From: Lynne
Date: January 11, 2003
Subject: Update & A Story to Share
Dear Friends & Family,
I have wanted to share this story with you since I got home from the hospital on December 23. However, extreme pain in my right shoulder has made typing difficult. The pain is related in part at least to the work they did on C5. Did you know they were related? Neither did I. I am getting stronger - I can tell that it is easier to get up and down, and I am walking around the house with my cane rather than my walker. I am still restricted to a 5 lb. weight lifting limit, and not raising my arms above my shoulders. Yesterday (Friday) afternoon I finally heard that my PT and OT orders were ready so I will get that going next week. Dr. Barber had been on vacation for 10 days. Since Dr, Vollmer is leaving, the whole neuro-surgery dept at UTHC is in flux, so I have yet to get my post-surgery office visit scheduled.
Good news - Dr. Snip, my eye-surgeon released me this week. I can see 20-30. I told him he was a God send, and he did indeed change my life...
Thanks for the cards, e-mails, and especially your prayers!
Lynne
Date: January 11, 2003
Subject: Update & A Story to Share
Dear Friends & Family,
I have wanted to share this story with you since I got home from the hospital on December 23. However, extreme pain in my right shoulder has made typing difficult. The pain is related in part at least to the work they did on C5. Did you know they were related? Neither did I. I am getting stronger - I can tell that it is easier to get up and down, and I am walking around the house with my cane rather than my walker. I am still restricted to a 5 lb. weight lifting limit, and not raising my arms above my shoulders. Yesterday (Friday) afternoon I finally heard that my PT and OT orders were ready so I will get that going next week. Dr. Barber had been on vacation for 10 days. Since Dr, Vollmer is leaving, the whole neuro-surgery dept at UTHC is in flux, so I have yet to get my post-surgery office visit scheduled.
Good news - Dr. Snip, my eye-surgeon released me this week. I can see 20-30. I told him he was a God send, and he did indeed change my life...
Thanks for the cards, e-mails, and especially your prayers!
Lynne
Three years ago, when I had my accident, I spent 61 days in the hospital. The absolute worst part of that time was the few days I spent on the 12th floor of University Hospital after surgery. It was horrific - to the point that this time when planning with my surgeon, I asked him, even begged him, to have it be any place else but there. When I checked in to the hospital on Saturday, Dec 14., the administrator said to report to room 12xx. My heart sank, but as I rode the elevator up there, I said to Russ, "maybe God thinks it is time that we are healed of the animosity we have carried these past 3 years."
At first I thought I would be in a private room, but was soon moved to a semi-private one in the intermediate care section of the floor. The doctors hooked me up to traction to get my neck in alignment prior to surgery. That was awful – a halo hooked to my head, gradually adding more weight until eventually there was 15 lbs. Extremely painful – flat on my back – total clear liquid diet - pain meds regularly to take the edge off and help me sleep. I was very glad that I knew that the light at the end of this dark tunnel would emerge on Tuesday when I had my surgery. I listened to lots of music, Christian music, to get me through this difficult time. I think the CD I played the most was "Lynne’s Journey of Faith and Healing" that Teresa (my sister) and I compiled in early 2000. These were the songs that got me through the last time, and I needed desperately to hear them all again. I also knew many, many people were praying for me, and I felt every one.
On Sunday night, I got a roommate, Paula. She was from the Rio Grande Valley. She had rolled her car when she reached for her cell phone, and had broken her back. She, too, was in extreme pain, and was scheduled to have surgery, the same kind I was getting ready to have. I gradually learned that she came from rather dire family circumstances. She desperately tried to make phone calls, person-to-person, collect, etc. to no avail. The nurse who had been tending to me soon came back in and told Paula, "Here is my cell phone. I could be fired for this, but please make the calls you need to make."
The next morning, I had just asked for more pain meds, and really wanted to escape into sleep. But then I heard Paula ask the nurse, "could you pull the curtain back? I want to see her face." Not now, I thought – I hurt too much. Paula started talking to me, telling me more personal stuff than I really wanted to hear. All of it was so dark – evil – of the devil – and I could tell that her demons would not give her any peace. She said she had been on the way to see a priest when the accident happened. Finally I asked her, "Can we pray right now?" "Yes", she answered. I prayed for God who is light, in whom there is no darkness at all, to illuminate the darkness in Paula’s life. I asked Him, who was well acquainted with pain, to hold us in our pain, and give us His comfort. Finally, I asked for his peace and an abiding sense of His presence. Paula thanked me, and we rested.
Later, my mom got there, and soon after, John Harp, our friend and minister. He had brought some specific scriptures to share and wanted to pray. I asked him to meet Paula, which he did. When we got ready to pray, I asked Paula if she wanted to pray with us. She said yes, so John held my hand and mom’s hand, and mom held Paula’s hand. John prayed a beautiful prayer over us. Paula repeated everything John said. When he was through, Paula exclaimed, "I saw the light all around his face!" Tears sprang to my eyes. We do, indeed reflect God’s glory if His spirit lives in us. I told Paula that I had a CD full of songs about God’s light and asked if she would like to borrow it. She said yes. She sang along with the first few as best as she could, and was soon snoring softly.
