I Had a Dream

I had a dream last night that Mike and I were walking side-by-side and quietly talking together. In my dream I sensed that he was walking and talking healthily even though I could only see from his shoulders up and couldn't hear our conversation. The one line I heard was when I said to Mike, "You are so much better!" and then he turned his head toward me and smiled.

Hope never dies.

If you remember from last month's post, Mike was having a great deal of swelling in his lower extremities. Dr. B was slowly increasing the fluid pill, then had an echocardiogram and Doppler imaging done. Mike's heart is fine and no blood clots were found so we have no idea where the sudden swelling came from. It is much better, but not completely gone. Due to the swelling, Mike was not able to walk as much as he had been, then he became mostly wheelchair bound.

Last week I spent several hours with Mike and thankfully my visit happened to coincide with the Physical Therapist's visit. She is working with Mike twice a week trying to get him mobile again. We walked down the hall and halfway back up before Mike needed to sit. She had a gait belt around his waist, he was using the walker, and I was following behind with the wheelchair. He did fairly well, but was much more bent than he was previously. It's times like this when I really wish I lived close enough to go for an hour a day, to help him regain his mobility. The Harbor just doesn't have enough staff to spare two people to walk with him each day.

A real praise is that Dr. B put Mike back on solid foods!! This made me very happy! The staff had to feed him anyway since he tends to gorge, plus he was trying to grab rolls or other food off of plates near him. He does well with the solid foods as long as he's reminded to take small bites and eat slowly. Well, actually, as long as someone is limiting how much he takes in. At least it gets rid of the problem of grabbing other people's food!

While we played Yahtzee on the front porch, Mike smiled a couple of times and was adding the numbers on the dice correctly. As he tired, that became difficult and it was time to get his legs up too so we went inside. He laid down with a book to read which always seems to bring contentment.

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

Would you say an extra prayer for me, please?  I've been having what I think is increased anxiety (panic attacks?) that randomly hit. I'm also frustrated with my time and food management. Mike was always so disciplined and such a routine kind of guy. He helped keep me on track. He was also the bold one that would forge the way in new circumstances. Now I'm stepping out of my comfort zone not only in writing, but also at church and in trying to reach out to others. I believe it's what the Lord wants me to do, but I'm still hesitant and unsure and most probably way too inward focused.

I know when God leads, He also equips and provides. I just need to make sure that knowledge moves to all areas of my mind, emotions and heart, plus keep the focus on Jesus where it belongs. Why is it so easy to say that, yet so much harder to practice?  I feel like Paul - "Oh, what a wretched [wo]man I am!" Thankfully Paul goes on to say that God delivers us from this body through Jesus Christ our Lord!!

Romans 7:21-25

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 

What a wretched man I am! 

Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, 

but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Birthday Blessings

Thank you for responding to my request and giving Mike many birthday blessings! He received 35 cards and a few gifts. What a joy it was to open all of the cards and read them with him. THANK YOU for making his 60th birthday special!

My sister and brother-in-law made it lots more fun by joining us at The Harbor on Friday. I had hoped to take Mike to the park to celebrate, but he was not maneuvering very well and his lower legs and feet were very swollen. We did walk a very little bit in the hall, but mainly he stayed in a wheel chair.

The nurse and I felt it was best if we stayed there in case there were any problems, so Carol, Ed, Mike and I went out in the courtyard with coolers, gifts, cards and cake. With sweat rolling down our backs, we huddled under the bit of shade given by the table umbrella and Crepe Myrtle tree and enjoyed our lunch. Mike ate well and slowly. Praise God!

He did not enter into the conversation very much and responses to questions were very slow in coming. At one point Carol remarked how pretty the courtyard was and asked Mike if they had squirrels. He did not respond. Then about 10 minutes later, when we were talking about something entirely different Mike says "Yes, we have squirrels." We need to really slow down the conversation so that he can process and keep up.

 Hugh and Tracey sent him a new shirt and pair of shorts. After he opened it, I started putting them back in the box, but Mike wouldn't let go of the shirt. Of course! He wanted to put it on right then. So we did. Then he was content. He received 2 books, some money, an OSU banner and a Brutus Buckeye pillow. We saved the cards to open in the coolness of his room and there he could get his legs elevated also.

After Carol and Ed left, he read/slept while I organized his wardrobe, drawers and photo board. Every time I tried to lay the book aside, he would wake up. I prayed with him, sang a few hymns and read a portion of Scripture and then he was really asleep. It was pleasant just to sit with him while he was resting so peacefully.

I received a call from Dr. Bostic as I was driving away from The Harbor. Mike was started on a fluid pill about 10 days ago and it is working, just very slowly. Blood tests have been done and all came back normal. If the swelling persists, then the doctor will order imaging of Mike's abdomen to check his stomach and kidneys. I told the doctor that Mike seems to be having trouble moving his right leg properly and that he has arthritis in that hip. Dr. B. wants to get the swelling under control before checking any other issues in case it has something to do with Mike's decreased mobility. His feet were extremely swollen, so I'm sure that makes walking uncomfortable.

I spent the rest of the weekend with Gayle and Tom. Gayle and I got pedicures on Saturday morning and I spent the afternoon writing on my other blogs. Last week got busy and I was behind on my self-imposed deadlines. I have to work on my time management.

Please pray that the cause of Mike's swelling will be discovered and that he'll soon be up walking again. I am so thankful for nurse C who recognizes when Mike is not his usual self and contacts the doctor promptly. He had a sinus infection last weekend and due to her diligence, antibiotics were started Saturday afternoon. I am very thankful for The Harbor and all the caring staff. Please keep them in your prayers also, they have to deal with a lot of difficult situations. Thank you!

Thank you for continuing to love and care for us. Your prayers, cards, and encouragement mean so very much to us. May God bless you each and every one!

2 Corinthians 9:11

"You will be enriched in every way

so that you can be generous on every occasion,

and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

Mike's Birthday

Last Friday I spent a few hours with Mike. The staff was hesitant to let me take him out of the facility because he had been uncooperative with them all morning. He also was not walking very well.

It was hot Friday so I knew we couldn't do much, but I had brought him some homemade goodies and I like to get him out of the facility when I can. He had on a long sleeve shirt and long pants that would never do outside in 94 degree weather with high humidity. If he wanted to go, I was sure he'd cooperate to change into something cooler.

