Ian had a busy day of therapy today, and he was finally able to use the standing box- which is the first time that he has stood up in three months. We aren’t sure how long he was in it, but any amount of time is great. Ian’s nurse today, Bob, said that he fully believes that Ian responds to him, by deliberately squeezing his hands and in other ways. What an encouragement to have nurses who want to see Ian improve and who are excited by his progress.
This week in church we were given the article, “Don’t Waste Your Cancer,” by John Piper. It’s a great article with many insights on affliction. To prarphrase one of his points, you will waste your cancer, or other affliction, if you seek comfort from your medical odds rather than from God. It’s tempting to look at the statistics of how many people recover from something like Ian’s injuries or how quickly they recover. But we can trust in the name of the Lord our God that He holds Ian in his hands and His will must be done. Many times the aim of afflication is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on God. We don’t need to rely on medical statistics because we serve a God who is 100% certain to meet us, to come for us, to comfort us and restore love’s purest joys.
It looks like Ian’s recovering from the nasty flu he had. He’s feeling better lately. He even felt good enough today to do therapy and continue eating.
Thanks again for praying. I remind myself often that God doesn’t need my prayer for anything, and he still listens. The prayers I pray for my brother are as much for my benefit as for his.
By the way, this is a picture of Ian bowling. I’m not sure how it happened, but it looks like he’s having fun.
I’m sitting quietly in Ian’s room as he sleeps peacefully. He was still sick this morning, but has had a quiet afternoon. They are giving him a different feeding that will hopefully be easier on his stomach. Please pray that the flu would be on it’s way out of Ian’s body and that he would be well-rested and ready for therapy tomorrow.
“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” Psalm 17:15
Ian continues to fight the stomach flu, as he is still sick tonight (Saturday). He was able to have therapy this morning which is a blessing. Please pray that God would remove the flu from his body, as well as protect other patients and the staff that are caring for Ian.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13-14
I can apply this scripture that I’ve heard since a child in a new way. When thinking about Ian, he is fearfully and wonderfully made by God. God not only knows every detail of Ian’s body, including the stomach flu and his injuries, but designed them for His glory. But more important than the condition of his body, Ian’s name is engraved on God’s palms and his soul is entrusted with Christ. Ian loves the Lord and his hope continues to lie in Christ.
A coma is a term medical people use to classify someone’s neurological state of consciousness, and there are various stages to a coma. On the most common scale used to describe coma patients, there are eight stages. You and I are also ranked on that scale at a stage eight. In other words, we’re not in a coma, so we’re classified as being at a stage eight on that scale. On that same scale, Ian is at a stage three, so he exhibits some signs of consciousness. But, he’s still in a coma. We see occasional signs that he’s “in there,” but they really are very, very small steps toward stage eight or consciousness. In the brain injury world, the first six months following the injury are considered the early stages of recovery, and Ian is half-way through that period. All the things we’ve reported of Ian’s progress have to be viewed light of his condition.
But, there are hopeful signs, things that he does that help us see that he’s making progress. Today, Ian was able to respond to a command to lift a washcloth to his face. It was incredibly labored. It wasn’t complete. He couldn’t repeat it over and over. He even tried to drop his head once as he was bringing it to his face just to make the connection (pretty clever, huh?).
When we were discussing these things tonight, we had to remind ourselves of the care that the Lord has for Ian. Despite his very serious condition, we believe that God deeply cares for Ian and that nothing is outside of God’s control. This situation is somehow the best possible thing for Ian and for the glory of God. We don’t understand how this could possibly be the best thing, but we believe it.
Pray for us that we wouldn’t grow weary in faith. Pray that Ian would continue to make progress. Pray that he would be able to communicate with us, particularly when he’s in pain.
The doctors performed an EEG today to see if Ian has been having seizures, but we don’t know the results yet. Pray that it will be a good report.
