“These padded chairs are looking more familiar than our furniture at home,” Carolyn grimaced one morning as her eyes swept the waiting room. Was it really the beginning of the fourth week now? How quickly they had adjusted to life at the hospital! But if only they could be with Delton more. After the danger of the first weekend had passed their visits were limited to 30 minutes every four hours.

“I’ve got a surprise for you,” a nurse called out cheerily, as she poked her head around the corner. “You two come on over to Delton’s room.”

Carolyn looked anxiously at the empty bed. Where was he?

Delton could not stop grinning at their surprised faces as he applauded himself from a chair . . . the first time he was sitting up! It felt wonderful to be off his back, but his blood count dropped from the exertion. So after a few days the exercise was discontinued.

Complications developed in his digestive system later in the fourth week, causing more severe pain. Nevertheless there was some good news coming.

“Guess what, Delton . . . We’re transferring you to third floor today!” came the welcome announcement. “While we’re at it, you’re going to see real sky and breathe fresh air.”

So out through the emergency exit door they wheeled him, Air-bed, I.V. stand and all. Through two parking lots and into the main entrance, their excursion ended in a new room on third floor. Finally the family could be with him to their hearts’ content!

During the morning hours of each day Isaiah had become a precious part of their family
worship. “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all
are the work of thy hand,” Elton read one morning from the sixty-fourth chapter.

“I still can’t believe this happened to me, though,” Delton reflected. “Things like this always happen to other people, but this time it was me.”

The family was awed as they recounted how merciful the Lord had been to them. “We don’t know yet what purpose or plan the Lord has in mind for you, Son,” Carolyn said. “Just remember that regardless of what happens, you are the Lord’s. We dedicated you to Him even before you were born.”

Glancing at the windowsill, Delton read the motto of Deuteronomy 33:27 he had propped up: “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” How well he could testify of the strength he found in God’s love and care for him each day! When the pain was extra intense, he would ask Dad or Mom to pray with him, and almost always he could then relax and fall asleep. Brother Joe also came in often and prayed with him. These were very meaningful times to Delton.

Week five passed with one minor surgery.

Then came week six.

“Carolyn,” said Elton on Tuesday. “Delton’s coloring looks unnaturally yellow. And look, his stomach is hardly accepting anything from the I.V. What do you think is causing this?”

The nurses tried to be reassuring. “His body has gone through so much. Perhaps he’s having difficulty adjusting to the blood,” they suggested. “By now he’s been given almost 120 units.”

Heavily dosed with morphine, Delton thrashed around in his sleep that night and incessantly mumbled.

Elton did not hesitate to call the church hot line and request special prayer. Things were changing drastically.