Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Update 12/22/09 Day 44

Dear friends,

I'm afraid I've been a bit circumspect with you. In order to protect my children from possible disappointment, I have kept mostly to myself the fact that STEPHEN CAME HOME TODAY FROM SUNNYVIEW! I sobbed my head off from the elevators to the parking lot, thinking of my experiences there, beginning on November 18 when my baby girl arrived on a stretcher with no emotion and a subdural hemorrhage, and my husband was still in the surgical ICU at Albany Med. I thought of all the kindness shown to me over those brutal weeks, when you came and visited and brought food and cleaned my bathrooms and so much more... I thought of the joy on that Saturday when Hannah began to come around. I thought of the first day when Stephen could not even stand for 1 second. I thought how the road behind was something I would never have thought I could have survived, and how the road ahead is daunting still. But I have hope. Beautiful, wonderful, hope in a God who never fails and a future that will surely be difficult but where victory is assured. I remember the day I recalled the scripture in Colossians 2 "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Friends, when we all get through this thing we'll see how the darkness was disarmed by love, and how the powers and authorities of the enemy of our souls was made into a public spectacle, with the cross triumphant. Amen and amen.

So the man is home, in time for Christmas! It's not a traditional Christmas (remember Thanksgiving?), but it is a precious one. I don't feel at all normal, I'm very tired, and I can't hold a thought in my head for more than one nano second, but my whole family is here. David was surprised to see his Daddy home and both of them hugged and cried, so then I cried and it was a virtual sob fest. But so what. I couldn't care less. I think I'm giving up mascara for the foreseeable future.

Now some of the day to day tough stuff really begins. Doctor appointments (lots of in and out of the car), picking up medicines, overcoming insurance hurdles, home wound care, home therapy. Then in a few weeks the plan is to go back to Sunnyview a few days a week for outpatient therapy with home care by me only. I have no idea how to do this thing. The Great One has helped me thus far, and so He will continue. That is my only guarantee.

I have to keep it short tonite, because I've got to get some sleep. And there will be someone in the bed next to me...Someone who is alive 44 days after the worst night of my life. Linus was just on the tube telling the Christmas story in his inimitable way. Holding his blanket and looking adorably "shepherdy", he says what I want to shout from the rafters: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men". His good will toward me has been outlandish. Spectacular. Divine. Wow.

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

I love you all and really wish we could all be together somehow. So glad heaven will be all about that...Thank you for being true friends through the good, the bad and the ugly.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann

19 comments:

sarajofina said...

Hallelujah! God is good! :)
We are so happy for you guys.
Best christmas present ever!

Peter, Sarah, Cailyn & Baby

Anonymous said...

Yahoo!!! Blessings to all of you. Thanking God you are all together again. Get some peaceful sleep.
The Passmores

pam letendre said...

Oh, I am so happy for all of you. Praise God!! You are all together and in time for Christmas. That is a huge prayer answered. We all keep praying for complete healing and rest for all of you. May you sleep peacefully knowing you have your family together once more. That house is filled with love, faith and so much hope.
May our Lord continue to bless and heal all of you.
My love and prayers are always with you.
Pam

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas to you all!! That is such wonderful and amazing news! What a miracle!!

John-Michael, Marcia and kids

Anonymous said...

Praise God! Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!

So thankful to hear that you are all under one roof again - finally. What a great Christmas gift!

You will make it through this stage, too. With God all things are possible. God will provide all the help that you will need. Just speak the word and help will arrive. Let your needs be known and the people will come.

We continue to pray for complete restoration and healing for your entire family.

We love you.

Lorraine & Ernie

P.S. You won't ever find me wearing mascara either. Have never found a waterproof one that works for me.

Anonymous said...

What a Christmas Blessing! My daughter and I have been praying for weeks that Stephen would be home for Christmas. This is indeed a miracle. God is so Good. We give thanks and Praise to our Lord and King, Jesus. Rest in Him and may all of you get some needed sleep. We are rejoicing with you and will continue to keep you in our prayers for the rest of the journey ahead.

Anonymous said...

"Till he appeared and the world felt his worth..."

Merry Christmas to your united family. One roof, one home and one God for you all!! Love and Blessings!!!!

elena marcelle said...

loriann, what a perfect Christmas gift that only God could give to you: your family home for the holidays. i wish you continued perseverance, rest and overall peace this season and new year. we love you and are amazed by your endurance and humor thru all this. you are not a pilgrim.....you, my friend, are a WARRIOR and you have endured. keep the faith and many blessings.....tom, elena, and kids.

Anonymous said...

Halleluia!!!!Our God reigns...
In Him,alone-The Persings

Cindi Fredericks said...

I couldn't wait for this day to be able to read these words. Our God is so faithful and never ceases to amaze me. We even got to find this out before you wrote it because when Tom showed up at Sunnyview to visit Steve, they said, "There's noone here by that name." Boy was that music to our ears! WOO HOO!

The Zegers said...

WOW!!!!!!!! OUR GOD REIGNS!!!!! This is the best Christmas present ever. And Loriann you can do all things in God who will strenthen you. We love you all. Enjoy this special Christmas.
Love&Kisses, Jim & Phyllis

Anonymous said...

HALLELUIA!!! Glory to God in the Highest! You got the best Christmas present of all. So thrilled for all of you that Christmas will be spent in your own home, all day, together once again. Our God is good, and knows how to give good gifts to His kids. I think for all who know you, this is the highlight of our year as well. Love you all to pieces. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

Mary Ann

Unknown said...

Hi Loriann,

This is from someone on our church prayer chain:

Happy Homecoming TO YOU ALL!!

Love, Susan K.

Susan, Would you please pass this on to Loriann?
Dear Loriann,
I just want you to know that of all the heros in this world, you far exceed any and all I've come to know. That said, I have been praying for you and your family on a daily basis, and know that God is using your every update and crazy senerio that you have recorded to us all, to give Him glory!!! From the gut wrenching pain that Stephen has experienced, to the fact that Hannah was awaiting new teeth, to you sporting a red handicap sign in your vehicle, pains me and makes me hesterical all at the same time. You have such a beautiful and raw way with your words, it goes to the very fiber of my soul. If nothing else, you make me realize how truly blessed I am, and how fragile life really is. I look forward to your updates and pray you'll be blessed knowing how we are holding you up in prayer as well.
May you have an amazing Christmas and a very happy and HEALTHY New Year. Keep writing!

Sincerely, Rosebud DiGesare from Calvary Tabernacle Church

Mel said...

I'm so happy that you can all be together for Christmas. Only Emmanuel, God with us, could have arranged to be able to arrange this so well.
We'll be praying for you with this new season of home care. I'm sure that you'll do great!
Can't wait to see your kids in the Christmastravaganza tonight! Who could have thought that Hannah would be performing with Lauren?
Love you lots!
(and oh, the word verification on this right now is "taster". Thought that you'd laugh at little)
Merry Christmas!

Jessica Ortiz said...

Congratulations!!!This is such a Christmas gift for your family as well as everyone who has been praying for you. I was dancing around the house praising God this morning after I read the blog. So happy for you all.
Connie

Anonymous said...

There is no gift greater than a family united. With Him, all things are possible. My prayers continue as will His grace. It is only our awesome God who could give us this day,let us rejoice and be glad!

Anonymous said...

Loriann,
You are a role model for so many. It's not a role you asked for but accepted by your actions, faith and love. You will never be alone.

Anonymous said...

What a MIGHTY God we serve!!! Rejoicing with you, Sue Cummings

jbm02 said...

What a wonderful Christmas gift for your whole family. Have a wonderful holiday, all at home. We are all thinking of you.