At some point later, after Paula’s surgery, she got her brace to wear. Teresa had first hand knowledge and experience with that when she broke her back in June 2001. So, when she called to see how I was doing, I asked her to talk to Paula who was having difficulty adjusting to her "turtle shell" as Teresa used to call it. I firmly believe II Cor 1: 3-4 which says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
Soon thereafter, we both got moved to separate rooms. The day that Paula left the hospital, she told the physical therapist, "Before I go, there is someone I have to say goodbye to." With the therapist's help, she walked from her room to mine, over to my bed in her turtle shell. She gave me a hug, stroked my face, ran her fingers through my hair and thanked me. I told her to remember to run toward the Light. I also gave her my "Lynne’s Journey" CD. I pray that the seeds that were planted will be watered, that the Lord will bless and keep her, make His face to shine upon her, and give her peace. (Num 6:24)
Be certain of this – this did not happen because of me – it happened because of God through me. It was in His time, certainly not mine. Be certain of this, too. People desperately need the Lord. We as Christians are to shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life (Phil 2:15-16). All of this to God’s glory. Will we allow God to show us the Paulas in our life?
Was God there, even on the 12th floor? What do you think?
By the way, if you would like a copy of my CD, just let me know. They are free of charge.
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At first I thought I would be in a private room, but was soon moved to a semi-private one in the intermediate care section of the floor. The doctors hooked me up to traction to get my neck in alignment prior to surgery. That was awful – a halo hooked to my head, gradually adding more weight until eventually there was 15 lbs. Extremely painful – flat on my back – total clear liquid diet - pain meds regularly to take the edge off and help me sleep. I was very glad that I knew that the light at the end of this dark tunnel would emerge on Tuesday when I had my surgery. I listened to lots of music, Christian music, to get me through this difficult time. I think the CD I played the most was "Lynne’s Journey of Faith and Healing" that Teresa (my sister) and I compiled in early 2000. These were the songs that got me through the last time, and I needed desperately to hear them all again. I also knew many, many people were praying for me, and I felt every one.
On Sunday night, I got a roommate, Paula. She was from the Rio Grande Valley. She had rolled her car when she reached for her cell phone, and had broken her back. She, too, was in extreme pain, and was scheduled to have surgery, the same kind I was getting ready to have. I gradually learned that she came from rather dire family circumstances. She desperately tried to make phone calls, person-to-person, collect, etc. to no avail. The nurse who had been tending to me soon came back in and told Paula, "Here is my cell phone. I could be fired for this, but please make the calls you need to make."
The next morning, I had just asked for more pain meds, and really wanted to escape into sleep. But then I heard Paula ask the nurse, "could you pull the curtain back? I want to see her face." Not now, I thought – I hurt too much. Paula started talking to me, telling me more personal stuff than I really wanted to hear. All of it was so dark – evil – of the devil – and I could tell that her demons would not give her any peace. She said she had been on the way to see a priest when the accident happened. Finally I asked her, "Can we pray right now?" "Yes", she answered. I prayed for God who is light, in whom there is no darkness at all, to illuminate the darkness in Paula’s life. I asked Him, who was well acquainted with pain, to hold us in our pain, and give us His comfort. Finally, I asked for his peace and an abiding sense of His presence. Paula thanked me, and we rested.
Later, my mom got there, and soon after, John Harp, our friend and minister. He had brought some specific scriptures to share and wanted to pray. I asked him to meet Paula, which he did. When we got ready to pray, I asked Paula if she wanted to pray with us. She said yes, so John held my hand and mom’s hand, and mom held Paula’s hand. John prayed a beautiful prayer over us. Paula repeated everything John said. When he was through, Paula exclaimed, "I saw the light all around his face!" Tears sprang to my eyes. We do, indeed reflect God’s glory if His spirit lives in us. I told Paula that I had a CD full of songs about God’s light and asked if she would like to borrow it. She said yes. She sang along with the first few as best as she could, and was soon snoring softly.
At some point later, after Paula’s surgery, she got her brace to wear. Teresa had first hand knowledge and experience with that when she broke her back in June 2001. So, when she called to see how I was doing, I asked her to talk to Paula who was having difficulty adjusting to her "turtle shell" as Teresa used to call it. I firmly believe II Cor 1: 3-4 which says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
Soon thereafter, we both got moved to separate rooms. The day that Paula left the hospital, she told the physical therapist, "Before I go, there is someone I have to say goodbye to." With the therapist's help, she walked from her room to mine, over to my bed in her turtle shell. She gave me a hug, stroked my face, ran her fingers through my hair and thanked me. I told her to remember to run toward the Light. I also gave her my "Lynne’s Journey" CD. I pray that the seeds that were planted will be watered, that the Lord will bless and keep her, make His face to shine upon her, and give her peace. (Num 6:24)
Be certain of this – this did not happen because of me – it happened because of God through me. It was in His time, certainly not mine. Be certain of this, too. People desperately need the Lord. We as Christians are to shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life (Phil 2:15-16). All of this to God’s glory. Will we allow God to show us the Paulas in our life?
Was God there, even on the 12th floor? What do you think?
By the way, if you would like a copy of my CD, just let me know. They are free of charge.
Outline | Previous | Next