Ruth J. Raws

Friday Morning Update

2008-11-14T06:38:00.001-05:00

Good morning. Mrs. Raws has a trial run for her treatment today and then starts her seven weeks of daily treatments on Tuesday. I know that she will appreciate hearing from you on the blog or via email: rraws@comcast.net.

Thank you again for your prayers on behalf of Ruth and the girls.

Wednesday Morning Update

2008-11-05T10:55:00.001-05:00

Ruth had a good visit with the oncologist yesterday and will be having seven weeks of radiation (five days a week). This will begin in mid-November.

During these seven weeks we will keep you posted. Your encouraging notes on the blog will be very helpful. Thanks.

Tuesday morning update

2008-11-04T07:41:00.001-05:00

Please be praying for Ruth today as she meets with the oncologists. Pray for God's peace to flood her heart and mind. Keep blogging and encouraging her. She deeply appreciates all of your prayers and blog comments.

Tuesday evening update

2008-10-21T22:30:00.001-04:00

Ruth is doing very well all things considering. She had her stitches removed today and is healing nicely. She will now meet with two oncologists the first week of November. Her pulmonary doctor is urging that she have a different type of radiation so as to not cause further damage to her lungs. Pray for wisdom and continued peace.

I know that Ruth would love to hear a word of encouragement from you.

God bless.

Tuesday morning update

2008-10-14T11:05:00.000-04:00

Praise the Lord that the report came back that Ruth's lymph nodes are clear!!! God is good. Next week she will get the full report from the doctor and the treatment plan.

Ruth is filled with praise and thanks this morning to the Lord for His goodness. Write her a note of encouragement.

Tuesday Morning Update

2008-10-14T08:06:00.002-04:00

Ruth was in great spirits yesterday and was feeling much stronger. Her daughter, Jan, will be arriving from Michigan this week.

Pray for wisdom for the doctors and healing of the surgery site so that the stitches can be removed. Hopefully we will hear this week about the schedule for treatments.

Your prayers and blog enteries are a great encouragement.

Thursday Morning Update

2008-10-09T07:50:00.002-04:00

Mrs. Raws was not feeling 100% yesterday. Please pray that she will be able to get sleep.

Pray for her upcoming radiation treatmetns. She will be having 30+ treatments. Your blog comments, and most of all, your prayers are a great encouragement.

Monday Afternoon Update

2008-10-06T15:40:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Raws came through her surgery and is in recovery. The pathology report will take at least a week, but she did fine. Thanks for your prayers. Lord willing, she will come home some time later this evening. Please keep your comments coming!

Monday Morning Update

2008-10-06T09:29:00.002-04:00

Ruth was in very good spirits today despite the fact that she didn't sleep last night. She was just taken to radiology and then will go into surgery. Pray for peace for Ruth and the girls. Thanks for your blog comments. They are a wonderful encouragement.

Friday evening update

2008-10-03T20:25:00.001-04:00

Ruth will be having surgery on Monday about 10:15 AM. She will need to be at the hospital at 7:00 AM. Please keep the comments coming on the blog!

Thanks for all your prayers. Love, Ruth

Please Pray For Mrs. Ruth Raws

2008-10-01T10:24:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the blog for Mrs. Ruth Raws. Mrs. Raws has been diagnosed with cancer and we are asking our family and friends to pray and encourage Ruth and the girls.

Here is what I received from Cherri last night which explains Ruth's diagnosis and treatment plan so that you can pray more intelligently:

Dear Friends and Family,

I (Cherri) am writing this for Mom, since I seem to be the resident medical person (sort of). We just got home from the surgeon's office, where we got the report on Mom's biopsy. Mom does have cancer (that's the bad news).

The good news is that it has been detected very early. If you want to look it up, it is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), grade 3. The grade 3 part means that it is a more aggressive form of DCIS, so the doctor wants to do a further lumpectomy next Monday, which will include checking the sentinel lymph node for signs of cancer cells. Most likely there will be no need of further surgery beyond that.

The next step will be radiation therapy for 6 weeks and then going on a drug such as tamoxifen, since the cancer is hormone positive.