When I finally coaxed him out of his chair, he was having problems maneuvering. I asked if he was in pain. "Yes!" "Where do you hurt?" Confused look. "Point to where you hurt." He stopped and palmed his right thigh. Often when he was super uncooperative at home, I would give him Tylenol. He rarely would complain of pain, but his behavior spoke for him. It usually helped at least a little. The nurse gave him some and we proceeded to get him changed so that we could venture out to the park. 

Physically he was not doing well, but his demeanor was very calm and sweet with me. We drove to the park, but it was too hot to get out. We just sat in the shade in the air-conditioned car and enjoyed a snack together. We were able to speak with both of his parents before he became anxious to get back.

I was able to help him with his dinner and thought we'd go watch some of the Olympics or play a game, but after dinner he was not able to communicate with me anymore. He became stuck in his humming "o". 

I spent Friday night through Sunday morning with Gayle and Tom who live a little over an hour away. We walked around a huge greenhouse and went to a movie on Saturday. Sunday I had hoped to take Mike to church, but it took a good while for him to break out of his perseveration. By the time he did, we would have been late and I didn't want to push it. 

We watched the Olympics for a little while, played Yahtzee, and sat on the porch. When I left, he was lying on his bed reading. It always makes me feel better to leave him when he's peaceful, quiet, and content.

On the way home I made a little detour and stopped at Lake Anna for 3 hours. I've had a yearning to sit by the water and just decided to take the opportunity. Even though it was too hot, too crowded, too noisy (someone had a boom box), and I got stung by a wasp, I still enjoyed the water and lying on the beach. It was a joy to see and hear so many families/friends out enjoying time together.

Mike will be 60 on August 26. I would love for him to get a flood of birthday greetings. If you have a chance, would you send him a note or card, please?  His address is: 422 William Mills Drive, Stanardsville, VA 22973. I'm going to ask the receptionist to hold the cards so that I can open them with him on his birthday. Hopefully some other family members will be able to come either Friday or Saturday and we can go to the park to really celebrate with him. I think I'll bake him a raw apple cake with caramel sauce. It's yummy.

Go with God and be blessed!

Two Are Better Than One

Ecclesiastes 4:9 & 10

Two are better than one,

    because they have a good 

return for their labor:

If either of them falls down,

    one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

    and has no one to help them up.

Last week I enjoyed two days with Mike’s Mom and his sister, Lynn. We met at The Harbor on Wednesday and spent about 3 hours with Mike mainly playing games. Lynn is lots of fun, lively and animated and Mike smiled a lot as we played Sequence in his room. On Thursday, we took him out for a haircut and a picnic at the park where we played more board games and took a little walk. He did very well eating his sandwich slowly and not choking on his drink. By the time we returned to The Harbor, he was totally worn out and ready to lie down for a while.

With Mom Rice and Lynn to do things with, this felt like a vacation. We all enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool which overlooks beautiful farm land and the first night we even swam while watching the sunset and lots of birds flying overhead. It was gorgeous. Lynn and I spent a long time in the water swimming and talking the entire time. Thank you, Lynn, for coming all the way from Texas. It’s so much fun to spend time with you! 

Enjoying time with Mom R. & Lynn
at The Vintage Restuarant

Fancy & Delicious!

We ate at two memorable restaurants with very different, but beautiful décor and delicious food. One was an old mansion made into a restaurant and inn with a rustic, yet elegant atmosphere in Orange called The Vintage Restaurant at The Inn at Willow Grove. The other had a European flare with full-wall murals, overflowing service and probably the best food I’ve ever eaten at a restaurant. If you are ever in Culpeper, Virginia and want to feel like you’re in Europe while delighting your taste buds, I highly recommend It’s About Thyme. Thank you Mom R. for the fun dining experiences. I always enjoy having time with you!

It's About Thyme. We ate it all!
Their bread was superb. So flavorful.

Thank you for your prayers about my writing. I’ve actually started two new blogs. That was not my original intention, but is what’s happening now. I’m still tweaking a little bit and learning the new things that I can do with a blog, but they are both up and I’m pushing myself to post at least once a week to www.lookingforbrightspots.blogspot.com and at least twice a week to www.reflectionsbythepond.com. Each one has two posts up as of today. I hope you’ll take a look and give me your honest feedback on the sites and content. 

The Looking for Bright Spots blog is geared mainly to caregivers so far, but we’ll see how it evolves. I am still figuring out what my voice and niche are, but needed to get something out there to get over my fear, stop stalling, and quit trying to have everything perfect. I hope that eventually it will be helpful to anyone going through a rough period of their lives – always pointing people to Jesus and helping them find encouragement and hope.

I’m having the most fun with the Reflections by the Pond blog. I love to take pictures with my cell phone and learned how to make memes at the writers’ conference. If you’ve never heard of a meme, neither had I, but I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of them. Basically, it’s a picture with words over it. I’m still learning this also, but it is a creative outlet and a way to use some of these bazillion photos I’ve taken. Purchasing a real camera and taking a photography class are on my bucket list, but cell phones actually do a satisfactory job.

The gardens are producing and neighbors are sharing from their gardens also, so Mom and I have been busy in the kitchen today. She canned tomatoes, while I put cucumbers in lime for more cinnamon pickles. Mom had heard of a Squash Pudding so I looked up a recipe and made that tonight. It was yummy! Dad says more corn will be ready in about two days and the apples are rotting on the trees so we’re picking and working on those too. If you’re bored, come on over. We’ll put you to work!

The above verse is perfect for this blog. Having Mom R. and Lynn with Mike and me was much more fun and we could do more than when it's just us, having your prayers helped pick me up when I was struggling to start something new, and Mom, Dad and I working together to store food for the winter sure is better than just one of us trying to do it all. God knows we need each other, sometimes I think we forget that we do.

"Two are better than one."

