| TK Burk |
11-29-2018 10:12 PM |
Re: Emergency: Please pray for T K Burk
I want to thank you all for your prayers.
I went to my Doctor on Wednesday, November 21st with what I thought was bronchitis. As I drove there, I had to leave my van's windows open to breathe—and it was 25 degrees outside. Once in the office, I could not catch my breath. My oxygen levels were so low they put me on oxygen and asked that I go to the emergency room. I started to get up to drive myself the four miles to the hospital when they told me that was impossible. When I suggested my wife come to drive me they told me I was not understanding the seriousness—that I may not make that four-mile drive if I was taken off oxygen. So, to get me to the hospital they called an ambulance. The three EMTs that came allowed me to walk to the ambulance with oxygen, but I was so weak I needed two of them to help me get into the truck. Once inside they started working on me. From there on, things get fuzzy. I remember them taking me into the ER. I remember getting my X-Rays. I kinda remember being wheeled to my hospital room. But after that, I remember almost nothing until Sunday.
I was released to go home on Tuesday the 27th. Before I left I had several of the hospital staff tell me they were happy to see me and that I looked better than I had before. I did not fully grasp what they were saying until my Doctor and my wife told me that on Thanksgiving day things got so serious that they almost lost me. I remember none of it since I was incoherent most of that day. Even on oxygen, I had way too much carbon dioxide in my lungs. To remedy that they fitted me with a BiPAP mask. This was to expand my lungs to remove the carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen. Later that night, I still was not responding as they hoped. Because of this, they thought about moving me to ICU, but because I wasn't getting any worse, they left me in my room. On Sunday things took a good turn. My levels changed and they switched that BiPAP for regular oxygen tubes to my nose...that was a very welcomed change! Unfortunately, I had to go home with oxygen and will need it until my lungs strengthen completely.
One good thing from this is when I was finally awake and coherent, I got to share with some of the medical staff some of the things the Lord has done. A hospital bed is not my preferred pulpit, but seeing how those testimonies touched them lifted me a great deal.
This past Thanksgiving week has given me much to be thankful for. I am thankful for the caring medical staff at Aurora Hospital. I am thankful for the help that came from our neighbors and our friends. I am thankful for the love and prayers that came from my family. I am thankful to still be a husband to my wife, Lori—she is truly a God-given gift. I am thankful to still be a dad to my two great kids, Joel and Carlye. I am especially thankful to be a son to my Heavenly Father, for after all is said and done, it is because of His mercy and His power that I am here today.
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