New mercy

This morning I called to check on Kenny's last several hours and his nurse told me he had been moved to another room - an improvement for sure. This is wonderful. He has a big bright window that shines glistening morning sun. But hopefully we won't be visiting this room for long and he will be heading to rehab.

ken has been able to get words out "over" his trach which has been amazing because it's a million times easier to understand what he's saying, which decreases his frustration.

Looking ahead, physical therapy will try and have him stand early this week. This is at my motivated man's request. It was what he settled for after we said no to him suggesting: "I'm just gonna sprint down the hallway.". You will, my boy, just not right now.

hopefully he will get a swallow test early this week that will result in him being able to have something to drink.

And we are also looking forward to downsizing his trach tube sometime over the next few days.

I am thankful for all the time am able to spend with him - so grateful to be there even, and especially in, the hard moments of his day.

There is so much evidence of God's goodness being  poured out on us and i am beyond thankful for the progress that ken has made.  To cry with, hold, give kisses, and talk with my husband this week has been my greatest joy.

I love how he interacts with each staff member that comes in the room....stretching out his weak arm and extending his hand to initiate a handshake....his intentionality in asking the staff "how are you doing?", working so hard to get it out...i just love seeing their surprised smiles at these actions.....how he shows people his gratitude with visible emotion and thanksgiving....how he responded when he told me he and his dad talked about the accident. I asked him how that conversation made him feel - through tears, and with slow, deliberate words - he managed to place glory squarely where it belongs and say: "it makes me feel like God protected me." 

Wow.  His first response to something so horrifyingly painful and full of loss was thanksgiving.  That's why it was my honor to remind him of the kind of heart he has - full of strength and belief in the Lord.  I told him how, even here, in his hospital bed, he's allowing others to see something different.  I pray they see the only difference is Jesus.  Alive and active, in the heart of a man who has  a perspective from which I want to learn.  This verse reminded me of him:
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"...I know how it's going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done.  I can hardly wait to continue on my course....everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die.  They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, Im his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose.". (Paul writing in Philippians 1)

Things I'm praying about.....

- for this stage goes fast. He is eager to get to rehab and have some to "work towards".

- that God eases Ken's frustration with his neck brace. He struggles with having to wear it and he has seven more weeks with it on.

- for cayla's heart would be prepared to see ken and that it would be a God infused time.

- for a steady weaning process off kenny's medication.