Father's Day & New Granddaughter

Greetings,
(That was always Mike's preferred salutation.) :-)

I spent several hours on Father's Day with Mike. He was a bit agitated when I arrived, but after a small dose of medication, he calmed down and I was able to take him to church. Afterwards, I took him to a local park where we enjoyed a homemade picnic in the great outdoors. A man and his two children were practicing medieval sword play with their soft weapons and shields which provided fun entertainment as we ate and subsequently walked around the soccer field. We were able to video chat with both of our boys and their families also. Mike doesn't say much, but I do think he enjoys actually seeing them. Back at The Harbor, we tried to talk with Mike's Dad, but I think by then he was over-stimulated so the nurse and I got him to bed with a new book I had brought him. At that point, he was ready for me to go.

Even though we had several good hours together, the abrupt ending left me feeling down as I drove away. I'm usually the one who tells Mike that I have to go and this time, although he didn't tell me to go in words, his actions spoke clearly. It was such a lovely day that I thought we'd stay outside and play a game or sit and admire the flower gardens, but he couldn't that day and it made me sad. I had to remind myself how well he did at church and at the park, plus be thankful that he is comfortable in his space at The Harbor.

I left there and drove to NC to await the arrival of our third grandchild who arrived the following Friday, June 24, right on schedule! Riley is a beautiful baby girl who looks like her mother, red hair and all. She was 6 lbs. 11 oz. and 18 inches long. We praise God that everyone is healthy and doing well. After the first couple of nights, she was sleeping for 2-3 hours at a stretch which made her Mom and Dad very happy. I had the privilege of playing with and caring for Aria, while everyone else was at the hospital, plus learning how to handle and train their 5 month old puppy, Brody.

Aria is a real joy. She's at the age of taking in so much, mimicking what others do and say, full of laughter, fun, and inquisitiveness, plus testing the boundaries. I called this age the terrible and terrific two's when mine were little. Brody is fun and can be a challenge. Thankfully, he is a very trainable dog and rarely barks. He has his "mouthy" and hyper times, but overall is very good. It was a special time being with all of them for almost 2 weeks.

If you zoom in,
there is a hummingbird
sitting on the electric
fence. 

Back home it's all about gardening, humidity, heat and the normal day-to-day activities. I've been trying to do a little bit of writing, but it is not flowing easily right now and I'm having a very hard time settling into any real routine in that regard. I have multiple things I want to read about writing and blogging, plus I have The Great Courses classes I ordered, but I have not been disciplined to do it. I tend to work on whatever seems urgent and is staring me in the face or take a break and read a fun book instead of making the time for these things. The tyranny of the urgent meets procrastination and the result is frustration. I have some sort of fear of this new path which is paralyzing me and causing me to cling to what I know I can do well, rather than taking the risk of a new venture with God. Prayers please!

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, 

let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Cut the Spareribs!

On April 26, I did meet with the Pastor and Jack from the Stanardsville UMC. I gave them some pointers of how to interact with Mike and some background information. We arrived at The Harbor just before lunch was being served. Mike was in his perseverative "o" and anxiously waiting for his food to arrive, so there was no possibility of visiting at that moment. I showed them Mike's room and where the games were kept, so at least they were oriented. They tried again to converse with Mike, but to no avail that day.

Later that afternoon, Mike was calmer and I decided to take him out for a haircut. After getting settled in the chair and telling the hair stylist to use the #3 guard, all of a sudden Mike blurts out "Cut the spareribs!" Whoa! What in the world? I pondered what he might mean and came up with "cut my sideburns." When I asked if that was it, Mike said a resounding "Yes!" Phew. Glad we got that straight.

I went to see Mike again on May 14 & 15. When I got there Pastor Chuck and Jack were there visiting with Mike in the sun room. Said they had been talking about OSU. The Pastor had to leave shortly after, but Jack stayed and took a walk with us. What a blessing to have these men take the time to spend with Mike. Mike and I played cribbage and then went down the other wing of The Harbor and played some of the computer games. He seemed to enjoy it for a while, but became bored after about 30 minutes. We video chatted with some family members which was the first time I had done that with him. It was fun and we'll do that more, since everyone else lives too far away to come and visit him in person.

On Sunday, I went to the early service at Stanardsville UMC which is a contemporary service and then went to get Mike ready to come to the 11:00 service. He did very well and we even stayed for their "Sip & Chat" (a light lunch) after the service. He also ate most of his lunch when we got back to The Harbor. He weighs more than he ever has, I think. Last time I saw his weight, it was 182. They feed him well at The Harbor, but he still forgets that he's eaten and is hungry all the time.

Oh that we would have that kind of longing for our Lord, Jesus Christ. An insatiable hunger for His Word with a burning desire to tell the unsaved about the free gift of life paid for and freely offered by God's one and only Son.

Psalm 63:1 (ESV)

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

    my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you,

    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Revelation 22:17 (ESV)

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” 

And let the one who hears say, “Come.” 

And let the one who is thirsty come; 

let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Writers Conference

Hello beloved,

Here I sit, enjoying the solitude of my sister's house after an amazing week at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference held at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina. It is a lovely day. I have the windows open, the breeze is gently stirring the leaves, and the birds are joyfully singing. I am thankful for the time to process all that I've heard and learned in the past few days, plus the opportunity to rest.

The conference started on Sunday, May 22. Due to the fact that my room wasn't ready until after 5 (I arrived at 2) I had the chance to take a walk and pray in the serene prayer garden. I'll be honest, I was asking God to help me stay calm and not become anxious or irritated. Once my room was ready, I took a little time to get settled and cleaned up before supper and the evening group session. This in turn caused me to be a little bit late getting to supper. Most people were already seated and eating, but shortly after I sat down, another newbie, Teresa, came in and sat at the same table. She and I hit it off and it was so nice to have her to meet up with at lunch and sit with at the group gatherings. She is a precious person who I might have missed meeting, if my room had been ready when I registered. Thank you, Lord, for the delay.

A huge SHOUT-OUT to Kris for informing me of the conference and to the family members who made it possible also. I'm still praying and feeling my way into this new venture of writing that the Lord has for me and this conference was a fantastic boost. The faculty and other conferees were so kind and we were often encouraged to never give up. The Lord's presence was felt and there was such a sweet spirit with no sense of competition among the writers. Each author, editor, and publisher was there to lend a hand in developing the God-given gifts of writing to each one they encountered. Worship was beautiful, keynote speakers were informative, hilarious, and genuine, and there were so many great choices for classes that it was hard to decide.

