Encourage One Another

Hebrews 10:23-25

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

For he who promised is faithful. And let us

consider how we may spur one another on toward love

and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together,

As some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one another—and all the more

as you see the Day approaching.

Due to Mike’s broken nose emergency, I missed the opportunity to write about a very special visit that occurred the week before his fall. Way back in the 1980’s :-), when we were in Palau, Dan & Kaylynn Mills, who are with Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU), were also there. They are currently serving in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea where they have been for over 16 years. This summer they were home for a couple of months furlough and included a trip to our area to visit with Mike and me. What a blessing their visit was to me! I felt like I had received a cup of cold water for my thirsty soul all the way from New Zealand. Just like Proverbs 25:25 says: Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

They arrived on Thursday night (at the farm) where we enjoyed supper with Mom and Dad, a brief walking tour of the farm before dark, and I even put Kaylynn to work helping me peel and cut up cucumbers to get them ready to make cinnamon pickles. (they are delicious, by the way!) While we worked, the three of us talked and shared and encouraged one another with what the Lord has been teaching us and our families in the more than 20 years since we had seen each other. There has been a recurring theme in a lot of my readings lately and what a joy to be able to talk with them about it. (That’s a post that I am prayerfully and thoughtfully working on little by little. So…more on that another day.)

That Friday we went to visit Mike. Kaylynn rode with me and the miles few by as we talked the entire time. Dan drove separately because they would leave from Stanardsville to drive to Northern, VA where they were speaking on Sunday. At first Mike just looked at them and didn’t say much. We played a few games of Sequence and then took Mike out for ice cream. He did fine in the car and when Dan asked him what classes he taught in Palau he answered right away and then knew who they were and remembered their son. At the ice cream shop, he said he didn’t want his cone dipped in chocolate, (the rest of us did). After we all got our ice cream, he kept looking at Dan’s so I asked him if he wanted to try mine. He did. He became stuck on his “oooo”, and I had to remind him to eat his ice cream. Once he finished his, he reached over and took the rest of mine and ate it too. :-)

Back at The Harbor, we stayed with Mike a bit longer, but he was getting tired so we got him settled in bed and left. Dan, Kaylynn, & I had a chance to sit on the front porch and “debrief” before they left and again they were such a blessing and encouragement to me. They are such genuine, loving, open and honest lovers of Jesus and it is so easy to be with them and talk with them. I came home feeling much refreshed in spirit. As Christians, we are not to stand alone, we need each other for encouragement and accountability and I thank God for the time with Dan & Kaylynn.  Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.  Thank you Dan & Kaylynn for taking the time to come see us!

It’s sort of “The Summer of Missionary Friends”. Just a couple of weeks ago, I had a brief visit with another family also with CRU. Steve was in Palau briefly during our time there. He and his wife and one of their children stopped by the farm for a couple of hours on their way to NC. Though brief, it was great to see them, as well. They now serve at the Florida headquarters and are instrumental in preparing missionaries who are going out to various places throughout the world. They had served for many years in Japan.

Today, I am at a hotel in Orange, VA awaiting the arrival of our dear friends, Gert & Elke, with whom we served in Palau for several years. They have made trips down to the US and we have made trips up to Canada also over the years. You may remember that Elke came and spent a couple of weeks with me two summers ago while Mike was in Blacksburg, VA. I am greatly looking forward to time with them, as well.

I took this morning to get this blog written and uploaded, plus I hope to continue to read, pray and work on the other post. It’s nice and quiet here and I don’t feel like I need or should be doing other things. I spent most of the day yesterday with Mike at The Harbor, so am taking advantage of this peaceful, quiet place and some time alone.

This past Wednesday, I received a call from Liesa at The Harbor saying that due to Mike’s recent falls and resulting injuries, they wanted to speak with me. I had already planned to come up on Friday so we scheduled 10:30am. I took a long walk Wednesday night and gave my worries and fears to God and trusted Him for whatever was coming on Friday. My sister, Gayle, came on Wednesday for a few days, and again, what a blessing to have the fellowship of Christians to share our burdens and help us keep our focus. We had “iron sharpening iron” conversations also.

The meeting went well and I really appreciated that as soon as the new administrator joined the meeting she said: “I don’t know what has been said so far, but I just want you to know that we are not talking about discharging Mike.” Phew! She knew exactly where I thought the meeting might be headed. Everyone is just concerned that his falls have dramatically increased in the last few weeks and we needed to brainstorm ways to keep him safe. There was even one time that he was standing right next to a med tech and then suddenly was on the floor. He wasn’t even walking! The only thing that came to my mind was that maybe he has a hip or knee giving out on him. He had arthritis in his right hip prior to the accident, so I mentioned that. The speed with which he walks is still a definite concern also. I had brought his walker, but the head nurse is concerned that it could cause more problems than solutions. She is going to talk with Physical Therapy and see if they will come back and work with him and ask what they think of the walker.

It seemed to me that I always got the calls about his falls in the evening or at night, so I asked if that was a recurring trend. Jane, the administrator, brought out his records and every fall has occurred between 6:00-9:00pm.  Either he is tired at that time of night, or something is out of balance during that time. We discussed trying to find volunteers from local churches or school groups that might come in and be with Mike some during those hours. I had also thought of contacting UVA and seeing if there are any students studying brain injury that would like some hands on experience with a TBI survivor. If any of you have contacts in these areas, are in a church that might be interested in this as a ministry, please let me know. It is true that Mike does better with one-on-one supervision for the most part. He gets tired of having someone with him all the time, but he does like attention and cognitively does better when someone is interacting directly with him.

Mike’s center of gravity has definitely shifted forward. He walks slightly bent over and this causes his balance to be off. All day yesterday, I spoke softly, but firmly with him about standing tall, looking forward (not down) and walking slowly. He could do it with constant reminders, but if I didn’t say anything, his footsteps became rapid and his body over his toes. He also shuffles his feet and keeps them too close together which does not give him a good base and more easily trips him.

He did wonderful all day yesterday, we could converse, he walked out to the car with me carrying an empty box, we practiced walking up and down the halls, and he even made it to the bathroom, a couple of times, on his own. Meals are a challenge. He tends to eat way too fast and doesn’t like to be told to slow down. At supper last night, it all fell apart. He became very anxious, even shaky at one point. He would not stay seated, and was about to eat the napkin. He ate all of his supper, 2 rolls that I brought from home and then I asked for a bowl of applesauce. Once he knew the applesauce was coming, he finally relinquished the napkin to me, but still would not sit down. After he ate the applesauce, I got him to his room and in bed, only to have him hop up to go to the bathroom. He sat in there for a long time, then back to bed and right back up again. Something is definitely going wrong at that time of night.

