Why I've been MIA

There has been an illness in the family, and a very close member has been in ICU on a ventilator and unconscious for a week and a half. 

Seeing a retired Air Force colonel, former federal agent, and general all-around great man taken from being healthy to being completely under the control of lifesaving machines in just a few days time really knocks the wind out of your sails.


Due to a rare and adverse reaction to some medication, he was hit with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.  Hit that link for some upbeat light reading..  33% fatal, possible brain issues from lack of oxygen, etc...

Today, some good news.  He passed the test that they were doing every day for lung function, and they are taking him off of the ventilator and waking him up as I type this.  This is really good news, and anyone that can pray to whatever deity- it is appreciated.  When he comes to, he is still going to think it's last month.

I don't know much about what he did when he was in the service (like most people that have been there, he does not talk about it much), but I'll let you know the few things that have been let slip while I was there, just to show you the character and type of man he is:
-While on an undercover operation in an almost 3rd world country, he did not break cover when his appendix burst and had abdominal surgery on the local economy. 
-While deployed in Vietnam, his 'group' were the ones that worked with the general (and gave him the S&W Model 60) that was immortalized in this picture
-While the media was complaining about the warrantless wiretaps done under Bush, he mentioned that 'we' were doing that under Carter a whole lot.

I don't like putting personal or serious stuff on the blog much, but we need prayers.  Thanks.