It's midnight and my night to sleep at the hotel, I should be sleeping but I feel so energized. The day didn't start off so well for me, Jerry was feeling down and my heart breaks for him. How I wish I could trade places with him and spare him this pain. The day did brighten, Jerry was able to spend about 4 1/2 hours in his wheelchair today, he smiled and and talked with the other patients during skills group. Dennis and I were able to walk with Jerry in the wheelchair outside around the whole hospital, we walked for about an hour and a half. Jerry wanted to go visit the nurses in the trauma center and they were excited to see him. The day just continued to get better, Jerry spoke to a dear friend of his from school in Florida which really lifted his spirit, he also had friends come visit. With his brother and sisters and friends the room was quite full, it felt like a party. It was so wonderful to see Jerry talk and laugh.
A friend of mine Tara found a rehab center in San Diego, she gave me this information just a couple days after the accident however I hadn't had a spare moment to look into it. I noticed on the blog a few other people posted the same website http://projectwalk.org/. I finally was able to make time to visit the website and learn a little about their program. I was so excited to find a place that shares the same focus. Part of the criteria to participate in this rehab center is a positive attitude, the willingness to work hard and to believe you can walk again. When I was talking to Jerry about this rehab center I could see the hope in his eyes and it made me excited to research and learn more about it.
It's now 1:00 am and I really should get some sleep. Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to help our family. There are so many people who have come together to help our family in so many ways, it's overwhelming and its BEAUTIFUL. Thank you for all the kind words, stories and prayers you post we read each and every post and are continually uplifted. Give thanks and praise to God for the tremendous progress and blessings thus far:
Jerry's alive
he has no brain damage
he doesn't have a tracheotomy
he's now able to breath without the ventilator
he has some shoulder and bicep movement
he's able to begin rehab in less than 2 weeks after the injury
and the blessing that gives me strength even in this tragedy Jerry can still smile and crack a joke.
Please pray that God will give us the wisdom to make the right choices for Jerry's care and as always please continue to pray for Jerry's complete recovery as well as peace and keeping hope alive.
Good night
Katie
17 comments:
Katie,
Thanks for the update. I like the sound of Project Walk. It is what everyone is praying for. Meeting the criteria is no problem for your family. May God Bless You and continue to show his progress daily.
k, i hope that you slept well...and how good to know that jerry was talking and laughing for much of his day. another answer to prayer rigth there....
m-b.
Wow - that sounds like a really full day! I am so happy to hear that Jerry's friends came by to visit and that he's making new friends too. It's great news that he and you are consciously choosing to remain positive.
I keep remembering the story in the Bible (1 King 6:15-17 see http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=839) about when Elisha's servant ran to wake him in the morning because they were surrounded by their enemy. Elijah looked at his servant, prayed that God would open his eyes and told him to look again. When the servant looked out again, he saw that the enemy was surrounded by God's angels, and was not afraid. "Circumstances" are often different than they appear. God had a bigger plan that day - to show us later through his Word that He's bigger than what appears, bigger than circumstances.
Project Walk looks like it has a positive attitude that would be a good fit for your family - there's a lot to explore there!
When I was little and told my mom "I can't," she said, "It's not that you can't, you just haven't yet." (My kids love it when I use that one on 'em!) As frustrating as it was for me to hear those words at that moment, I came away with the belief that "can't" didn't fit the situation, any situation. I was forced to acknowledge the difference between the words "won't, can't and will," and the part that my internal decisions and my heart's motivation played.
Remember: Progress, not perfection. :)
Love you guys,
- Tara
oops, the story was about Elisha, not Elijah.
Good morning~
We are so excited to read about progress that's been made! Upon reading about the blessing of a private room and the allowance of an overnight visitor each night, we are in awe of how wonderfully God provides. He went above and beyond the limits of our prayers! We pray, believing God will give complete healing to Jerry, and wait with great hope to see what God has in store- again, beyond our imagining.
We are especially going to be praying for Jerry to be brought away from his sadness. May his days be filled with hope and funny moments to fill his thoughts.
We pray for all of you every day and often. Today, we are also asking God to especially bless Josh, Janea and Jessie as they do the hard work of holding down the fort and carrying on with a routine that is far from normal. Also, that they would be protected on their many trips over the hill and home again.
We're with you,
Fred and Jenny
Katie, I have been reading the blog daily like so many people in this valley. Thanks to Marci and you and Dennis for keeping us all updated! Friends and of course Carter and the boys ask me all the time --"Did you read the blog today? How's Jerry doing?" I know that you and your family already know this but you are constantly on all of our minds and in our hearts. We are all rooting for Jerry, are so excited about his arm movement and we all have such great hope for him. Sending lots of love your way.--Patti
All the MacCallisters,
We're praying with you for all the things mentioned in your posts and we're glad for all the answers already.
