As I sat watching my sister fold a hospital corner on the bed she was making, I was struck by how much we take for granted in this life.
Two years ago this March 8th my sister had a near fatal car accident. She was T-boned on the passenger side of her car by a truck traveling 65 mph. Volunteer firefighters had to use the jaws of life to free her from the wreckage. Paramedics rushed to keep her alive as they took her by ambulance to the Mayo Clinic. She underwent emergency surgery to check for internal injuries and she suffered from two collapsed lungs and swelling of her brain. The following seventy-two hours were critical.
The three hour drive to Rochester, MN was unnerving. We drove past the accident sight. Thoughts of death and unspoken feelings went through my mind. But none of that compared to what I thought or felt when I walked into ICU and saw her lying in bed. I've never seen anyone look so small. She was tiny. Her hands were cold. Her only movement was from the ventilator as it filled her lungs causing her chest cavity to expand. I wondered how she would ever recover.
She's still recovering today. Her balance is still off, but she no longer has to walk with a cane. She's lost her ability to multi-task. Her sense of humor is getting stronger too. She lost her short term memory so it takes awhile to make a memory. Her stubbornness however, was never lost.
My parents moved to an apartment this past weekend. Because of my sister's balance, she was unable to help except when it came to making the beds. She boldly told everyone to step out of the room. I offered to help but she turned me down. "I can do this," she said. I stood in the doorway and watched. I could see her eyes knit together as she meticulously lifted the corner of the sheet to fold a hospital corner. I saw a glimpse of pride flash across her face as she stepped back to see how she did. I turned away with tears in my eyes praising God for hospital corners.
Two years ago this March 8th my sister had a near fatal car accident. She was T-boned on the passenger side of her car by a truck traveling 65 mph. Volunteer firefighters had to use the jaws of life to free her from the wreckage. Paramedics rushed to keep her alive as they took her by ambulance to the Mayo Clinic. She underwent emergency surgery to check for internal injuries and she suffered from two collapsed lungs and swelling of her brain. The following seventy-two hours were critical.
The three hour drive to Rochester, MN was unnerving. We drove past the accident sight. Thoughts of death and unspoken feelings went through my mind. But none of that compared to what I thought or felt when I walked into ICU and saw her lying in bed. I've never seen anyone look so small. She was tiny. Her hands were cold. Her only movement was from the ventilator as it filled her lungs causing her chest cavity to expand. I wondered how she would ever recover.
She's still recovering today. Her balance is still off, but she no longer has to walk with a cane. She's lost her ability to multi-task. Her sense of humor is getting stronger too. She lost her short term memory so it takes awhile to make a memory. Her stubbornness however, was never lost.
My parents moved to an apartment this past weekend. Because of my sister's balance, she was unable to help except when it came to making the beds. She boldly told everyone to step out of the room. I offered to help but she turned me down. "I can do this," she said. I stood in the doorway and watched. I could see her eyes knit together as she meticulously lifted the corner of the sheet to fold a hospital corner. I saw a glimpse of pride flash across her face as she stepped back to see how she did. I turned away with tears in my eyes praising God for hospital corners.
It's about time you blogged again!
ReplyDeleteLoved this...made me a little teary too! God is so good! Glory be to Him!