Dear John and Doves,
Jim and I would like to thank all of you for your prayers. By the grace of God and your loving prayers, Jim was able to survive sepsis, pneumonia, pleurisy and colitis. A huge order, but we do have a wonder-working God.
This all came about from an "innocent" dog-bite back in March. Little did we know how life-threatening a dog-bite can be. Jim should have had weekly blood tests to see of the infection was causing a high white-blood-cell count, but the follow up work was not done. We have since changed doctors.
The sepsis came on unexpectedly that day, even though it was a month later. I had no idea when I woke up that morning that my husband could easily have been in eternity by night-fall.
Through it all, we learned a lot about the modern medical system. We owe a lot to those persons in the medical field that by God's grace and their skill kept Jim alive.
We also found out that the medical field is not what it used to be years ago ... mainly that in many ways it has become so impersonal.
The rotation of doctors and personnel in the hospital and even at doctors offices continues even now to amaze us. Scarcely a chance to have any kind of "bedside manner" or a relationship at all through out the long ordeal. It is now down to numbers, routines and powerful drug companies, for the most part.
Below we will share what were some unexpected occurrences. We share them with you so that in the event that anyone you know is hospitalized, you will be more prepared ( than I was ) for the modern mode of medicine.
ER
Jim was left unattended on his gurney for about an hour and a half. I had to wash his face and clothing and put paper towels between his clothing and skin to keep him dry. No hospital gown was put on him during that whole time. He was deathly ill and losing everything in his stomach. I called for an attending nurse ( out in the hall ) to tell her he had chest pains. She looked at me as if to say "doting wife" and walked back out to the hall.
Moments later Jim went into septic shock and we finally got the hospital's attention. But even then, the nurse wanted to contend with me that he did not have a previous episode, when in fact he did .. the very reason why I called 911 in the first place that evening. So much for concern and care in the emergency room.
It's unnerving enough to watch a loved one suffer a life-threatening experience, but the salt in the wound is when you have to contend with nurses to get their attention and to state the facts.
In the Emergency Room many patients are not fully aware of their situation or surroundings. While in that state, they are asked questions pertaining to legal matters. The spouse ( or kin ) are also in an anxious state and I had 5 legal papers to sign, not thoroughly knowing what I was signing -- having no time to read while I attended to my husbands needs which were of far more major importance at the time.
KEEPING the PARANOIA DOWN
Later, while still in Emergency, an aid or attendant ( doctors are rarely seen, and our Primary Physician never did show up) handed a paper for my husband to sign for a blood transfusion.
( Most of the personnel keep their name labels twisted in reverse so that their name is not known )
Having been on heavy duty medication, Jim had no realization that he was signing for a blood transfusion. The attendant knew that, and I knew that , but the signing was expedited. I had already previously signed the papers of speaking for my husband while in emergency, but they bypassed the legal person and asked the patient. Why? Because they feared that I might not sign for a blood transfusion, though I never indicated that at all. In general, it seemed to me that there is an overall paranoia within the medical profession today.
While spouses and kin focus on the survival of their loved one, it seems that many within the medical profession focus on not being sued, and therefore often the medical personnel avoid any contact ( verbal or eye contact ) with the kin of patients.
When asked a question, some of the answers come back terse ... like icicles falling.
On a scale of 1 to 5 ( 5 being the highest ), the fear level must have been at least 4 + .
That is too high, especially when both the medical teams and the relatives should have only one focus: the survival of the patient.
That may not be someone else's experience -- and I sincerely hope not -- but that was indeed my experience.
RED ALERT
I bring all this up for one reason in particular. Had the Verichip been offered to my husband in that medicated-state, he probably would have signed for it, not realizing what he was signing for.
I did not step in when they asked for his signing for the blood transfusion because I was in agreement with the blood transfusion. But I definitely would have stopped any chipping procedure and would have that right, having previously signed those 5 papers.
It seems to me that if a relative or friend is admitted to the hospital, one should STAY with that person around the clock. I did.