All the Martins
Katie,
Ok, I'm crying again.
You and Dennis are so strong and I pray that God keeps you in HIS light and continues to give you wisdom and hope that the coming days are bright and filled with energy to hold off any negative feelings.
Hey Jer,
You are one busy man. Do you look at the counter on this blog? You have touched so many hearts, minds and souls that most people would envy you. Just knowing that friends and strangers alike care and pray for your continued healing is ninja cool. (So my terminology isn't very modern but Luke loves his TMNT's.) Anyway, I wish we could see your smiling face on this blog and that my friends and relatives praying for you across the globe could just get a tiny glimpse of the kid I got to be "team mom" for all those precious years before everyone grew up and left me. (crying again, I'm so selfish)
OK, so driving to Soquel High School every Tuesday wasn't a highlight or Rob yelling at you guys 24/7 wasn't fun, but for me, the car rides with you guys chiding each other was, quite simply, something I will always treasure.
So, let there be more car rides, probably without me because you guys are too old and I'm getting to be the "little old lady from Pasadena" regarding my driving. (can't see a thing at night) watch out you racoons!
Let there be friend that stick by their buds and never stop "following Jerry."
I love you!
Wish we could be there for the dinner but it is a little bit of a drive from Bakersfield. One post mentioned how she keeps crying - glad to hear I am not the only one. The fact that my son grew up attending RCP, is 19, and is also named Jerry might have something to do with it!
Katie and Dennis I keep praying for strength for you guys and the rest of your family.
Frances
Good morning Dennis, Katie, Josh, Janea, Jessica and especially Jerry.
Last nights comments from you, Katie, mades me very proud and happy. I beleve that God has already worked miracles. All the people who are loving and supporting you is diffently a blessing from God. I want to thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart.
The spegetti dinner sounds great and so does Project Walk.
I'm looking forward to seeing all you tomorrow.
God Bless you
Grandma & Grandpa
Dear MacCallisters,
You are one uplifting family!
God is blessing us all with great weather - he knows Jerry will need the extra space this weekend when he is surrounded by his family, and friends visiting!
Thanks for the updates. We continue to pray for all that you ask for and more!
May you all enjoy many smiles and much love & laughter today!
Regarding the first of many Jerry Events, just a thought here:
- wouldn't it be a miracle if Jerry could 'digitally attend' the Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser - a dvd word from Jerry, -live via internet?, or even actually be able to attend!!!
Sharon Ferry
Hello, I was on the slvgs website and saw the story about Jerry and I just wanted to send out my prayers to Jerry and your family all of you Hang in there and I am glad to hear that Jerry is able to speak and still crack some jokes as long as he can keep his sense of humor and has everyone rallying around him I strongly believe he will make a wonderful full recovery Hang in there much love goes out to your family from ours I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers daily I too strongly believe in the miracle of prayer as a cancer survivor prayer, faith and hope is what has gotten me through Kat
All of you are amazing. Though YOU say WE have given you hope & strength it is quite the opposite as we see ALL of you rising to the occasion, moment by moment. You daily encourage us to be ever mindful of our blessings, courageous in pursueing our dreams, and diligent in being deliberate in our mind to stay FOCUSED. Thank you for your honesty {which we all need} your integrity {which we all need} your courage {wwan} your hope {wwan} and mainly YOUR FAITH {WWAN} Your ALL incredible and a blessing to all of us who are peaking thru this cyber window at a family being held in the cup of our FATHERS hand. May he continue to walk with you and talk with you and keep you safe & strong.
We are so happy and grateful to hear that Jerry's spirits are up and that he has had the movement in his arm! Praise God!
Always remember that everything with great value takes hard work, time and patience to achieve. One day at a time, you go Jerry!
<3 The Noces
Hey All,
Just talked to Katie and she said that Jerry was able to move his leg some today!!!!!
Katie plans on posting as soon as she gets a spare moment later this evening... (around an hour or so).
PRAISE GOD!!!!
Dear Lord,
I praise you for the outcomes in this situation... for the amazing healing that comes from you and through you. Help us all to continue and hope and prayer... giving Katie and Dennis strength to get through rough moments. I pray for Jerry that you meet him where he is at, providing him peace and hope... you truly are amazing God... I thank you for all the people around this community for the love they have shown Jerry... May we continue with Love as you have commanded... let us all be strong... in your name and the name of Jesus... Amen...
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