3. The Miracle
As for my part, I remember asking “where is my mom?” while riding in the ambulance and hearing her say “right here, honey”. I remember answering questions half-way, like “what’s your name?” “Angel Christine”, “when’s your birthday?” “November 9th”, “who’s the president?” “Ronald Reagan” (an incorrect answer by the way). And then back to what I thought was a deep sleep. I was roughly awakened when the EMT’s were taking the gurney out of the ambulance at the local hospital. I remember thinking, “who is shaking me awake from this really great sleep? How rude!” and then realizing what was happening. All I could see was a bright white haze, no figures, no splotches, no colors, just white haze. I could hear everything perfectly and do not remember feeling any fear or confusion. That was because Mom kept repeating the day's events to me while I was in and out of consciousness.
Fairly quickly, I was settled into a semi-private ER room and there were technicians and nurses bustling around my bed. I was still very groggy and don't remember feeling anything for a very long time. Eventually I woke up enough to realize I wasn't able to see. I asked my mother, "Hey Mom, are my eyes open?" She answered a quiet "yes". I thought a minute and then said, "are they pointed straight ahead?" To me, this is a funny question and gives me the giggles even as I write it but Mom wasn't laughing. She just said, "yes" a little bit louder. I thought for another moment and then asked, "Well, are my contacts in?" I thought that perhaps if they'd been knocked out that would be why I couldn't see anything. At this point, Mom was standing by my side peering into my eyes (although I couldn't see her, I could feel her there). She said, "yes, your contacts are in. Why?" To this day I am astounded and amazed by my mother's complete trust in God's faithfulness and her ability to remain quite calm in my presence. I simply answered, "Oh. Because I really can't see anything at all." Mom then quietly turned and went in search of a doctor to explain this phenomenon for us.
It turns out that the concussion was quite severe when I first arrived at the ER and caused some temporary blindness. In just an hour or so, I could see again. I do not recall the moment when I could see but only remember that eventually my sight was returned. It is possible I lapsed in and out of consciousness for a little while but as time passed the concussion dissipated enough to stop related symptoms. At one point, my entire body was checked for broken bones and injuries to my organs. Are you ready for this? Nothing serious was found.
I had a large abrasion on my outer left thigh, filled with gravel and dirt, two silver-dollar-sized scrapes on each shoulder blade, a black and blue left heel and a sprained right wrist. The bump on my right temple became a large bruise and a nurse came in to clean my thigh wound. Because of the concussion, I couldn't have any pain killers, so the steel-wool-type pad he used to scrub out the wound made me extremely nervous. Instead of crying or yelling, I sang every single worship chorus I could think of from my childhood at church. The nurses and doctors said it was the most pleasant room to work in and I believe I saw every employee on that floor at some point during my treatment. I only remember one time when I felt extremely irritated - okay, the first time I felt that way. I had just finished having my leg cleaned out and the person in the curtain-enclosed bed next to mine was whining. She was an adult, this I know, but I do not know what ailment brought her there. Now, when I say that there was whining, I don't mean anyone was writhing in pain or whimpering through a valiant effort to be brave. This person was complaining about not getting attention. I truly felt bad for the other patient but it became tiresome after a little bit. I didn't say anything out loud but even now I have a hard time being patient when someone whines and complains in my presence.
Soon, an aide came to take me to the X-ray room to check out the black bruising on my left Achilles heel. The X-ray tech took all kinds of pictures of my foot and after studying the films, asked me, "when did you injure your foot, honey?" I replied, "uh, today." He shook his head and consulted a partner. Apparently the tendon had been severed during the accident and injuries like that usually take a very long time to heal properly. "Well, sweetie, it looks to me like you've been healing for about six months here." I was amazed and very likely said something about how cool God is or something to that effect. The doctors then said I'd be unable to walk for a month and unable to run for 6 months. Although I would have loved to have an excuse not to exert myself, I was running in gym class 4 weeks later with no problems at all.
Shortly after the X-rays were taken, I was back in my room and the doctors were coming in asking for more CT scans of my head and urine samples - still checking my insides -and asking the same questions over and over again. Fairly soon after this, I became just a teensy bit cranky because it had been about 8 1/2 hours since the accident, my muscles were beginning to ache, I was hungry and was starting to feel quite upset and scared. I wasn't permanently injured and I just wanted to go home. I didn't quite understand the miracle that had been lived out in front of about twenty people that afternoon and evening. My parents had been busy filling out paperwork and meeting family members who had arrived in the interim out in the waiting room. I know I saw both sets of grandparents, Bill and April....I think. Although I can't remember everything clearly, I know that I was shown much love that day and for months and years afterward from my core support group, my family and church friends. Thank God for believers who surrounded us with their prayers during that time.
Nine hours after arriving at the ER unconscious and critically injured in the back of an ambulance, I received some crutches and hobbled out on my own, heading home to recuperate and heal from my miraculous day. Several days later my father took roses up to the ER for the staff who had so graciously cared for us and he testified of God's miraculous work which they had all observed with their very own eyes. The day of my accident, the prognosis was dim and experts told my parents to prepare themselves to lose me. But God said differently. Who knows how many lives have been touched because of His great miracle that hot, sunny August day?
