On September 19 I wrote about dear friend and Ontario Business for Life founder Tom Fritz having being terribly injured that morning in an auto accident and asked your prayers for him. At the time it was uncertain as to whether Tom would survive the additional surgery that he needed.
Well, Tom has survived, but it has been a struggle. His daughter Lisa has kept many of us up-to-date on Tom’s progress and it really is incredible how he has pulled though the massive injuries that he sustained. However, Lisa is still asking for prayers as her dad is not out of the woods yet. Every day, it seems, has brought new challenges.
Lisa wrote late last night, “It's been two weeks today since Dad's accident. It's hard to believe actually. It seems like a lifetime ago in some ways and yesterday in other ways. Dad didn't have a great day today. Very confused and in a lot of pain. He kept staring at me this afternoon and couldn't tell Mom my name but after supper, he was more alert and asked me why I wasn't at work and told me he loved me so for me, it was a great day. First time I heard his voice in too long. He has moments of clarity and moments of confusion.”
Their parish priest, Fr. Luc Payette, who also happens to be the Business for Life chaplain, came down a few days ago and prayed over Tom and anointed him (Tom had also been annointed much earlier by the hospital chaplain while Jim Hughes and I were there). Fr. Luc is an exceptionally faithful, holy priest, as far as all of us BFL members are concerned, and it seems that his visit caused Tom to really rally. The next day the ventilator and both chest tubes draining fluids, were finally able to be removed.
The major orthopaedic surgery that was required to repair Tom’s many broken bones had to be delayed a number of times until he was deemed well enough to endure the surgery. Even then, after the surgery he suffered both lungs collapsing and other serious complications, including what doctors called a “shower of blood clots”.
Tom has begun to receive some light physio. Significant skin grafting still needs to be done because of deep gauging on one arm and there is so much else. The challenge now is to find adequate follow-up care closer to home since Tom is still considered critical and has a long and difficult recovery yet to go.
Please keep him and his family in your prayers
