Covid hits Evangelist Phil Schipper

fishinnut

Well-known member
Doctor
Elect
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
3,380
Reaction score
156
Points
63
Location
Walking among you.
Please pray for Phil (HAC grad).
The following is copied from him today.

"Hey Y’all. I’ve been kinda busy on this end the last few days. I’m hospitalized in NW Indiana with severe COViD symptoms. Biggest challenge right now is keeping my blood oxygen level at an acceptable rate. Just moved me to ICU and evaluating the next move. Had me on a BIPAP machine thru the night. Desperately need your prayers and deeply value your friendship and concern. Please hold Barbie up too. This is hard on her."
 
Just keep him off a ventilator!
 
8-10-20 update from Phil's daughter....

Dad is very tired today... The pulmonologist talked with him and said that he is showing improvements but he is still critical and in respiratory failure. He did say that he is cautiously optimistic. They have decided to start the convalescent plasma treatment and we are praying to see some good improvements from this. Please keep praying for him as well as my mom.
 
8-11-20 update from Phil's daughter....

"Dad did not have a good night last night. He didn't sleep much and he is mentally and physically exhausted. The nurse said the he is holding his own and not getting worse but because the exhaustion is setting in he feels worse today. The plasma treatment was a one time thing so now we just wait to see if it works. Please pray that he will be able to get good rest today and that he will either stay the same or keep improving. We are so thankful for the hundreds of people that are bringing his name before the Throne multiple times a day!!!!!!! Glad that we know the Great Physician and that He is in complete control!"
 
update on Phil 8-12-20 from his daughter....

"Dad got some good rest last night and he is still slowly improving. They are going to start the long process of weaning him down on the oxygen and see how his lungs do. He is still having to work very hard to breathe and that uses all of the energy he has. Please continue to pray as he still has a long road ahead of him but we are so thankful that he is headed in the right direction. We would ask that you still refrain from texting or calling him as he needs to reserve the energy that he does have for the oxygen weaning process. We appreciate all the love, concern, and the many prayers on dad's behalf."
 
How old is this guy?
 
update from Phil's daughter....8-14-20

He is struggling a bit today. The nurse said he is still holding his own but they weren’t able to wean him off the oxygen any today. They will try again tomorrow. He does have pneumonia now so please pray that they can keep that from getting worse and that he will have the strength to keep fighting.
 
Update from Phil's daughter 8-18-2020

He has made small improvements today, and we are very thankful for each baby step in the right direction. They started the process of weaning him down on the oxygen again today and he seems to be doing well with it. The nurse said his lungs are sounding better today. Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying and continues keeping updated on his condition. You will never know how much that means to dad and the rest of us.
 
update by Phil's daughter 8-18-20

There’s not been any real change in Dad's condition today. He had a chest X-ray this morning and the pulmonologist said that his lungs are looking worse. They started breathing treatments for it this afternoon. Please continue to pray for strength and healing.
 
Last edited:
Update from Phil's daughter 8-19-2020

Dad is having a good day today. He is down to 50% high flow oxygen and the breathing treatments that they started giving him yesterday have been helping his lungs. He is slowly improving and we are praising God for that!!! We are so thankful for the continued prayers made on his behalf!!! Y’all have been such a blessing to our whole family!
 
Update from Phil's daughter 8-20-20

Dad has had a little bit of a setback today. This whole process has been a rollercoaster and from what I have been told, that is normal with COVID. They had to up his oxygen cause he wasn’t staying stable on the lower setting. They will re-evaluate tomorrow and try to lower it back down again then. Please pray that he gets good rest tonight, he didn’t sleep well last night, and also that he would be able to keep his spirits up and have the strength to keep fighting. Praying and hoping for more improvements tomorrow.
 
Update from Phil's daughter 8-25-20

Dad is pretty much staying the same. He is not getting worse and we are so thankful for that, but he has really not improved in the last couple of days. Please continue to pray for him to have the strength and energy to continue fighting through this. We are thankful that we know the Great Physician and that He is in control!!!
 
Update from Phil's daughter 8-26-20

Today started out the same as every other day has for over a week now. We figured it would be another day with little or no improvements, but God had other plans. Today has been a good day. Dad is working really hard and the nurses are being very aggressive at lowering his oxygen. I think they want him out of ICU. He has been at 40L and 40% for 3 to 4 hours this afternoon. Which is where he needs to be, and remain stable, to be moved to a step down unit. Praise the Lord we are heading in the right direction. Please continue to pray for strength and for him to remain stable where he is. Pray for mom as well, as she is exhausted from everything and recovering herself.
 
Update from Phil's daughter 8-27-20

Dad has been able to keep his oxygen levels stable since yesterday so today he was moved to an ICU step down unit. And he is no longer in isolation, which he is so happy for. The best part though was that the ICU director made an exception and let mom come see him for an hour today!!! First time they have seen each other in 24 days. That was a happy and tearful reunion. So thankful for the prayers of all of our family and friends. We know the Lord is listening!!! Please continue to pray that he stays stable and continues improving.
 
Update from Phil

Thank you for praying. Today was another good day of progress.
Had Physical Therapy today. Walked laps behind a wheelchair and did some steps as we 5 steps up into the motorcoach.
Also turned my oxygen down to 2 liters!!! Keeping a good blood oxygen saturation rate.
 
After some 43 days..............Phil was sent home from the hospital today.

Thanks to all who have prayed, keep praying. He has a ways to go but he is headed in the right direction.
 
New update & prayer requests from & for Phil

Well, the result is NOT what I wanted, but the pulmonologist is sending me to ER to be admitted back into the hospital. He is concerned about my low oxygen level even at 4 liters of continuous oxygen. Please pray for me!
Waiting in the ER for a room. CT scan showed some possible small clots in my lungs but also much “fibrosis” from COViD. Not sure what the plan of attack is, but need all my friends to ask the Giver of Life and Breath to come to my aid. Breathing seems like such an insignificant thing...until you can’t. Love you all and thank God for your steadfast prayers and friendship.
 
UPDATE - I am in an intermediate ICU room to monitor my heart. I have had several bouts with a VERY HIGH HEART RATE - in that 150’s. My Blood Oxygen Saturation level has continued to drop throughout the day today. The CT scan revealed NO CLOTS but significant “fibrosis” due to COViD. Also suspecting that COViD has caused some permanent heart damage. They have increased my oxygen to 9 liters and I am maintaining a 92-94 blood oxygen saturation level. Praying that God will give my case His attention. Thanks for your prayers for Barbie and myself.
 
UPDATE from Phil - I was re-admitted to the hospital on September 31 for what was thought to be a short term stay to regulate my oxygen. That has morphed into what appears to be a transfer again into a “long term acute care facility” (LTAC) for more specified care. While this IS medically necessary it was NOT WHAT I HAD HOPED FOR! Please excuse me for showing my humanity a bit, but I just want to ugly cry right now. I put some music on the speaker and God had song after song minister to my hurting heart. I am so thankful for an “on time” God!
If I could ask you to pray for several things specifically - 1) That the doctors can stabilize my oxygen to a level where I will be able go home to recover. That level MUST be below 5 liters - I am currently on 7 liters.
2) That the insurance company would be reasonable and secure me a BIPAP machine for sleeping. Lots of complications here so I will spare you, but much of this may have been avoidable had I not started my days in oxygen debt.
3) That my lung condition and function would improve to lessen or end the need for supplemental oxygen all together. The damage that COViD has left me with is such that I need the touch of the Great Physician.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, PRAYERS AND CONCERN.
God remains GOOD and He is Truly all I need.

PS - an upside is that I have lost over 35 pounds since this journey began.
 
Top