I told you about 2 posts ago that I had decided on a domain name for a new blog. I fully thought it would be up and running by now; however, even though I had actually started setting it up, I became overwhelmed and ended up backing out of that particular hosting package. Soon after that, my Mom's health became such that she needed more care and there were several doctor visits and one hospital stay, so setting up a new blog and writing have been low on the priority list. I am so thankful to be living with my parents and be able to provide the care that is needed and believe I am right where I belong. Care-giving and being available to my parents and Mike is my first calling, the writing will come eventually or as I carve out time.

There were great suggestions given at the conference of how to incorporate writing into a full day. I know I need to set aside certain times throughout the week to try to make it happen or it won't. Whether it's 15 minutes or an hour, if it means getting up early or staying up late, if it means going somewhere quiet, or turning off my phone, there are ways to incorporate more writing into my day.

The keynote that had the greatest take-away for me was given by Eva Marie Everson from a passage in Nehemiah. At the end of her keynote, she had us all get up and form a "wall", shoulder to shoulder around the room. Once in place, she pointed out that each of us has a place in the wall and that no one else can take our place, because they have their own spot in the wall. Whatever God has called us to do or write, do it. If there are those who heckle and ridicule and tell us to give up, remember what Nehemiah said to Sanballat and Geshem "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down."

Nehemiah 6:3

And I sent messengers to them, saying, 

“I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. 

Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

There were so many great lessons during classes also. The recurring theme was that, as writers, we must stay close in our relationship with God through Bible study, prayer, and community so that our words honor and glorify God and speak the truth of His word. It truly was a wonderful conference and spiritual retreat. Whatever our calling, the same truths remain. Do with excellence what we've been called to do. Don't be lazy in our calling or let negative thoughts or ridicule from others turn us aside from God's calling. Go! He will equip.

Four Years

At this time four years ago today, I was sitting in a hospital waiting room with friends from church while Mike was undergoing life-saving surgery. At that point, I had no idea how extensive his injuries were, how much blood had been lost, or how close he was to dying. I also had no clue that the Mike I had known for 30 years was already gone even though physically he was hanging on to life in a miraculous way.

Four Years. Feels so much longer. So much has changed, yet so much has stayed the same. I know the Lord in a way I never would have imagined, I trust Him more now than I did then, I've made it through the most difficult experiences ONLY by the grace, peace, love, and strength of Jesus, my Lord. My rock, my shelter, my provider, my sustainer, my joy, my peace, my deliverer, my strong tower, my refuge in the storm, my GOD who never fails me. My God who has a plan, a purpose, even though I cannot see it, I trust Him because He is trustworthy and true. It's not something I can fully explain to you, but I KNOW down deep in my soul that He loves me and wants the best for me and Mike. Do I wish it were different? Absolutely! BUT more than anything, I want to be in God's will and since there's nothing I can do to change our current situation, then I trust that we ARE in His will right where we are and who we are now.

Psalm 145:1-3

I will extol you, my God and King,

    and bless your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless you

    and praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,

    and his greatness is unsearchable.

Easter Sunday I had the privilege of taking Mike to church at the Stanardsville UMC. From the moment we got there, people were so kind and showed us the love of Christ. Folks outside helped us get up the stairs and into the front door, we were greeted warmly, and an usher offered to bring us communion when it was time. No one seemed bothered when Mike spoke out LOUDLY during the children's time or when he answered questions that the Pastor asked during his sermon. The most precious to me was when a member of the choir, noticing (and hearing!) Mike's impatience to take communion, halted the flow of people to the altar and helped me get him to the altar so that he didn't have to wait any longer. It was such a pleasant experience, with people we did not know at all, which is how it should be in the family of God. Plus, I had no anxiety or embarrassment. People just have to love us the way we are or not, nothing I can do about it.  Thankfully after the service we were shown the side entrance where there were no steps to navigate.

Two other blessings have come from our visit on Easter morning. That night I emailed the Pastor to thank him for their love and compassion and asked if he or some of his members might be willing to visit Mike. I heard back from him either that night or the next day saying he would put Mike on his visitation list. We made a plan to go together the first time so that I can give him some pointers and we are doing that tomorrow. He told me on the phone yesterday, that another member of the congregation wants to come, as well, so I am very thankful.

The other blessing was connecting with a lady whose husband had also been at The Harbor when Mike first arrived, but has since had to move to another facility. We had met, but had never really had a chance to talk. Pastor Chuck shared my email (as I requested) and she was one of the choir members. I thought she looked familiar, but couldn't make the connection. She emailed me, reminding me of who she was and we have really enjoyed talking and emailing back and forth. Although her husband has dementia instead of brain injury, we still "speak the same language" and are living very similar lives in regard to our husbands. It is comforting to have a new friend that truly understands.

Since coming to acceptance of who Mike is now, pre-accident memories have surfaced more regularly. I was crushing graham crackers one day and an image of Mike fixing his lunch popped very clearly into my mind of him breaking graham crackers to put in a clean, used yogurt cup along with peanuts. He took this every day only alternating vanilla wafers occasionally. There have been other memories, but it is late and my brain can't think of them right now. Is past time for bed so I will say "Good night."

This is who Mike is, now.

Together at Christmas. 

Greetings beloved friends, it's been a while!

I hope each of you were able to enjoy time with family and friends during the Christmas season, as well as, special times of worship and remembrance of our Lord Jesus' birth.

I made quilts for both
of my grands for Christmas.
Isn't she adorable?!

He does best when
reading.

For our Christmas, a large portion of the Rice family gathered together at Massanutten, Virginia for a few days. Aria, my granddaughter, is very active and jabbery now, so it's great fun to have her around. Some of the family had hoped to ski or tube, but it was a balmy 70+ while we were there and thus no snow. We picked Mike up on Christmas Eve and caught part of a beautiful Christmas Eve service in Ruckersville, then brought Mike back with us for 2 nights. Caleb's family had also planned to join us, but their son became very sick the Sunday before Christmas with an ear infection and croup and so it was impossible for them to fly. That was a huge disappointment, but now they are coming in March! Yay! (praying everyone is healthy and weather is good!)