As I was leaving, I was able to speak with Jane and tell her my observations. She is going to have the staff keep a closer eye on him during that time, and speak with Dr. B next week, also. I was glad I stayed and was able to see what might be happening on a regular basis.

Mike has a new roommate. His former roommate passed away last week. His new one doesn’t look much older than Mike, physically seems very fit, but spent most of the day fretting and looking for his wife. It’s a very pitiful situation.

On a funnier note, one of the women yesterday was going from room to room, declaring that this was her house and nothing was leaving it! I was organizing Mike’s stuff, while he rested, and she came in the door and asked me what I was taking. I told her nothing, just organizing my husband’s things. “Your husband!? Who is that?!” she said. “His name is Mike.” I answered. She peered around me at Mike, seemed satisfied, and moved on to the next room. Ha! Later, when I was leaving, I heard a shout, and looked back to see her coming out of Mike’s room, evidently she had gone in there and his new roommate shouted at her to get out! It’s rarely dull around there.

Well, this is too long again, but one last thing. Mike’s 59th birthday is on August 26. I hope he is having a good day today and that we can take him out for ice cream and then I would love to take him to a church and out to eat tomorrow for something special and out of his norm. Would you please pray that we would be able to do that? Thank you. I know he would enjoy receiving cards also.

422 William Mills Drive
Stanardsville, VA 22973

Broken nose

Hello, dear friends,

Last Tuesday evening, about a half hour after I got home from work, I received a call from C at The Harbor informing me that Mike had fallen, broken his nose, and the emergency squad was there to take him to the hospital. She said that she heard a loud wham next door and was afraid to go see what had happened. When she did, she found Mike on the floor with blood on his face. Upon inspection it was obvious that his nose was broken and there was a 3/4" laceration across the bridge of his nose. They believe that he fell into the door frame head first.

I quickly finished my sandwich, packed a bag, and headed to Charlottesville. Since Mike does not have a one-on-one person, they have no one to send with him. I arrived at the Martha Washington Hospital about 9:30 PM only to find out that Mike was at the Martha Washington Freestanding Hospital about 25 miles away - closer to The Harbor. Mike was sound asleep when I arrived and looked very rough. He had a very swollen nose & upper lip, dried blood  on his face & in his nose, and just generally pitiful. The doctor came in and told me that he had scanned Mike's face, head, & neck and there was no internal damage. He put super-glue like stuff on his nose laceration. Mike also had a laceration on the inside of his mouth between his nose and upper lip. The doctor said mouth wounds usually heal quickly and it was not gaping, so he believed it would heal well on its own. Plus, he did not want to have to sedate Mike. Mike was sleeping so soundly that I thought he had been sedated or been given pain meds, but the doctor had not given him anything. Of course Mike was agitated when the doctor was examining him and irrigating his nose, but otherwise he had done well according to the doctor and RN.

One week prior, I received a call saying that Mike had fallen during the night. He was probably getting up to go to the bathroom when he fell, but he was OK. Due to the increase in medication, he had become even more unstable than he already was, so the next day the medication was reduced back to the prior dosage. I was thankful for that, but as I well know, when Mike gets anxious (which is often) he walks extremely fast and his body gets ahead of his feet and down he goes. You may remember that he rarely puts out his hands to break his fall. This is not good.

Anyway, the doctor discharged Mike after the glue was dried. The RN came in and asked if I was comfortable transporting Mike back to The Harbor or if I would like him to call Medical Transport. I was so relieved to know that Medical Transport was an option. Within the hour, Mike was cocooned in the sheets, moved from the hospital bed to the stretcher, transported to The Harbor and then moved from the stretcher to his bed. He never woke up. I had thought I would stay with him in case he was agitated, but after about an hour it was clear that he was going to sleep just fine, so I might as well try to as well. I found a hotel and gratefully crawled into bed about 2:00 AM.

Wednesday and Thursday I spent most of the day with Mike. The swelling was greatly reduced Wednesday morning. I read the Bible to him and then he wanted to rest. He was given pain medication and slept a good bit in the mornings. He never complained of hurting and if I asked he seemed annoyed with the question, so I let it be.  Wednesday afternoon he napped in the sunshine for a little while until it became too hot. When we came inside, several other residents were doing memory games so we joined them. It seems everyone, who has a bit higher cognitive function, wants to be gathered around the same table. It was crowded, but fun. I was able to learn the names of a few other residents and interact with them too. Each one has their own quirks, challenges, and personality. You never know what someone will say! The interesting thing is that even though they all want to be clustered together, they really do not interact with each other. Each one is trapped in their own mind. It takes one of the staff, volunteers, or family members to engage each one in the activity, otherwise they may just sit there and look at the game on the table, unaware of how to proceed. Maybe this was just for that particular activity, but was what I observed that day.

I checked on Mike a couple of times this weekend and it sounded like he was progressing nicely. The purple/blue/green was turning to yellow and he was more stable on his feet. We had kept him in a wheelchair on Wednesday and Thursday and he seemed to prefer it then also. Tonight I called and spoke with him. Here's how the conversation went with Mike speaking in a loud, hurried, annoyed voice:

Me:  Hi Mike, how's your nose?
Mike:  Hi Jennifer, My legs are fine!
Me: Not your legs, your nose?  Mike?  Hello? Are you there?
Mike:  I'm feeding two men!
Me: Oh, you're helping two men eat?
Mike: Yes!
Me: OK, I won't keep you then. Bye. I love you.
Mike: I love you!
click....

He sounded busy and doing well, so I was pleased. Not an hour later, I received a call from C (right after I started typing this blog) telling me that Mike left the dining room, started down the hall and fell. He was going to require a couple of stitches above his left eye, but she said Mike said he was fine and Medical Transport would get him to the clinic for the stitches and return him to The Harbor so I am not trying to go up there. Heavy sigh.....it was the same situation, he was walking too fast. Like a toddler just learning to walk; unfortunately, he has a lot farther to fall.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Mike. I hope all will settle down and he'll slow down soon. I am really praying for God to give wisdom to the doctors who are caring for Mike. I definitely don't have the answers and pray that God will lead them to the right balance and solutions to stabilize Mike, as much as possible, physically and behaviorally.

I Corinthians 1:9

God, who has called you into fellowship

 with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Exhale

Do you ever find yourself holding your breath due to anxiety, fear, worry, or whatever? Tension builds, muscles tighten, thoughts lock up. Learning to recognize when it's happening and consciously making the effort to slowly breathe in and out allows us to loosen up and relax. I am so thankful to the Lord for the past couple of weeks to be able to breathe, loosen up, and relax.

The sign in my room on vacation.
I was right where I was meant to be.

