Linking up with
Five minute friday with Lisa-Jo Baker over at
Every Friday Lisa posts a word to be used as a subject that we can then take five minutes to write about, unedited, without thinking, stopping when the five minutes is up. Here is my "Five Minutes".
Todays word: Encouragement
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Yesterday we drove 80 miles away
to visit our neighbor.
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Brandi and Brian had just completed and moved into their new home last spring, just months after giving birth to their son. Brian had worked his day job, then worked for months building their beautiful dream home just across our pasture. Often, I would see Brandi on their front porch holding their son, rocking in their pair of matching oak rockers.
But last Saturday afternoon,
everything changed for this family.
Brandi collapsed, Brian rushed her to our local hospital, where she was then helicoptered to a larger town, to a large trauma hospital. The news was not good. She was put on a ventilator and doctors determined she had a stroke, a large brain bleed. They removed the ventilator yesterday and she spoke a few words, but has no feeling or movement on her left side.
There I am
standing beside her bed
needing to say something encouraging.
Her eyes are open and I can tell she can hear me. But what do I say to this young mother of a small son. The usual came to mind. So I said "Let us know if you need anything", "Just call and we will be there to help" "Don't worry about food, when you get home, we will bring you meals each day"...
Her stare, her look did not change. You could see in her eyes she was scared, she was asking God for guidance.
"Will I get to come home?"
She is scared of what is ahead for her. Brian is scared of what is ahead of her. So I leaned down, kissed her on her forehead, and told her she was beautiful.
Then I said:
"MY father once told me.
You can still do the same things
you have always done, but now,
you just have to find a new way to do it.
Your body may change,
but your
heart and determination
are still the same.
You are still you."
Please keep this young family in your prayers.
How tragic for that young family. They'll definitely be in my thoughts and prayers. Beautiful post. Thank you for sharing that story.
ReplyDeleteHopping over from FMF!
While I'm sorry to read about the circumstances that precipitated this post, your words are lovely. You've nailed the essence of encouragement. Well done.
ReplyDelete[I'm here via Five Minute Friday. It's turning out to be quite fun today.]
What a beautiful post. What a good friend you are. Lifting them up in prayers this morning.
ReplyDeletePraying for them and for you. God can so use people like you. People with heart. Your words were the best words for her. And your father is right. 17 years with fibro and arthritis here, and I can still do most things, just have to do it different. But I am not the same as I was, I am better! May God bless you and your neighbors.
ReplyDeleteso sad and this makes me wonder why all these strokes are happening to our young people. one of my blog friends just went through this same thing with her 42 year old son in law.. i do have to say he is home and has movement, what you descibe is much like him, and he is doing so much better and can talk and is having therapy. so there is hope with all the new meds and therapy. still doesn't answer why young people are having strokes.
ReplyDeleteA word of encouragement. My very dear friend suffered a stroke three years ago. She was exactly as you described your friend. She walks and talks now. Not like she once did but she is back to her old self. We talk everyday on the phone. So, be there for her and encourage any rehab therapy that is offered.
ReplyDeleteJudy
What amazing words of wisdom and compassion - AND encouragement!!! Please know we add our prayers to yours for this family!
ReplyDeleteyou selected the perfect words for this young friend!! your words are a gift of encouragement. i'm sure she will treasure what you said and use those words to find strenght as she moves forward in her recovery!!
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