Ive not been keeping up with posting updates on my nephew, Colin. This Caring Bridge post from my brother-in-law, Pat, that was written last night (9/10) is quite the update and something that I believe would inspire anyone, regardless of the situation. Definitely worth a read. Colin’s therapy at TIRR has been spectacular. Very tough, but spectacular. Today he did five hours of therapy and an hour of neuro-psych testing. His stamina is impressive. He is working his L arm very hard with his occupational therapist Anna. They have been trying to strengthen his biceps muscle so that it can keep the triceps in line and prevent spasm. He is doing all kinds of work on walking with Victoria his physical therapist. Today they went on the treadmill. It was quite a sight. One technician worked with his left leg, a second with his right, and a third supported his trunk, while Victoria coached them all. In speech, Colin’s therapist Carissa makes sure there is no easing up. She makes him do every sort of breathing and swallowing exercise imaginable, and she has outlawed one-word answers. This place is not for wimps. While Colin has been excelling with his therapy, I have been struggling to avoid impatience and frustration. To help me with that challenge, I have reflected on the quote from St.Peter Claver, SJ, that was posted on CaringBridge, “Seek God in all things, and we shall find God close by our side.” So I thought about everything that has happened, and asked where was God and where is he now? On the evening of July 6, as Lulling Police Sgt. Jeff Ferry worked with other first responders to put Colin on the life-flight helicopter for Austin, he had trouble fighting back the fear that Colin would not survive the flight. When Colin arrived at University Medical Center Breckenridge, he was completely unresponsive, not even moving or responding to painful rubs or pinches from staff trying to assess his consciousness. His Glasgow Coma scale score was 3, the lowest score possible. A breathing tube was placed, a hole was drilled in his skull to monitor and prevent the build up of pressure, and he was placed in the ICU with every sort of possible monitor attached to him. As frightening as it is to imagine Colin being removed from his car and placed on the helicopter, I know God was there. He put that kind and loving man Sgt Ferry at side and he helped quickly fill the waiting room at UMBC with lots of friends from Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. If Colin had needed an oncologist there would have been no trouble finding one as Susan Blaney, Patty Baxter, and Linda Shafer were all there to support Betsi. For sixteen days we did not see Colin’s beautiful green eyes. Complications mounted and we moved like zombies through days of worry at his bedside. Would he wake up? Would we get to feel his embrace? It was frightening and overwhelming, but God was most definitely there working through Super Moms Jill, Ellen, Melissa, and Linda to make sure we remembered to eat and sleep. God also put Mike Doyle there to be chauffer, problem solver, and friend, and He brought the Captains (XC Captains Scott Walker ’12 and Weston Novelli ’11) to Colin’s side, to spend nights with him and keep his hands stretched. And of course he sent the Jesuits (Fr. Bravo, Fr. Johnson, Mr. Fryer, and Mr. Esparza) the prayer warriors from Laity Lodge. And now this week, when my nerves have been a little more frayed and I want things to go faster, God has been at our side. Over the last three days Colin and I have had the chance to visit a couple of times with John Keller. I don’t know how to describe John, except to say that he is the “Rock Star of Rehab.” He was injured six years ago when the motorcycle he was riding was his hit by a car. He was thrown 150 feet through the air and flew like a “human helicopter”. He spent 70+ days in a coma (a persistent vegetative state if you want to be technical). It took a year for him to talk and walk again. So when John Keller, an imposing 6’ 3” man with big eyes and huge forearms, bounds (and I do mean bounds) into your room bubbling over with energy and faith, telling you that your son is “kicking butt” and that his recovery is going to be even more amazing than his, it is hard not to be inspired. It is hard not to be moved when John, his Dad, and fellow rehab star Scotty Thompson, ask if they can pray with you. As the family of the patient down the hall , “I felt like my feet were not touching the ground.” The prayers were very special, the senior Mr. Keller, a minister, prayed for Colin and me to not have frustration. Then today Chad and Melissa Barrett visited us. The Barretts their beautiful daughter Kristina this summer after a long and inspiring battle against a rare soft tissue sarcoma. Kristina was and is an Angel. After we visited for a while, Colin asked that we pray for patience, and led us in a very beautiful and heartfelt prayer. I feel so honored by the Barretts’ prayers. That these people, who have walked such along and hard journey and have such fresh grief, could find the time to visit and pray with us, is an overwhelming act of generosity. The Kellers and Barretts are such godly people that praying with them is like playing catch with Aaron Rodgers or shooting baskets with Kevin Durant. So … I guess if you do look, you will realize that God is by your side to help you with whatever you need ... like more patience and less frustration.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 14:07:40 +0000
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