TODAY......marks the 1 yr anniversary of when Jeff went into cardiac arrest and was dead for about 12 min until he was revived and lifeflighted to Pittsburgh and started this journey leading up to a heart transplant 3 months later. It is still hard to comprehend all that has taken place this last year! We never dreamed that if Jeff did survive that night that he wouldnt have brain damage and or other issues. God has shown us that He IS the Great Physician! We saw a miracle happen before our very eyes that a few days after being down in Pittsburgh, he was in critical, but stable condition, but the morning of the 15th while waiting on rounds with the doctors in the waiting room, 2 of the doctors approached us and said that Jeffs blood pressure was bottoming out and his organs were shutting down......we needed to come say our, Goodbyes because he wasnt going to make it through the day! WAIT! WHAT??? Hes in stable condition, how can you be saying this?? After much crying and loving on him for about 30 minutes, I told the kids, No matter what God decides to do with dad, take him or heal him, we WERE going to continue to love God and serve Him! We changed our mindset and started praying, singing to him and reading scripture......for hours! At one point in time, we were up to 30 friends and family members in his room holding hands and holding vigil over Jeff. The Great Physciian heard our prayers and decided that Jeffs time on earth was not done yet! He pulled through to the shock and amazement of all doctors and nurses! They......WE ALL, were witnessing a miracle before us! It has been a very long, hard, blessed and rewarding year since that day that started it all! We have had so many thousands of people praying for Jeff and our family. We have had numerous fundraisers that were given to support Help/Hope/Live to help with medical expenses. The hundreds of people that were involved in doing those still overwhelm me! Friends and strangers have reached out in so many ways to help support our family and we have been blessed beyond measure with the kindness! It has forever changed us because of all weve witnessed and dealt with. We now enjoy going to churches and organizations and share our story with as many as will listen. This late fall to early winter we will be making a trip to southern states and speaking at churches that prayed and supported us. We are passionate about our journey. God revealed so much of Himself through it. We never could have made it without His strength and peace that was given to us! NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER!! I am posting some pictures of our year in reveiw. So many emotions I feel as I look through each picture and just remember. So many of you have partnered with us and I hope these pictures are an encouragement to you also in reminding us how good God is and how perfect His ways. Through bad can come good. God allowed Jeff to live, but the road ahead was going to be very difficult. The rest of his life will be challenging because of expenses for insurance and medications. We have learned a lot through these circumstances and have learned to accept help in ways that we never would have before. It has humbled us........we were used to being the ones doing, but I think God needed us both to be broke and to allow others to help us and to see what a blessing that could be. Dont be stubborn like we were about never accepting help, because you never know where God may place you down the road and with what circumstances to humble you! We are blessed beyond measure for the love and support you have showed us this year and we THANK YOU for all the ways you have shown Gods love and compassion to a family that was hurting! We love and cherish you all!
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 19:13:51 +0000