Mom is doing well with all this, although it is very hard coming on the heels of all that she went through this summer. she seems more worried about how we are handling yet another parent having an illness. She is very comfortable with her surgeon, who has been highly recommended by many people. Dr. Schneider is not only an excellent surgeon but also a very compassionate person.

Thank you for your prayers, love, and friendship,

Cherri

Your blog comments will be a wonderful encouragement to Ruth and the girls. Thank you.

Happy Birthday, Pastor Bill

2008-07-29T08:37:00.003-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PASTOR BILL !!!
WE LOVE AND MISS YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!

Video of Memorial Service at America's KESWICK

2008-07-25T19:08:00.003-04:00

The video from the Memorial Service has been posted

on the KESWICK website.

Click Here to Watch the Recorded Stream of the Memorial Service

MEMORIAL SERVICE

2008-07-21T09:31:00.004-04:00

Memorial Services will be held

in the Activity Center

at America's KESWICK

Friday, July 25, 2008

12:30 - 1:45 PM - Visitation

2:00 PM - Memorial Service

For a LIVE video stream of the Memorial Service - click here.

For more information on Pastor Bill's ministry - click here.

Sunday Evening Update

2008-07-20T20:14:00.002-04:00

This evening shortly before 6:00 PM, our beloved Pastor Bill slipped very quietly and peacefully into the presence of his Savior and Lord.

Please be praying for his dear wife, Ruth, and his daughters, Jan, Karen, Judee and Cherri, as well as their husbands and grandchildren.

Times and locations of the Memorial Service will be posted on the blog as well the Keswick website: www.americaskeswick.org.

Your comments on the blog will be a wonderful encouragement. Thank you for praying along with us during the past six weeks.

Saturday night Update

2008-07-19T17:01:00.001-04:00

There are several updates that I will share later this evening, but I wanted to give you an update on Pastor Bill.

Cherri just called and Pastor Bill continues to decline. He is working at with his breathing and has been given more morphine to rest. He is on 100% oxygen and his oxygen saturation levels are declining. The nurses have stopped the feeding because his body is not absorbing the food.

I think it is safe to say that at this point our prayer should be that the Lord graciously and quietly welcome Pastor Bill home.

Pray for Ruth and the girls. Jan and Judee are here but Karen is still in Michigan and praying about what to do. These are very difficult hours for the family.

Friday Morning Update

2008-07-18T08:52:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill's condition continues to be serious. We are at a point now in asking our many faithful friends to ask the Lord that if there is no possibility of recovery, that in His mercy and grace, He take Pastor Bill home to heaven.

As you can well imagine, these are very difficult days for Ruth and the girls. Pastor Bill has been a faithful servant of the Lord for these many years, and none of us want to see him suffer.

Please pray now for the ultimate healing that would be most glorifying to the Lord. I know that would be Pastor Bill's heart's desire.

Wednesday Evening Update

2008-07-16T21:44:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill is resting comfortably tonight though he is still working hard at his breathing. They were planning to do a CTscan tonight to see if they could figure out what else might be going on that caused the distress yesterday. Pray that the test will give some definitive answers.

One correction is that Pastor Bill DOES NOT have Mersa, but has an infection that is life Mersa in that it is hard to treat without the right combination on antibiotics.

Pastor Bill's daughter, Jan, arrived today from Michigan. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Wednesday Afternoon Update

2008-07-16T16:31:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill remains in CICU and is about the same as yesterday. He is still battling pneumonia, congestive heart failure, Mersa, and has a fever. He is under sedation and still on the ventilator.

Someone asked me this afternoon, "Is it wrong to pray for Pastor Bill's healing at this point?" My response was this -- that prayer is a win-win! Either God will heal him on this side of heaven (our desire) or He will heal him by taking him to heaven and receieve the ultimate healing.

Keep your comments coming on the blog!

Tuesday Night

2008-07-15T18:05:00.001-04:00

Pastor Bill's condition is deteriorating. His pnuemonia and congestive heart failure are worse and he has a temp of 103. They are trying to get him in CICU. He has had two severe bouts with breathing difficulties which has been very hard for the family to experience.

