One of our favorite movies to watch was Brother Sun, Sister Moon which is the story of St. Francis of Assisi. Every time I watched it, the thought that St. Francis had suffered a brain injury always crossed my mind. At that time, the effects of a brain injury was probably not even known. The other favorite movie was Dragon, the Bruce Lee story where it shows his life journey including his full recovery through therapies and workouts after suffering a severe back injury.
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David loved to see Jorge every time he showed up. I would love to hear the details of Fernando back home and the dogs, the house, and our church community. I would love to laugh at his same jokes or listen to the music he would play and sing for David.
I knew that for the time Jorge was in town, I didn’t have to worry about what to eat because he always found the right things to get.
One of Jorge’s favorite places was “El Palacio de los Jugos”. Tia Flor would prepare these fabulous meals especially when Jorge would be in town. Still to this day, he often requests I cook the “Mustard-Spinach baked chicken” she used to prepare.
Once in a while Ana Carolina or Eddy would cook and we would eat together. We also became big fans of “Pollo Tropical”. It was always special when Jorge was around.
One of Jorge’s favorite places was “El Palacio de los Jugos”. Tia Flor would prepare these fabulous meals especially when Jorge would be in town. Still to this day, he often requests I cook the “Mustard-Spinach baked chicken” she used to prepare.
Once in a while Ana Carolina or Eddy would cook and we would eat together. We also became big fans of “Pollo Tropical”. It was always special when Jorge was around.
Tia Flor introduced us to “Dancing with the Stars” and soon it became another favorite thing to do.
On one of Ana Carolina’s trip back from Orlando, she drove Tony to see David.
Tony had been part of our family for over a decade. He was another son to us and a brother to all our children. They went to school together, worked out together, did martial arts together, break-danced together and grew in their faith together.
Tony had been part of our family for over a decade. He was another son to us and a brother to all our children. They went to school together, worked out together, did martial arts together, break-danced together and grew in their faith together.
They had this special connection, which bestowed on each one of them an implicit brotherhood oath. This type of oath was comforting to the soul because it was genuine and good in intention and value. I wondered once more on David’s reaction and if he would recognize him.
When Tony approached David’s bed, David looked at him and then looked at me and repeated this gesture several times. I could see he had recognized Tony and how seeing David impacted Tony as well.
During the following days David’s speech therapist introduced him to lollipops as part of his swallowing training. As soon as Ana Carolina found out, she immediately ran to buy the biggest bag of lollipops available in every flavor known. This became David’s favorite thing to do.
 Kimberly, David and I watching pictures  David & Kimberly |  David enjoyed every lollipop.  Kimberly monitoring David swallowing. |
We would take turns giving him lollipops and monitoring his throat making sure he would swallow after each taste. We were thrilled that David could at least taste the lollipops every time he would smell the roommates’ meals.
One of my favorite things was having dinner with Tia Flor and afterwards listening to a few chapters of her book over coffee & hot tea. Tia had written beautiful tales for years, which we all loved to listen to. Her current work was the biography of our family called “Branches, an Epic Biography of a Central American Family”. After partaking in a DNA ancestry blood test, along with her brother, my uncle Carlos, they were able to trace back hundreds of years of family lineage and migration paths of our ancestors. She then, relentlessly committed herself to the undertaking of sharing the history made in the places were our family journeyed leaving a path for future generations to learn of the contributions and experiences they lived. The book was to publish in a couple of months so Tia would be constantly editing, gathering pictures and finalizing details.
 Tia Flor |  |
One of the entries in my journal at this time simply read:
Jericho – 7th day – 7th month. I don’t recall the reason I recorded it but as it turned out… it would eventually reveal a unique chain of events that would again show God’s plan, His almighty love and mercy.
Removing the tracheotomy tube turned into a distressing task. My trust in the Lord grew tenfold during this process. David’s speech therapist believed he was ready for the swallowing test but the tube had to be removed first and the opening completely healed before we could ask for the test. Word had it that getting an appointment at the JM Hospital could take months. I was determined to make every effort possible so that all we would need was the authorization from the nursing home doctor to have it done.
