Mama Update: (Day 7-8) Another Sunrise Together
Sunrise from the window of mama’s St. Mary’s hospital room
Weekend update (day 7-8) for Bonnie Spencer Kitchens:
As we watch the sunrise together this morning, we are reminded that it is exactly a week from when the stroke first happened.
One week ago everything changed in an instant, for my mom, for Wayne, for all of us.
One week in St. Mary's Health Care Systembeginning in ER, to NCCU (Neurological Critical Care Unit), to a normal room on the neurological floor. And for what it’s worth, the staff and doctors here have been fantastic.
One week ago we weren’t sure mama was going to make it. Yet she fought through and with limited brain swelling and no surgery.
Then came the dire quality-of-life prognosis of right-side paralysis, potential inability to think, reason, and comprehend language. Yet she began feeding herself, flipping through magazines, and doing a few puzzles.
Just a few dark days ago, we thought all hope of getting into the Shepherd Center was gone, then came a miraculous phone call.
Yesterday, she finally got out of critical care and into a regular room. She’s done some physical therapy standing up. She continues to complete puzzles and brain games (when SHE wants to).
And last night, I turned the TV on so we both could just rest our brains for a few minutes. I was flipping through the channels, but obviously incorrectly. She took the remote from me and started going through the channels herself. We landed on some RomCom and watched it together. She was totally engaged and one point I’m pretty sure she even laughed. That was special (not the movie, but the moment).
I’m in a recliner-type chair to her right, and as the movie ended she grabbed my hand across her body and pulled herself to the edge of the bed so we would be next to each other.
Jay told me she would kiss your cheek. So, I told her goodnight and kissed her forehead, then I leaned my cheek in and sure enough, she kissed me goodnight. I said, “I love you, too.”
And now, another sunrise together.
Things are dark in the middle of the night. Things may seem hopeless and like there may never be light again. But when the beams begin to peek over the trees, we know another day has come. And with it, a new light.
It seems fitting to follow a sun-setting post with a sun-rising post, especially on a Sunday morning, the day we celebrate the true Son rising from the darkness.
May today bring hopeful resurrection light to your seemingly hopeless dark night.
Love you guys and thankful for your prayers. Today we sing songs of joy!
“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.”
Psalms 65:8 NIV