Our time together with Mike went fairly well. The biggest challenge was food. He still has a tendency to gorge and so has to be watched closely. He has a hearty appetite, but still doesn't know when he's full and guessing when to stop him from eating is tricky. We took a walk each day, and with someone to support him, he did very well. By the third day, it appeared that he was over-stimulated because he kept taking his book and going into the bathroom with the door closed and staying for long periods of time. We had thought we'd keep him three nights, but I hadn't slept well, so was tired, and he seemed done too. We had no problems taking him back to The Harbor on Saturday. He got in bed with his book and we left. 

On the Sunday after Christmas, most of us went bowling and I really enjoyed playing. I even had the highest score the first 2 games, I think it was 135 both times! My nephew won the last game with 150, I think.  Aria even tried pushing the ball down the alley. Such fun with family.

After the Jones family gathering back here at the farm, I drove to Ridgecrest in North Carolina to participate in the annual Faithwalkers conference with Keegan & Amy. There were wonderful speakers and I was able to reconnect with Kris who was such a blessing to us while we lived in Raleigh, as well as, saw friends of K&A whom I've come to know and love also. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling real well and so I left early to head home. 

When I got home, I was completely exhausted and did not want to travel anywhere! The thought of driving the 2 1/4 hours to see Mike was not a thought I wanted to entertain any time soon. In November I'd had several trips to the doctor with my Mom, then 3 weekends in a row of travel, the disappointment of Caleb's family not being able to come, had Mike with us and had been around lots of people, plus the busyness of Christmas. All combined, I was worn out physically and emotionally. There was also the above phrase playing in my head that I had not had the time to completely examine. 

The weekend before Christmas, during one of the back-to-back sessions with the brain injury specialist, I was looking at Mike lying there so calmly, and a strong impression came to my mind: "This is who Mike is now." I didn't say much about it until a couple of weeks ago, because I wanted to pray and make sure it was from the Lord.

After over a month of pondering and praying, I have a real sense of release and acceptance. Release of my almost 4 years of striving to do one more thing for Mike, and acceptance that he is as he is and I can let him be. I talked with several family members about it at the end of January and Mom Rice and I talked about the stages of grief. She had mentioned it before, but when I asked her how she felt about what I was saying, she said she thought that most of the rest of the family had already come to that point of grief - acceptance, but they weren't as close to it as I was and everyone goes through it differently. 

What this really means for me is no more treatments with the brain injury specialist and no more trying to get Mike off of medication. Plus, as Gayle so aptly reminded me, taking every thought captive and not second-guessing why the connection with the specialist, but trusting that God had a reason and purpose for that also and I don't have to know the "why". It means that I trust The Harbor and it's doctors and nurses and caregivers to do their job and I will love and visit Mike without great expectation of change. I don't think I can ever fully give up hope - there's always hope in Jesus, if not for this life, then for the next. Yet, for this life, I will be grateful for the wonderful facility and people the Lord has provided for Mike and ease up on my expectations of myself also. Mike is as content as he's going to be anywhere, I believe, and I will be content with his situation. He is being well taken care of and I can be of more help to my parents right now. It means releasing Mike and his future into God's hands more completely than I have done thus far. Hopefully completely. Truly accepting that Mike is who he is.

During this time, I also realized (with the help of my counselor) that my detailed personality had slipped into perfectionism and I was exhausting myself in an effort to be the perfect wife, perfect Christian, and perfect daughter. Too much striving. God says if I focus on Him, I'll have perfect peace. That's the perfection I want to strive for.

Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

"You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you.

It's really hard to put into words just how much of a difference all of this has made in my life in the space of a month. It's like a huge 4 year weight has been completely taken away and I feel lighter and more alive than I have in a very long time. It truly has been a long adventure to acceptance and will continue to be an adventurous journey, I'm sure, yet I have definitely had a shift in my thinking and a release that's hard to explain. Maybe this will help you understand just a bit: After I wrote to the specialist and told her that I wouldn't be bringing Mike back, she emailed me and suggested that I bring Mike back for one more hour to work on a specific area. The previous me would have felt compelled to do this one last thing, but now I have such peace and release from God, that it wasn't a hard thing to write back, graciously thank her, but explain that I believe I'm supposed to let Mike be now. No guilt, no quandary.

We had a beautiful snow. 12-15 inches probably.

At the end of January, after our big snow storm here, Gayle & Tom, came for a few days. While they were here, I asked Gayle to help me go through clothing and things of Mike's which he has not worn or used in 4 years.  We threw away very worn things, like Mike's favorite running shirt & shorts, sent lots to Goodwill, and kept very little. That job had been hanging over my head for a long time. I had gone over one day to do it, but didn't last very long. It was time and she was the perfect one to help me. Then she and Tom took care of taking bags to the dump and the good stuff to Goodwill. Another weight gone. 

Clapping to the music.

I even felt different when I visited Mike last weekend. I had not seen him since Christmas, and wasn't feeling guilty about that either and didn't have any expectations or agenda. He was doing as well as he does and I tried to follow his lead. I saw another resident wearing Mike's OSU hat, and thought "Oh well, Mike isn't worried about it. Let it be." I helped Mike eat and we walked up and down the hall a few times, but otherwise I mostly sat with him while he read. We were at peace and not striving. The highlight was The Harbor concert series which featured an Irish band on Saturday afternoon. They were terrific! Their name is An Lar and Mike and I thoroughly enjoyed listening, clapping, and trying to sing-along. I tried to upload a video of Mike clapping, but it won't load.

This week, I've actually decided on a domain name and started setting up my own self-hosted blog. I'm so excited! (and a bit nervous!) I'm venturing out into a new life for me. I've been doing some writing in a journal that will eventually go on this new blog which will be a devotional-type blog. I'm learning a lot of blog-eze, but trying not to get too deep or overwhelmed.  The great thing is that this is my "baby" and there is no time frame or expectations except what I put on myself. No stress!!  As soon as I get it together and publish my first post, I'll let you know. Physically, other than the exhaustion and stress, I found out that I have acid reflux and with a small diet change and some medication, I am feeling much better. 

I may not be posting on here as much in the future, but will continue to occasionally let you know how Mike is doing (and me). For the "new" Mike, he's doing well, is well adjusted at The Harbor and well taken care of by loving workers. All is well for him and it is well with my soul too.