Pray for God's perfect will to be accomplished in Pastor Bill's life.

Tuesday Afternoon Update

2008-07-15T13:56:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill is very critical this afternoon and has been admitted back to ICU. He is having a difficult time breathing even being on the ventilator. Please pray for God's will as well as for peace for Ruth and the girls. Pastor Bill's daughter, Karen, just went home this morning, and his daughter Jan arrives tomorrow.

Tuesday Morning Update

2008-07-15T08:50:00.001-04:00

Pastor Bill still has a number of challenges, one of which is "mersa"
which is a staph infection. Pray today that he will also have less secretions for them to suction. The process is hard on his throat and is producing irritation. He also has issues at the trach and IV sites. One bit of good news is that the physical therapist was pleased with his mobility. He is able to move his hands and legs on command, but obviously is very weak.

On yesterday's blog we shared a hymn that was sent to Karen. It has powerful words and the tune for it is "Brethren, We Have Met To Worship." Try it!

Monday Morning Update

2008-07-14T08:30:00.002-04:00

Here is the update that I received last night from Pastor Bill's daughter, Karen:

Dad had a time of working too hard again later in the afternoon but Atavan
(sp?) seemed to take care of it by helping him relax. They have him on Cipro as another antibiotic so hopefully that will make progress against the pneumonia. Except for the times that he is sound asleep with his eyes open, he is alert and responds appropriately with his eyebrows, eyelids, and some nods.

One of Karen's friends sent her the words of a wonderful hymn written by A. B. Simpson. The words are powerful and are so fitting for Pastor Bill:

1. O Lord, breathe Thy Spirit on me,
Teach me how to breathe Thee in;
Help me pour into Thy bosom
All my life of self and sin.

Refrain
I am breathing out my sorrow,
Breathing out my sin;
I am breathing, breathing, breathing,
All Thy fullness in.

2. I am breathing out my own life,
That I may be filled with Thine;
Letting go my strength and weakness,
Breathing in Thy life divine.

3. Breathing out my sinful nature,
Thou hast borne it all for me;
Breathing in Thy cleansing fullness,
Finding all my life in Thee.

4. I am breathing out my sorrow,
On Thy kind and gentle breast;
Breathing in Thy joy and comfort,
Breathing in Thy peace and rest.

5. I am breathing out my sickness,
Thou hast borne its burden too;
I am breathing in Thy healing,
Ever promised, ever new.

6. I am breathing out my longings
In Thy listening, loving ear;
I am breathing in Thy answers,
Stilling every doubt and fear.

7. I am breathing every moment,
Drawing all my life from Thee;
Breath by breath I live upon Thee,
Lord, Thy Spirit breathe in me.

Thanks for your prayers. Keep the blog entries coming. If you can't figure out how to do an entry, you can email your comments to me and we will get them posted: bwelte@americaskeswick.org

Saturday Afternoon Update

2008-07-12T14:33:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill is having one of those down days. He has pnuemonia and a touch of an intestinal bug. His heart rate is elevated again and he has a temp. He is really working too hard with his breathing so that may not wean him off the vent again for another couple of days. Please pray.

Friday Afternoon Update

2008-07-11T14:13:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill had a tough night. Spiked a 103 fever and has a sinus infection along with an mastoid infection. His heart rate was also critically elevated. The good news is that he squeezed Cherri's (daughter) hand today! Praise the Lord. He is stable but still critical.

Thanks for your prayers. Please keep the blog comments coming.

Thursday Afternoon

2008-07-10T15:03:00.001-04:00

Some good news … Please note correction in red ...

The preliminary neurology studies show no indication of stroke but the brainwaves are slow which seem to indicate some kind of brain dysfunction. He has been more responsive today even though he has been in the C-PAP. and has an elevated heart rate. Ruth even thinks that he winked at her today!!! The assessment at this point is that he is experiencing the effects of this challenges with his ARDS, heart, kidneys, liver and the strep. If he were in his 30’s, he’d snap out of this much more quickly. His age obviously has a factor in how much or how quickly he will recover.