I knew God was guiding us so I prayed that we would connect with the right person to answer the phone calls and those processing the requests. I prayed that as God would move the hearts of the people who were in charge of this procedure, they would respond to His voice in order to get this done. At first I got the run around, no one could tell me anything regarding the steps to take and the response was always that I had to wait for a call back. Nurse Wesley got me several phone numbers to bypass the gatekeepers. It was a trying moment. I didn’t give in to the thought that God had abandoned us. I knew His wonders and miracles are done through us so, I continued praying for everyone who in some way or form would get involved.
Jericho – 7th day – 7th month. I don’t recall the reason I recorded it but as it turned out… it would eventually reveal a unique chain of events that would again show God’s plan, His almighty love and mercy.
Removing the tracheotomy tube turned into a distressing task. My trust in the Lord grew tenfold during this process. David’s speech therapist believed he was ready for the swallowing test but the tube had to be removed first and the opening completely healed before we could ask for the test. Word had it that getting an appointment at the JM Hospital could take months. I was determined to make every effort possible so that all we would need was the authorization from the nursing home doctor to have it done.
I knew God was guiding us so I prayed that we would connect with the right person to answer the phone calls and those processing the requests. I prayed that as God would move the hearts of the people who were in charge of this procedure, they would respond to His voice in order to get this done. At first I got the run around, no one could tell me anything regarding the steps to take and the response was always that I had to wait for a call back. Nurse Wesley got me several phone numbers to bypass the gatekeepers. It was a trying moment. I didn’t give in to the thought that God had abandoned us. I knew His wonders and miracles are done through us so, I continued praying for everyone who in some way or form would get involved.
Barry, Kimberly's dad. Barry, Kimberly’s dad consulted with his doctor friends to find about the procedure and mentioned it was a quite simple procedure. My uncle Dr. Carlos volunteered to remove it at the nursing home as well as Dr. Sanchez from Jackson MH but the doctor at the home, Dr. St. Vil explained that protocol had to be followed and that meant for them to refer the cases to the hospital and wait. It felt as if for every effort additional obstacles would get in the way. One afternoon I broke in tears. Nurse Rose said that I should not look at the external things but to stay focused on my role. My mom said God would use all the efforts as part of His plan and Kimberly, said that God knew it was tough times but to trust Him because He was in charge. OK – I dried my eyes and got back on the mission.
God moved the hearts of so many beautiful people supporting and walking along with us. Every word they said, every prayer they lifted up and even every cup of coffee shared not only did it help to make the journey bearable but it was as if God was caressing us through each one of them. Even in the waiting, God had a plan.
As we waited for the appointment from the hospital, David continued to show improvement. He started to be able to stay sitting up for 4 hours. His physical therapist, Coach Harold, as we called him, would come to stretch him and as I counted in English, Harold would count in Spanish to help David regain speech memory.
As we waited for the appointment from the hospital, David continued to show improvement. He started to be able to stay sitting up for 4 hours. His physical therapist, Coach Harold, as we called him, would come to stretch him and as I counted in English, Harold would count in Spanish to help David regain speech memory.
Ana Carolina One evening, Kimberly and Ana Carolina came to see David and we were talking about the trache tube. We watched a video of the removal procedure and we discussed on waiting for a sign. Then as David was being transported back to the room after his shower, CNA Blair told me David had coughed out the tube cap. Ana Carolina, Kimberly and I looked at each other in silence. This was the sign I had mentioned earlier. As I dressed David, the collar Velcro got loose and out came the tracheotomy tube. Still in disbelief of what had occurred, I called the head nurse and the crew came in to check on David.
The respiratory therapist and head nurse agreed he was breathing 100% and covered the incision.Now we only had to wait 24 hours for it to close. Mission accomplished!
“Without God... I can’t - but without me... God won’t.”
(St. Augustine). We think of all those who respond to the movement of their hearts inspired by the Lord to help accomplish His purpose in His divine plan for each other. We pray that we may never create a delay, an obstacle or block to these blessings by ignoring the calling to do the noble things that are placed in our hearts.
(Amos 3:7; 1 John 4:12; John 14:12)
(St. Augustine). We think of all those who respond to the movement of their hearts inspired by the Lord to help accomplish His purpose in His divine plan for each other. We pray that we may never create a delay, an obstacle or block to these blessings by ignoring the calling to do the noble things that are placed in our hearts.
(Amos 3:7; 1 John 4:12; John 14:12)