Every time I add one of these entries, I make a point to thank you for your fervent and continual prayers for April’s healing, and I also often try to remember to remind all of you that the prayers are being heard, and answered. Tonight, I would like to talk a little about exactly how, in some detail, they are being answered. The picture you are looking at, of course, are a few of our Christmas gifts to one another here at our household. Actually, the ones in solid red wrapping paper are for April’s dad, nephew, and step brother. The three “red” gifts, however, are very special for an additional reason. You see, yesterday, Philip and I came home from his basketball practice. Morrigan was in Wheeling at the state championship game. When Philip and I walked in the door, those three gifts were perfectly wrapped, by April, all by herself….using just her left arm. We were gone for about an hour, and she had those red packages all wrapped and ready to be given to her loved ones. It is interesting, too, that the packages are red, the color for stroke prevention awareness. Today, though, something even greater occurred in terms of proof that your prayers are working. This happened in church (of course!). When April got out of the hospital and started going back to church, instead of getting in line to go get communion, she would have to have the altar servants bring it to her. As the weeks went by, April proudly went up in line to get the communion directly from Father John. She would have to walk up, however, with her cane, and because she was holding her cane in, Father John would have to put the host directly in her mouth. She would not be able to take the cup because she could not hold the chalice (because she was holding her cane). The past few days, she has not been using her cane as much. I talked the other day how she walked up to her parents’ place without it to show off she doesn’t need it as much. Anyway, today, during communion, she got up and got in line…and left her cane at the seat. I took communion before she did, so I was able to watch. April was able to take the host by hand from Father John and put it in her mouth herself, and then hold the chalice and take the cup. She was smiling from ear to ear as she walked back to the seat (and walked back very well I might add). She sat down and looked at me with the most content look on her face, and kept smiling for a solid 5 minutes. My good friend Tony O’Leary and his wife, Theresa witnessed the whole thing, and Tony later texted me and told me it moved Theresa and him to the verge of tears. These are the things that show that if there is any doubt of the power of prayer, that doubt can end right now. Friends, she is turning the corner, thanks be to God, and thanks to your prayer intercession. Thank you! She is basically herself now, except for some certain cognitive/communication deficits, and impairment of the right arm. She gets around well, makes household and parenting decisions, is starting to do chores around the house; including making cinnamon rolls the other day, putting dishes in the dishwasher, and cleaning out the kitchen cabinets. Her mind is sharp as a tack, she has excellent memory, awareness, observation, and discernment abilities. She keeps me on my toes and has resumed her complete familial role that she had before the stroke. She is communicating well with Morrigan, Philip, Laura, Rick, and me; as well as people in the public realm. She might not be able to say completely what she needs to say, but she gets the message across. We went to the Huntington Mall yesterday. She walked around like she owned the place. She loves a good sale. She loves seeing anything with pictures of cute animals. She loves doing everything for herself and not needing help unless it is absolutely necessary. She went into the mall by herself while Philip and I were dealing with something outside, and she ran into my aunt and cousins and started talking with them on her own…. and we ran into a lot of other friends. Everyone was amazed at how well she looks and how great she is doing. And I am amazed at her. She is an inspiration. She is my inspiration. So many people having gone through what she went through in June/July may have given up, and I wouldn’t have blamed them. But she fought. She rocked her therapies, kept getting stronger, and again, is really turning the corner after only 5 ½ months. There are still concerns….there are still things that worry us, like the blood clot in her left arm…the lack of mobility on the right arm…the aphasia. But at this rate, she is going to show marked improvements in those areas as well in no time. If you told me a month ago she would be wrapping gifts and taking the cup, I don’t know that I would have believed you. So like I said…she amazes me. So that is it for now. Your continued prayers are appreciated. At a time when so many people have had such great losses, we know how blessed we are, and we know too where we can direct our prayers. God bless all of you.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 04:35:25 +0000
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