Ian’s original neurosurgeon (from Presbyterian Hospital) said that the first six months after a brain injury is considered to be the early stage of recovery. After three months, Ian is halfway through this first stage of recovery.
Although progress may seem slow for those of us who miss Ian, keep praying that he’ll recover. But more importantly, pray that we’ll make the most of this opportunity to be patient and rely on Christ for every single need. God works his own timing because his timing is much better than ours (Romans 8:28, 2 Peter 3:8-9).
Ian continues to heal but he also continues to be in need of prayer. Pray that the sore on his back would completely heal. Pray that he would be able to close his right eye so that it can heal properly. Pray that his body would respond to the nutrition he is receiving. Pray that God would completely restore his knee.
“We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray.” -Charles Spurgeon
Ian’s church will be praying and fasting on Wednesday for him and others in the church. If you feel led to, please join us in a day of fervent prayer.
Sometimes I have a hard time with the middle of stories. I get hooked on the gripping beginning of a story and I know the happy ending I am hoping for. But the middle of the story can seem long and slow moving, especially if it is very sad, scary, hard and painful. When that is the case I admit I am the type to sneak peaks at the end to assure myself that things are going to turn out OK. Or if the characters are having a really difficult time and I feel I just can’t take anymore I will fast forward or skip the whole thing and go right to the end. I feel that way about Ian’s saga now. I remember being gripped in the beginning of all this when we were waiting every second for any news. How every breath we took and every tear we cried was a plea to God to spare Ian’s life. And He did spare Ian, He really did!! And I can practically see the happy ending. It’s just this excruciating middle part where character is being built, where endurance is being tested, where faith is being tried. Faith in believing that the Author of this story really knows what is best. I wish with all my heart I could turn to the happy ending right now. But as Caleb wrote earlier this is where the Lord has us all now. In real life there is no skipping ahead.
My point is this: the middle of the story can be very hard but God is in control of this part of the story just as much as the surprise ending part. He is the best author there is with perfect timing and with the most surprising surprise endings. As believers we are currently involved in another long middle part of a story – the story that ends with Jesus coming back for his bride, the church. It has been a very long and very painful time of waiting. Some people have given up and left the faith. Some people who were sure the happy ending would happen in their lifetime died while still waiting. Every day we hold on to the promises of God that he is in control and will come again when his purposes are fulfilled. It’s the same with Ian’s story. We can’t give up praying for Ian. Every day we hold on to the promises of God that his purposes are being fulfilled in Ian’s life and in all of ours, too.
Don’t give up. This is just the middle of the story. The surprise ending is coming. Remember what the angel Gabriel told Mary, “For nothing is impossible with God.”
Each day, Ian’s therapy starts around 9:30 a.m., with a session each of speech, physical and occupational. Speech works on stimulating his face and his mouth and is geared toward teaching him to swallow food and to communicate with his voice. Occupational works on range of motion with his arms. Physical works on range of motion with his legs and on wound care.
In the afternoon, Ian spends at least two hours in his chair, as well as three sessions of therapy again. Physical and occupational work together in the afternoon and sit him on what they call the mat, which is basically a big, hard bed. They sit him on the edge of the bed where he is gaining strength in holding his head up and is just getting used to the feel of sitting. Since the good news on his knee, physical therapy is working toward putting him in a standing box.
We continue to be surrounded by a very encouraging staff who keep telling us that they know Ian is in there. They often say how good he looks and that his face seems to be filling out. They are all working to hard to help Ian. We are reminded every time we go into Children’s of how underserving we are to be in a facility like that. God is so kind to us.
Ian had a busy day of therapy today, and he was finally able to use the standing box- which is the first time that he has stood up in three months. We aren’t sure how long he was in it, but any amount of time is great. Ian’s nurse today, Bob, said that he fully believes that Ian responds to him, by deliberately squeezing his hands and in other ways. What an encouragement to have nurses who want to see Ian improve and who are excited by his progress.