A Gift

This past weekend was one of those times when I was really missing my husband. I was missing the companionship, sharing concerns and joys, talking and sharing about what the Lord is teaching us and just being together. To be honest, Mike and I didn't always have the best or easiest marriage. It really took work and a concerted effort to decide to love each other even when we didn't always feel in love. There were other times when I think we knew we loved each other, but didn't really like each other all that much. Maybe you understand this, maybe you don't. What we had going for us; however, is that we both loved Jesus and so even when we were at odds with each other, we continued to look to Jesus, and through that commonality we would always draw back towards each other. In other words, Jesus was and is the glue that has held Mike and I together for 31 years. I have no regrets about sticking it out through thick and thin. I do have regrets of not always loving and respecting my husband as I should. I have given those regrets to the Lord and asked for forgiveness. My encouragement to you who are married is to cherish that relationship, speak encouraging words to each other, (like the old song says "accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative"), let go of the small stuff (and there's lots of small stuff really), find simple ways to please your spouse, look for ways to be together,  and above all place the Lord Jesus front and center always. It's amazing that when we focus on Christ and what He endured because of His love for us, all that seemed so important suddenly fades away and we often see just how selfish we are.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, 

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, 

so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Anyway, a wave of missing Mike had swept over me on Saturday and Sunday and I've been praying more fervently for God to restore him from his bed of illness (Psalm 41:3). He's had a rough few weeks. The hyper-activity was still prevalent and after speaking with Dr. B., it was decided to increase (not decrease) the Depakote. The doctor was concerned that lowering the dose would make Mike worse and said we would know within a few days if increasing the medication made Mike more hyper and go from there. The very next day I received a call that Mike had gotten the window in his room open, broke the screen, threw his family photos and Bible out the window and was trying to crawl out. At least his thinking is clearer and he was taking what was important to him! I called every couple of days to check on him and he was mainly hyper like he was when I was there, not really more hyper or less hyper, except for the window incident. Monday I spoke with the head nurse and she said he was still walking fast down the hall and they had a few incidents of him grabbing someone's arm, but she thought he might be a bit calmer. We both agree that we much prefer to see him this way rather than lying in bed half the day and falling when he was up and around.

Now that he is more physically stable, I decided to get him an appointment with an optometrist for new glasses. (He's lost or broken 4 pair in the past 3.5 years, so I've been slow to get more.) The Wal-mart in Ruckersville has an optometrist there 3 days a week. Monday I made an appointment online for Tuesday afternoon. When I arrived at The Harbor, Mike was sitting quietly in the dining room waiting for lunch, he was not repeating "o", he answered questions appropriately, we sang Christmas carols, he read some missionary newsletters that I brought, and was not frantic when his food came. This was fabulous!! At the doctor's office, he tried to cooperate and follow instructions and was not impatient. He needed extra prompting or additional instruction for some things, but so much calmer - it was amazing! 

Since he was doing so well, we walked to the other side of Wal-mart so that he could get a haircut. When the stylist asked if he liked his haircut, he said "it makes my wife happy". Ha! :-) Just for him to be "with it" enough to say something like that is so huge. He even asked me twice if I was cold. Usually he seems oblivious to others, so this was such a great day.

By now it was almost 3:00 and I hadn't had any lunch yet. I was hungry and Mike is always hungry, so I suggested we get something to eat. Mike usually wants a burger so we were headed to McDonald's when he saw a Subway and wanted to go there. I wasn't sure he'd be able to handle a sub sandwich, but he was super calm, so why not? He ate a 6" chicken sub, a bag of chips, 1/2 of my tuna salad, drank a bottle of orange juice, plus ate a piece of fruitcake with wine jelly and custard that I brought from home. Remember that he had eaten his entire plate at The Harbor at noon! He did fantastic, I kept reminding him to eat slowly and chew carefully and he did great. 

Back at The Harbor, one of the CNAs told me Mike had been super cooperative that morning while showering which is very unusual. She was saying how she would sure like to know what he is thinking on those days when he is so agitated. We have no idea what combination made yesterday such a calm, cooperative, clear day, but it was wonderful. A true gift from God. Mike was so pleasant to be with and after 3.5 years, I don't take those days for granted. I am so thankful that I was able to be with him yesterday on an extremely great day. He will probably never be like he was prior to the accident, but I am so thankful for an easy, relaxed, calm day with him whenever I can get it. God knew my heart's desire and provided a balm to soothe the ache. Yesterday I had a fun day with my husband.

So, go hug your spouse (or a loved one), tell them you love them, speak words of affirmation to them, and thank the Lord for every minute you are given the privilege of enjoying their company. It is a gift.

Hyper

Saturday, November 21, 2015
9:00 AM - I arrive at The Harbor. Mike is walking very fast down the hall (without the walker). Repeating "o". I start walking with him. He comes back up the hall, enters the dining room and goes around the corner to where a man is sitting. Mike grabs the man's arm and yanks. I pried him off, grabbed his walker and we proceed to walk up and down the hall for over 30 minutes. He is much more physically stable since the Haldol is out of his system. Each pass I block him from entering the dining room. M gives Mike his PRN (as needed) medication in preparation for going to see the Brain Injury Specialist, Chena.

9:40 AM - T brings out Connect 4 and we attempt to have Mike play. He wants to go to the corner and bother C. Finally he sits and tries to play, but is antsy. C leaves the corner, Mike is immediately up and in the corner to sit in the vacant chair. We play Connect 4 again. The "o" continues, but he's a bit calmer. I ask S if Mike has been sitting in that corner, she says "You know what? He does sit there a lot." That was the issue. It wasn't C, he just wanted the chair.

10:00 AM - I go to Mike's room and find his shoes, then ask T if Mike can have his morning snack since we need to leave soon. Shoes on, yogurt eaten. "Come on Mike, let's go for a ride." Nothing, Mike is not budging from his coveted chair. "Mike, let's go outside." Nope. "Mike, it's a beautiful day, want to go outside for a walk?" Nada. "Come on Mike, let's get out of here for a while." Not moving.

10:20 AM - T helps me move the chair and make Mike stand up. Once up, he cooperates to put his jacket on and we leave. In the car, he is calm and the "o" stops. A couple minutes down the road he shouts: "I don't need to be at this place anymore!" We talk about why he is there. I explain where we are going and why. Mike tells me he doesn't remember anything about the accident. I ask him to cooperate as much as possible with Chena. He is calm.

