“My Daily Business” 

by Susan Browder

“Never stop praying.”  1 Thessalonians 5:17

After two weeks at Children’s of Alabama, the “baby step” miracles continued on a daily basis.  

We have covered Jacob’s door and room with pictures so that doctors, nurses, and therapists can see who he is and that he is not just another patient.  We brought in things that Jacob loved like his fishing rod, belt buckle, and duck calls. I want them to see my child.  The hardest thing at this time was seeing such a mobile, athletic young man so still.  We all missed our outgoing, comical, and sometimes annoying Jacob.  The next few days were really tough on us all. Jacob is still in the stage where he isn’t awake very much and his eyes are not all the way open. Physical Therapy came in for the first time to put Jacob in a wheelchair.  I don’t know the name of the gadget, but it straps you in and harnesses you up and lowers you into a wheelchair.  This really got us, especially my husband, Nicky.  So the next day, my husband asked to see the PT and in his nicest voice said, “Do not bring the wheelchair lift in ever again…”  So from then on, Nicky picked Jacob up and put him in the wheelchair.  Nicky had many conversations with Jacob reminding him that this was temporary and that he better get busy so he could get out of the chair.

Every day in my journal, I continue to write down my prayers, thoughts, and praises. But every day, constant praying was our daily business.  The more praying I did, the more peace and faith I had.  I believed God was doing business every hour in Jacob and I knew we were witnessing God’s restoration.  Our help was coming from the Lord.

But every day, constant praying was our daily business,

As each day passed, Jacob became more and more awake and we could see more of his eyes.  We walked in from eating one day and came into to see that his nurse had put his belt buckle at his waist with his hand on it.  Everyone on the ICU floor had fallen in love with Jacob.  Three weeks passed and Jacob started standing with assistance, sitting in a recliner, and using the remote.  The doctors kept encouraging him to use his right side which he had lost completely.  His faced drooped on the right side and he drooled constantly.  He could not hold his head up. He only faced looking forward or to the left.  He would not use his right eye or look right.  We decided to turn his bed so that he would have to turn his head to the right to see the TV.  He has lost over 30 pounds and was skin and bones.  But as I looked at him during this time, all I could keep thinking was that Jacob is the strongest person that I know.  I can see in his eyes that he is there, but very frustrated and he is working so hard to communicate but nothing will come out.  He is tired and done with the thumbs up and thumbs down to communicate and looks at me like he wants to punch me in the face if I ask him one more question.  

I just know that the verbalizing is coming because I see the fight in his eyes and the frustration.  He continually jerks every tube in him out on a daily basis, especially the feeding tube down his nose.  He is wearing us all out at this point and we are praying so hard that he passes his swallow test.  He went two times to take it and failed, so he went into surgery on day 32 to get a feeding tube in his stomach.

Even though there are setbacks at this stage, we can see God’s hand in everything.  Jacob pushes forward in therapy and continues to improve with more steps with a walker daily.  We just pray Jacob through every day and specifically now for speech to come, improve in PT and OT, and for the right side to improve.  As I look back in my journal during this time, my exact words are this.  “My thoughts that I get scared but then I am reminded of who is in control.  I am trusting with a heart of faith that God will heal Jacob.  HE IS ABLE!”

“He can do immeasurably more that we can ask or imagine.”  Ephesians 3:20

 “We can know that God is watching,
Always present, everywhere,
And with hope and joy and patience
He is waiting for our prayer.” —Roworth

If you’re too busy to pray, you’re too busy.

“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” Psalms 121:2

https://youtu.be/-Otg-5p7qug  Always by Passion Band

Counting my blessings,

Susan Browder