Jim was in the hospital for 7 days and nights ... all of which I stayed with him around the clock. At the times that I went home to take care of other needs, I would return to find those "Living Will" papers in his room for him to sign. Again, being on so much medication, he could have easily signed them, thus allowing plugs to be pulled ahead of time.
I will never sign a Living Will , because they no longer mean what they originally meant, and also because persons designated to have "Power of Attorney" can so easily play God with another person's life. [ "power of eternity" ] It seems that death comes earlier and earlier for those who sign Living Wills. And guess what ...the VeriChip Corporation partners with both the Living Will Registry and the Advance Directives for Organ Donation too.
Advance Directives ( aka "Living Wills" )
Verichip partners with Living Will Registry [ Community Partnership Agreement ]
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 27, 2007 -- VeriChip Corporation today announced it entered into a Community Partnership Agreement with U.S. Living Will Registry(R) that enables healthcare professionals to view the Advance Directives of patients enrolled in the VeriMed Patient Identification System via a secure link within the VeriMed Patient Registry.
This will be the first completely digital link to a national Advance Directive document archive. Utilizing the U.S. Living Will Registry's proprietary software platform and the VeriMed Patient Registry, VeriMed subscribers will be able to register their advance directives and organ donation information
Advance directives, commonly known as living wills and health care proxies, are legal documents that allow a person to make their health care wishes known if they are incapacitated and unable to make decisions for themselves. In a health care proxy (health care power of attorney), a person names someone to make decisions for them.
http://www.pr-inside.com/verichip-corporation-partners-with-u-s-r77597.htm
The Living Will industry ( aka "Advance Directives " ) can also be helpful to the organ-donating business :
VeriChip and Tiger Fund http://www.tigerfund.org/TPAP/index.htm
VeriChip enters organ-donor business --- April 2, 2007
The VeriChip Corp. of Delray Beach, Fla. has entered into a Community Partnership Agreement with the U.S. Living Will Registry that will enable healthcare providers to view the advance directives, including organ donor information, of patients enrolled in the VeriMed Patient Identification System via a secure link within the VeriMed Patient Registry
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=6747
Transplant Games and VeriChip http://www.adsx.com/pressreleases/2006/2006-06-01.html
And then when you die, they can STILL chip you. [ VeriTrace ] .
PHARMAKIA ( Revelation 9 : 21 ---- "sorceries" , "witchcraft ")
In our experience while Jim was home recuperating, , we found that prescribed pharmaceutical drugs also are no longer what they used to be. Many are heavy-duty unproven drugs, some not having been tested at all, and many of our newer drugs have not been around for 5-10 years to examine their long term effect ( Vioxx pain killer by Merck and Advantis for diabetics by GSK). Yet they are FDA approved and in our hands for consumption.
* * * * * * * * * *
Here is an article of great interest to all who take medications:
The negligence of the FDA and of Doctors who prescribe -- May 27, 2007
" Doctors, unfortunately for patients, don't pay attention to the old maxim of prescribing,
"Don't be the first to use a new drug, or the last to use an old one."
This maxim has become a prescribing rule for wise doctors, who know to avoid new drugs (unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise, because they have simply not been tested on a large enough sample to assure their safety and effectiveness).
The Health Research Group, author of the best-selling book " Worst Pills, Best Pills ", recommends a seven-year rule:
Avoid new drugs until they have been tested on the market for seven years, unless there is some compelling reason to do otherwise."
" One critic of the FDA and the drug industry, Dr. Ray D. Strand, in his book "Death by Prescription", says those who take new drugs are participating in "the great clinical trial - you!" In other words, when you take a new drug, you are becoming an unknowing guinea pig. He documents disasters from new drugs such as Lotronex, on the market for less than a year, and pulled off because it was causing serious illness and death" ....
"Finally, in March of 2000, the FDA had to admit a killer drug was on its hands and it recalled Rezulin.
Dr. Strand says if you put blind faith in the broken drug system, it may cost you or a loved one their health and life."