11:00 AM - Arrive at Chena's office. Mike waits patiently. He asks me what day my birthday is in May. (Wow! He remembered the month.) I ask him his birth date. He remembers. I ask how old he is, he says 56. (He's 59) I ask him what year it is and he answers correctly! First time since the accident that he hasn't said 2012. (The year of his accident.)

11:10 AM - Mike is very cooperative with Chena and lays quietly on the massage table. She begins the treatment, which is very different and unusual to us. She is pressing on different areas, mainly on his face and head. I don't begin to understand it, but believe God orchestrated our connecting with her and so trust there is a reason and some good is going to come of this alternative treatment.

11:50 AM - Mike raises his head and shouts: "I want to see the doctor!" We explain that Chena is the "doctor" and he relaxes again. He shouts out a couple of other times during the course of the 2 hour treatment, but otherwise does great. Praise God!

1:00 PM - Chena explains what she has learned from Mike's body so far. Depression comes through strongly. Noise and touch cause a breakdown. I can't really explain it, but the way I understand it is that too much noise and touch cause his brain to not function properly. Mike's never been a touchy/feely kind of guy - it all makes sense. She checked his neurotransmitters and said the epinephrine (adrenaline) was off. We are scheduled to go back December 18 & 19 for two more 2 hour sessions. She's thinking it will take about 20 hours total. She says he will be sleepy the rest of the day.

1:15 PM - Mike is doing well, so I ask if he would like to try eating a burger. I caution him that he has to eat slowly, chew carefully and swallow so as not to choke. He says he will. (He's always agreeable if it's something he wants to do.)

1:30 PM - Drive-thru at McDonald's. I ask if there is a park nearby. We drive the 3 blocks, find the park and walk to the hexagonal picnic tables. We get Mike's legs in and he plunks down, misses the seat and flops backwards. Thankfully, his feet kept him from going over completely and the table was heavy enough that it didn't flip over. Phew! With effort, we got him upright, he ate slower than usual and even drank a Coke. It was a lovely fall day and the sun was bright and warm.

2:30 PM - Back at The Harbor, they had saved his lunch plate and he ate the entire thing, but is back to being hyper. I had to feed him so he wouldn't gorge. The "o's" are back with a vengeance. I get him to lie down to rest so that later we can watch the OSU football game together. I drive up to the local library to take a break, sit in the car, and read.

3:20 PM - Mike is sitting in the dining room. He did not rest. He cannot sit still. He keeps wanting to grab wheelchairs (with people sitting in them) and push them around. They don't like this. The next 2 hours are spent walking, blocking him from wheelchairs, watching a bit of the game. Over and over and over. I ask if he had his afternoon meds. Yes. Seems they are doing the opposite of calming him down. M says maybe Mike has built up a tolerance to them. He was definitely NOT sleepy.

5:30 PM - I feed Mike his supper, then leave to spend the night with my Aunt. I'm exhausted and remember why I couldn't keep Mike with me 24/7. Without the Haldol, the hyperactive, can't-sit-still Mike is back. Something will have to be done for the safety of him and others.

Sunday, November 22, 2015
8:40 AM - I arrive at The Harbor. Mike is sitting at a dining room table looking at a catalog. Calmer than Saturday. We sit for a while, then walk the halls again.

9:30 AM - Start getting him ready to go to church. He's antsy. The slacks I brought are too small. Yay! He's gained weight. No big deal, someone else's jeans are in his closet, they're too big, but I brought a belt. Mike doesn't complain.

10:20 AM - Finally cleaned up and ready to go. Gateway Church meets in the local Elementary School. We sit half way between front and back. Without his glasses, he can't read the words to the song. This makes him agitated. (I make a mental note to try to get new glasses. He's either lost or broken 4 pair in the past 3 years.) He speaks out loudly during the music and is very fidgety during the sermon. I brought his notebook and pen which helps by giving him something to concentrate on. He takes a few notes.  We leave during the last song. Both Pastors greet us, Mike sees snacks, stuffs 2 mini-cinnamon rolls in his mouth, before I can get him away from the table.  He speedily walks to the car, starting the "o's". Maybe this was too much stimulation on the heals of the new experience yesterday.

12:00 PM - We get his clothes changed, he swallows his pureed lunch whole. Very antsy and hyper. We walk. He tried to lie down. Popped right back up. I try to settle him in a chair in the hall with a book. He can't sit still. I let M know that I am leaving to go home. Mike stuck with "o" and popping up and down in the chair.

12:30 PM - I leave. I want to go to a large restaurant, where I will be "invisible", I don't feel like talking with anyone. I take in my book, eat and read.

1:30 PM - I start the 2 1/4 hour drive home. It is a good time to enjoy the quiet, pray, reflect, and think. I decide to more thoroughly research the medication Mike is on now. I want to see if anything throws up red flags. I cannot shake the thought that the Depakote could be causing this hyper activity. That he doesn't need another sedating medicine, because possibly that is just treating a side-effect of a current medicine. I pray that God will give Dr. Bostic wisdom. I am tired. Half way home, I stop and buy a coffee. I try to call a couple of people to fill them in on the weekend and help me stay awake. My right hip and back are aching.

4:00 PM - Home safe. Thank you, Jesus. Drop my bags and crash on the bed.

I am very thankful that we had no problems while driving to Orange and to church, that Mike cooperated so completely with Chena, and for the pleasure of Mike being able to eat solid food outside in the sunshine. What a blessing that we did not have any mishaps. God is good!

Please be in prayer for Mike and pray that God will impress on Dr. Bostic what is needed in order to keep Mike and others safe. Mike is not having peace and rest right now. It's been 3 years and 7 months since his accident, and we have yet to find the right, sustained balance for him between hyperactivity and droopy sedation. Pray for me also, that I don't internalize the stress. I'm praying that God will take away this feeling regarding Depakote, if it is unfounded and give me peace. If the Depakote is causing some of Mike's issues, then I pray that God will impress what to do about it on Dr. Bostic. Researching the medication and taking Mike to the Brain Injury Specialist are the only things left, that I can think of, for me to do in regard to Mike's situation. I have not gotten a sense that it is time for me to give up, yet. There is always hope.

