The fifty-sixth day

Yesterday, Harry, Anders, Grant and I visited Håkan.

The situation was still stable and Håkan had been bathed and redressed in the morning, so he was pretty tired and a little dazed from the anesthesia. He had even practiced standing up with the help of a tilting stretcher. Håkan can’t stand up on his own since he’s been lying down for such a long time, so he needs to start training the muscles which bear the body in a standing position. Except for his head, he’s lying completely wrapped in bandages, and the intensive care room is filled with apparatus and hoses. The beard is growing on his chin and he has sores on his head. Håkan still has a respirator, but every hour he gets to practice using the speaking valve, and then he breathes totally on his own and can speak. He has a special type of glasses which moisten his eyes, because it is somewhat difficult for him to close his eyes.

When we came in, he looked carefully at us to see who had come in. We shared a little about what had happened at home in the church and about all the greetings we had with us. We prayed for him and anointed him with oil. We sang praise songs and played the CD of “The Blessing” which the kids had recorded. Harry read Col. 3:1-4.

We expressed that we missed him and that we love him and pray for him. Then Håkan answered in English, “I can feel that.”

Håkan was a little irritated because he itched and it was warm with bandages all over his body.

When we left, he said, ”God bless you,” and lifted both arms as a little wave.

Afterward, one is so thankful to God that Håkan is alive and that the healing process is going so well. One also thinks that we must continue to pray because Håkan has a long way to go and the family still needs a lot of care and support.

Pray for:
- The healing of the back of Håkan’s head.
- His feet.
- That it won’t itch so much.
- Continued healing and that no infections set in.

Janne Sääf