Carol After One Month Home

Dear Friends,

I've been home 4 weeks now and can't believe how far I've come.  In February just to sit up and move my legs over the side of the bed was a major undertaking, and now I'm almost at the point of taking a walk around the neighborhood with our dog!  I'm not quite ready for kick-boxing yet - I think I would fall over if I did a high kick - but the Drs. are amazed at how strong I am already. 

Thank you all for praying for my left eye.  It's still not totally cooperating but the eyelid has lifted and the eyeball looks like it's gradually ambling towards the center (it is controlled by the 4th nerve).  Maybe that 4th optic nerve isn't dead just groggy! 

Craig preached a great sermon about this experience which he called, "Thanking God for the Thorns in Your Life."  My left ear is still deaf and it was so funny the other night:  Craig and I were watching a movie together and I could hear it clearly so I knew it had to be blasting.  "Turn it down to a good volume for you" I told Craig.  He inched it slightly up!  I then remembered that he has had a broken left eardrum ever since he was 10 and has almost no hearing in that ear.  The volume has probably always been too low for him.  The thorn of my deaf ear was a rose for him!  We sat there like two geriatrics with the TV blaring, both as happy as anything.  Thank you Lord!

Another praise is my balance is improving.  As many of you know, I'm English, and so I drink a lot of scalding tea.  When I first came home I was so wobbly I couldn't carry a cup of tea without danger of spilling it, so Teah and Siena would carry it for me.  Now I can sail from kitchen to armchair without spilling a drop - an essential daily accomplishment for a Brit!

It is great to be home with my family.  The girls are doing wonderfully, Craig is fabulous, and you all have so blessed and encouraged us along the way we can't stop thanking God for you.  With much love, Carol

Carol Home Day 3, final blog

Hello dear friends, this is Carol writing.  I am so incredibly humbled by how many people have been praying for us throughout this ordeal.  We have felt surrounded by God's love and by the love of our church family, both local and far-flung.  Thank you all for lifting us up, and for all the encouragement you have given us.  I have loved receiving your letters and your notes and blog comments.
God's hand has been so evident in this trial.  When I awoke from the coma, I was certain I was dying.  All my many doctors call me the miracle patient, and when I went to my family doctor today for a check up he told me I was a celebrity at his practice for having survived such a packet of illnesses.  Thank you, Lord, for your gracious healing, and thank you, friends, for caring enough to pray for me!
I am still fragile and fatigued, but it is wonderful to be home and I do feel a few muscle cells growing again in my arms and legs.  Maybe in a few months I'll be able to do a push-up again!
I don't have enough words to describe the gratitude I have for how you have all sustained us these last weeks.  I hope you can hear my heart in my words.

Our days are numbered and in the caring Sovereignty of God Himself. How well I know this. Being offered more days to live, I cannot live for myself.  All that I (we) do must be done for the Glory of the Lord Jesus.  ^{Colossians 3:17}  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
With love, Carol

Carol Home Day 3, final blog

Hello dear friends, this is Carol writing.  I am so incredibly humbled by how many people have been praying for us throughout this ordeal.  We have felt surrounded by God's love and by the love of our church family, both local and far-flung.  Thank you all for lifting us up, and for all the encouragement you have given us.  I have loved receiving your letters and your notes and blog comments.
God's hand has been so evident in this trial.  When I awoke from the coma, I was certain I was dying.  All my many doctors call me the miracle patient, and when I went to my family doctor today for a check up he told me I was a celebrity at his practice for having survived such a packet of illnesses.  Thank you, Lord, for your gracious healing, and thank you, friends, for caring enough to pray for me!
I am still fragile and fatigued, but it is wonderful to be home and I do feel a few muscle cells growing again in my arms and legs.  Maybe in a few months I'll be able to do a push-up again!
I don't have enough words to describe the gratitude I have for how you have all sustained us these last weeks.  I hope you can hear my heart in my words.

