Mimi and a Miracle, part II

The days following the two surgeries were full of a lot of waiting... waiting for test results, waiting for any response from Karen, waiting for the next visitation time. Just waiting. hoping. and lots of praying. Asking God to glorify himself through our family but bottom line, asking for complete healing.

On Monday afternoon we got the news that the hospital lab had found NO cancer in the pathology report from the initial surgery. Dr. Alexander had been under the assumption that we were dealing with more than likely melanoma, and yet the pathology came back clean. To be thorough, they were sending to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion. Another miracle. Another answered prayer.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and through most of Thursday we kept the four hour visiting schedule going in to see Karen. We would spend the 30 minutes singing, talking to her, and praying. Karen had been asleep since the initial surgery on Saturday night and had not responded to any of our voices or any communication with her. Those were long hard days, and it was difficult not to let your mind go to the "what if's". But on Thursday afternoon, just about an hour after we had finished the 2 p.m. visit Ryan got a call from the nurse in ICU. She says, "I need you to come back; you are going to want to see this." We of course load up and haul tail back to the ICU. When we walk in, she has open eyes, still not speaking, but is shaking her head yes or no, holding up fingers, and blinking in answer to our questions! Oh my word, I never in my life imagined to be so thrilled over a thumbs up, but we were ecstatic! The next morning, Friday morning, when we got there, the tube had been removed from her throat and she was whispering to us. Her other movement was minimum at best, but she knew us and was communicating with us. Another answered prayer. Another miracle.

And from that day forward she has continued to improve beyond what anyone ever hoped or imagined. She was moved out of ICU about 9 days after being admitted, to a regular room for about two days, and then to physical therapy floor after that. We all knew she had a long road of recovery ahead of her, but we were beyond grateful, first of all that she was still with us, and secondly, that she had a fighting chance and with a lot of hard work and prayers she had the potential for a FULL recovery. She stayed on the physical therapy floor for 3 weeks relearning activities of daily living. She did fantastic and made remarkable recovery in such a short time.

She was released from the hospital on March 6, 2010 just one month after walking through the emergency room door within minutes of death. Another answered prayer. Another miracle.

She and Steve stayed with Karen's sister for another three weeks while Karen completed more outpatient therapy in Mobile, AL before being release to fly home. Fly home! They had flown into Nashville on January 18th and had a short visit with us on there way to a conference in Jacksonville, FL and then on to Susan's, Karen's sister, in Mobile when the initial trauma happened. So, they arranged their tickets to be able to have there return flights from here on their way home. What a joy it was for us to get to see her again after all of the physical therapy and see how well she was doing! Walking on her own, feeding herself, reading to P, and talking like there is no tomorrow! And then on April 7th getting on a plane to fly home. Another answered prayer. Another miracle.

Karen still has 80% vision loss in her left eye and some vision loss in her right eye as well. She is still doing physical therapy and learning to compensate for the loss. I know it is frustrating and difficult for her but she is doing great! And we continue to ask Jehovah Rapha, the LORD our healer, to continue to heal her vision as he has the rest of her body and mind.

I think it is impossible for a person or family to go through such a situation and come out the other side the same. Death has a way of putting things in perspective. Priorities, relationships, values, choices...the list goes on. You find yourself, or at least I did, letting things go, and extending grace and love in place of frustration and anger. Relationships can be tough, especially those within families, so I am grateful for the lessons that God taught me through this. He is a sovereign God and 'knows the plans He has for us.' He proved faithful to our family time and time again and I stand in awe of His favor over our lives. To Him be all glory and praise!