Hello everyone! This is Regina. I know you all are use to hearing from “Nana”, but I felt that what I had to say was more than I could tell through someone else. I am so thankful that Mother has continued to update this page for us. She has been very faithful to keep all of you, our “Prayer Warriors”, updated. Thank you Mother!!!
Today, Dr. Martina’s nurse called. Dr. Martina is the neurosurgeon that performed the surgery on Joseph’s spinal cord. He wanted me to talk with a mom whose son had an accident last week and was currently in ICU at USA. It just hit home for me. This young man had his accident last week and Joseph’s one year anniversary of his accident was last week. This time last year I was in this mom’s shoes. When I looked into her eyes today I saw myself a year ago. She looked so lost, so scared, so broken and her son was in the exact same ICU room that Joseph was in one year ago. He looked so pitiful; so much like Joseph did a year ago.
This was the first time Joseph returned to USA since he left a year ago. He was extremely emotional on the ride but I think he knew it was meant for him to go. God’s hand has been in everything. We see it every day.
I showed Joseph the Hospital Chapel where we prayed while he was in surgery last year. The chapel is no bigger than a walk-in closet. A year ago, while Joseph was having surgery, I left the masses that consumed the waiting area and went into the Chapel to pray. As I shut the door my sisters and my mom walked in behind me. Then about 12 big football players pushed their way into the small room. Finally, the room was packed full, no one could move, and we all sat quietly and prayed. All those big football players crying and praying, it was a sight to see! Today I showed Joseph the Chapel and I know he thought I was exaggerating about how many of us piled ourselves into that small room.
We went up to the ICU floor. Several of the nurses remembered Joseph and were happy to see him. They were very surprised at how well he is doing. Then we saw Amelie. Amelie is the mom of Todd, a 25 year old with a C-4,5, 6 injury. Todd was driving last week when the accident occured. His cousin, 22 year old Tiffany, was in the car as well. She sustained a serious brain injury and is in ICU in very critical condition. I thought back on how thankful I was that the two people in the car with Joseph were not injured. How terrible it would have been if Joseph had to deal with that guilt as well. Thank God!!!
When Amelie walked in I felt as if I were looking into a mirror from the past. We bonded immediately. She was very thankful to talk with someone who understood and had walked this path before. Just as Joseph was a year ago, Todd is on a ventilator and cannot talk, move, or communicate at all. She had many questions for Joseph. She asked him what her son was thinking and feeling right now. He told her what he had felt…confusion, fear, anger, and a million different emotions. He told her to just be there for him, pray, and never give up. Before we left Joseph gave her a tight hug and I told her that her son would do that one day. I remember the first hug Joseph gave me four months after his accident and how happy I was to feel his arms around me.
This family is facing some BIG mountains. They need your prayers. I have made some calls and I am trying to get them admitted to Shepherd. We know that God put this family in our lives just as He put us into other’s lives as we have needed them throughout the past year. Please pray for this family.
It was an emotional day for us but we could REALLY see how far we have come over the past year. It was a blessed day as well because we know that we were used today in God’s ultimate plan.
Two "Joseph" vidoes have been attached to this site. Please click "link" on the WELCOME page to view them.
