Friday

I am sitting here with my sisters Jenny and Jessica. It was so good to see and hug my sister today after being away for three weeks. She looks just as good as I thought she would. I will get a picture posted soon for all of you...
Isabella is working hard at therapy every day. She has an expected release date of September 2nd, but depending on her progress, she may come home earlier. She would still follow up with intense outpatient therapy. School for at least the beginning of the year is still very much up in the air. She will have issues upon returning, for example being restricted in physical activity in order to keep her brain safe.
She goes to physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, school, speech therapy, music therapy, and massage therapy (every day!). She does at least 6 hours of therapy total each day. She struggles with identifying objects and people, short term memory, recall and understanding her situation. My dad was able to spend the day with her today and travel to her therapy sessions with her. At the end of the afternoon, they had a time when the kids could ask any questions they wanted. Isabella asked "What state are we in?" You can see that there are many pieces that still need to come together. She has not yet realized that she was in an accident or why she is in the hospital. She hasn't asked. That realization will be a natural progression in her healing down the line. On a positive note, she is reading and doing math problems. She can look at pictures of her second grade classmates and can identify first and last names, yet she can't recall what she had for breakfast without prompting.
We are learning that the brain is an intricate organ. Depending on point of injury, there are parts/functions that can be affected while others are not hindered in the slightest. The doctors are positive because of her age and the fact that her brain is still growing that her brain will be able to affectively reroute itself and completely recover what was lost.
She knows all of us and our names. She is just still seeming confused and hazy. She is, however, leaps and bounds beyond where the doctors expected her to be at this point. Give glory to God.
She has been upgraded to a regular diet! She can eat it all and she is. She is all grins and giggles. I have a picture of her smile to post. I am not at home right now, so I will do so when I have access to a scanner. Thank you all for being so faithful. Intercede. My sister says hello and thanks you with tears.

Jenny was able to spend the night last night with Isabella. She said that it was wonderful!
Isabella is now on a normal diet. We were all so happy that she ate her first pickle since the accident! (My family loves pickles and olives!) She had a bassett hound visit the therapy group today. She went to music therapy today. The therapist played Jeremy Camp music. Jenny was able to help Isabella do percussion instruments with her along to the music.
My dad is building bunk beds for the girls at his house and is almost finished with them. Soon they will have a bedroom all of their own. Life is slowly returning to normal...

An angel in bib overalls

Three weeks today... It has been three weeks. I can't believe how far God has brought my sister. I really can not get over how he protected her in the first place. My aunt Mary (one of my dad's sisters) just posted a comment on my last entry. You can go back and read it if you like. She mentioned that there must have been an angel at the scene of the accident, "an angel in bib overalls." She is referring to my grandfather, my dad's dad, who passed away in 1997 of Parkinson's Disease. He was a builder and wore, almost always, bib overalls. I have fond memories, all of them, of him in his chair and of course the overalls. I included a picture of him above. You can see for yourselves...

It is powerful to think of the heritage we have. In addition to that, it is moving to realize how God has worked all things out in a way that is so beyond our comprehension... We will never know on this side of eternity just why God brought a horrific accident in the path of my sister and her girls that day. We will never know on this side of eternity how He chose to spare their lives. As I have said before, we can, most certainly, know that there was a reason. I am grateful for the time granted them, especially Jenny and Isabella who sustained multiple severe injuries, and vow from this moment forward to live my life always letting them know how much I love them...

I am moved this morning as I remember fondly my grandfather. I am reminded that God promises us complete healing one day. He has done that for my grandfather. One day He will do it for me. He has worked physical healing in the lives of my family in the last weeks, but promises them that one day there will be no more pain, no more tears. The God who authored our faith will one day perfect it. How can you not cling to that promise? The verse below contains the words consider Him. I wrote a few weeks ago about remembering to stop and give God praise for all things. Today, stop and consider Him who considered you worthy of His life. There is no more important choice you could make...

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

Tuesday, July 28th

Not really much new to report today, but I thought I would post anyway. Jenny followed up today with her family physician. He was so very glad to see her walk through the door and was very personable and tender with her. I am still so amazed at how Cedarville (a town in which I grew up) has really lived up to the small-town-steps-up-and-acts-like-family stereotype. Thank you all for being so wonderful to my family. It has helped me so much being here to know that there are so many there who are willing to do just about anything to help my family.
Her doctor changed her pain medication, giving her something more. Hopefully she will sleep better because of it.
Isabella had a couple of golf pros visit the hospital today. She got to "putt" with them. Matthew said that it will air on the Golf Channel. He does not know on what show or when, but I will be sure to sleuth that out for all of us!

A joyous reunion

My sister called me this evening. It was very strange to see her name come across my caller i.d. as I haven't seen that in weeks. It made me once again so thankful for her spared life.... She was calling to let me know that she was able to spend a good amount of time today with Isabella for the first time since the accident. She hugged her, held her, and really just loved on her. I am sure it was good for both of them to see each other. They can begin to heal in a different fashion now... As far as progress, here is an update on Isabella. She is walking (or rather shuffling awkwardly). That happened just a few days ago. She has "upgraded" to a mechanically soft diet (no more pureed food!), including mac'ncheese and fries. Aleacia and Sophia were able to join Jenny and Isabella today. All three girls watched a movie together in the hospital bed (rails up of course!). Isabella recognized my parents today and called them grandma and grandpa.
She also was able to fill in the key words to the very first lines of Grandma's famous "Squeaky" stories. Squeaky is a mouse. My mother tells the best stories to her grandbabies. It is a nightly tradition should a grandchild be there for bedtime. Her story always begins with the children adding the same two words of the first sentences. It goes like this:
"Once upon a time there was mouse named Squeaky. He was so ornery and so cute." They happened to be discussing Squeaky today and Isabella was able to fill in cute and then ornery. I know that moment must have been very special to hear her recall those words...
Jenny said that Isabella is still very juvenile in her actions. She doesn't know how to respond a lot of times so she laughs. Jenny can see that Isabella is working out the difference between right and wrong. My sister said that part was very hard to see. She said that Isabella is doing great, but still has a really long way to go.
I know my sister is struggling with being able to have her life return to being normal again. She sounds very broken on the phone. I pray it happens for their family very soon. Join me in supporting them again in prayer as you have already been so faithful to do. Our family has been overwhelmed with support, love, and encouragement. God has used you in a tangible way. Thank you for letting Him!

Visitors for Jenny

Thank you for those of you who have spent time visiting Jenny. She would like to thank you for that immensely but also tactfully add that you please be respectful of her time. She let me know that she is just not feeling great still and long visits are very taxing. I know that you will respect her wishes and be able to discover the fine line between a refreshing visit and a taxing one. Thank you again for being so supportive in this time. Jenny is anxious for the normalcy of life to return and rest is imperative for that to happen. Thank you in advance for understanding.

Two peas in a pod...

Melissa was able to visit Jenny in the hospital. You can see that there are really no hard feelings between them. I posted a picture of them in their wheelchairs and also a picture of Melissa's cast that Jenny was able to sign. I believe it says 'Whoops. My bad. Love Jenny.' If nothing else, this picture alone is an amazing testimony of Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer. I am so thankful to see them both smiling. I haven't seen my sister since she was flat on her back in a hospital bed and very not with it. It sure is good to see her smile. I can't help but weep. God is so good.