Letter From A Friend (Jesus)

This letter was shared recently with us during one of our church services.  These words "So, please call on Me soon. No matter how long it takes, I'll wait-because I love you!" hit really close to home. 

Letter From A Friend

(Unknown Author)

I just had to write to tell you how much I love you and care for you.  Yesterday, I saw you walking and laughing with your friends; I hoped that soon you'd want Me to walk along with you, too.  So, I painted you a sunset to close your day and whispered a cool breeze to refresh you.  I waited-you never turned to Me- I just kept on loving you.    

As I watched you fall asleep last night, I wanted so much to touch you.  I spilled moonlight onto your face-trickling down your cheeks as so many tears have.  You didn't even think of Me; I wanted so much to comfort you. 

The next day I exploded a brilliant sunrise into glorious morning for you.  But you woke up late and rushed off to work-you didn't even notice.  

I love you!  Oh, if you'd only listen!  I really love you.  I try to say it in the quiet of the green meadow, and in the blue sky.  The wind whispers My love throughout the treetops and spills it into the vibrant colors of all the flowers.  I shout it to you in the thunder of the great waterfalls and compose love songs for birds to sing for you.  My love for you is deeper than any ocean and greater than any need in your heart.  If you'd only realize how I care!

My Father sends His love.  I want you to meet Him-He cares, too.  Fathers are just that way.  So, please call on Me soon. No matter how long it takes, I'll wait-because I love you! 

Your Friend,

Jesus

Current Brain Injury Recovery

I must admit in the beginning things looked really dim with no light at the end of the tunnel.  Everyday my attitude would get better and better though.  After all I really didn't truly believe in the Almighty Father until I had no choice.  I'm stubborn!  Our lives quickly switched paths with a brain injury and we dealt with our circumstances on a day to day basis.  I found out first hand what my limits are and went even further in the hands of the Lord.   I was blessed to see my wife survive death and at the same time thrown into harsh reality attending 9 family and friends funerals.  In the beginning I was scared and worried that we weren't going to make it.  But in the end this developed into a chance to trust in someone else.   Sure we lost a lot of money and material things but gained a unique understanding of life and what really matters most.  Good friends abandoned us, but we made more.

Shel never gave up and has endured her new life without missing a beat!  She learned everything over again, gained her strength back, became a fantastic stay at home mom and hardly ever complains.  I consider myself to be truly blessed!  There is no doubt in my mind she would of done the same for me!

Looking back I guess my biggest blessing has been inner peace.  I don't doubt my faith near as much and when I do I close my eyes and remember  "The most compassionate Almighty Father gave us a second chance."

To all caregivers out there......  Remember you have been chosen by the Almighty father.  Chances are there are some amazing things happening all around you.  Press on with your heart! 

To this day this story has continued to make a difference in others! 


God Bless!
Randy and Shelley

Rehab Finally!

After close to six months of some kind of hospital care, she would begin rehab.  Rehabilitation facilities are all different in their own unique way.  Take your family and research your options based on what insurance actually covers.  All insurance policies are different, consult with your case worker from the hospital.  It is very important for the patient comfort to make sure everything is in order.  The rehab facility will most likely start out very slow with limited therapy based on strength of patient.  The doctors and therapists will monitor your patient brain injury progress and adjust challenges accordingly.  Shel's first day in her wheel chair was hand to eye coordination which she failed miserably.  As a caregiver this is the time in your life to become completely organized and get comfortable for a long journey.  Acquire a attorney specializing in Disability when deemed appropriate. In the beginning life will seem hopeless, but trust me the brain is unbelievably amazing and will rewire itself even without you knowing it!  Take care of yourself! Get some relief with family members taking turns or go to your happy place.  Important:  If you fall apart, go somewhere alone and scream!  The patient has enough to deal with!  Keep your stress away from them at least in the beginning.  I was able to run a retail store, raise a 3 month old and keep our household going.  You can do anything with God's help!  Don't give up!  Someone is counting on you!