Our days are numbered and in the caring Sovereignty of God Himself. How well I know this. Being offered more days to live, I cannot live for myself.  All that I (we) do must be done for the Glory of the Lord Jesus.  ^{Colossians 3:17}  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
With love, Carol

Carol Home Day 2

Life can be back to normal so amazing quickly with the Lord's help and strength.  ^{Psalm 28:7}  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  Carol skyped her family in England and then she slept most of the day.  As the brain swelling keeps diminishing, we daily see Carol's speech improve.  Very exciting. 
In Carol fashion, after breakfast with the girls, Carol gets up to help clean up. I say to her: What are you doing? Cleaning. You have been cleaning up for a month while I was gone. I need to do some.  I told Carol: You must be kidding. Go lie down Woman and rest.  (reluctantly she submitted :)
But at dinner tonight Carol returned to one of her favorite roles, reading to the girls during the meal. Now she is writing thank you cards, but she's wearing down quickly.
There was such a sense of relief in all of us to have Carol home last night. Everyone slept very well b/c we all relaxed from the stress of the past month. Thank you Jesus.
Since Carol's family in England are not as familiar with homeschooling, I've include a photo of one of our homeschool coop classes, called Classical Conversations (Teah and Siena's grammar class) that meets at our church. There are multiple other classes happening too for all ages.
Tomorrow Carol meets with our Dr. Combs for a check up and then Physical Therapy starts!  So, I think it is about time for the blog to end after tomorrow's entry.
Letters continue to pour in for Carol and so our hearts are full.  Thank you all for sharing in the joy of our family, Pastor Craig

Carol Day 29, Coming Home

Carol is home!  What seemed impossible 20 days ago is a sweet reality. She's a  bit wobbly but can make it around the house and up and down the stairs. Thank you Lord Jesus! ^{Isaiah 54:8} With everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.
All the girls just sat with Carol on the stairs and talked and talked and talked and talked. It was a blessing.
But the BIGGER NEWS...I dropped Carol and the girls off at home, then ran to the pharmacy to fill a prescription for Carol.
When I returned 30 min later, Carol tells me: Sofie (age 7) and Laili (11 years old) have exciting news.  Tell Daddy your news Sofie.
Sofie: I trust Jesus as my Savior right now.
Me: What? Wow! Wonderful Sofie! I am so happy.  So, what made you place your faith in Jesus today, now?
Sofie: Jesus die for my sin and Jesus brought my momma back home.
And so, today I and our family prayed with Laili and Sofie to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! 
The miracles do not cease with the Lord.  Our family's crisis with Carol will be forever linked with the eternal salvation of 2 daughters!
Thank you all for standing with us in prayer and encouragement.  This day of having Carol home was fought with prayer and tears, love and unity.
I feel that our family took a few small steps of faith and God made the footstep heard around the world, for His Glory and to let people know that Jesus is real and is personally involved in lives, Pastor Craig
 

Carol Day 28

(Photos: Our daughters laying hands on Carol and praying for her; girls with a friend) Carol was proud of her muscles today! There is visible improvement and all the girls complimented Carol too when she flexed. 
We were glad to be outside in the beautiful sun just enjoying visiting with Momma  today. 
Part of the blessing God has brought out of this crisis is the spiritual development in all of our girls. Teah and Siena (age 11, twins) are praying with more maturity and focus than before and even our youngest, Sofie, age 7, continually gives glory to God for His healing of Momma. 

I know what the Apostle John meant when he said, ^{3Jn 1:4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the Bible's truth. 
It has been a long month of emotions and daily driving. I was pretty excited today thinking that in another day, I'll have regained 4+ hours of my day (2 hours of driving and 2 hours of visiting, & some homeschooling).  Carol will obviously not take on full homeschool duties and she cannot yet drive, so I'll still be available to help, but now I get to return a significant portion of my focus to our sweet church and to missions (rescheduling my Haiti team outreach, and going to encourage the church in Turkey).

Thank you for all who have kept us strong by walking with us in the truth and by being dear friends, Pastor Craig

Carol Day 27

(Photos of Carol's therapy today: practice getting in/out of the car, practice stepping off a curb) Well, I passed my qualification to be Carol's in-home help. Getting in and out of the  car is fairly easy for her, but the curb step was a challenge.  However, Carol did walk around the Rehab facility unaided, so she is really improving on the basics.
4 days ago I felt Carol's muscles and there was only the faintest touch of muscle fibers. I told Carol it reminded me of when I first met her 22 years ago--Carol could not do one pushup (that's right, not one). The average Brit is apparently not known for their upper body strength.  
But today there was a positive bicep and a whisp of a tricep!  Carol's muscles are returning.
So, Sunday Carol is coming home and then we have therapies set up for the next month. The Neurologist today said Carol will need an eye exam and then have to pass a DMV driving test before she is permitted to drive again b/c her depth of perception is off.
But there were smiles all around today because Carol is coming home in 2 DAYS! Pastor Craig