It says merely don't stop using the drug and consult with your doctor. If the doctors had been paying attention, they wouldn't have been prescribing the drug in the first place. The FDA offers no help for patients or doctors.
http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=18383144&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=6
end of article
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When Jim was home recuperating, two unproven and very expensive drugs were prescribed for him. Thank the Lord for the Internet. We researched both drugs to find out they are greatly flawed and can be severely health-threatening. If your description-sheet that comes with your prescription says :
" Your care provider has determined that the benefits outweigh the risks " ... then it would be best to think again. We just said NO.
We live in an adult community and just two weeks ago a friend of ours was admitted to emergency ward suffering from a prescribed-medication induced heart-attack. Her life hung in the balance, and God was good. He spared her life, but she now has liver and heart problems indeterminately, when all she was doing was taking a cholesterol pill ( FDA approved, of course ) .
AND , her doctor was checking her weekly for any adverse signs of taking that pill. The risk never showed up until it was too late.
The Bible tells us not to trust in man, but to trust in God. One must keep informed on all of one's meds, drugs, prescriptions , and even over-the counter drugs ...every pill, patch and applied creme or lotion, etc. If you have access to the Internet, count it as a blessing from God, and gratefully read and research .....
"My people perish for lack of knowledge" ( Hosea 4: 6 )
Lab-on-a-Chip www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/dds.html
Well, those are some of our observations. The Great Healer, Jehovah-Rophe is our basic trust and hope.
" I am the LORD that healeth thee " Exodus 15: 26.
We found that by the daily reading of the word, healings progressed.
" He sent His word and He healed them" . Psalm 107:20
JAMES 5: 14, 15 -- In the Emergency Room for 24 hours
Our Pastor-friend, Sal Saucedo, came and anointed Jim with oil while he was in the Emergency Room the following morning
(14 hours after arrival ), and in that same hour Jim's condition was then upgraded from Intensive care ( ICU ) to a guarded condition.
That was a vast difference. ICU means the condition may get better, or it can get worse.
Any upgrade from ICU means that the patient is progressively healing.
Walking through the valley of hospitals, the medical profession and pharmacies is like walking through a mine-field today.
Because of this, the Lord gave Jim a Vision a few weeks after he returned from the hospital, resting at home.
Jim saw the right hand of God -- as large as the Universe-- and Jim, a tiny dot standing in the palm of God's Hand. And Jim heard these words: " You are in my Right Hand, and no one can pluck you out". [ John 10: 28, 29 ]
As those words were spoken, God's Hand closed over Jim in a Fatherly grip.
It was the reassurance we needed to know that "Underneath are the Everlasting Arms". [ Deuteronomy 33:27 ]
We hope this message has helped someone who may go through a medical journey.
Eric Casagrande also has an excellent medical testimony.
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/ericc116.htm
God intervened miraculously in Eric's family, and the power of Psalm 20 sustained him.
In a few more weeks, Jim will be undergoing surgery for the removal of an AAA ... abdominal aortic aneurysm. It has reached the size where it must be operated on. We once again humbly ask for your prayers. Please ask that
1. The Lord miraculously remove this aneurysm from his body ... and if not then,
2. That Jim gains weight and strength for the operation
3. That the doctors have great wisdom and skill in treating this aneurysm
4. And that the healing process goes smoothly and well.
Some of us may not know or realize that when a patient is put on heavy doses of antibiotics to safeguard against infection, it can cause a drug-induced colitis in the body. If you have had this problem then maybe someone alerted you to the fact that besides taking Flagyl, it works best when combined with Probiotics ( acidelphus pills bought in health-stores, or just eating plain yogurt ) to supply the healthy organisms needed in order to heal the colon.
Thank you again for your prayers. We love you for them.
In Him,
Jim and Angela Goodrick
Clarification : Not all hospital personnel, doctors or medications are questionable. It's just like the wheat and tares --- some are acceptable, some are not. We encountered many good people in this experience .... mostly people of Faith.
They proved that God is always with us. " I will never leave you nor forsake you"