Stumped Doctors

After what seemed like an eternity, the hospital discovered her feeding tube had dislocated and was causing stomach issues.  They immediately performed surgery to fix this issue.  She only spent several weeks here this time gaining her strength back and skin color.  Her eyes were open but couldn't speak only with a hoarse mumble.   I made sure that I was informed of all information and continued my bedside vigil.  My intentions were not to be abrasive, but somehow I quickly established the reputation of a husband that didn't take NO! for an answer.   I made arrangements with key individuals to transfer to a different rehab facility when she was ready.

Note:  Insurance companies control how long you stay in intensive care before you are released.  To the outsider looking in the patient will not seem ready! 

The Vail Hospital Bed

Shel was transferred to a local rehab and was scheduled to start her long journey of therapy at least we thought so.  Almost immediately we experienced a major set back.  She began to get sick and weak for long extended hours for no apparent reason.  The rehabilitation facility scheduled test after test in an attempt to figure out her mysterious sickness.  Her status went from rehab ready to hanging on by a thread.  Many doctors were brought in to help including a infectious disease expert.  For everyone's safety she was quarantined from all other patients and placed in a vail bed.   The vail bed (pictured above) is designed to keep patients with balance problems from falling out onto the floor.  I spent weeks reaching through the nylon webbing trying to communicate and soothe her suffering without much success.  Finally out of desperation the rehab facility transferred her back to the hospital.  This was a major set back for us!   On the bright side, I wasn't to happy with the care she received here so I thought maybe we could move her to a different facility. 

She didn't give up!

Shel would eventually open her eyes and move her arms and legs after a couple weeks.  Her brain surgeons would attribute her recovery to her prior physical strength as a cyclist. She couldn't talk only make a noise like someone that was very hoarse.   Her miraculous recovery would spread quickly throughout the hospital.  Many times I would reluctantly leave her bedside to take a walk or grab some food  from cafeteria.  Strangers would stop me in the hallway and ask if they could pray!  Essentially I became sort of a celebrity from tragic circumstances.  My view of life started to change!  I realized life wasn't about me and I needed to step up and make a difference.  The patients on Shel's floor would get the miraculous news from their loved ones and start fighting harder.  Even though Shel still was not out of the woods yet, I started to realize God put me here on purpose.  All the things I focused on before money, career and prestige meant totally nothing.  The day finally arrived for her transfer out of the hospital to a rehab facility. Note:  Brain Injured patients are treated, stabilized and released.  Entering into rehab is just the beginning of a long journey.  Starting Rehab is really important because the brain starts to rewire itself the first six months.  Unfortunately Insurance companies don't cover long stays at rehabilitation centers.  We were one of the lucky ones!  Again I will have to leave my wife's bedside, this time to attend my step dad's funeral. 

The Almighty Father has a sense of humor!

In the coming days there would not be much change in Shel's recovery from emergency brain surgery.  Her skin color would become a little bit darker, but the swelling stayed the same.  In everyone's mind the future looked dim.  I remained by her bedside pretty much all hours of the day/night.  I noticed there was a VCR in her room and thought to myself what can I do to help?  I brought in videos of our 3 month old daughter interacting with Shel hoping to spark a reaction.   I talked to her almost constantly assuming or at least hoping she could understand.  My ritual was playing recent videos on the VCR and asking her questions.  One day I was talking to her in her unresponsive state about our future plans and goals together, with the VCR playing family tapes in the background.  I was pretty much exhausted and not feeling positive about her recovery!  All of a sudden, she raised up looked me straight in the eye and told me to "Shut Up" ..... Evidently she had been listening to our daughter's voice and wanted to hear her.  To this day I will never forget that moment!  The reaction has never been explained medically and she would spend months before ever being able to speak.  I look back and call it God's sense of humor!   My mental strength would be tested even further by leaving my wife's unstable bedside to attend my mother's funeral.