My weekend at home over the July 4th weekend was very restful. A time of letting go, surrender, inactivity, quiet, peace, and no "I gottas". The next weekend with family was a continuation of relaxation plus wonderful times of conversation, laughter, games, food, walks, no-agenda, just being together and enjoying the opportunity to escape to a quiet place with a slow pace. This photo of a t-shirt in a shop window sums it up nicely.  In case you cannot read it's message,  it says "Slow Down, this ain't the mainland." Cape Charles was a perfect antidote to busyness. A quaint small town across the Chesapeake-Bay Bridge Tunnel from Virginia Beach. Quite a contrast and I hope it stays that way.


We were about 6 blocks from the beach and since we were on the bay side, there were only ocean swells which was an unexpected plus in my opinion (no waves knocking me around and taking me under - restful, peaceful water). Aria could safely play on the water's edge too and she loved it! There were beautiful homes and yards to admire as we walked to the beach and friendly folks along the way also. Absolutely no crowds. Wonderful & priceless!

Ladder ball. Such fun on nice sand!

Enjoying delicious home-made ice cream from
the brown dog ice cream shop.

Cape Charles
favorite hang-out.

Game Time! This is a fun group game. Everyone writes a random statement, then passes their paper to the next person who has to 

1. draw the statement 

2. fold over the paper so that the original statement cannot be seen 3. pass it on to the next person who now has to interpret the drawing by writing a statement. This continues around the table until your paper returns to you at which time everyone takes turns reading the various statements and showing the drawings. The results can be hilarious! Add a time limit and things really get crazy.

Stormy Saturday. Great
for just chillin then an
afternoon walk on the beach.

Relaxing in the gazebo
at The Harbor. Mike has gained
weight and looks so much better.

Mid-morning Monday, Mike's brother's family, Mom Rice, and I headed to Stanardsville to spend time with Mike. Mark & family arrived about an hour before us and they were all out in the courtyard playing Sequence. Later we took Mike out for a burger and milkshake at Tastee Freez. Then he said it was too early to go back so Mark took us on a driving tour of Stanardsville which took about 10-15 minutes. :-) Once back, it was time for Mike's supper, so we left. Mom R. and I stayed in Orange at a very nice hotel with a gorgeous view of farmland and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the 

Gorgeous view from hotel.

distance. So peaceful and calm.

That evening, I received a call from The Harbor saying Mike had 2 incidents that evening involving other residents. Everyone was fine, but they always call when he has been disruptive, hard to redirect, or has fallen. Due to an increase in his disruptive behavior, an increase in medication was being requested from Dr. B. On Wednesday, Mom R. & I were able to meet Dr. B. who is the general practitioner. He explained his plan of action and I was able to express my concerns and ask about possibly reducing medication. He is willing to consider that in the future, but right now they just have to try to get Mike to a more even keel. Wednesday Mike was the best I've seen him since he's been at The Harbor. He was able to communicate more effectively and was calm. 

Nobody likes the thought of having Mike more sedated, but after 3 years, I understand now that in order for anyone to be able to care for him, plus keep him and others safe, it may be the only way. I am at peace that Dr. B, Dr. L. (psychiatrist) and The Harbor staff are monitoring Mike closely and doing the best they know how, as am I. I realize there are alternative treatments and therapies and that not everything has been tried, but due to expense and/or the difficulties of trying to wean Mike off of meds, I am at peace that what I could do has been done and I have to let go of what others may think I should have done or tried. I like the way one of Mom Rice's friends addressed this issue in an email to me, "If God wants me to do something to help or fix a situation, He knows where I live and He knows how to communicate His wishes to me." He sure does! 

Back home, I have worked in the garden, Mom and I have two batches of pickles in brine, Dad and I froze 4 quarts of corn, and I've done other odd jobs around the house. The beautiful thing is that my mind and spirit are at peace. I am well rested, calm, and refreshed. I even noticed that I was calmer when spending time with Mike. 

This past weekend I came across a song by Plumb that is very fitting for this new stage of my life. I have breathed in God's grace and I want to exhale and share His grace and love with others. Here is a link to her YouTube video. 

Exhale by Plumb

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOgUjSW4agg

Just let go let His love wrap around you

And hold you close

Get lost in the surrender

Breathe it in until your heart breaks

Then exhale

Read more at http://www.lyrics.com/exhale-lyrics-plumb.html#OORCzuwLiFrcJDas.99

I don't know exactly what my exhale is supposed to look like yet, but I am praying and asking God to show me and use me. 

I Samuel 12:24

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; 

consider what great things He has done for you.

I Peter 4:10-11

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Sunset at Cape Charles
Hope this photo helps you to breathe easier
and relax a bit wherever you are.

Phone conversation/Sharing

Yesterday I called to check on Mike and since the nurse said he was having a good day I asked to speak to him. He actually talked with me! The conversation was a bit repetitive, but at least it was a conversation and not "oh, oh" or "no, no, no". He was evidently looking at a catalog and asked me several times if I needed any tops or jackets. I tried asking him some questions, but he was fixated on the catalog. The nurse said that he ate a good breakfast and then sat beside a woman and was encouraging her to eat her eggs. :-)

*******************

I believe it's time for me to share some of the struggles I've been having and lessons I am learning from the past few months. There's really two different tracks of thought running through my mind right now so I'm going to start with the more experiential one to share first. I've felt that I needed to share this, but have not taken the time to sit down and do it. Procrastination? Fear? Disobedience? I'm not sure, but I'm praying that the Lord gives me the right words to put down on "paper".

As you know, there has been a lot of anxiety/stress over the past 3 years since Mike's accident. Sometimes it is expected and other times it comes unaware. I wish I could say that I've learned how to completely handle stress and anxiety, but that is not the case. Sometimes gardening and exercise are enough to relieve the pressure, other times I need the little white prescription pill. Sometimes singing hymns & listening to contemporary Christian music and Scripture reading eases the strain, other times talking with a friend is what is necessary. Sometimes screaming helps, other times I crave solitude and quietness. And then there are those times when I just think my mind is going to explode and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. 

When Mike was home, I was under a state of hyper-vigilance. After he went to CSH, it was a different type of constant vigilance, dealing with various agencies, and searching for a placement. Once he was placed, it was getting him settled and figuring out the medication issue. I felt compelled to travel up there often in the beginning to try to give him the best transition possible. Ever since just before Easter until last weekend, it seems like it has been non-stop activity. (gardening, family gatherings, church responsibilities, driving back and forth to Stanardsville, forms and paperwork, my job, etc.) Some of my own making? Absolutely. There was one Sunday afternoon back in June where I really wanted to just rest and read, but could not settle down. I had nervous energy and ended up baking cookies instead of resting. There was always the feeling that there was something I needed to be doing. 

