Looking back & Moving forward...

November 8, 2023

Two months ago we were eagerly waiting for authorization to be admitted to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital. Two weeks from today we will go home. Rachel’s rehabilitation will continue through outpatient services. 

Presently, much of our focus is on this major transition, planning & preparing for what is ahead while “looking back” to the foundation we are building upon. 

The recent past (the last two months) provides so much encouragement. 

Rachel is standing longer, walking farther, turning her head smoothly, breathing better, swallowing more consistently and her lower lip has definitive movement. None of these abilities were there 8 weeks ago.  She can zip up her sweatshirt, move her sunglasses from the top of her head to her face, and yesterday, Rachel wrote her name legibly with her right hand. Our time at Brooks (Rachel’s hard work in response to exceptional care & therapy) has been tremendously beneficial. 

“Looking back” a little further reminds us of how we arrived at Brooks. Rachel’s surgery at AdventHealth Daytona Beach was a total of 27 hours. The surgeons removed a nearly 5cm tumor (non-cancerous) from her brain stem. The post surgery MRI revealed no strokes in the blood vessels that were “attached” to the tumor. It also revealed no significant damage to the 12 cranial nerves that send all the messages to the body from the brain. Eleven weeks in ICU, multiple procedures to elevate the CSF (celebration spinal fluid) from the brain, and pneumonia 3x’s while on/off the ventilator. 

Rachel left for work early Saturday morning the 24th of June. She worked 10 of her 12 hour shift and drove herself to the ER that night. They transferred her to the ICU in Daytona in the early hours of Sunday morning. We met as a family later that morning when Rachel assured the rest of us that she was “unafraid,” and we all agreed that a “beautiful outcome” would be revealed. In those moments together, before her surgery, we looked back upon an almost 30 year journey of love, faith, & joy.

“How firm a foundation….”

Isaiah 46:4 says, “I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.”

Moving forward….

It will be love, faith, & joy that will strengthen us through our future. We face many challenges and uncertainties, but life’s greatest and most secure truths remain true. God is with us & He is faithful!

One breath at a time & one step at a time. Each day is precious and has sufficient grace for its own purpose and “quality” in our lives is not attached outcomes. 

We are grateful for your continued prayers for healing and provision. 

Thank you all for your outpouring of love and kindness which helps our family to lift our gaze beyond our circumstance and warms our hearts with the comfort of hope & peace as we move forward!

Many Blessings, 

Jeremy