Rev. Katherine's Thanksgiving Notes-2024

 Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce (M.Div. & M.A.) Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music                       Email: Christianartsministry@ymail.com or KatherineLiuBruce2014@gmail.com            www.biblicalprecepts.blog.spot.com     www.youtube.com/c/KatherineLiuBruce    www.pinterest.com/KatherineLiuBruce

 

                                                   Rev. Katherine's Thanksgiving Notes-2024                                                     Nov.1,2024

 

                 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced. (Psalm 105:1-5). It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts. (Psalm 92:1-5)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever. He sent forth His word and healed them. He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men. (Psalm 107:1, 20-21). He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3). Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. (Psalm 147:7, 11).The fear of the Lord is the begging of wisdom, all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10). Those who fear the Lord shall lack nothing. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (Psalm 146:2).

        My husband Robert had chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling legs and Hemoglobin is low due to the side effects of medicine “Farxiga”. He entered ER Advent Health Hospital East and was hospitalized on July 26, 2024. Cardiology Dr. Martinez discovered his right heart artery had 99% blockage and 70% blockage in the middle artery because of former stents had done in 2005. On August 1, he had angioplasty surgery and put two new stents in his right artery. On September 4 he entered the ER again at Advent Health Hospital East. Due to unstable angina; Cardiology did a second angioplasty and put one more stent in his middle artery on September 5, 2024. Unfortunately, the nurse injected him with a medicine named “Benzodiazepines”, he was allergic, it resulted in respiratory arrest. Robert had Cardiac arrest at 5 pm, and then entered ICU4111. ICU doctor Martin Cearras used a temperature pad to keep his body low temperature in order to protect his brain, however, it caused him to have a seizure and had Cardiac arrest a second time at 8 pm. Due to twice Cardiac arrest resulted in the fracture of multiple rids of both sides, and fracture of sternum. Doctor put him in Medical Induced Coma and observed him for 5 days and put a ventilator and feeding tube into his mouth to support him.  

ICU Dr. Cearras said, “During these 5 days, keep talking to him, wake him up, and if there are any families or friends who want to see him, this is the time to come and visit him.” My heart was so anxious about his life, in the sleepless nights I fasted and prayed to lift him up. In my distress, the Word of God comforted me, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:10,13).  I started to call and texted my former church pastors, church friends, and Robert’s siblings, and his friends to pray for him. I also called CBN Israel (700 club) twice to pray for a healing miracle. For I have been supporting CBN Israel. On September 8, 2024, Sabbath day, while I worshipped, sang out “Faith”, “Yahweh”, “Jehovah Jireh” and served our weekly Holy Communion, Robert was awake, opened his eyes, and looked at me, I was so amazed that God’s healing miracle. On September 11, 2024, Respiratory Doctor removed the ventilator and feeding tube from his month, however, on September 12 reinstalled it again, for his breathing was too fast and failed to pass the respiratory test. Doctors put him in Medical Induced Coma again until September 18, 2024, removed the ventilator and feeding tube. Robert passed the feeding test and started to drink liquid. He was discharged from ICU to regular patient room on September 21 and September 27, 2024, he was discharged from Advent Hospital East.   

      During his hospitalization in the ICU4111 Advent Hospital East, he was treated chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, kidney injury superimposed on CKD, Chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, anemia of chronic disease, Aspiration pneumonia, benign hypertensive kidney disease w/ chronic kidney disease, mixed hypertension. He had been hospitalized 23 days resulting in a wound in his perineum area. He was continually treated by a Nebulizer compressor breathing treatment and Oxygen compressor to keep his SpO₂ normal at home. Home Care came to do wound care, physical therapy and O.T. from Sept 28, 2024, to Oct. 4, 2024.   

         On Oct 4, 2024, at midnight Robert was having difficulty breathing while he lay down on the bed, so he sat up, fell to sleep, and fell from the bed, and injured his face. On Oct 5, 2024, I called 911 and sent him to the ER at Orlando Health –ORMC (Orlando Regional Medical Center). In the ER doctor discovered the fluid in his lungs and heart, and Pneumonia MRSA tested positive. Thank God, he had no injuries on his head. From Oct 5 to Oct 19, 2024, Robert received BIPAP treatment, Bumex and Lasix (Water pills) to drain the fluid out of his lungs and heart and Antibiotics –Vancomycin and Cefepime to defeat MRSA in the ICU. There was a time, Robert had no appetite to neither eat nor drink, and his blood pressure was down to 75/30 -71/ 29, he was sent to CCU on October 13, 2024. I couldn’t hold my tears when I called CBN (700 Club) a third time to pray for a healing miracle. Meanwhile, I texted my former pastors, church friends, Robert’s siblings and church friends to pray for Robert.     