The reality was/is that now that Mike is in a good home, a lot of the stuff that consumed my mind and days has disappeared. Yes, I am still his wife and advocate, but he is receiving excellent care in a comfortable, beautiful setting that's a little too far to go all the time. This little rhyme formed in my mind Saturday morning:

It's time to accept the new life God has given,

submit to His will and find a new rhythm.

I had set a frenetic pace and was about to crash, but thanks be to God, He headed it off with the help of family, friends, prayer, and music. When I wasn't in Stanardsville with Mike, my thoughts were racing. The accuser, Satan, was having a field day with my thoughts, the area where I struggle the most. Everything from worries, fears, guilt, temptations, accusations, the feeling that I wasn't ever doing enough for Mike, my parents, others, etc., you name it negative and it was in my thoughts eating away. I would pray, beg, plead, for God to take it all away, but it was relentless.

Do you remember a few blogs ago where I asked for prayer requests from you? Those that responded were the beginning of my relief. When all these negative thoughts would start flooding my mind, I started praying for those requests and praying for others and I began to have victory over the accusers attacks. This worked well, but sometimes I would forget!  How does that happen? Anyway, one day these accusing thoughts reached a fever pitch while I was working outside in the flower garden (which is great for tiring the body, but my mind was freewheeling). I was disgusted & determined to win this battle! I came inside and got my iPod, put on my Newsboys "Hallelujah for the Cross" music, and sent Satan packing by the power of Jesus name! I was so exhilarated by the end of the day. I kept my mind on Christ through music and praying for others and a real victory was won that day, Praise God! That was a few weeks ago and I have been better since, all glory to God! So from my experience, if you struggle with your thoughts, try praying for others and listening to God-honoring/praising music. I also listen to the Bible being read with the You Version Bible app.  Here's a link to the title song on my favorite Newsboys CD "Hallelujah for the Cross":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7NJc1_t6q0

The other release came in the form of a phone call from my mother-in-law about a month ago. Back almost a year ago, the Rice side of my family made plans to get together this summer for a vacation. Somewhere along the line, while Mike was still at CSH, I decided that I wanted us to take Mike with us on this vacation. He loves to be with his family and hasn't been to a beach (his favorite place) since his accident. The week before Mom Rice called, was when I felt like I was about to lose my marbles, but was on a treadmill that I just couldn't seem to get off of by myself. She cautiously and gently told me that she had no peace at all about taking Mike with us to the ocean and that she had not decided this lightly. Mom R. had been praying about this for some time, and continued to feel uncomfortable about it. She went on to say that it would not be relaxing for any of us, plus with Mike having just moved, it could cause a set-back at The Harbor, as well. As she talked, I knew she was right and even so, I started to cry. I so wish that Mike could come and enjoy the beach and his family, but he is just not able to function in a manner to make that happen and would need constant supervision. After we talked some more, I agreed with her and later realized that I am a "Pollyanna" - always thinking of the best part of a situation and not being realistic about the difficulties or challenges that will come too. Ocean waves and a brain that doesn't work right could easily equal disaster. She proceeded to remind me that the original intent of this was "to give Jennifer a vacation". Oh....I didn't remember that, but coming on the heels of my loose marbles, I knew I needed it. 

So.....in line with my little rhyme, I'm learning to accept this new way of life. Mike is doing as well as can be expected and I am super excited about having a relaxing time at the beach with family. We greatly enjoy playing board & card games together, talking, eating, and there will be lots of laughter, I am sure. We will miss Mike, but it is OK for me to go, relax, and have fun. Those of us that can are going to see Mike for a couple of days when we leave the beach. Hopefully, by Christmas, he'll be more settled and we can have him with us for a few days then. We'll also be missing our son and his family that live in AZ. Hopefully they'll be able to be with us in December too!

I also gave myself this weekend off. I've stayed at home, helped Mom and Dad a bit, and done a little gardening, but God has sent a lot of rain, so it's too wet to get out there. Thank you, God! Have felt a little out of sorts, but think I was just tired and it took me a bit to let go and relax. Last night I was trying to read and fell asleep in the chair. I woke up at 9:30 pm and decided I may as well go to bed. I slept well and have felt much better today. 

Well, that's enough for this post. The other running thought may take a few posts and I may not get to it until after our beach trip. Since I don't have as much on my mind now, I am asking God what His will is for me. Is it more writing? Serving? Working? Please pray that I will be open and obedient to His will. 

Psalm 37:23-24

(NLT)

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.

    He delights in every detail of their lives.

Though they stumble, they will never fall,

    for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Reports from others

Last Thursday I spoke with C at The Harbor. At that time, Mike was having a really good day. She said he was able to communicate to the staff what his needs were, and was participating in the activities. On Friday, I spoke with D and she said Mike did very well on Thursday until later in the evening when he was "chasing" another male resident down the hall. She said she had never seen him move so fast! They tried several distraction tactics, but nothing worked so did have to give Mike a PRN (as needed/sedating/calming) medication. After that took effect, Mike did well for the rest of the evening.

My sister, Gayle, and her husband, Tom, visited on Monday and this is what she wrote to me:

"At first when we saw Mike yesterday he was just zooming into the lunch room ignoring us and our yogurt offering, just saying "oh,oh" and holding his head off and on.  The lady said he'd been like that for 2 days and asked him if his head hurt, but he didn't answer.  We walked him outside to sit and eat. Then he did ok and we were able to show him pics from the weekend and talk calmly a while.  They brought his supper out. (Which he insisted was breakfast). Tuna salad, lettuce and cucumber salad, crackers, and cherry cobbler. Looked good! Then we sat in his room and he wrote you a letter, Jay, which I am mailing.  He wanted me to read the Daily Bread devotional to him so that's why his letter has scripture and references to the Christ Our Redeemer statue in Rio de Janero.  He didn't have his glasses and we hunted but never found them.  The office lady is looking, too.  He seemed to be fine and liked the pics."

Zooming around, eating fast, losing his glasses, repeating words are all fairly typical of Mike so I guess he's adjusting fairly well. He has his good days/moments and his rough days/moments. It is always encouraging to hear of the good days and I am hopeful that there will be more of those as he adjusts to the new place, people, and routine of The Harbor. He wanders in and out of rooms so his glasses could be anywhere. Dr. E. at CSH ordered him two pair after he lost one and then broke the new ones, so there are two pairs floating around there somewhere. Someone else could be wearing them! When we were there for Father's Day weekend, Mike's roommate, James was wearing Mike's OSU hat. I know it is impossible for the staff to keep everyone's stuff in their respective rooms.

Has been a busy couple of months. I decided not to go anywhere this weekend. Just working in the gardens, helping Dad & Mom, catching up on desk stuff, etc. After lunch today I was so tired that I went to rest a bit and 2 hours later I woke up! That's very odd for me, but evidently I needed it. Now it's time for bed. More later.