So … all that to say … God is at work, we don’t know HIS will, but we are praying for healing in the will of God. We also know this, we love Pastor Bill, and God loves him even more. But he still can’t have ice cream! :)

Wednesday Evening Update

2008-07-09T21:17:00.002-04:00

Jan, Bud Lingle, and me (Bill), had the opportunity to see Pastor Bill tonight.The doctors feel he is in congestive heart failure again, however, I was very pleased with how he looked. I was also pleased with his responsiveness.

I got in trouble because I asked him if he wanted ice cream. Both eyebrows went up and he was trying his darndest to smile.

Another concern was his elevated heart rate. Please pray that he will get a good night of rest.

Thanks again for your prayers.

Wednesday Update

2008-07-09T16:51:00.002-04:00

The update for today is that Pastor Bill has been off the vent and C-pac for five hours and breathing on his own (with oxygen) for about 5 hours. He has still been unresponsive and there have no reports from neurology.

Thanks for praying.

Tuesday morning update

2008-07-08T10:04:00.001-04:00

Pastor Bill was transferred to the fourth floor (The Specialty Hospital) at Kimball Medical Center. Visiting hours are from 12 -8 PM. I know that Ruth and the girls would enjoy a brief visit from you.

Thanks for praying.

Monday evening update

2008-07-07T18:08:00.002-04:00

There was no information to report today. As of 5:00 PM, the Neurologist had still not read the results.

Pastor Bill will be transferred tonight to the "Specialty Hospital" which is on the fourth floor. This is the rehabilitation area where they will be able to start doing some mild physical therapy on his arms and legs.

His breathing was a little better today off the vent. The big prayer request is that he would be totally weaned from the vent so that he could be moved to The Pines at Whiting.

Your comments on the blog and prayers are appreciated.

Sunday Evening Update

2008-07-06T21:37:00.000-04:00

I am writing to ask our Intercessor's family to be praying specifically that God will either intervene by showing evidence of healing of Pastor Bill, or that He will graciously call him home before Ruth and the kids have to make a decisions that are so hard at times like these.

While he has made some progress in being off the ventilator, there appears to be some neurological issues that could be serious. Tomorrow they will be running a battery of tests to determine if there is any neurological dysfunction.

Our prayer is that if the Lord is not going to restore him to somewhat of a "normal" quality of life, that He take him home. None of us think Pastor Bill would be happy in this current condition.

The days are long for Ruth and the girls, and the pressures are mounting the longer his illness continues. I had a precious visit with him last night and felt we had some good eye contact communication as I read Scripture and prayed with him.

I would encourage you to sign on the blog and leave a message for the family. Thanks for praying.

Sunday Afternoon Update

2008-07-06T13:05:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill is doing a little better off the ventilator and tolerating more time off, however, he does not seem to be as responsive today as he was yesterday. When I (Bill) saw him last evening, he was following me with his eyes and attempting to make some mouth movements.

Cherri said that today he was not responsive which could still be related to sedation issues. We are a long way from being out of the woods for sure.

The family really appreciated the response to yesterday's request for you to write comments. Keep them coming. The encouragement means so much!

Saturday morning update

2008-07-05T11:42:00.002-04:00

I just spoke with Cherri and Pastor Bill is a little more awake today, following them with his eyes and making some mouth movements. His respiration rate is slightly better and his temperature seems to be controlled.

They are waiting to talk with his pulmonologist which will possibly give them a better handle on the big picture.

I know that the family deeply appreciates your prayers. As you can see, there are many of you signing on to check the blog who never leave a message. I want you to know that your messages are a HUGE blessing and comfort. So please, don't just sign on -- leave a message!!!

Friday Afternoon Update

2008-07-04T14:24:00.002-04:00

They are still concerned about his respiration rate, but they are slowly starting to wean him off of the sedation to see how he will respond. Please pray that he will not get agitated when coming off the sedation.

Thursday Afternoon Update

2008-07-03T16:57:00.002-04:00

I have been waiting for a more definitive update today on Pastor Bill. They have decided to not wean him from the ventilator today because his breathing rate indicated that he was fighting the ventilator. The doctors are a little puzzled as to why he is breathing so hard being that he is already heavily sedated.

Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and peace for the family during these long days in ICU.

Wednesday noon update

2008-07-02T11:58:00.001-04:00

Pastor Bill was weaned from the ventilator today for about an hour, which was 30 minutes more than the last attempt. We'll take that as an encouraging sign. They did put him back on and he is still sedated.

The prayers of God's people are deeply appreciated.

Tuesday Morning Update

2008-07-01T10:02:00.001-04:00

The feeding tube procedure went well and it all goes well, they will be able to start feeding Pastor Bill in two days through the tube.

This afternoon they will make another attempt to wean back the ventilator and bring him out of the sedation. Pray that this will go well.

The family has lifted the restriction on visitors. Pastor Bill is still in ICU so the hours of visitation are limited. However, Ruth would enjoy your fellowship as she and the girls sit for many hours in the ICU waiting room.

Please know that your blog comments mean so much to all the family.

Monday Noon Update

2008-06-30T12:43:00.002-04:00

The procedure to insert the feeding tube is scheduled for tomorrow. Pastor Bill’s hemoglobin dropped so he is also getting two units of blood today. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Judee did get a return flight back to Colorado, Jan left today, and Cherri’s daughter, Allison, is having surgery at Children's Hospital today.

Here's a picture of Judee and Gary's new grandson, Amos.

Saturday evening update

2008-06-28T19:01:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill's procedure today to insert the trach ventilator went well, however, they were unable to insert the feeding tube. They are ordering a feeding tube to be inserted into the stomach, which will most likely take place on Monday. Tomorrow they will try to bring him off the sedation and also try to wean him off the ventilator. Pray that this will be a peaceful process and that he will not be agitated with all that has transpired in the past two weeks.

Judee (Pastor Bill's daughter) has been trying to fly out the past two days by standby and has not been able to get a flight. Pray that she will be able to get on a flight.

Friday Update

2008-06-27T17:11:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill will have the trach procedure tomorrow morning. They will be inserting the feeding tube as well. While this is a normal procedure, any procedure in his condition is risky. Pray for wisdom for the doctors and peace for the family.

Thursday afternoon update

2008-06-26T13:31:00.002-04:00

The procedure to wean the ventilator off was unsuccessful. The next step will be to do a vent through a trach. The procedure will be scheduled some time over awake the next few days. The vent trach will enable Pastor Bill to be awake. While this could be a step that will be long term, the doctors did indicate it could be reversible given Pastor Bill's good health prior to his recent illness.

Thanks for praying.

Thursday morning update

2008-06-26T10:46:00.001-04:00

Today they are planning to try again to wean Pastor Bill off the ventilator and also reinsert the feeding tube. This is a pivotal step today, so please pray for God to do something special.

Cherri wanted me to convey to all of our blog friends how much the family has and is appreciating your comments.

Thanks for praying, loving, and writing.

Wednesday Afternoon Update

2008-06-25T17:08:00.001-04:00

I tried to post this morning and blogger was not functioning properly. Pastor Bill spiked a temp last night as well has had an elevated heart rate. Both seemed to be under control with medication.

Obviously this is a long up and down process, so the family deeply appreciates your faithful prayers.

Tuesday afternoon update

2008-06-24T16:20:00.001-04:00

Today they made an attempt to wean Pastor Bill off the ventilator. While his blood gases were good, his breathing was still labored so he was sedated and put back on it. They will try and remove it again in a couple of days. His chest xray was the same as yesterday, so there has been no change.

The long hospital days can be draining on the family. Please uphold them all in your prayers.

Monday Morning Update

2008-06-23T09:34:00.003-04:00

Pastor Bill's test this morning showed no infection with around the heart/valves. The congestive heart failure is no longer an issue. They are going to try and wean him off the ventilator to see if he can breathe on his own. The doctor said that while there is improvement, he is still very critical.

Thanks for praying.

Sunday Evening Update

2008-06-22T23:12:00.003-04:00

Pastor Bill will be having a TEE (Echo Cardiogram) tomorrow morning to determine if there is any infection around the heart. There are some risks involved with the test, so please pray that all will go well. He was able to tolerate the lower oxygen levels today.

