This morning's Eucharist was especially enjoyable to me. The music seemed more meaningful, the sermon was good, the people all seemed warmer and friendlier than usual. I left with that happy, peaceful feeling that I'd been deeply blessed and that all would be well. Church usually makes me happy, but today was unusually good. One of the anthems we did a cappello has been singing itself in my head all afternoon. There is a video on YouTube of the same arrangement and the words are:

Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake,
lay not our sins to our charge,
but forgive that is past,
and give us grace to amend our sinful lives.
To decline from sin and incline to virtue,
that we may walk in a perfect heart before thee,
now and evermore. Amen

(from Lidley's Prayers, 1566)

Ron stayed with Mike while I was gone. He had not seen him in about two weeks and was distressed by how much worse his condition appears to be. Maybe I should have prepared him better. The last time he saw him was in the nursing home a couple of weeks ago. He had taken Mike out for a couple of hours to ride around, get some fresh air and change of scenery. Today he saw someone who can't get out of the bed and has trouble carrying on a conversation. I guess it was quite a shock. I'm glad they had a good visit before this one.

From everything I've heard and read about pulmonary emboli, it's usually fatal, especially when the patient isn't getting any kind of anticoagulant therapy or is unable to move around. The nurse and I both noticed yesterday that his left leg is larger than his right leg, like it's swollen. Is there a new clot in his leg? Possibly, but without another ultrasound, I'm not sure how to know.

We still need your prayers.