Support Don Jr.'s Road to Recovery

A week ago today, I took my father to the ER near where we live. He'd been dealing with a "migraine that caused even his hair to hurt" along with vomiting for almost two and a half days. After quite a few hours of testing and waiting, the ER doctor came back with words I never thought I'd hear when it came to my dad or his health.

He'd had a heart attack. I remember my jaw literally dropping and not knowing how to respond to it while simultaneously seeing his face just go white as a sheet and the first words out of his mouth being, "I'm too young for this." Words he repeated for the next three hours.

They transferred him to Regional one because they had more specialized doctor's and that's when we found out he not only had a heart attack, but he also had a 99% blockage in what is referred to as "The Widow Maker" artery. That would mean surgery. Open heart surgery. A double bypass. From there he was transferred to Baptist East (Baptist Memorial Hospital) to have the surgery. His surgeon was amazing and is in the top of his field.

He is currently in recovery from surgery at the hospital, and we are praying this goes as smoothly as his surgery did.

If you know my dad at all, you'd know that he isn't one to just sit and rest. He's what my siblings and I have always referred to as an energizer bunny on crack. He is a Chaplain at Regional One hospital in Memphis, specifically in the ER, and not being able to work is going to kill him. If anyone loved their job, it would be my dad. He was made for being a chaplain as much as he was called to be a pastor/preacher and volunteering as chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol for as long as he did.

He's a talker, and has never met a stranger in his life. He is also someone you can ask for help and KNOW that he'd move heaven and earth to make sure you had it even if it meant giving the shirt off of his own back to do so.

Mine and my family's prayer for this fundraiser is to offset not only hospital bills, but also the reduction in finances that his recovery at home will cause.

If you find it in your hearts to donate to helping ease some of this financial strain, please do so and if you are unable to, I ask that you would please just pray for my family. Prayer works. God has had his hand on this whole situation, right from the beginning and he continues to show his providence and love.

(Jeremiah 29:11)