Week Seven at Harmarville
Week Seven
Day Forty-three...
July 16, 2003
This was the first day of the 7th week here at Harmarville.
Greg's tentative release date is August 28th so that's another
6 weeks if that date holds. Half way there. It will be
interesting to see where God leads in these next weeks.
We're hopeful that Greg can get connected by next week.
He's anxious to use a computer again. He got another chair
to try out. This one has center wheel drive. He'll probably
get a chance to try more before he leaves.
I'd like to ask your prayers specifically for Josh and Luke.
Three months is an eternity for little guys. Most of the time
they're OK, but sometimes they're kind of sad. It will be good
when Greg finally gets home and they can settle into family life.
Speaking of which...I understand that Jim Maurer and Pat McCartney
widened the door between Greg and Francie's garage and lower level.
Josh said that the door looked good. I think Dave Bachman, who has
volunteered to help as contractor with the temporary renovation,
is going over tonight. Cricket (from Harmarville) is supposed to
be there next Thursday to check things out. So progress is being made.
We all feel so blessed to have so many people praying and helping in
all kinds of ways. Thank God for all of you.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty-four...
July 17, 2003
A couple of new things to report. Yesterday in hand therapy,
Greg used his left hand to move these little blocks with holes
on them from a low dowel to a higher one. It's hard to explain,
but it requires the ability to use his wrist to provide a grip
between his thumb and forefinger and then to use his upper arm
muscles to hold while he works the block on the next dowel.
He couldn't do that at all before. Last Wednesday, he attempted
to pick up 9, 1/4" dowels and place them into holes in a little
block. He couldn't do it at all. Today he picked them all up and
placed them in the block and then removed them all. It took 6
minutes and 44 seconds. It will be fun to see how he does the next time he's timed.
He also stood on the standing frame again yesterday.
Perhaps tomorrow again. The goal is to increase the
time in the standing frame to move him on to bigger and better challenges.
Also, I'd like to share some extraordinary news. We have been trying to
get our arms around some of the potential expenses, remodeling, equipment
and transportation including a van to be able to transport Greg and
his wheel chair. The night before last we got a call from Lois Meals,
Tom's cousin. She and her twin sister Linda are former jockeys and
currently board horses. We haven't seen them in quite a while.
Anyway, Lois said that they used to take care of a woman who was
in a manual wheelchair. She passed aware a while ago. So,
they have a van complete with a wheelchair lift that they will
give to Greg. It is a 1994 Econoline with only 54,000 miles.
What an amazing God we have!!!
" Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you eat or drink; or about your body, what you will
wear. Is not life more important than clothes? Look at
the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store
away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you
by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why
do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the
field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you
that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed
like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass
of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown
in the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of
little faith? ....For the pagans run after all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all
these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6: 25-30,32-33.
We are trying very hard to seek God's kingdom first. It's so easy to
get sidetracked and to let the ways of the world define what we do.
We fight against that every day. Trying to discern his will in all
of this...so that, having come this far, we don't stumble now.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty-five...
July 18, 2003
Hi all !
Today was the day of the annual Spinal Cord Injury picnic. Former patients come back for it.
There was picnic food, one of those guys that makes balloon characters, an artist and a disc
jockey, who was a former patient. It was pretty cool. It was held in the gym since it
kept raining off and on.
I didn't go to the hospital today until about 12:30. So most of what I am reporting
came from Greg. He had ADLs with Michelle this morning. He could put his T shirt
over his head with minimal assistance. That was either at or better than goal.
In PT he had a goal to "short sit" for 15 seconds. Short sitting means sitting
on the side of the mat (which is raised about 18 inches) without using arms for
support. He did it for 47 seconds. Chris (the PT) also said that today was
his best for providing a boost in the transfer. Greg has to find a place to
set his hands, then locks his elbows, to provide some help with the transfer.
Thanks to all of you who have sent notes about how your spiritual life has changed.
Frankly, so has mine. In a situation like this, where there is nothing we can do,
we must trust God ..which is, of course, what we should have been doing all along.
