December 17, 2013

Five Years Ago | Part 1


Five years ago, an early morning phone call came on Boxing Day.

It was my mom. James, my nephew, was in surgery. He had been in a car accident in the middle of the night and they were operating on his brain.

I remember picking my parents up on the way to the hospital.

I remember the walk down the hallway to the family waiting room.

I remember praying continually.

I remember the tears and the waiting.

I remember the surgeon coming out to tell us what he had done during the surgery. A short time later he came back to tell us that James was not responding as he had hoped.

From there  the news continued to worsen. James was taken to ICU. There was no limit to visits from the family, because it was not believed by the medical team that James would survive. Dale and Karrilee were even asked to think about organ donations.

I remember James’ head. Not a mark was on his body but his head was swollen. It was so big and blood was still coming from his ear. James moved and squeezed our hands but his Aunt Wendy, a nurse, explained to us again that his movements were involuntary. It was extremely hard to see him moving that way.

I remember our aching hearts.

I remember thinking about Lazarus and how Jesus raised him from the dead. I believed He could save James.

Wendy and I stayed overnight with Dale and Karrilee. When Karrilee and I were with James, we sat by his bed together...and sang. We sang hymns, choruses and carols. We smiled when I said James is probably rolling his eyes. The strength I saw in my sister that night amazed me.


2 comments:

  1. This was a powerful beginning - you will write the rest when you feel ready, but one can sense the love in your family, and the strength you pulled from being together.

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    Replies
    1. What a heart wrenching time for you and your family. You capture those feelings so well with your words.

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