Upheld

Nathan is conscious enough now to be occasionally daunted by his circumstances. (When Hannah told him that he will have the external fixator on his left leg for another four weeks, he said: "A month?!" ) But his moments of discouragement are outnumbered by hours of valor. He has been incredibly patient and incredibly brave. I'm proud of him...and I'm grateful to that vast host of family and friends (and even people we do not even know personally) who are upholding him in prayer.

Nathan has been making good progress. In fact, they proposed to transfer him from the intensive-care unit to the intermediate-care unit yesterday. But they decided, at the last minute, to postpone the transfer because he had difficulty with the abrupt termination of the sedation medication he has received for more than three weeks. The next day or two will be particularly challenging mentally and emotionally as they continue "weaning" him from the sedative drugs to which his body has become accustomed. He needs the sort of strength Isaiah 40:27-31 describes:

"...Can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? ...The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth... He never grows faint or weary....He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he gives strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."