Well maybe not busy as in traveling hither and yon (like I wanted to! Stupid flu…) but this one is filled with homework and such. *sigh* I am seeing a light at the end of this tunnel though! God is keeping me and guiding me. Even when I don’t feel that my life is going anywhere. When those feelings come around that is just me, not looking at the big picture.
On a different subject-
This time a month ago, three of my friends were laying in the hospital. Two in ICU -Betsy and Aaron- and the other constricted by her broken pelvis- Julie.
I stumbled upon my friend’s status on Facebook saying that the Cooks were in an accident and they needed prayer. After investigation and many phone calls, my supervisor let me leave work early so I could see them.
The oldest Cook sister, Amy told me everything that had happened. Amy was not in the van, she was tutoring. The van was hit by an S-10 that ran a stop sign. The van rolled and landed on it’s wheels
I got the story on each of the kids and her parents. Mr. Cook, a few stitches in his arm; Mrs. Cook, was very, very sore; Aaron was in surgery for his face; Julie had broken her pelvis; Betsy had several broken ribs along with kidney and liver damage; Brian had a few minor cuts on his hands, Libby had lost her glasses; Logan was fine, and Naomi had stitches by her elbow and on her leg.
When I seen Betsy for the first time there wasn’t very much color in her face. Her voice was low and scratchy. In the accident she ended up having several broken ribs and holes in her kidney and liver. I talked to her and asked her questions. Although she probably doesn’t remember what we talked about. I hardly do. But I remember her asking me how school was. I held her hand, talked, and fed her ice cubes. She drifted in and out of sleep, due to all of the machines she was hooked up to and the medicine she was on. Eventually, I slipped out of the room.
I am reminded how frail our lives are, just a few weeks earlier I was ice skating and sewing with her! My smiling and spunky Betsy was in pain, and I couldn’t do anything about it.
On my way back to the waiting room I heard a familiar voice, it was Betsy’s oldest brother Aaron. It was good to hear him talk. I looked in on him from the hallway. There was a doctor and several nurses in there. I didn’t want to interrupt, so I went back to the waiting room to inform others that Aaron was out of surgery, that I heard him talk, and he sounded fine.
After awhile I got to see him. I was surprised that he knew who I was. His face had severe cuts on the right side, his right eye was red and swollen, his left eye was tearing also. While he was talking I held his hand, just like I did with Betsy. He told me that he thought I was more shaken up about this then he was. I began crying, which I think showed for itself that I was pretty shaken up! I do not like seeing people in pain, or people crying. (Which there was plenty of for the next week or so).
The next day I saw Julie. Poor Julie! She was restricted to laying flat on her back, not only that, her roommate took up most of the room. This girl has lots of friends and a big family, this left them to sit in one chair or stand almost in a line between the curtain that separated the two patients.
When I walked in the room Brian( their younger brother, who was at the hospital the night before, and was going in and out of ICU along with me) was sitting in the chair and Libby(their younger sister) was doing Julie’s hair. Julie had three (I think) lateral breaks in her pelvis. In the van she was sandwiched between Aaron and Brian. Pelvises don’t sandwich well. I visited for awhile, then headed off to Betsy’s room. On my way there, I glanced into Aaron’s room. I thought he was sleeping, he later told me he wasn’t. He said it took so much to just talk to people, I don’t blame him!
Betsy’s blue eyes watched me walk in. I assumed the position and held her hand. This was going to be the routine for the next couple of days.
I spent the weekend at their farm out in Midland. I helped with the little things. Folding laundry, doing small stuff for meals, setting the table, feeding chickens, doing dishes, answering phone calls and keeping Naomi and Libby company.
That Friday Aaron came home. Naomi and I made a banner, we used guy colors like green, blue, brown and black. “Welcome home, Aaron!” hung from the doorway between the dining room and the kitchen. Almost a week after the accident he still had blood caked in his hair. The nurses didn’t bother to wash it out. Four towels, several wash clothes and two hours of him sitting in a recliner and me sitting on the piano bench behind him, I had managed to get most of the blood out. We had a pretty good conversation, needless to say you have a better friendship with someone when you spend a couple of hours getting blood out of their hair.
Even to this day whenever I look at the scar on his face I am amazed at how close he was to loosing his eye. But God is so good!
That night I slept a little better.
Saturday I did homework, did a blanket for Julie and did other little things. At dinner the family, erm, the ones who were home, were discussing who was going to the hospital to spend the night with who and who was staying home for the night. I said I could spend the night with Betsy and we could have “church” in the morning. My car was loaded up with food, blankets, my belongings and other random items for Betsy. I drove up to the hospital. We were in for a long night.
Betsy got her pain medicine, we were settled in for bed, but we spent that time on girl talk. Which, let me tell you, is NOT a bad thing! When we decided it was time to sleep, we were holding hands through the side of the bed. Everything was good until her pain medicine started wearing off. We were up on and off through the night.
I would get to sleep, then I would hear my name. I was up and alert. I would help Betsy then settle back in the recliner. At some point Betsy and I switched spots. To be honest I slept better in the hospital bed. The longest stretch of sleep we got was maybe a half hour, until BAM! Betsy’s elderly roommate knocked something off of her table.
At about 6:50 A.M. was when everything went downhill. Her pain medicine was started wearing off, we called the nurse, she couldn’t get anything until 7. Betsy lay there in pain. Then when she finally got her medicine, she was feeling sick and thought that maybe a walk would help. I helped her to her feet, she changed her mind and sat back down. Before I knew it she had vomited. I called the nurse’s station, then went out to the nurses station to tell them. “This is not good, this is not good.” Betsy said as I was kneeling beside her. Getting sick with damaged organs of any kind and broken ribs was not good at all! I am a puke-a-phobe, but that morning that was the last thing on my mind. I called Betsy’s dad and told him what happened. Mr. Cook and Amy were on their way. Betsy was given something through her IV to calm her down. I started reading Psalms to her.
Mr. Cook came in, knelt down, and hugged his exhausted daughter. Amy gave me a hug and asked if I wanted to talk. We both found an unoccupied waiting room. “If I could only trade places with her.” I began to say. Amy shrugged, “You can’t, but by holding her hand, you are taking away some of her pain.”
“Maybe our next sleep-over will be better.” Betsy said as both of our eyes filled with tears, before I left.
On the way out to my car, the dam that was holding my tears finally broke. Throughout the past week, there had been minor leaks, but that morning, ugh, it was time to cry.
I began to drive to church. I just couldn’t go home after that night. Not without spending time in God’s house. My eyes glazed over and tear stained, I told many of my week and of my friends. Sunday was my break down day. I needed it so bad. I don’t remember what the sermon was about, all I know is that my life was changed. God can take a terrible, devastating situation and bring all who were affected closer to Him.
Who would have known? Out of this situation, I have grown closer to one of my “adoptive families” as I like to call them. I can just go over to their house and be one of the family!
When people ask me how they are I tell them,
“Julie is still in the rehab center, but she is now walking. Aaron is still Aaron and Betsy is still Betsy and I am glad that they are still them! And I love them all!”
Psalm 23
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
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