Highs and Lows

~ lizlind

We are so grateful for those of you who so faithfully read these updates and truly carry our family and my Mom (and Wilson :)) in prayer!

We knew this journey would be filled with highs and lows and steps forward and steps backwards. I don’t think I realized how many times in one day I could have the swing of emotions. Rejoicing over the smallest of things to wishing that there was something/anything I could do to relieve just some of her misery.

Today, due to poor scheduling, our therapy sessions felt like a step backwards. All three were back to back and she just felt lousy. Just getting Mom out of bed and into the wheelchair brought tears (first time that has happened in a session) and a horrible wave of nausea (even while on nausea medication). Our big accomplishment this morning was simply not throwing up. There are a lot of reasons why she may be battling the nausea. In my completely non medical opinion I believe some of it is tied to the swelling in her brain decreasing significantly in the last 72 hours. We have watched it as it is quite noticeable. During this same time period she has become more and more herself but that also marks when she started feeling lousy all over. This evening, however, Dad sent an encouraging report that she was feeling stronger and we are thankful for that!

Would you pray with us for her nights? Dad is with her tonight and I spent the last two with her. The nights have been rough with very little sleep. Would you pray for real and peaceful rest tonight so that she can make the most of therapy tomorrow? Would you pray that the therapy sessions would be at times that work best for her? (There is no way for us to know what parts of the day will be best for her as it changes every day…but Jesus knows!) Would you pray for her body as it continues to heal and regulate after so much trauma? Would you pray that Jesus would continue to minister to her as she grieves and processes all that has happened?

As we mark four weeks today since we started on this journey we can’t help but thank Jesus that she is still with us and that we are out of the hospital and in rehab. We have a long way to go but He has brought us through so much and we have no reason to doubt that He will continue to walk with us through every high and low.

27 thoughts on “Highs and Lows”

  1. We pray many times during the day for Katy and for the family. It’s a constant thought. The journey is long, oh! But what wisdom you will learn on the path!
    Love and hugs~ Kathy May

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  2. We continue to pray for Katy, her family who are faithfully caring for her, and the medical professionals charged with the task of leading her return to normalcy.

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  3. Dear Anna and family, thank you so much for your faithful updates and for the information so that we can pray in detail for your mom. We know about surgeries, illness and recovery. Keep encouraged with the little things that improve daily. Rehab is hard, gut-wrenching work. Care-giving is difficult work and we know that. Praying for you all to rest, renew and that you can face tomorrow with energy. do not be afraid to address the issues with scheduling with your social worker. I, Judy, worked at a 200 bed rehab hospital near Pittsburgh in the Ot dept until I married Gail so I know that sometimes the family has to address some things. Sometimes schedules cannot be consistent, dependent on the patient’s health at the moment, but consistency is a good scenario.
    Praise Jesus for His consistency when all else is in a whirl of change. Bless you Anna for your help to your mom and for you care and love. Judy

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  6. Definitely will continue to be praying for her to have restful nights and ease of pain for therapy sessions to be successful and complete.

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  7. We have been praying for Katy, Stan and the family from the beginning of this journey. Each day we appeal to our Heavenly Father for His mercy, grace and strength. Much love – David and Carol Cosby

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  9. I am praying now and will continue to pray for good rest tonight. I will pray for the therapy sessions and for you and your dad as well. Be encouraged that the love, thoughts, and prayers of so many friends around the world are lifting you up during this time of great need.

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  10. We are continuing to pray for your mom, and encouraged that the brain swelling is visibly decreasing and she is becoming more herself – that’s such good news! Praying for sweet, long rest tonight and each night this week, and for the Lord to have the best therapy schedule in place for her each day. Praying for this whole process, as you said the many ups and downs in each day, that you will each lean fully into Jesus and trust each moment to Him.

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  12. Dear Liz,
    We are so grateful for the time your family takes to post these updates on Katy, the struggle, and the progress. When we read your posts, we sense we are all on this journey together with you. My mom used to say “there is strength in numbers”. She was right. Know we are praying daily, sometimes several times throughout the day, in the specific ways you request. I agree with what Maureen Lewicki wrote, “she is Your beloved”, as those same words came to me Sunday for Katy. Jesus is closest when we are most weak. Katy, may He wrap you in His love and strength each and every moment, may you sense it as He walks with you, leading you and your family through this dark valley into His progressively more marvelous light of day.

