Mrs. Frances Bell had hip surgery yesterday afternoon. Please continue to pray for her.
Donald Guy Burnthorn
Died on Monday, April 6, 2009 at River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace,
LA. He was a native of Independence, LA and a resident of Loranger, LA.
Age 49 years. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 6 p.m.
until 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 8 a.m. until religious services at 11
a.m. Friday. Interment Lawrence Memorial Gardens, Loranger, LA. He is
survived by his wife, Connie Poolson Burnthorn, Loranger; daughter,
Chelsea Brooke Burnthorn, Loranger; 3 sisters, Shirland Smith and
husband, Ken, Denham Springs, Brenda McNeal, Maurepas and Lanell
Sanders and friend, Tom Jacocks, Zachary; mother, Dorothy Rodriguez
Burnthorn, Loranger; numerous nieces nephews and other family members.
He was preceded in death by his father, Luke Burnthorn; step-father,
Tim Burnthorn. He will be sadly missed by his family and many, many
friends.
There are three updates on the Dukes. I was going to shorten these updates, but decided you need to hear the physical condition of those in the accident and the spiritual and emotional condition of those who are at their bedside. The key word now is PRAYER!
10:19 A.M. EDT
Hello all,
The family is super super thankful for all the love
and support that they are receiving. Jason mentioned that he wept over
the tremendous outpouring of love that you all have given.
Things
are still very hectic with the hospital care, so the family has asked
for everyone to stay tuned through this web site to relieve some of the
chaos. We will most definitely let you know how you can serve when the
time comes. For now, prayer is absolutely HUGE!!!
Jimmy’s
surgery went well yesterday. They were able to get everything done that
they needed to in his legs and feet. He has rods in his legs and pins
in his feet. He will have surgery tomorrow to repair the breaks in his
left arm and wrist. The biggest thing to pray for there is a successful
surgery tomorrow, but he is in a tremendous amount of pain. Please pray
for grace and comfort in that area.
Good news on his neck. The
doctors said that he should just have to wear a neck brace for 5-6
weeks rather than the halo that they thought he would have to wear for
a longer period of time. The fractures there should heal on their own.
Unfortunately,
it is still not looking good for Retia. They’ve determined that at
least a quarter of her brain is bruised. They also said that if she
wakes up, there will be significant long term issues. So, we simply need to be praying for a MIRACLE there. We serve an awesome God and He is fully capable!!!
Again,
thank you so very much for your love and support and prayers. How
amazing is it that God created us to walk and journey together through
the good and the tough times and that we don’t have to be alone? God is
good!!!
12:10 P.M. EDT
Wow – first I have to write to tell all of you that Erik and I and our wives and kids are so blessed and so overwhelmed
by the love you all have poured out to us and our mom and dad since
Saturday night. Too many to mention, so please let this suffice as at
least a first of hopefully many thank you’s that will come. Secondly,
we have been so touched by the number of people who have responded to
this tragic situation with our parents and have been praying in their
local communities for mom and dad and our family. We so appreciate it and love you all so much.
This
has been hard. Just being honest. I have even been thinking a lot in
the last year about how Jen and I and Erik and Erin are entering a
season of life where walking with our parents toward death is a
reality. This situation has brought it into full attention. That is ok,
because death is inevitable, at least from these mortal bodies.
The sorrow that causes for all of humanity angers me, a bit like Jesus
was angered by it in John 11, because the havoc wreaked from what
happened in the Garden continues to wreak havoc in the lives of the
people God loves so much all over the world. Oh for the day when
restoration is ultimately completed. Nonetheless, this has been hard.
It’s
been hard simply processing that mom and dad were run over by an SUV.
It kills me inside to think of the horror and hurt of that moment. The
driver did stop. He is very disturbed. Please pray for him, too.
It’s
been hard looking at a woman who was once a stunning beauty and who at
68 looked 45 now be reduced to a mostly shaved head and a large piece
of her skull missing to relieve the pressure from the swelling of her
brain. It’s been hard speaking to and singing to Mom and not hearing
her beautiful voice or feeling her love pats that she became famous for
among the people who know her well. It’s been hard watching dad hurt so
much from multiple fractures and hurt when he breathes. It’s been hard.
It’s
been hard talking on the phone to Jen and the kids back in Orlando and
Katey asking me to ask Ammaw if she can come over soon to watch Tom and
Jerry. It’s been hard hearing Abby ask for her “Big Bird” (what she
calls Pop right now – she loves to pretend) and for her Ammaw to come
over to play. It’s been hard knowing that Caleb knows what’s going on,
and Katey somewhat, and the thought of them not interacting with
Mom the same way again. It’s been hard knowing all those boys of Erik’s
who have been eagerly looking forward to Pop and Ammaw’s visit that
would have happened next this Friday (April 10th) will be disappointed.
It’s
been hard thinking about the stuggle Dad will have to walk again. It’s
been hard thinking about whether Mom will even wake up again. It’s been
hard.
But it’s been good.
It’s been good being with
friends and family. It’s been good watching the church be the church in
so many places – praying, responding, caring, believing. Being a community of people who deeply love each other the way we were intended to love each other.
It’s
been good hearing the stories from people whom Mom and Dad have touched
and loved and impacted. So many. I told Erik last night, “We swim in
the large ocean of Mom and Dad’s faithfulness and love and credibility that has given refreshing water to so many.”
It’s been good knowing that, barring some complication with Dad, that he and I will enjoy a coffee and conversation together again at House Blend Cafe or the Starbuck’s at the Winter Garden Village.
It’s
been good, the support Erik and I both have gotten from those we work
with, giving us the freedom to be with Mom and Dad, providing resources
to help make it happen.
It’s been good knowing that, because of that support, I will have so much intense time with my dad and mom helping them recover.
Thank you for your cards and texts and voice mails and facebook messages and twitters and hugs and support. It’s been good.
Please pray for Mom to respond in some fashion that demonstrates interaction and isn’t just potentially a motor-sensory reflex. The next two days are crucial. Wednesday night will have been 96 hours since the accident, and the neuro-surgeon said that will be a bit of a landmark time.
Please
pray for Dad to be able to be comforted in his pain. Pray for his
surgery tomorrow to fix his left arm – broken in 3 places. He is
left-handed, so it will be a long road on that one. Both legs had
rods placed in from knee to ankle yesterday afternoon. He won’t be able
to walk on it for a month, they said. He has to wear a neck collar for
5 to 6 weeks. They said the fracture in his neck should heal in that
time. Several broken ribs punctured his lung, making it hard to
breathe. Pray for that to heal well, too. And a long road of rehab.
By the way – please pray for my friend, Kris DenBesten. His 9 year old daughter still is waiting for a heart transplant. He sent a text of prayer and support. That meant so much, considering all he is walking through.
Thanks again to all of you. We love you. I will try to update again soon.
-jason
4:45 P.M. EDT
As of this afternoon Mom/Retia is doing about the same. One
doctor has described her condition as a deep coma. She is not getting
worse. Another doctor encouraged us to not give up hope.
Thanks so much for the prayers. Please keep it going.
The Prayer Link 