Oh what a season! We have had highs and lows the last few months with my sister. Talk of a medical plateau, followed by some medication changes, and some improvement. Then some trials all over the place at the same time. Its been a season.
We were told a few months ago that we could begin to be trained to take Katie on outings. This is simultaneously super exciting and a bit scary, and also very expensive. My mom was married a few months ago and it was Katie’s first official non-medical outing! She did great! She was exhausted by the end but we were all thrilled she was in attendance and I’m sure it meant so much to her.
(Photo Credit Arpasi Photography)
Christmas Day was her second excursion! We chose a time of day that meant Katie wouldn’t need anything medically while she was out. We were so fortunate to borrow a ramp from a neighbor for Katie’s wheelchair. My mom hired a transport vehicle to get her to my house. She was picked up from the rehab facility at 12:30 and then they picked her up from my house at 3:30.
I think she loved it! She was sitting in my living room like the 3000 times she had before, watching our kids open gifts and run around like crazy people. It was so healing for all of us to see her in a non-medical setting. To watch her comfortable and unhooked from beeps. To smell my house on her instead of hospital smells. It was magical.
It came to an end, as all good things seem to do. She was whisked out back into the blistery cold. I held her daughter and answered her questions (through sobs) about why mommy was leaving and where she was going. I squeezed her extra tight then let her down to scurry away with her cousins. Their resilience is a lesson to me!
I was reminded of the sermon on Sunday. The scripture says in Matthew 19:27-30
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (emphasis mine)
I immediately thought of my hurting family. Katie will receive 100x what she has lost on this side of eternity. Vera will receive 100x. Ephram. Katie’s hubs. Our parents. 100x our time, our tears, our sorrow replaced. What a joy! What justice! This great sorrow will not last. Its funny how you can go from feeling like life is so unfair to how love is lavished on us so completely. What a God to be extravagant enough to repay 100x our loss. We are trusting Him with our future. Now and forever. He can handle it.
Dan and I were laying in the basement watching a movie last night after we put the kids to bed. He started asking me lots of questions about the day and my feelings and I stopped him. Usually I want to share ALL OF THE WORDS but my heart had to just sit in it for a while. A while later I started to let little thoughts and feelings seep out.
“Wasn’t it sweet how my grandmother was holding Katie’s hand?” “It was”.
“Wasn’t it sweet how Vera sat in her lap” “Wasn’t it sweet how Nevin kissed her on the forehead” “Wasn’t it great how awake she was the whole time” “Did you see Ephram hug her goodbye?”
These thoughts and musings that came to our lips quickly turned to thanksgiving. Praises. It was a very Merry (and tearful) Christmas, indeed.
If YOU would like to donate toward Katie’s recovery, whether it’s to her monthly massage ($100), toward our very own ramp ($1-2000 AH!) , toward Katie having more excursions ($200 round trip), feel free to use the PayPal email, forkatiethewarrior@gmail.com. We are so very thankful for your generosity over the last 18 months. We feel your prayers, support, and friendship deeply.
rentals and beans 