An old saying goes that sometimes things get worse before they get better.  Hopefully this rings true and better days are ahead for country star Randy Travis, who is still in the hospital in critical condition.

In less than a week’s time Travis has seen a major decline in his health.  After being hospitalized for complications with a heart issue Sunday, the singer has went into congestive heart failure and had a stroke.  Travis’s stroke occurred Wednesday when the 54-year-old “Three Wooden Crosses” singer was being treated for congestive heart failure.  There is no word yet on just how bad the stroke was, but doctors relieved pressure on Travis’s brain through surgery on Thursday morning. Since Travis was in the hospital at the time of the stroke, there is a good chance that the doctors were able to dissolve the clot before it caused severe damage, such as paralysis or language problems.

The stroke occurred just hours after the singer’s doctors said that he was showing signs of improvement after inserting a pump to help increase blood flow through Travis’s heart.  Travis is reportedly still in congestive heart failure, something that the stress a stroke can have on the body certainly isn’t helping.  Kirt Webster, the publicist for Travis, released a statement regarding the situation: “His family and friends here with him at the hospital request your prayers and support.” Webster also added that he will release updates as soon as they’re available.

Before being hospitalized, Travis was said to have been in very good health in recent months and has been on the road playing shows lately. He was supposed to play at a music festival with the Dixie Chicks on July 13.  Webster saw Travis in meetings on Friday and Saturday and said that he appeared to be fine.  While Travis has had problems with alcohol abuse in the past, he has reportedly been sober the past few months.  The doctors haven’t said how much his past alcohol abuse has impacted his current situation.

The country music community has banded together to get everyone to pray for Travis.  “I always feel like he’s part of our family,” Keith Urban said, and Brad Paisley posted, “We’re all pulling for you Randy” on Twitter.  Other Twitter users are posting their prayers and well wishes for Travis using the hashtag “PrayforRandy.”  Nancy Jones, the wife of the late country legend George Jones, visited Travis in the hospital on Thursday.  Travis and Jones were close friends, and Travis sang at Jones’s funeral and planned to include a tribute song for Jones on an upcoming album.