.
We even had the pleasure of looking into those beautiful eyes one more time as he opened them a few times briefly.
Throughout the morning it was great to see Scottie as Scottie again when they took his neck and chest brace off. He looked like he was ready to go to the river like he loved to do so much. And then in the OR after they turned off the ventilator the doctor removed all of the tubes from his mouth and I know that had to feel so good to him after 51 days. He looked so good.
One of the most memorable moments today took place in the OR. All of the equipment was turned off and we were just enjoying being there for these moments. Well Scottie opened his eyes one last time and looked straight at me. It was only for a few moments but it seemed like forever. Beth and I just talked to him and let him know that everything was ok, that we loved him very much and were so proud him for the fight he had put up and that it was time for him to rest. And that even though there were many sad tears in that room there were many happy tears in Heaven waiting to see him. We just THANK GOD so much for such a beautiful moment.
Scottie passed away peacefully. And now he is healed, no more pains, tubes or machines. We are so proud of our precious Scottie and the way he fought so hard and we know he is in a much better place with Jesus. It is so comforting to know that as I am writing this there are lives that have already been saved from the donation of his kidneys and liver along with other organs. Another blessing from God, because if he had not made it to the OR they would not have been able to use them. It so wonderful to know that Scottie is still doing great things even when he has left this world.
We will be heading back to Georgetown tomorrow. We do not know when services will be yet because of getting his body back to Georgetown. It looks like either Thursday or Friday depending on when they release his body, the State Medical Examiner has to do that due to the accident. I will post it as soon as we know. And I am also going to continue this sight for a while so please continue to check and leave us messages.
Now it is all of our jobs to live a life worthy of our Lord so we can all see him once again. And I know he will be waiting with open arms, that beautiful smile and big hugs.
God Bless,
Scott and Beth Marlowe
Please continue to pray for our friends and for their loss.