Thanks for praying.

Saturday evening update

2008-06-21T22:01:00.003-04:00

The report early this evening is that they will be weaning Pastor Bill off the 100 per cent oxygen which is a good thing. The pulmonary doctor did confirm however that the ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) is severe and that Pastor Bill is still very critical.

Please pray that God will bring healing to his physical body and that God's will in all of this will be accomplished. Pray that his body will tolerate the lower oxygen levels.

Pray for Ruth and the girls. Thanks for writing on the blog.

Saturday morning update

2008-06-21T08:30:00.002-04:00

Pastor Bill had a restful night. They are hoping to back down the oxygen levels today, so please pray that he will be able to tolerate the lower amounts.

Several folks have called and asked about visiting him. I would suggest that you hold off on visits until things stabalize. He is heavily sedated, so he would not be able to communicate with you.

Your blog comments are a huge encouragement to the family, but if you'd like to send a card, you can mail your card to:

Pastor Bill Raws
c/o America's KESWICK
601 Route 530
Whiting, NJ 08759

Thanks for your partnership with the Raws family.

Friday Morning Update

2008-06-20T08:12:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill had a very rough night and was finally put on a breathing apparatus early this morning. He is sedated, and with the assistance of the apparatus, can finally get some much needed rest. He is on 100 per cent oxygen, so please pray that they can wean him back down from the oxygen.

I know that Mrs. Raws and the family deeply appreciate your prayers as well as your comments on the blog.

Thursday Morning

2008-06-19T08:56:00.000-04:00

Please make it a matter of prayer to pray that Pastor Bill's lungs get stronger. At this point unless there is a drastic change, they will need to put him on the ventilator. PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

Pray for strength for the family and wisdom for the doctors.

Wednesday Evening Update

2008-06-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

Cherrie just called with a report that the result of the test this afternoon shows extensive pnuemonia. He called this Accute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. They have adjusted the meds so that hopefully Pastor Bill will be able to get a good night of rest. He cannot be without the oxygen mask for any length of time without it adversely affecting his breathing. Continue to pray that the antibiotics will work on the infection.

Thanks again for praying and for writing notes on the blog!

Wednesday Afternoon Update

2008-06-18T14:29:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill had a stable night but needs to sleep. The antibiotics are working well but they need to get his cough under control so that he can sleep as well as get his breathing regulated.

Thanks again for you prayers.

Tuesday Afternoon

2008-06-17T16:48:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill has made some progress today. The medical staff have placed him on VISITOR RESTRICTION so that he can get some rest.

The next 24 hours are very critical in his recovery, but the good news is that the antibiotics seem to be working on the infection and he does not have an infection around the lining of the heart.

I know that the family are being encouraged by the comments being left on the blog -- so please keep it up!

Tuesday morning Update

2008-06-17T09:54:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill had a rough night, to the point that they considered sending him to Jersey Shore. He has stabilized to a point that they have decided not to transfer him at this point. In addition to the strep infection, he does have congestive heart failure and bacterial pneumonia. There is another test that they need to do at some point, but it would require them to sedate him and he is not well enough to do the test right now.

I will keep you posted as I get information. Your notes of encouragement will be much appreciated by Pastor Bill and his family.

Update for Monday Evening June 16, 2008

2008-06-16T20:09:00.000-04:00

Pastor Bill Raws was admitted to the hospital on Friday due to an infection. Around 4:00 AM he experienced some breathing difficulties and was admitted to ICU.

He has a strep infection that is affecting his kidneys and also causing some breathing difficulties. He is very weak.

We would appreciate your prayers for Pastor Bill's recovery and for strength f0r his dear wife, Ruth.

We will update the blog as information is available. Rather than phone America's KESWICK for information, we want to encourage you to visit the blog as often as possible. You can access the blog through our website @ www.americaskeswick.org.

To write a word of encouragement to Pastor Bill and Ruth, simply respond to any blog posting.

Thanks for your prayers.

Bill Welte
President & CEO
America's KESWICK