Update on "Update"

Well, it has been an eventful while since I last posted on Mel's condition. Part of that is because it has changed so dramatically and part of that is because I have been a combination of lazy and out of town.
Nearly 2 weeks ago I went with a couple of friends of mine to bowl in a tournament in Killeen. We decided to stop by Temple on the way, added only about 20 miles to the round trip, and see Mel. Mel was doing ok I suppose. He was beginning to get some normal color back in his skin instead of the yellow he had turned. Also, he was seemingly making good progress and was on track for perhaps getting to go home after another week or so. Well, as it turns out, the next day Mel was found collapsed in the bathroom; I speculate he attempted to head there on his own. He was unconscious and immediately placed in ICU. He was put on life support for a couple of days until he could breathe and all on his own again. I'm saying these things very quickly and matter of factly and in doing so not doing justice to the scare and wonderment had throughout. Please don't misconstrue that as me saying it was an easy time for Mel or any of his family / friends. Everyone was very scared, worried, upset, fatigued, etc. As Providence would have it, this past Sunday, Mel was actually told he was ready to be put back in his own room for the normal recovery he was there for before the ICU stuff happened. Somewhere in the middle of the surprise ICU week he had to have another surgery to fix whatever caused him to collapse...fortunately that went well. A neat note is that this past Sunday the bowling alley held a benefit tournament for Mel. After all was said and done they were able to raise more than $20,000.00 for him and his family to offset the financial burden of being in a hospital, without work, etc, for so long. The Eagle had a brief article about the benefit on June 18th. As of now, Mel is back in a normal recovery room and en route to coming home for more rest and such in a week or so. Then chemotherapy...
(the article in The Eagles says prostate cancer, that is wrong, it is pancreatic cancer)

Again, I wrote this very matter-of-factly merely to catch you guys up on his condition. Your prayers can still be guided using what I said before about his family members and friends. Although, with all of the drama, I can't help but wonder if Mel has been shaken a little bit as well and just trying not to show it. Please pray the Spirit will be with them and that they will know Christ the Saviour.