Spiritual Battle
My brother was in a spiritual battle of his own. He was upset that they had gone to so much trouble in asking God to bring me back, only to discover that I would have no quality of life. He listened to the things being said by doctors. "He won't be able to chew food." He also heard the word "vegetable."My brother told me that regardless of what was said, "Everything is possible through Jesus Christ."
The professionals said that I would have to be under medical care for the rest of my life.
As Good as it Gets
After a little more than two weeks, I was moved to a nursing home. I was still using a catheter and being fed through a tube. My family attended meetings with the nursing home staff. They were informed that I had reached a plateau and this was as good as it was going to get.I was conscious, but saying very little that was intelligible. I had been in this place for approximately three weeks. After the second or third meeting with the staff, my family came in to see me. I remember this day and only a few "blurbs" of things before this. We communicated, though not everything was understood. But, I remembered! I remember almost everything from this day forward.
Physical Therapy
My physical therapy began with being sat up and then falling over. The brain damage left me with little muscular control. I was told, "You have to learn to sit so you can be put in a wheelchair, so we can work with you." I learned to sit up again. I was pushed in the wheelchair until my motor skills improved and I was able to do it on my own.Freedom
After removing the catheter bag, they started teaching me to transfer myself from the bed to the wheelchair and back. Freedom! I had speech therapy also.The physical therapist then began to work with my legs. I was told later there was no expectation for me to walk, much less on my own. They were right, except that "everything is possible through Jesus Christ."
In God's Grace
On January 1, 2006, four months since the day this whole ordeal started, I walked out of that nursing home. I got in my own car and drove away. I love all the people I met and got to know throughout all of this. They were all sent to me by the Lord who wants nothing more than a relationship with me.I have no memories of the events of August 31, 2005. No pain, agony or anything bad. The only thing I am sure of is that I woke up in God's grace surrounded by people who love me. My fondest memory of all was sitting in a wheelchair outside the nursing home talking to a lady volunteer. She told me, "God has a plan for you."
I said, "I wish I knew what it was."
She replied, "You are already doing it. You are letting people know God is still performing miracles."
And that is why I am telling you my story. It is beautiful, isn't it?
