Friday, July 21, 2006

Staying Power

The days Jan spent in critical care were perhaps the easiest for her, because she was unconscious. The doggedness in that stage was from family and friends who decided in their hearts that they would not leave Jan alone. They prayed, and Jan lived.

The days that followed in intensive care and then in rehabilitation became a joint race in which Jan started to add her determination to that of friends and family. She felt the love, she knew she had to fight to get well to have another chance to reciprocate the love received. Everyone's efforts produced wonders and Jan started to show the stuff of which she is made. Soft heart, bright mind, tough will, open character. That was Jan with no frills, and this time with few words.

The day when Jan left the rehab hospital was when the marathon to get her lessened functions back really started. This is where everyone's real staying power is required. Just to illustrate: in the two weeks after Jan's aneurysm she received no less than a hundred and fifty emails and calls of support. Last week, Jan received a half a dozen calls and 2 visits. But she does not complain. She doesn't even mention this at all, however, there is a lingering sadness that is setting deep in her heart. Prolongued silence and isolation has its effects.

She misses the phone conversations with her friends. She misses the visits received and given to many friends. She misses the action. She doesn't know what to do with herself. She was an action person with strong opinions. Now, she still ahs her opinions, but not enough words to express them. She is painfully aware that she is "very ill" (that is how she describes herself) and that ironically, her strength: communication, has been taken from her for now. She knows deeply that there is a purpose but her patience dissipates on the everyday life and faith is often obscured by a sense of loss. Without words her face screams: I need my friends! I need some action! I need to feel valuable and lovable as before! In moments like this, her staying power looks very weak, at a breaking point. Her wide world has become very narrow and she is struggling.

Would you pray for Jan's staying power?
  • Jan will continue therapy until mid September, after that, we will have to find other alternatives to help her progress. Pray for guidance
  • Jan does not have a long term disability plan, and the therapies are expensive (in the thousands). Pray for financial resources.
  • Jan needs to keep her spirit up to make progress. Pray for peace and strength.
  • Jan needs to incorporate more people into her life. Pray for the renewal of friensdhips and that she will be open to make new friends.
  • Jan needs to overcome the moderate to severe expressive aphasia and the mild apraxia she suffers. Pray for the restoration of her language mechanisms.
  • Jan experiences continuous discomfort and pain in her right side. Pray for relief and faith.
  • Jan will stop taking medication to prevent seizures, it produces many nasty side effects. If Jan does not have a seizure, she will be free from teh medication, but if she has even one, she will have to take it for life. Pray that Jan is kept from any seizures.

You prayed before and she lived. Keep praying so she can complete her marathon of restoration.

-Fede

2 comments:

FC said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
FC said...

WOW! How to handle suffering as a Christian is a major item... thanks for the insight. As an observer of Jan's suffering I feel like a coward who would rather skip the test. Somedays I think I am spiritually bankrupt for losing faith and trust in the creator of Jan's brain. You hit the nail in the head... this week I was learning to be aware of God's presence and interest in every moment of my life. I ended several times with this overwhelming sense of eternity, best expressed by the song: "we are a moment, you are eternal..." and with an inexplicable feeling of gratitude and peace right in the eye of the storm. Thanks Linda Ruth, you are blessed among women, and we are blessed to be counted among your friends. In relation to the prayer requests, I stand like the widow in front of the Judge, insistently interceding for Jan, maybe the Father will hear my prayer and answer it. But I also stand corrected and I would add: Please pray that His will be done, and that Jan and I learn to accept it with gratitude and faith, after all, "we are the broken, [He is]the healer.."

We feel embraced by your love and blessings already.