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  13. Continuing to pray to our most gracious and loving Heavenly Father worshiping and praising him, for you and your loving family that is ministering to your mom everyday. Lifting your mothers needs to Him who knows all and provides for today. May you feel His sweet presence in a new way today. Alice
    EastLake Community Church
    Moneta, Va

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  14. Your heart breaks to see someone you love suffering; so I am praying for you all. But especially for dear Katy — for strength, and peace, and that God will bring healing through the suffering and pain.
    With love, Ruth MacBride

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  16. Thinking of you all and praying always. We look forward each day to these updates, thank you! Praying that this will be a very good day! Our God is ABLE to do IMEASURABLY more than we can ever hope or ask for! He loves you all so much! Hugs to Katy!

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  17. Life is not always easy as I tell my children. “But it will be worth it all when we see Jesus” Tell Katy I am praying and thinking of her.

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  18. Praying for your family. For those who are right there and for those of you who live farther away because always Katy has to be on your hearts and minds. Asking Jesus to give you His strength each and every moment because there are times when you have no strength of your own. Praying Is. 43:2-3. That as Katy and all of you go through the deep waters and through these rivers of difficulty and walk through fires of oppression you will feel and know that the LORD your God, is with you. Our church here in Fairmount, Illinois is praying for you.

    Thank you for the precious updates.

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  20. I wake in the night also and pray. Praying today for the Lord to be gracious and merciful with a better rehab process, less pain, more movement, more cognition, less fear. Numbers 6:24-26…for Katy and each of you as well. Gentle hugs.

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  21. Liz, We are so sorry for ALL your mother has had to endure. And it of course, grieves all of you who have had to SEE her in all her agony. WE continue to pray for your dear Mother and for your Dad and you “girls” who have been LIVING this with her. God has been faithful, but it is a journey for sure. Praying that the peace, love and comfort that can ONLY come from Him will fill and surround your Mother as well as the rest of your family! ❤ Love and hugs to all!

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  22. Still praying every day. The “Wilson” gag is hilarious! I found myself turning the picture of Katie’s hand sideways where I was astonished to see the likeness of Wilson.

    Keep fighting the good fight, we are right there with you!

    Rich Kulovany

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  24. Prayers continue for all of you. I know that Jesus is with you and is giving you His peace and comfort and healing to our precious Katy.

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  26. Hi Liz

    Regarding the therapy sessions…I understand what your Mom and all of you are going through.

    At my work place, likewise, the patients have difficulty adjusting to changes of therapy schedule etc as your Mom experienced.

    Please, speak up for your Mom if you haven’t…therapists don’t always know what happened the night before and how medication is affecting your Mom’s output etc. They may not like to reschedule and will complain because they are under pressure for quota output but that is not your Mom’s problem. True, your Mom must attend all sessions, unless she is very sick and have restriction from the Dr on her floor, again because of insurance eligibility etc.… but if they want most out of your Mom, they need to work with her at the time that your Mom is not feeling nauseous. Possibly request to shorten the session to 30 min and do so at two different times for total of 60+min…encourage the therapists give your Mom time to rest in between or do therapy in her room (soon or later the therapists will catch on and willing to adjust)…speech therapist can do session in her room if it is not noisy or distracting, it is true that therapists prefer patients sit in their wheelchair or recliner and not return to bed during the day.

    You might already thought of it, to sooth nauseous, drink ginger tea and/or suck on ginger candy (sugar or plain). Not sure how your Mom likes raw ginger, suck on a thin piece of ginger also help.

    Move slowly and do slow breathing while changing position.

    All of you girls and your Dad are the best “nurse aides” that your Mom could ever haveJ don’t forget to get rest for yourself…when your Mom sleeps, you sleep!

    I do lift up your Mom and your family in prayer while I work with the patients…transporting them to and fro for therapy sessions.

    I see things that therapists don’t see sometimesJ

    Blessings n love

    Lisa

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