God gives grace and peace. I pray that for Mike and me. We have been rescued from sin. One day we will be rescued from this decaying world. Hallelujah!

Galatians 1:3-5 (NIV)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for

our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, 

according to the will of our God and Father,

to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Connect the Dots

I was in Stanardsville with Mike on November 4-6. I think he looks much better now that the Haldol is out of his system. He has lost the really dark circles under his eyes and his eyes seem brighter and clearer. He is more stable physically also. His mind seems a bit clearer; however, he is a bit....edgy. It's hard to explain, but since he is not as sedated, the fast-blood Mike (his nickname in Palau) is more apparent. When his fastness is combined with the no-filters-TBI component, the impatience and quickness to action can cause problems for his overall well-being. (i.e. eating and walking too fast) I still think it's better than being overly sedated and unstable.

The Harbor has connected with students from a nearby high school who have volunteered to spend time with some of the residents. On Tuesday, November 3, two students from the cross-country team and their father came and took Mike for a walk. This is great, but unfortunately their first time out with Mike, he fell. Evidently, as they talked about running, Mike became excited and tried to run. I'm assuming they semi-caught him, because he wasn't seriously injured, but did receive scrapes on his right arm and a cut above his eye. The volunteers said they would be back, but I don't know if they have or not.

Thursday was a lovely Fall day and Mike was doing well. We walked a little and then sat in the garden while I showed him photos & videos of Caleb, Anastasia, and Watson. It did not seem to phase him that I had gone to Arizona (I wasn't sure if it would upset him that I went and he didn't).  He asked me if I lived with Mark and Anastasia. He still gets people in our family confused. I told him "No, Caleb and Anastasia live too far away."  Mike - "No, they don't!" Ah well, he enjoyed the photos. We do have the cutest grandson ever!

Sleepy Watson

I can see for miles and miles!

Cool hats

I had a great 10 days in Arizona. Watson is at such a fun age. He was crawling fast and would take several steps. I'm convinced that ottomans are a must for those learning to walk. He would careen around those things, fall, scramble up again, go round and round, giggling and having a fine time! His laugh would have all of us laughing. Such a doll.  I am so blessed to have been able to go and see Watson during this quickly changing phase of his life.

We also enjoyed a short 2 day trip to Sedona and Flagstaff so that I could see more of the beauty of Arizona. We saw the red rocks and visited some adobe ruins which I found very interesting plus a volcano site. (Sunset Crater?)

From the ashes

Beautiful scarred tree
preserved from the volcano 

Anyway, back to Mike. He is still on pureed foods and thickened drinks. They brought his plate and I asked for a lunch plate too. He ate all of his plate and I shared my solid food with him. I had to constantly remind him to eat slow, chew and swallow. Since he was doing so well, I decided to take him out to get his haircut. We found a local barber and he did OK. I'm guessing that the noise of the clippers bothered him, because he would keep turning his head. The barber was very kind and worked with him. Afterwards, we went through the drive-thru at McDonald's to get him a milkshake. While waiting in line, he kept moving things around in the car. I asked him if he needed something to do with his hands and he said "yes!" All I could find in the car was a straw, but he took the paper off and played with the flexible straw until we placed our order and got the milkshake. Now that he had something to occupy him, I decided to drive a little so we could see the beautiful fall foliage. We drove up Lydia Mountain which isn't far and then he was ready to go back to The Harbor.

 On Friday he had a dentist appointment for a filling. After seeing how he did at the barber, I asked the director if he could be given his PRN medication before going to the dentist. That was granted. Now let me back up. On Tuesday night, I had the idea to email Pastor Aaron at Gateway to see if anyone from their church was available to go with Mike and I to the dentist on Friday. I received an automated response that the Pastor was unavailable until Nov. 11, but it gave another Pastor's name, phone number, and email in case of emergency. This wasn't an emergency, so at first I wasn't going to email, but decided I would, just in case this other pastor had heard of our situation and knew of any volunteers.

Well, I think God has been having a lot of fun connecting dots for Mike and I. When I heard from Pastor Matt, it turns out that he is from a small town close to Blackstone, he went to the same high school that lots of my family went to (including me) and was in the band with 2 of my nieces. He even went to a dance with one of my nieces! God's small world! He was available Friday, so came and assisted Mike and I to the dentist office. It was so great to already have connections which made it all more comfortable for me and gave us things to talk about right away. The best part is that he was able to meet Mike, learn more about him, and is going to work at getting a couple of guys to come visit Mike on hopefully a regular basis. Mike did fantastic at the dentist. He was calm while driving back and forth plus conversed a little bit with Matt.

When we returned, it was lunch time and Mike became very anxious. We were able to show Matt where Mike's room and games were and then proceeded quickly to the dining hall. Lunch was difficult and I could not get him to slow down and relax. Matt went on and left while Mike was eating. After getting his noon medication, we took a walk and he began to calm down. By then he was tired, so I got him in bed with a book then headed home myself. All in all, I believe he did very well with both outings and meeting a new person. I'm very glad he did well on both drives. That gives me more confidence to take him out for short trips which is a pleasant diversion for him and makes me happy to get him out.

I will be going up again this Friday. Mike will have his first treatment with the brain injury specialist on Saturday from 11-1. I would appreciate prayers. I will be taking him to her office in Orange which is about a half hour drive from the Harbor. It's right at lunch time, so I will take him yogurt before and maybe after also, until we can get back for his lunch. Since he's on the pureed diet, I don't want to take him out to eat. I'm excited to start this treatment and hope we'll see some improvement as the treatments progress.

He does seem to be settling in and more comfortable at The Harbor, so I am thankful for that improvement. The staff said he has really enjoyed watching football. They were amazed at how different he was while watching a Redskins game. They said that Mike and another lady were cheering and Mike knew all the rules of the game. That long-term memory is there when given the right stimulation. Is always a joy to hear those good reports. The other interesting thing is that the older women there seem to have taken Mike under their wing. When we returned from the barber shop on Friday, one lady came up, took me by the arm, looked at me with such kindness, and said "Thank you, that was so good for him."  It reminds me of how God shelters us under His wings.

Psalm 91:1-4

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High

dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

He Himself will deliver you from the hunter's net,

from the destructive plague.

He will cover you with His feathers;

you will take refuge under His wings.

His faithfulness will be a protective shield.