Day 322 The Life Blood of the Emergency Room

Dear friends,

What a night! Smitty and I went to Choices 301 this evening to record an audio/video segment to be used with the presentation of our smashed car on a flatbed. The tireless Ed Frank continues to bring the devastation of drunk driving right to the front door, reminding anyone who will listen that it's way more that broken glass and twisted metal. There are people in those cars. Some wind up in prison. Some in hospital beds. And some in coffins.

On our way home, we got a phone call from the dear sister Laurie that a precious member of our congregation, and of our cell group, was in the ER at Albany Med. Two years ago Courageous Connie had a massive stroke, a miraculous recovery and she now goes on to care for many people in her quiet, beautiful way. Send your prayers up for her! She was having some symptoms much like last time, and thankfully her daughter Jessica was on the double getting her into an ambulance and off to the hospital. Steve and I made a detour on the way home and stopped in to the AMC emergency room, and Connie is cheerful and peaceful. The Great One has stayed close by her side lo these many years, and he will stay there. (She spent plenty of time at Albany Med back in November and December, delivering pots of soup and all manner of food to feed Steve's family from distant parts. This is a woman with a heart of gold!)

On our way out of the ER, we ran into "Tammy to the Rescue", one of the 2 main ER nurses who took care of Smitty when he came in on the chopper on November 8. I can't describe the joy the 3 of us shared in the crowded A section (in front of the trauma rooms Stephen and Hannah were in). This dear woman actually had a hand in saving Stephen's life. She told us she had never, ever given anyone as much blood as she gave Smitty. She also said he had to receive a sedative normally given to animals and children, because all the other ones made him crash. Her eyes filled with tears (as did ours) at the memories locked within her forever. She also remembered looking in to Hannah's room and seeing Pastor Greg singing to baby girl. She was overwhelmed by that sight on such a terrible night. She's hoping to make it to our dessert nite, and I hope so too. We want to honor all of these people who were the hands and feet of God in the middle of disaster. May He bless all of them, (and all of you!) for the work of your hands and the love of your hearts.

That's a photo of Steve with the fabulous Ed Frank. I wish I had the camera in the ER so you could see Tammy, who was the loveliest thing I laid eyes on in these 24 hours God has given me. Isn't it amazing, the Great One puts people in our lives for a little while, and they can turn out to mean the world to us. Makes me want to make sure I do some little good to everyone I meet!

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann

P.S. Don't forget to pray for Connie!