Thank you guys so much for your prayers.
There have been multiple turns through the last 3 or 4 days (that's including before I made this thread). He got a little better for a short while, and then he became confused, angry, extreme difficulty to breathe, and then lost consciousness. It seems his lungs were retaining too much CO2 from everything I was told. Doctors wanted to put him on a ventilator, but a respiratory specialist advised against it saying COPD patients with his particular set of problems don't usually respond well, and most likely would never regain consciousness. He advised continuing the ongoing treatment regime (which we did), including bipap to assist breathing and to help clear CO2. This continued on for another day or so, his condition worsened,, and family were called in as it looked very dire. But then, as family gathered, he awoke from his unconscious state. All his vital signs started improving. And today (well, Saturday evening/night) they even took him off his bipap for a short time and let him get up from the bed to make a short walk around his ICU room. He's even eaten a little food, and he was able to talk (which he was so breathless before he became unconscious that he couldn't speak hardly at all).
I don't know if you can classify this as a miracle (our family does), but I do know everyone at the hospital was in amazement with how his almost hopeless situation turned around. He's still not out of the woods, but the last time I talked to his wife (just a short while ago) he seemed to be feeling better, and was even joking a little (he has a great sense of humor, even with all his problems).
My brother probably isn't going to live a very long time anyway because he is in stage IV COPD (besides his other problems), but it looks like he has a chance to win another battle and perhaps live a little longer. He has 6 grandchildren (including one born this year), and they absolutely adore him, and he does them too. And that's what it's all about. Life is so precious, and God has granted him a little more, and us who love him, a little more time with him.
Again, I, and my entire family, thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers. God bless you all, and may all of you (and your families) have a safe, healthy, and happy Christmas/holidays.
OFC
