Category Archives: seeking understanding

Two days ago our hero had surgery #17. Since the calf has, for the most part it seems, been mostly repaired, the medical team returned to work on the heel.

In the meantime, possibly because of immobility, the knee is giving our hero trouble. A brace from ankle to thigh is now in place.

Pain remains the big issue.

Our hero’s mom, herself a hero in her own right, had to return to her education role as all time off has been used up. Flexibility is needed to be present with her wounded warrior.

I offer two suggestions for prayer:

“Lord, we ask that you give wisdom, knowledge, and resources to the medical team so as to help our hero’s pain level. We pray that your Spirit would encourage him. May the tremendous progress you have already enabled give him hope for the future.

Please, oh Compassionate God, give all involved, especially this mother and family the grace they need to press on and persevere in caring for and encouraging this wounded soldier. We ask this for the thousands of others recovering from battle injuries.

Give them all the strength they need, according to your gracious will, in the name of Christ. Amen”

Thank you for praying.

Today was Oleg’s sixteenth surgery and it was a success. The calf is progressing nicely. Thanks be to God!

Thank you for praying.

It is a blessing to see how God is moving!

Please pray for continued progress and healing of the calf and even more for progress on Oleg’s foot.

Thank for praying.

We are amazed at the work of God! Through His grace there has been surprising progress.

There have been wonderful visits with family over the (Orthodox) Easter weekend.

On Wednesday the surgeons will open and examine Oleg’s calf that was previously reconstructed. If they are satisfied, a skin graph will close the calf.

We ask for prayer again:

“O Lord, the Great Physician, may your servants, the medical team, find good news and proceed successfully to the next step in Oleg’s progress. Be glorified oh Lord by their work and by this family’s faith. In the name that is above all names, Jesus, we pray. amen”

Thank you for praying.

Friends, thanks for praying.

Today was Oleg’s 15th surgery. The medical team continue to monitor and maintain muscle and skin grafts.

It would appear that keeping the reconstructed parts of his calf and foot cleared of dead and dying flesh is key to long term healing.

There has been some progress in keeping pain under control.

Thank you for praying. God hears you and keeps answering. This will be a long journey and your prayers are so important.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” 2 Thess. 2:16-17 ESV

Please also pray for his mom Anna who is – as you may imagine – stretched very thin.

Oleg is back in surgery.

The surgeons are taking several steps to (what I’ve called) fine tune the grafts, repairs and nerve block to promote healing and reduce the pain.

Please pray that the Lord would guide them as they strive to bring Oleg some relief to the increasing pain.

It is with gratitude to God I write for the way he has used the medical team taking care of Oleg.

At this point a long follow up surgery was successful in that dead tissue has been removed and the skin and muscle grafts have largely ‘taken’.

Now that his calf and foot have been (amazingly) partially reconstructed, there is now a time of waiting and pain management.

So at this stage in the process our prayer is for doctors to be able to help manage the excruciating pain Oleg is experiencing.

“Oh God of comfort, please relieve Oleg’s pain. Give wisdom and urgency to doctors who may take appropriate steps to relieve as much pain as possible as Oleg heal. Please Lord, bring him relief. You, oh God are the Great Physician, please move in his life, in Jesus name.”