A DAY OF SADNESS
Today we lost our beautiful little Helena. She fought hard, but this morning at 9am she went into cardiac arrest and the doctors and nurses fought valiently to save her. Helena was struggling to take breathes ever since her breathing tubes were taken out. The doctors were about to put the breathing tubes back in (re-intubate) this morning, but she went into arrest before they did it. Then they were able to bring her back and intubate, but they lost her heartbeat again and worked for almost an hour. The doctors were shocked and don't know why she didn't survive. We are shocked and our hearts are breaking.

Her funeral will be at Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN on Thursday, April 10 at 11am. Visitation will be before the service at 9:30am.

As we planned her funeral tonight, our bishop read to us Psalm 69:

1Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
3I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

13But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
14rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
15Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
16Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.
18Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.

These words are comforting us now and they also make us think that Helena was praying this prayer as she was struggling for breath. God has delivered her, but not in the way we can understand. We love you all and thanks for your prayers.

Aaron and Mary