Daily Update on Father Benedict

From Father Glenn:



Today is Monday, January 19. Here is the latest update on Fr. Benedict.



Much appears to be the same on the surface, yet we are hoping much improvement is happening in hiding. Father's heart rate has slightly improved, but his blood pressure dipped a bit - two areas that are continually being monitored by his attending nurses.



A plastic surgeon examined the two head wounds which are now unbandaged and slowly healing. Father has one small but deep puncture right above his right eye which should heal in time. The second is a "Y" shaped wound more to the back of the skull. The mere fact the doctors are speaking of cosmetic surgery "in the future" gives us great hope!



They had Father in a slightly raised position to prevent fluid building up in the lungs; now he is lying prone due to some fluid buildup in the legs. The fear of pneumonia is keeping everyone on alert. Please, continue to "attack the enemy" with your prayers to the Holy Spirit. Begin and end your prayer by taking a good deep breath - fill your lungs, then slowly let the air out. This is what puts oxygen into the blood and what is not happening due to Father's shallow breathing.



Father John Lynch and the friars will continue to read, pray, and sing to Father as they have been doing sweetly and gently. Tomorrow, they will be making a greater effort to stimulate the senses - especially sound and touch. There will be a slight reduction of sedatives so that Father will come out of the "fog". There appears to be no brain damage and Father Benedict is not in a coma; nevertheless, the body has experienced severe trauma - a real "shock to the system" to say the very least.



A number of people have mentioned they have read our prayer for Father on EWTN. Perhaps if we make copies, we can be praying together in a very special way. I will give you another update, if God wills, tomorrow night. God bless you!