Hello, family and friends!

Bruce and I would like to give an update on his healing. 

Hello, this is Bruce. Thank you for all of your prayers and well-wishes. Melisa and I have been humbled by the outpouring of love and support from everyone.  I am finally completing my outpatient therapies this week. I am doing pretty well overall, but am still dealing with double-vision and my balance is not back to 100% yet. My corrective lenses take away the double vision, which will allow me to drive a vehicle. I still get headaches and a sore neck if I overdo it, but I consider that minor, considering what my complications could have been. I thank my spouse for never leaving me through this journey, I do not plan to put anyone through this journey again.  

Melisa here. I have a couple of reflections to share. Early on I said that our family would be blessed in ways most people will never experience. That has been the case. Although I believe my faith was strong before Bruce’s stroke, I have never experienced Jesus’ presence in such a physical way until then. I was held in God’s hands with Jesus by my side. Of that I have no doubt. 

And we’ve been blessed by all of you! I recently heard a description from the book of Revelation that touched my heart. At the throne of God there are “golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints” and the “smoke from the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.” Rev 5:8, 8:4. Honestly, that image made real for me the power of the prayers that each of you sent up. What a beautiful offering delivered to the throne of God on our behalf! Thank you.

I will return to work after Thanksgiving. I have a bit of apprehension about dividing my time between work and home, but I know that it is time. Bruce is more independent, and his appointments are slowing down. He’ll return to work in December as well, working from home and taking his time to ease back in. I’m so proud of him. He’s taken a terrible situation and triumphed. Our dear friend John shared this, “People are made of tough stuff. Put some scaffolds around them when you can so the wounds can become scars, not infections. We can't escape the wounds, but yes, they can heal with loving support.” You all have done this for us. There are scars to mark our journey, but we know they are the proof that God loves us. And he loves you, too.

This will be our last CaringBridge update. We hope to be just normal and boring for a while! Thank you all for believing in our ONE DAY BETTER. It’s a pretty great way to live life after all, and we hope it doesn’t end here. 

Love to you all,

Bruce, Melisa, Scott, Faith, Daniel, and Murph