Richard E Kelly

After I saw Darrell yesterday, I talked with Marlene and Darrell’s nephew, Mike. I believe that we have come up with a good plan to help both Darrell and Bob. I will tell you more about it on Friday.
In the meantime, Darrell responded well to a tough-love conversation that I had with him. In subsequent visits from Helen and Bob, and Marlene, Darrell was doing much better.

I met with Darrell this morning at 9:00 AM and he did not look good. He would stop in mid-sentence, dropping his head like he was going to sleep, only to jerk it back to attention sixty seconds later. He couldn’t explain his erratic behavior, so I talked with his nurse.
She said that Darrell had complained of severe chest pains last night and was given some heavy-duty narcotics. At the moment, he had all the symptoms of a drug overdose. And, the doctor seems to think Darrell has a bowel obstruction and plans to do tests later today.
To make matters worse, Bob is not doing well. His memory skills over the last two days have not been good. We are keeping an eye on things and may have to get him immediate professional help.
Marlene and Helen will be visiting with Darrell later today. This evening we will meet as a group and decide what must be done in the next twenty-four hours to reverse the negative health trends for both Darrell and Bob. We will then call Darrell’s nephew, Mike Anderson, who lives in Chicago, and get his advice.
I am so sorry to report such unpleasant news. However, I want to assure you that we have not given up on Darrell or Bob. They need our help, and we will do the best that we can. Please continue to say your prayers or send your best wishes.

Darrell’s vital signs continue to indicate that he is on the mend. But he is still way too tired when we visit him for me to be comfortable. It’s like he can never get enough sleep, he is disoriented at times, and watches TV constantly. I wish I could tell you some great news, but we love Darrell like you do, and I can’t tell a lie.
Helen and I plan to visit with him tomorrow and we’ll try to give him a bit of tough love. Then we are off to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where we spend six months out of the year. We leave on Wednesday, and while I may not be able to report Darrell’s progress daily, I will keep you informed.