Overdue update

Early June:
Due to Mike's behavior at the end of May, I reviewed his discharge papers from CSH more thoroughly and discovered a medication that I didn't know had been added. After emailing Dr. E, it was discovered that this medication was started in early May after an influx of new patients and used during known agitated times at CSH when there wasn't enough staff to give Mike close supervision. This med had been tried previously when Mike was home with the usual works-for-two-weeks-then-causes-more-agitation routine. I immediately alerted The Harbor and the doctor there discontinued the medicine. It was simply an oversight that it was not taken off of his meds list when transferred.

June 11 & 12
My friend, Karen, and I went to see Mike. When we arrived on Thursday, he was tossing a ball with about 4-5 other residents. He told us to sit down and play. Shortly after we joined them, he became irritated with one older woman and told her to get up and get out of the game. (She was just tossing the ball and had not said anything.) When he stood up and got right in front of her - loudly telling her the above, I decided it was time to take a walk down the hall. We went to his room, got his shoes on and walked out to the courtyard. He immediately relaxed and soon was pulling weeds.

Some of our conversation in the garden was odd/funny. He told us that Russell Stover was trying to kill him. Then he told me he needed $40-$50 to go to the store and get more plants so he and his friends could plant them in the garden. There were actually some plants there and if we would have had a trowel, we could have planted them. The activities director went to look for one, but didn't have one.

Friday was not a good day. Mike was stuck again. When I got there he was reading while lying in his bed. He glared at me and asked in an angry voice "What are you doing here?" When I asked if he wanted me to leave he said "yes!"  So I sat in the hall for a bit. Then the Physical Therapist came. Mike just couldn't cooperate. Later I met the psychiatrist. Again, Mike could not carry on any type of conversation. It could be that the medication was still getting out of his system, just a bad day, who knows.

June 20-21
Keegan, Amy, Aria, and I visited Mike. He was quite stuck when we arrived both days, but thankfully was able to break out and interact with us both days also. We played a couple of games and he was "playing" with Aria too, which was sweet.

Well, it's 1:12AM. I went to bed at 10 and just couldn't go to sleep. Had tried to type a blog earlier, but my computer was running so slow that after 20 minutes I gave up. Hopefully I can sleep now.

I have been having periods of more anxiety lately. Please keep me in prayer. Thank you also for the prayers for travelling mercy when going to see Mike - I do travel on several country roads.



Very busy week this week: VBS every night, tons of family coming this weekend, garden, grass, & weeds growing like crazy. So much to do, so much fun to be had!

Mike's Address

I keep forgetting to give y'all Mike's address. Here it is and yes, the city is spelled correctly:

Mike Rice
422 William Mills Drive
Stanardsville, VA 22973

Transition continued...

Tuesday, May 19
When I arrived at The Harbor, I was greeted by one of the staff who told me that Mike had eaten 2 breakfast plates and had just walked down the hall. I went in search, but couldn’t locate him. With the help of another staff member, he was found in someone else’s bathroom. (they do all look mostly the same, after all.)

When Mike was ready, we went to the other wing to play Bingo. Mike did well and after seeing me help another woman at the table, he would watch and try to help also. Filling the entire card was the last game of the morning and Mike was the first to fill his card. A prize is given for the last game and Mike picked a purple elephant. We took the elephant back to his room and I noticed that he had someone else’s slippers on. I saw one of his slippers on his dresser and found the other one in his roommate’s side of the wardrobe. I had been told that Mike’s roommate likes shoes and various odd ones do show up amongst his things. Evidently it presents quite a challenge to the staff to try to keep the right clothing and shoes with their respective owners. Ah well – small stuff in the scheme of things.

After getting Mike’s walking shoes on, we took a walk in the courtyard. Since we were out there, the staff offered to bring Mike’s lunch outside. It was a nice day and so we sat under a Crepe Myrtle and Mike ate about 1½ plates. He was getting tired and I needed to get back to Farmville to return the unneeded furniture before they closed, so Mike went to take a nap and I headed home.


Wednesday, May 20
I called to check on Mike and spoke with C who is very caring and interested in understanding Mike and his ways. (I thought maybe I shouldn’t be putting everyone’s names, since I don’t have permission so will just use initials.) C said Mike was doing fine, they’d had one uncooperative bathroom incident, but she assured me nothing out of their norm. She wanted to know what his “sounds and mumblings” meant and what they could do to help him break out of it. I really appreciate her desire to learn about him and thus be able to work with him as best as they can.

Thursday, May 21
I called and spoke with K who said Mike was being helpful and very sweet with the older residents and at that moment he was sitting with one of the elderly ladies.  I was thrilled to hear that he was being helpful. That will help him so much to have purpose and feel useful. That call made my day!

Wednesday, May 27
I received a call from C informing me that Mike had become agitated that morning and grabbed the arms of one of the staff members. Everyone was fine, but she wanted me to know and see if I had any words of experience to help. As we talked, she mentioned that Mike had been sitting at the table waiting for breakfast and then got up and came to the med cart, where he grabbed the staff member’s arms. That cued me to the problem. Mike is very impatient and it doesn’t take much to get him agitated, especially when food is involved. Thus from our conversation, C determined that it is best to bring Mike after the food has arrived. Again, I so appreciate her desire to understand Mike and alter how they handle him to try to head off these incidents before they happen.

Thursday, May 28
I spent the morning working in the gardens here at home then drove to The Harbor in the afternoon. Mike was sitting in a room across the hall from his own, staring at his bare feet and saying “oooooo”. He had someone else’s shoes and one of his own. Seeing me did nothing to break him out of his “ooooo”. I was finally able to coax him to his room where we found his other shoe. The entire visit, he had a very hard time breaking out of the “oooo”. We were able to read some Scripture and play a couple of games of UNO, but any time there was a lull, the “oooo’s” were right there to fill the void. We were up and down a lot also; he was quite restless.

According to C, the physical therapist had worked with him that day and I think his legs might have been hurting and looked a bit swollen, so C was going to speak with the nurse about giving him a fluid pill. I had him lie down and read for a bit so that I could rub his legs. When I left, he was lying on his bed reading a book.

I stayed with my aunt again and she gave me my first knitting lesson! My first try wasn’t too bad, but what’s that long loop doing there? (Ha!) She started me over again and sent me home with the necessary tools to practice.

Friday, May 29
As soon as I arrived, I could hear Mike was still stuck “oooooo”. He was sitting in the dining room and again was quite restless or anxious. I had brought him a yogurt parfait and he was in that mode of gorging, so eating it was messy. I stayed from about 9-1 and just like Thursday night, he never really broke out of his “stuckness”. His legs were restless so I asked for some OTC pain medicine. I’m guessing that either he’s anxious due to the new place, he’s having pain, or is possibly getting sick. Those are the only possibilities I can come up with that could cause his being stuck and nervous. At lunch, he was really stuffing the food in his mouth and would not listen to my instruction to slow down, so I took the fork and fed him to keep him from choking. He was coughing some throughout the day and so I wondered if he was getting congested. We were able to walk in the courtyard and play Sequence, but the "ooo's" were ever lurking and waiting to come out.

