Reunion and rescue

From Michelle.  12 July, 2010  8:30 a.m.

Dear friends and family,

I am enjoying a quiet morning back at my favorite place, beside Steve at the hospital.  Yesterday was my first full day balancing my sweet children and my wonderful husband.  I must say, it was a joy to know that they were settling in for the night and return to Harborview to enjoy a few precious moments with Steve before we both went to bed.  I am so grateful to Steve’s parents for watching the children and providing that bit of balance.

Yesterday Steve’s hospital room was ringing with life.  Aidan and Jude were hiding in the closet and playing board games with Sky’s two children while Zephyr was running cars along the floor, and at one point, preciously, running them along Papa’s unresponsive legs – a perfect road!  Both Sky’s wife and our friend Tiffany, an occupational therapist at Harborview, were massaging Steve’s neck and arms, and Steve’s parents were catching up with Steve.  It was a good thing we had a bigger room for the day!

A quick prayer request related to Steve’s room: we heard this morning that we will be transferred to another room again, as this room is for private insurance patients only.  The next room is a double room that is currently unoccupied, and we will be wait listed for a private room, as the double room could get doubly occupied at any time.  In other words, even this third room will likely be temporary.  My prayer is that we would get a room today that is private and permanent for the rest of our stay.  In the big scheme of things it is not an important detail, however it helps make Steve’s seven week stay here more comfortable if he can just settle into a room and a routine.  Even the kids will adjust better, I think.

We are, incidentally, so grateful for all of the staff at Harborview.  Our doctors are excellent, our nurses are kind and thoughtful, and our therapists are equipped to handle both the physical and the emotional challenges of this new life, a rare and lovely combination.  We continue to delight in the fact that 70 percent or so of our nurses are Filipino!

Steve’s prayer requests continue to be for healing.  I realize that it is sensitive to ask folks to pray for complete healing, and you must know that we are also completely willing and planning to make the best of Steve’s injuries as they stand. It is early days, however, and there is much range of recovery.  And God is great.  So we are praying boldly but with humble hearts for whatever our future brings.  In the short term, we are still praying for fingers (no movement yet there, but there are anecdotes where these come back later) and for the major functions that improve independence, like bowel and bladder control.  Last night I discovered some resistance in Steve’s right leg.  In other words, some small nerve response is happening there.  We pray for more!

I have a wonderful praise report!  We have indeed found a house to rent, a beautiful place in Edmonds that is already wheelchair accessible.  It is a wonderful God story; a friend of a friend whose son had a similar injury three years ago.  Her trial has now become our blessing, a beautiful place to recover for a time.  We are so, so grateful!

I am reminded again of a piece of 2Samuel 22:17-20, “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.  He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.  They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord was my support.  He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

We feel God continually rescuing us in our calamity.  Thank you always for the ways you participate in that rescue, in thought, word and deed!  We both weep with awe at it.

Love,
Michelle

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  • Lee_hall

    Dear Pastor Steve & Michelle,

    Our prayer is also for complete restoration. Two members of SIL suffered back injuries while in the Philippines & are now almost completely restored. One, a pilot (fell from a mango tree) is now training pilots in the US & back in the air when not on his feet. The other (a diving accident) with the more serious injury is back in Davao fixing computers & playing tennis with only a limp… may it be so for you! The pilot first showed signs of nerve life by moving a few toes a month after the accident.

    Praying for you all, Bill & Lee Hall Philippine translators

  • Deb (Talley) Thompson

    Praises to God for all the miracles He has done and is doing in this situation! I see no reason to stop asking for and expecting more, pressed down and overflowing.

    I keep thinking of LOTR for some reason, especially Aragon's address to the troops in The Return of the King. To paraphrase, “There may come a day when men will faint…but THIS IS NOT THAT DAY!” I'm watching you both as you chew this up and spit it out, one small bite at a time. You will conquer this. In some very important ways you already have. Continued blessings on you and yours!

  • Batesdays

    My commitment to praying for complete healing is absolute. It is an honor and a blessing. You are wonderful, and I would not hesitate to request this prayer from your brothers and sisters in Christ. Honestly, I would expect nothing else from a loving, godly wife. Trusting in God for His display of glory is a fine thing.

  • Deborahannegustafson

    Every night in Bernadette's prayers is God please heal Steve. We are with you. Asking for and believing in God's miraculous healing.

    So lovely to hear of the boys time with their Papa. Sweet little Zephyr bringing joy wherever he goes.

    love,
    deborah

  • Darren

    Bless you, Michelle. We miss you and the boys more everyday. And I think our prayer is growing in urgency. For Steve's complete healing. How could we ask for anything less? Of course we know that God will bless and sustain in any situation, but our heart is for complete recovery. Running alongside the boys on their bikes recovery. And every twitch of the finger, every resistance in his leg is a welcome sign of the much greater miracle God is doing. Steve, our hearts are unreservedly for you.

    Love.

    Darren

  • Naomi Diaz

    We continue to praise God in all these. Pastor Steve's journey day by day brings back all the Glory to our God. Praise Him.

  • Borgar Bjorkas

    Our whole family continues to pray for complete healing for Steve, and leave the rest up to God and His sovereign will. May you all feel God's compassion through this ordeal, and may He give you all, especially Steve, the strength to push ahead and continue the fight. We keep Steve and all of you in our hearts and prayers.

  • Christinesine

    Michelle it is so good to get these encouraging reports. We look forward to the time that we can get together to you again. Let us know when it is OK to visit. You are in our prayers daily

  • Snocap10

    We appreciate so much the updates on Steve and so wonderful of you Michelle to take the time out of your busy schedule to do this. All of the support your family has received and still receiving only proves the love everyone has for you. We are continuing our prayers daily and know God is by your side at all times.
    With Love,
    Linda and Dan

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/KVXJMO6VUJE5MDRGIZU5SSIXJA Julie

    Like many others, we beseech God for complete healing and thank our gracious God for His will be done..