Please Pray for Metropolitan Valentine

[尼古拉前执事]

Christos Voskrece!

I am very grateful to our Ever-Virgin Mary, to all the New Martyrs of Russia, and the holy Saints of Suzdal, that God has granted me to overcome my disease. I am grateful for all the prayers of all the Faithful that have been sent to God from all over the Russian Land and all the world on my behalf. I am very grateful for the pain and the joy which God has granted me. I am also grateful to his Grace, Bishop Gregory for his love and concern for my well being. I am thankful to the brotherhood of Dormition Skete for all their prayers, which they continue to send day and night to God on my behalf.

I continue to ask all the faithful for your supplications on my behalf.

Vo Istinu Voskrece!

Metropolitan Valentine

[尼古拉前执事]

3:06 pm Update

Vladyka Gregory came to see Vladyka Metropolitan this morning in the Intensive Care Unit. Vladyka Metropolitan was surprisingly alert and speaking. He expressed his gratefulness to everybody for the good condition and outcome of the operation even though he knows he had to be opened twice. He said that he feels that this operation went much better than the operation he received in 1996. He said he was in much less pain than what he had experienced in the previous operation, even though this time they opened him up two times. We are only permitted to give him small portions of ice and only a certain amount within each half hour for fear that he would become nauseous. When he asks us for more, we deny him, and he said that he is the Metropolitan and we must not disobey the Metropolitan. When we tell him we can't give him anymore ice, he said that we are his Egyptian Pharaoh taskmasters. So we see that his sense of humor is as good as ever.

This morning also Bishop Gregory, Father Dionysios and Reader Benjamin all gave blood in the name of Metropolitan Valentine to replenish the hospital's blood bank.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, the fathers will drive down from the monastery and give blood.

Thank God, Vladyka Metropolitan is improving, slowly.

[尼古拉前执事]

Thank God, everything seems to be improving. Vladyka's health and recovery is noticeable, even hourly. The ballon pump underneath his heart is still working, but it is only at half power. The doctor came in today and looked at the vital signs. He told us that he could see that his heart is strong enough even now to continue on its own and to show us, he stopped the balloon pump completely and the heart was carrying the full load on its own with no problem. He said, however, that they want to assist the heart in Vladyka's case a little longer, and he put the machine on again. Vladyka's color has come back to his face.

...

The doctor said that they plan to keep Vladyka in intensive care for one more day. In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) he has one nurse taking care of only him. After that, he will be given his own room on the 9th floor. Sometime next week he will be released from the hospital, but he must stay in Colorado. He will have to return two weeks later for an examination to determine his strength to travel back to Russia or wherever he wishes to go.

[尼古拉前执事]

11:00am

The pump that is helping the Metropolitans heart is only needed to pump at one quarter power now. He is feeling the most pain in his arms and legs. They are also bruised because of the removal of arteries from them to be used for his heart.

His vital signs and color are good. He has been given milk, solid foods and is taking pills instead of an IV. He has been sitting up a little in his room today and tomorrow he will be walking a very little. They are planning to take out the balloon pump and the tubes.

2:00pm

Vladyka's condition is improving. The balloon pump underneath the heart is at 1/8 rate, but he is in much pain in his arms, one leg and of course the chest cavity. The doctors said that this is typical. On the third day the pain is felt tremendously.

Today Vladyka also telephoned Russia. I am sure it was a comfort for all to hear his voice.

[尼古拉前执事]

Dear Faithful,

Christ is Risen!

Vladyka is progressing. They took the balloon pump out of his body, and he is not attached to any machine. His heart is on its own, pumping blood and receiving blood by itself. He is sitting upright, eating solid foods. Tomorrow he will be taken out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and given another room on the ninth floor until he is released, probably sometime next week.

Today was painful, but now it seems the pain is subsiding. Tomorrow, Saturday, Lord willing, the brotherhood will be driving down to Colorado Springs, receving Vladyka' blessing, visiting, and giving blood.

In Christ,

+Bishop Gregory
Dormition Skete
A Monastery of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church
http://www.BuenaVistaCO.com/GOC
http://www.ROACAmerica.org

[Грешник]

Dear Faithful,

Christ is Risen!

We just returned home from visiting the Metropolitan at the hospital.

Bishop Gregory, Father Dionysi, Father Peter, Brother John, Elisabeth Watts and myself were able to see the Metropolitan leave the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and move up to the 9th floor where the Cardiac Sector is.

When we arrived, the nurse asked that only two of us visit with the
Metropolitan at a time, so that he wouldn't become too happy to see us all
at once, and thereby raise his heart rate. We didn't have too much success
though keeping this obedience.

The Metropolitan is doing very, very well. It is astounding to consider that only a couple of days ago his body was undergoing such a traumatic invasion.

When we arrived, he was lying down. That was the last time he lied down
while we were with him.

Almost immediately he sat up, and put his feet on the floor. He was talking with us, blessing us, and eating as well. For over two hours he sat on the edge of his bed, and several times he even stood up. We had all we could handle to convince him not to walk out of the ICU, and this happened several times. He pleaded with us and the nurses to release him, to disconnect him from all the monitoring machines, to let him go. Of course, our hearts went out to him in such a plight, but unfortunately his time in the ICU was extended because his room on the 9th floor was still occupied.

Finally though they got everything ready, and we escorted him up to his new room.

The new room is facing west, so he can look out the bay window and bless us here at the monastery, and see the mountains while he is at it.

Before leaving the ICU, we did have a chance to see Dr. Anderson. He was making his rounds, checking on his patients. He is quite satisfied with
Vladyka Metropolitan's condition and progress. All indications are the
Metropolitan will be leaving the hospital later this coming week.

It was also good to see Father Andrew after so long. He is hanging in with
only a few hours of sleep each night, so please keep him in your prayers as well.

Vladyka Gregory plans to go down tomorrow again to visit with the
Metropolitan, so we'll have another update tomorrow evening.

God bless you all!

In Christ our Saviour,

• George, hegumen

[Грешник]

Dear Faithful,

Christ is Risen.

We just returned from the Vigil to learn that the Metropolitan has had a
stroke. He is being moved back to the Intensive Care Unit immediately, and all the doctors are being recalled.

He is also suffering from a high temperature.

We do not know where the stroke occurred, or how severe it was.

Metropolitan is being given a CAT scan now, and a nuerologist is being
called in.

Let us increase our prayers at this critical moment.

Dormition Skete