We never could carry on any semblance of a conversation either Thursday or Friday. This is disturbing and disappointing, but since I truly believe God made this move possible, I’m trusting that he’ll settle down in time.  I spoke with the administrator about my thoughts on why he’s acting that way and she said they would keep an eye on him. She also had the nurse check Mike’s lungs to make sure they sounded clear. I received a call from the nurse while I was driving home Friday and she said his lungs sounded fine, but she would inform the weekend staff to keep watch on him.

Friday night I received a call from The Harbor that when they were making their rounds, they found Mike on the floor in his bedroom with a cut on the back of his leg. Of course, they do not know what happened and Mike was not able to tell them. His leg was bandaged and later that evening, he was sleeping peacefully. Before I left Friday, Mike sat on the end of his bed and was trying to scoot himself up to take a nap. I tried to get him to come around to the side, but he would not listen. It could be that he was trying to get out of bed the same way and misjudged the edge.

Saturday, May 30
I called to check on Mike and C said he was still stuck and that yesterday he wouldn’t feed himself at first. Uh oh. Hope I didn’t start something by feeding him. The day I was there, we sat in the sunroom with another couple and the wife of the other couple was feeding her husband. I’m thinking that Mike may be acting out what he is seeing. It may be that starting him on the lower cognition side is not the best for him. I’m not sure that he can differentiate between those who cannot feed themselves and his ability to feed himself. I’ll speak with D about that tomorrow. Is hard to know what will work best with him and will take some time to figure it out. He was feeding himself just fine the first week and joining into the activities.

--------------

The last time I saw my counselor, I was telling her how much I enjoy gardening and how it helps relieve my stress. It is relaxing and therapy to me. However, it is not always possible to work in the garden to relieve stress, so she gave me a coloring book and crayons. Yes, you read right! I thought it was odd at first too, but I have found that it really is relaxing and fun. Gardening is creative and so is coloring. Next time you are stressed and can’t shut your mind up, give it a try. I’ve found that when my mind is racing and worries keep me awake, it is relaxing to color and let my mind slow down.

Since having my first knitting lesson, I’ve found the same is true of knitting. Friday night, before going to bed, I put the You Version Bible app on speaker and listened to the Gospel of John, while knitting. About the fourth chapter, I started to feel sleepy, I finished my row, turned off the Bible and slept deeply.

We all have different stresses in our lives and I am thankful for different ways to diffuse and let go of the stress. I am also thankful for those who have helped me along the way: God, His Word, our families, our church families, friends, doctors, and my counselor. Each plays a part and I am so grateful for each of you.

Philippians 1:2&3

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Transition to The Harbor

Psalm 146

1 Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord.

2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

3 Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.

4 When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.

5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, 

whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.

7 He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. 

The Lord loves the godly.

9 The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows,

    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

10 The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord!

There have been so many blessings in the past week that it’s hard to know where to start. So I’ll start with praising the Lord for who He is, the many answered prayers & blessings, and thanking each of you for your part in the blessing of answered prayer.

Saturday, May 16, Gayle, Tom and I borrowed Hugh’s truck and headed to Farmville to pick up the furniture I had purchased on Friday for Mike’s room at The Harbor. We arrived in Stanardsville, loaded with furniture, in the early afternoon just as it started to rain. Thankfully we were able to get the furniture unloaded and onto the front porch before it really started. (I say “we” but Tom and Gayle were the heavy lifters.) Everything was either in a box or wrapped in plastic, except for the night stand which was the floor model.

Once in the room, I saw that the headboards I had seen at the top of the beds were actually attached to the wall and I didn’t need the headboard and footboard that I had bought. All I needed was the rails. I had wondered about this after purchasing them, but didn’t follow through with the nudge to clarify, and thus made more work for us. (One day I will learn to ALWAYS listen to the nudge and obey! Oh, stubborn creature that I am!) Once unloaded, we went to the dumpster to discard the cardboard and were then going to go find bed rails at some store. While dumping the boxes, Gayle saw bed rails next to the dumpster. Upon inspection, they were in good shape, just wet from the rain and a bit dirty. Thankfully, Hugh keeps “stuff” in his truck and so we found various things to use to clean the rails off and presto! no need to make a trip to a store! God provided! Once wrapping the returnable items in the plastic from the mattress, we headed back home.

On Monday morning, we arrived at CSH about 9:20 AM with oatmeal & yogurt for Mike. That morning I had emailed Heather and asked if I should bring in a change of clothes for Mike, she said it wasn’t necessary, that he could just keep whatever he was wearing even if it wasn’t his. After signing papers, she brought Mike and two bags of items they thought were his into the visiting room. As soon as he came into the room, he started removing his clothing!  HE didn’t want to keep those clothes! Tom went to the car and brought in his clothes and Mike was relieved to be in his own shorts and t-shirt. While we waited for Tom, Mike ate the oatmeal and Gayle went through the bags. The only things that I recognized were his sweatshirts and jacket. I gave the rest back to Heather.

After getting dressed, he was ready to go, so ate the yogurt in the car. As we were walking to the car, Mike told Tom and me that he had received a letter from the government absolving him from all accidents. (Poor guy, I guess he really thought he was in prison or such.) :-(  We stopped in Colonial Heights and got him a haircut and a new pair of shoes and were on our way. Soon after getting in the car, he asked when we were stopping for lunch. :-) About noon we stopped at a Burger King and he ate a double cheeseburger, fries, side salad, strawberry sundae, drank a Sprite and said he was full. Yay!

Once at The Harbor at Renaissance, we went straight to his room to unpack his clothes. It became a little chaotic as 3 or 4 staff members came in to check Mike’s vitals, his skin, give us guidance regarding Mike’s personal things, and help us with any questions. Mike started to repeat “oooo” (it seems he’s lost the “n” lately so doesn’t say “no” just “o” now) I told him everything was alright and in a bit he laid back on his bed and looked at a magazine while I spoke with Amanda, the activities director. She was helping us because Liesa and Denise were on a conference call. Mike is in a semi-private room with his own dresser and night stand. He shares a divided wardrobe with his roommate. He is starting out on the Skyline side which is the lower cognition unit, but Liesa believes he will quickly transition to the Blue Ridge side. They are flexible; however, and will settle him on whichever side he seems to like the best. In the picture at left, Mike is reviewing the daily schedule. They have quite a bit going on each day. The photo on the right is in the cognition area. Mike saw a stack of magazines and sat down to read.