As for my part, I remember asking “where is my mom?” while riding in the ambulance and hearing her say “right here, honey”. I remember answering questions half-way, like “what’s your name?” “Angel Christine”, “when’s your birthday?” “November 9th”, “who’s the president?” “Ronald Reagan” (an incorrect answer by the way). And then back to what I thought was a deep sleep. I was roughly awakened when the EMT’s were taking the gurney out of the ambulance at the local hospital. I remember thinking, “who is shaking me awake from this really great sleep? How rude!” and then realizing what was happening. All I could see was a bright white haze, no figures, no splotches, no colors, just white haze. I could hear everything perfectly and do not remember feeling any fear or confusion. That was because Mom kept repeating the day's events to me while I was in and out of consciousness.
Fairly quickly, I was settled into a semi-private ER room and there were technicians and nurses bustling around my bed. I was still very groggy and don't remember feeling anything for a very long time. Eventually I woke up enough to realize I wasn't able to see. I asked my mother, "Hey Mom, are my eyes open?" She answered a quiet "yes". I thought a minute and then said, "are they pointed straight ahead?" To me, this is a funny question and gives me the giggles even as I write it but Mom wasn't laughing. She just said, "yes" a little bit louder. I thought for another moment and then asked, "Well, are my contacts in?" I thought that perhaps if they'd been knocked out that would be why I couldn't see anything. At this point, Mom was standing by my side peering into my eyes (although I couldn't see her, I could feel her there). She said, "yes, your contacts are in. Why?" To this day I am astounded and amazed by my mother's complete trust in God's faithfulness and her ability to remain quite calm in my presence. I simply answered, "Oh. Because I really can't see anything at all." Mom then quietly turned and went in search of a doctor to explain this phenomenon for us.
It turns out that the concussion was quite severe when I first arrived at the ER and caused some temporary blindness. In just an hour or so, I could see again. I do not recall the moment when I could see but only remember that eventually my sight was returned. It is possible I lapsed in and out of consciousness for a little while but as time passed the concussion dissipated enough to stop related symptoms. At one point, my entire body was checked for broken bones and injuries to my organs. Are you ready for this? Nothing serious was found.
I had a large abrasion on my outer left thigh, filled with gravel and dirt, two silver-dollar-sized scrapes on each shoulder blade, a black and blue left heel and a sprained right wrist. The bump on my right temple became a large bruise and a nurse came in to clean my thigh wound. Because of the concussion, I couldn't have any pain killers, so the steel-wool-type pad he used to scrub out the wound made me extremely nervous. Instead of crying or yelling, I sang every single worship chorus I could think of from my childhood at church. The nurses and doctors said it was the most pleasant room to work in and I believe I saw every employee on that floor at some point during my treatment. I only remember one time when I felt extremely irritated - okay, the first time I felt that way. I had just finished having my leg cleaned out and the person in the curtain-enclosed bed next to mine was whining. She was an adult, this I know, but I do not know what ailment brought her there. Now, when I say that there was whining, I don't mean anyone was writhing in pain or whimpering through a valiant effort to be brave. This person was complaining about not getting attention. I truly felt bad for the other patient but it became tiresome after a little bit. I didn't say anything out loud but even now I have a hard time being patient when someone whines and complains in my presence.
Soon, an aide came to take me to the X-ray room to check out the black bruising on my left Achilles heel. The X-ray tech took all kinds of pictures of my foot and after studying the films, asked me, "when did you injure your foot, honey?" I replied, "uh, today." He shook his head and consulted a partner. Apparently the tendon had been severed during the accident and injuries like that usually take a very long time to heal properly. "Well, sweetie, it looks to me like you've been healing for about six months here." I was amazed and very likely said something about how cool God is or something to that effect. The doctors then said I'd be unable to walk for a month and unable to run for 6 months. Although I would have loved to have an excuse not to exert myself, I was running in gym class 4 weeks later with no problems at all.
Shortly after the X-rays were taken, I was back in my room and the doctors were coming in asking for more CT scans of my head and urine samples - still checking my insides -and asking the same questions over and over again. Fairly soon after this, I became just a teensy bit cranky because it had been about 8 1/2 hours since the accident, my muscles were beginning to ache, I was hungry and was starting to feel quite upset and scared. I wasn't permanently injured and I just wanted to go home. I didn't quite understand the miracle that had been lived out in front of about twenty people that afternoon and evening. My parents had been busy filling out paperwork and meeting family members who had arrived in the interim out in the waiting room. I know I saw both sets of grandparents, Bill and April....I think. Although I can't remember everything clearly, I know that I was shown much love that day and for months and years afterward from my core support group, my family and church friends. Thank God for believers who surrounded us with their prayers during that time.
Nine hours after arriving at the ER unconscious and critically injured in the back of an ambulance, I received some crutches and hobbled out on my own, heading home to recuperate and heal from my miraculous day. Several days later my father took roses up to the ER for the staff who had so graciously cared for us and he testified of God's miraculous work which they had all observed with their very own eyes. The day of my accident, the prognosis was dim and experts told my parents to prepare themselves to lose me. But God said differently. Who knows how many lives have been touched because of His great miracle that hot, sunny August day?
For some reason I don't remember this accident, even though we went to the same church. I am so glad the Lord chose to heal you and I'm sure your healing was a great testimony to a lot of medical professionals that day. I do, however, remember the rose gardens on Little Road. I went there the day of my wedding for 5 dozen roses to put petals on the tables. Love the blog, keep up the good work.
ReplyDelete