       Thank God for miraculously answered the prayers, the fluid had drained out of his lungs and heart. And his blood pressure had been controlled well by Norepinephrine (NE). Robert regained his appetite, respiratory rate remained normal, and he was discharged from Orlando Health (ORMC) at 5pm, Saturday on October 19, 2024. Thank God for ORMC and Freedom health insurance supported Robert with a medical bed and a noninvasive ventilator in order to help him breathe and sleep better at night, for he had sleep apnea and an Oxygen compressor kept his SpO₂    in normal level. After being discharged during these weeks, Robert has been regaining appetite and strength. With physical therapy helped, he was able to stand up, sat on the recliner on Oct 28, 2024. Today, Nov.1, he is able to stand up, sit on the wheelchair, visit the primary doctor in order to do the Lab.  We are so thankful and look forward to celebrating Robert’s 67^th birthday on November 6, 2024. 

We give thanks to the Lord for He is good. Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” O Lord, I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation and my song.  The Lord confirmed His words, “Blessed is he who has regarded for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” (Psalm 41:1-3).  Every day early morning, I humbly bowed down to pray for Robert, anointed his head with fine oil, played guitar, keyboard and worshipped the Lord in ICU and each patient room that he was hospitalized, lifted him up to the Lord and declared Psalm 118:17 upon him, “I (he) will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” For the Word of God says, “Everything is possible to those who believe”. Jesus’ healing miracle to Lazarus in the book of John 11 is the same yesterday, today, forevermore.  Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) and “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4). The word of God is trustworthy. The Lord affirmed, “I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.” (Jeremiah 33:6) And Jeremiah 30:17 & 19 says, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds. Declares the Lord... From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing.

As Thanksgiving is approaching, with a thanksgiving heart, I write this letter in order to give thanks to all of you who have been faithful to pray for Robert and I. We give thanks from the bottom of our hearts, thanks for your sincere love, care, concerns, prayers, comfort, and encouragement.  

1) Giving thanks to CBN (700 club) for the prayers support.

2) Giving thanks to my former pastors of Taipei International Church- Pastor Beyer and Martha couple; Pastor Kim & Stephanie Cruchfild couple and his church; Pastor Mike and Pam couple and his church; Paula and David Perkins couple; Fred & Paula couple; and Brother David Chou and his church for the prayers support.

3) Giving thanks to my ministry’s supporters - Brother Han, Gem Juo & Erica family came to visit Robert; Mrs. Lin (Wang Xin); Mr. & Mrs. Wang Wu & Fung-Ping couple ; Tina Chen family; Mr. & Mrs. Chen couple; Kiki (Kuei- Xin) Liu family; Lena & Alfred Prekaj couple;  for y’all financial support and added gas on my tank.

4) Giving thanks to Robert’s siblings- Julia & Chuck couple and Terry & Amelia couple came to hospital to visit Robert and prayed for Robert, Clack Bruce, cousin Bonnie Bruce, cousin Larry & Sylvia Lunsford couple and cousin Ben Waller for the prayers support.

5) Giving thanks to our friends – Bill & Candy and her church, Property management specialists- Debbie Alder, Terri, Carlo, Rebecca, and landlord Evelyn Bush. Carlyn, Jason Smith for the prayers support.

6) Giving thanks to Robert’s friends and RMA classmates - Chip & Pam David couple came to hospital to pray for Robert and thanks for his church prayers support.  Jon & Christie Dunwell couple; Glenn Stepp II; Jeff Harper; David Myer; Mark & Katy Lunetta; Chris Doss; Alan Christopher; Woody Cartis; Robbie Patterson; Gerald Glynn William; Eric Webb; Mike Wyatt; Chuck Fields; Harry Austin; Bill Shillington; Doug Sulivan; and Jim Zirkel for the prayers support.

7) Giving thanks to all the physicians and nurses who were assigned to take care of Robert during his hospitalization.

Thank God for prolonging Robert’s life, rescued him, delivered him, healed him and saved him. This circumstance draws us closer to God, humbly lean on His divine resurrection power, and surrender our life to His sovereignty. We acknowledge God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness endures forever. Most importantly, God changes our hearts to love deeply and cherish life, for each breath is the gift of God. He delights us to love each other and puts our hope in His unfailing love.

My friends and families, by y’all faithful prayers support and financial support which enabled us to grasp the grace of God, and His loving-kindness.  Today, we are home to celebrate Robert’s birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our hearts fill with joy and thanksgiving. As Psalm 103 says, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits who forgiving all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:1-5). Thank God for His compassion, unfailing love, healing, mercy and faithfulness. His words are trustworthy as Psalm 91: 9-16 says,

“If you make the Most high your dwelling even the Lord, who is my refuge. Then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Psalm 91:9-16).

  May the Lord bless y’all with a peaceful, delightful, and bountiful thanksgiving and Christmas!   May the Lord bless you and increase you so that you can bless more people. To God be the glory in all He has done.  

 

Prayerfully Yours!

The Bruce Family,        

 Robert and Katherine