Next we took Mike on a tour of the facility. We walked through both wings of the building, viewed the cognition area, passed through the Parlor and the courtyard/garden, ending up in the dining area just as the afternoon snack was being served. Mike sat down and had a bag of chips, graham crackers and orange drink. Now it was time for me to go sign papers and the residents were going to do an activity. Gayle and Tom stayed with Mike while I went with Liesa to her office. Eventually, I heard Gayle and Tom in the lounge area between the two wings and while Liesa was making copies I poked my head out to speak with them. They said Mike had done an activity on an iPad then they were having aroma therapy. Since he had joined right in, they didn’t want to hover. Once I was finished, I went back to the Skyline unit and Mike was resting on his bed. He told me he had played a game with a ball and he was the “target”. (?) Maybe being the new guy, everyone wanted to throw the ball to him?

He was ready to rest for a while and it was about 4:30, so a good time for us to leave. I told Mike I would be back to see him in the morning. He said OK and bye. That was it! No problems at all. Praise God! Gayle and Tom headed back to Northern Virginia and I went to stay with my Aunt Merle who lives about 40 minutes away.

The transition went so smoothly and I am so thankful for all the prayers from each of you. I am very grateful to Tom & Gayle for taking two entire days to help. Thanks to Hugh for the use of his truck, Heather & Dr. Ebeling for getting the discharge paperwork and physical put through so quickly, and Emily for getting the DAP funds. I believe God had His hand on each and every detail and the Holy Spirit moved among all involved in order to get Mike to The Harbor in record time! I really had not wanted to call nursing homes again, but felt prompted to try, the kindness of one woman telling me of their sister facility, Liesa & Denise being willing to consider a TBI survivor for the first time, Gayle and Tom already planning to come for the weekend, the bed rails by the dumpster, on and on and on God provided.

Today we sang “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart”. In one verse it says “teach me the patience of unanswered prayer”. As I sang that, I thought of how it seemed our prayers were not being answered for so long, yet all the while God was working and saying “there, there, Jennifer, trust me”. If Mike had not gone to CSH, the DAP funds would not be available to us and we would not be able to afford The Harbor. The hard has yielded the best possible placement for Mike.

I’ll tell you about Tuesday in another post. Sorry it has taken me so long to get this on here, but after three trips to The Harbor in 5 days, and working Wed. & Thurs., my back was aching from all the sitting and I was tired. Friday Mom and I spent the day getting ready for company and yesterday I spent a lot of time working in the flower gardens and getting Media Shout ready for church today. My back is much happier when I can be moving around so after cleaning and gardening it feels much better. Gardening is my therapy. This afternoon I took a nap, sat and read on the porch and took a walk while talking with Kristin. It is so nice to think of Mike and smile, not fret and I'm sure I'll relax even more as time goes by.  I love you and so appreciate all the encouraging posts and emails.

To be continued…

Beautifully smooth

It was a beautifully smooth transition today. Thank you, Lord! I don't have my computer with me, so details later. Just know that Mike did extremely well, entered into the activities, and was resting on his bed when we left. Photos and more will follow in a few days.

On our Way!

Left CSH about 9:45 this morning. Stopped so he could get a haircut and new pair of shoes and now are on I've headed to The Harbor. Woo hoo! Praise God!  Mike is napping, Tom is driving. We'll stop and eat lunch then arrive early afternoon, Lord willing.

Gayle, Tom and I came up Saturday with furniture, so his room is ready. Am bringing clothes today so that Mike can unpack those himself. As soon as he came into the visitor room thus morning, he wanted to put on his own clothes! Don't blame him!

More details later. With love and much thankfulness and rejoicing, Jennifer

God Did It!

God moved the mountain and soon Mike will be living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains! Woo Hoo! Thank you, Jesus! Praise God! Thank YOU our wonderful prayer warriors! This was truly and totally of God in answer to all of our prayers and in His time!

Here's the story:

I really wanted to get up there this week, so Tuesday I asked Diane if she could take Mom to her doctor's appointment on Thursday (today). She could (thank you, Diane!) so then I called Liesa to see if she and Denise were available to meet today. They were and so we planned to meet at 10AM.  I left the farm at 7:15 and arrived about 9:45 at The Harbor. Stanardsville is a small town and The Harbor is situated on 20 acres of land. As I drove onto the street, it just looked like a residential street. There are 3 facilities owned by the parent company, Grace Retirement Village, all on this one street. The first one is assisted living, then there are single homes, then there is the Rehab facility and then the street dead ends into The Harbor. It is beautifully landscaped, quiet and homey with rolling hills.

There are 2 secure wings, one on either side of a sitting area and the staff offices. One side is for those residents with higher cognition and the other for lower cognition. I think the higher is called Skyline and the lower is called Blue Ridge, but might have them mixed up. Mike will begin on the lower cognition side, but they believe he will soon transition to the higher cognition side. They are flexible; however, and have found that some of the higher functioning residents actually do better living on the lower side, but going to the higher side for activities during the day. Most of their residents are in their 70's or older and have Alzheimer's or some sort of dementia. As you can imagine, it is a much slower and calmer pace than CSH.

First Liesa took me on a tour. It is set up like a typical nursing home. Long wide hall with bedrooms off of each side. Mike will be in a semi-private room. Each room has a sink against the wall by the bedroom door and then two rooms share a bathroom between them. All bathing takes place in rooms at the end of the hall with staff assistance. There is a common area where meals and group activities take place and on the other side of that is a small sunroom. The sunroom looks out on a long beautiful garden, with a windy sidewalk which runs the length of the wing (each wing has this). This is enclosed by a very tall wrought iron fence, so they are secure, but can see out and not feel closed in.

I told Liesa that Mike liked to pull weeds and usually knew a weed from a flower, but....she said they have had patients pull out the plants too, but it's their garden and no big deal. :-)  I also told her Mike wanders around and often goes in other's rooms - she said "they all do that". There was not one thing I said that fazed her in the least. I told her that when Mike was agitated, it often seemed that he was worse with me than with others and she said that is typical with their dementia and Alzheimer patients, as well. 

At the end of the higher cognition hall, they are creating a new area for cognition stimulation and memory activities. I am so excited that they are incorporating newly researched ways of working with their residents to stimulate their brains and keep them active. The Simple C program sounds wonderful and they will soon be adding another program that she thinks will be on a mobile cart that can be wheeled into a residents room. She said this would be especially useful if the resident is agitated. They can stay in their room and a staff member can come in there to work with them. 