I have come to realize more and more that there is nothing to count on except
Him and the work he does through people. As I said yesterday, it's easy to
get sidetracked. It's easy to come to believe that the end justifies the
means: To worry too much about what tomorrow will bring. On May 27th,
the day before Greg's accident, there were so many things that we thought
we knew...that we were pretty sure of, that we counted on..Today the
future is much dimmer to me...not in a bad way...but I look forward to
it with so much more anticipation..What will God do tomorrow?
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty-six...
July 19, 2003
Not a lot to report today. It was a short therapy day...especially since Greg
wasn't gotten up, dressed and fed in time for PT at 0900. He arrived 45 minutes
late. Not good. He did spend 1 1/2 hours in OT however. He said that he was
putting coins in a bank. Something else that he couldn't do just a week or two ago.
Preparations were being made today for Greg's trip home tomorrow. Francie and
Heather loaded the power chair into the new van. Francie will take it home
and meet Jeff Campbell at the church at 715AM. Jeff has been gracious enough
to lend the use of his car and to go with Francie to help with the transport
in the morning. His car is larger and has leather seats, making the transfer
a bit easier. They should get to Harmarville around 0800. Hopefully Greg
will already be up and dressed so that he can get breakfast and they can be
out the door by 0830. In the meantime, Jon Oberdick will get the power
chair out of the van and have it ready at the church for Greg's arrival.
Greg has plans to set Allan's computer up so that he can get connected at the church.
(For those of you who don't know, Allan Drake is our new pastor. His first Sunday
is tomorrow. Greg was on the committee that recommended Allan and they've become
friends.) Tomorrow will be Greg's first time in worship since May 18th. He
won't be singing up front yet. He's still working on his abdominal muscles.
Right after church is a reception for Allan which Greg also plans to attend: at
least for a little while. Then eventually here for lunch. The guys at the
machine shop where Tom works built a little ramp so that Greg can get into
our back door. Then we'll play it by ear from there. We don't want to
exhaust him on his first major trip out.
I'll let you know tomorrow how it all went.
Also, a young girl named Jennifer arrived a couple of days ago. She is 16.
Apparently she was in an automobile accident in January. She was only
recently taken off a ventilator. She is in a sip and puff wheelchair,
so her injury must be pretty high on the spine. Please begin praying
for her. God does amazing things.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty-seven...
July 20, 2003
Wow. Today was a big day for us. Greg came to church and then back to our house.
Everything went very well. He was very excited to be able to come to church,
especially for Allan's first day. Just as planned, he got Allan's email
working at the church and then went down and had an icecream sundae. He
got to talk to a lot of people. He was kind of tired when we got back to
the house, but he seemed to bounce back after lying down for a bit.
Francie was a trooper. She got him into and out of the car several times.
No small feat. Heather went back to Harmarville with them to help with the last transfers.
We hope that the renovations that need to be made on the van can be made quickly and
economically. The lift is good. The van is in good shape. It appears that the floor
of the van needs to be lowered to accommodate Greg sitting in the chair. At
this point he would bang his head on the door frame. Also, new tie downs and
restraints will need to be installed for the power chair. Still, it is a
miracle that this van has come at this time and we just thank God for Lois
and Linda. They could have sold it, but they felt that giving it was the
right thing to do. Praise God.
Also, Luke age 4, has received a scholarship from St Andrew's pre-school for next year.
Thanks be to God to that person(s) who made them aware of the need and to the
administration there who opened their hearts.
I have been led to the following passage. 2 Corinthians 8:1-3
"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the
Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and
their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they
gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability. "
The Macedonians gave sacrificially..even in their poverty. Sacrificial
giving is costly, not just in financial terms. It causes us to
reprioritize. To set aside wants and even sometimes needs.
It causes us to trust God in the face of what appear to be impossible
circumstances. It makes us lose control. It makes us look stupid to many...and
it makes us get serious about who we are.
May you all be richly blessed.....
Connie
Day Forty-eight...
July 21, 2003
Hi All...
Just a quick email today. Greg continues to progress nicely.
Each day he can do a little more. He is planning more outings
for future weekends working up to his release date.
Tomorrow,he hopes to be hooked up with some adaptive devices to use the computer
and to be online. So, hopefully soon, he will be emailing you all himself.
Also, I think there is a meeting tomorrow with another service agency.
Please continue to pray. We continue to put our hope in God, who
richly provides us with everything.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Forty-nine...
July 22, 2003
No update written for today
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