After the tour, we met with Denise and talked more about Mike's fall risk and other questions we each had. We all believe that being in a smaller, quieter, slower pace facility will greatly reduce the risk of his falling and I can't see anyone there ever pushing him. We all are aware and unsure of what his behavior will be like, but since their day is so well planned, we hope he'll be busy enough not to get bored or agitated. They will also set him up with Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy as needed which will be covered by Medicare. During their little unplanned time, he can go out to the garden, wander the halls, sit and read in the sunroom, take a nap, or go to the cognitive area. 

After 20-30 minutes, Denise had to go. As Liesa and I continued to talk, I realized that she was not saying "if", she was saying "when Mike comes" and was pulling out papers. I tentatively asked: "Are you saying that Mike is really coming here?" She said: "Absolutely" or "Definitely" something like that and I lost it. I told her of the blog...mustard seed faith....God-sized miracle.....everyone praying. She said: "You've seen our website, so you know we are a faith-based corporation. We've already spoken with Corporate, told them about Mike, how he was a missionary and Central State was not a good fit for him. We all believe that Mike would do well here and that we can help him." I praised God and gave her a hug!!

Now I know EXACTLY why The Madison House did not work out and I am SO VERY THANKFUL that it did not!! I am truly happy for Mike to be going to The Harbor. It is a beautiful area and home and seems every bit as good as a TBI facility and so much less financially! With Mike's SSDI, part of his LTD plus the DAP funding which has already been approved, the financial portion is covered. I just have to get some furniture for his room and Lord willing, we will move him on Monday! My sister, Gayle, and her husband, Tom, are going to go with me to pick Mike up and take him to The Harbor. So exciting! Please, pray all the details get worked out smoothly. I have a thick packet of papers to fill out and a bed, night stand, and dresser to buy. Fun! Praise God!

Lamentations 3:25 & 26

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, 

to the one who seeks him; 

it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

A Really Great Day

I just want to praise God for such a great day! We do have to remember that The Harbor is not a done deal and they have never said they would take Mike yet, but it sure seems that the Lord is moving the mountain out of our way.

So many great things occurred today.

1. I went through a mountain of mail, papers, and stuff and feel that weight significantly lighter.
2. Wrote some emails, notes, and letters that I've had on my list for a while - lighter still. 
3. I made a decision that had to be made regarding some issues with District 19 and now a strained relationship there seems much better - much lighter. 
4. Received the call from The Harbor which seems to be moving in a forward progression - so light I was jumping and squealing!
5. Planted and watered most of the remaining plants that needed to be planted - coming back to earth.
6. Attended a brain injury support group in Midlothian - support from those who know - more lightening.

I had attended a support group in Farmville a few times, but it disbanded. My cousin, PJ, Mike and I went to one in Hopewell one time, but it took over an hour to get there. Just a few weeks ago, I realized that the Powhatan group, actually meets in Midlothian at a church that is an easy drive for me and only about 35 minutes away. (Woodlake UMC off of Rt. 360) I am so glad I went. I felt very comfortable with the group and although I didn't say anything but to introduce myself and state my high & low (everyone did this around the table), it was comforting to hear others express the same frustrations that I feel. The same feelings of being overwhelmed as a conservator, or dreading the mail cause there may be more forms to fill out, bills to pay, hoops to jump through, etc. I'm excited to become part of this group and already look forward to next month when I can go again.

Again, I want to thank my Heavenly Father for a very blessed day filled with hopeful expectations of greater things to come. I'm cautiously optimistic. He has put a new song in my heart today. 

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

He set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord

and put their trust in Him.

That would be the best outcome of all - if somehow, through our story, many would come to put their trust in the Lord. I saw a billboard tonight that said "It's all about Jesus." Amen!

The Mustard Seed Sprouts

!!!!I received the call from The Harbor regarding placement for Mike. We are one step closer! They want me to come and visit the facility to see if I think it would be a good fit for Mike and talk more about his fall risk. God is moving!!!!!! I am going next Monday at 10:00AM. Can you tell, the reserve is gone and I am EXCITED!!! It really seems like it is moving in the right direction! The mustard seed is sprouting and hope is budding! PRAISE GOD! Guess I better rein myself in a bit.......not there yet. :-)

Need a God-sized miracle

Matthew 17:20b (NIV)

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,

 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Finding a good place for Mike seems to be an impossible task, but this Scripture tells us that even with a teeny tiny bit of faith nothing will be impossible. He takes our teeny tiny and can make something tremendous. 

One of Liesa's main concerns was how much Mike has fallen recently and the fact that he doesn't try to break his fall. Heather and I told her we thought it was partly due to not having his glasses and, of course, being pushed by other residents. However, from the reports, he looks like a high fall risk. to me, The Harbor sounds wonderful for Mike, but I know they have to take into consideration their other residents, their ability to keep Mike safe, and their liability. My hope was wavering as we talked. Mike did well, seemed a little....um.....rough around the edges, but relaxed a little as we talked. I had brought yogurt for him and when he was done, I made the mistake of not scraping the sides and giving that to him like I usually do and Heather threw the container away. Mike: "I wanted more!" He'd keep coming back to that, but I apologized and then he let it go.

The Harbor would be further away from here. (Approx. 110 miles) It is just north of Charlottesville, VA in a small town called Stanardsville.  They own 20 acres right in town. She said town consists mainly of a church and a couple of stores, very small. The facility is on a dead-end street, they have a closed in yard/garden area where the residents can plant flowers & vegetables, plus take walks. There are two units in the building both housing approximately 25 residents. There are 3 staff, plus various other personnel (housekeeping, food servers, therapists) on the floor in each unit at all times. There are several male residents, all older than Mike. Visitors are welcome most any time. They do have church services, Bible studies, and special events. The base price is $3,200/month for a semi-private room. Once a level of care is determined, then that fee is added also. Those charges range from $250-$650/month. 

Liesa said she probably won't be able to meet with Denise until Monday morning, so expect to hear from her either Monday afternoon or Tuesday. They have a big Mother's Day event tomorrow and Liesa had a 3 hour drive back today. The way I figure it, we have the weekend to pray for this mountain to be moved, if this is God's will for Mike. In my finite human view, this task can only be accomplished by our Awesome God moving in the hearts and minds and decision-making of Liesa and Denise at The Harbor.

Liesa's husband is a Baptist pastor in Culpeper and they have a mission to children in Appalachia. I want to look it up and hope each of you will also. It's called Hope for Appalachia and every Easter they deliver Hope boxes to the impoverished children of Appalachia and prom dresses for the teen girls. Once a month, they provide food boxes. Last year they had 54 schools request boxes, but did not have enough. I want to keep this in front of my mind and hope we, as a church or family, can help provide boxes next year. This is right here in our state and evidently a huge need.

So with prayers on my lips while clinging to Jesus' hand and my little mustard seed, we will see what the Lord brings about over the weekend. Go with God and thank you for your prayers and encouragement.