As we waited and prayed for signs of brain activity, the outpouring of love inundated us day and night. Uncles, aunts, cousins constantly reminded us we were never alone. Friends and co-workers offering their help, bringing coffee and sharing stories of how they knew David and how much they loved him. The children of David’s b-boy Saturday class sent him love notes of support; the “Message Notebook” we had set up for visitors was filling up with messages of motivation and solidarity. Phone calls, text messages, emails and gifts kept reminding us how powerful love can be. No one prepares for this type of life experience.
At the small ICU waiting room we met other families struggling with the emotions that accompanies this type of trauma. One of these families was a mother and her daughter who constantly sang praise and gospel songs to God waiting for her son to emerge from over a 10 day coma. She had the most calming voice and a beautiful smile, which radiated peace. She kept assuring us to leave everything in God’s hands and to rest assure He would hear our prayer. I also remember the wife, mother in law and 2 sons of a man who had suffered a brain injury after a stroke. We shared notes and comfort each other as we waited for a response from our loved ones. David’s intra-cranial pressure continued to rise. This led the medical staff to perform an induced coma to prevent more swelling. Then he developed pneumonia and his immune system was very low. We took turns to see him. My mother sat in a corner next to him praying non-stop. Eddy kept us abreast of every procedure being performed with an assertive and strong demeanor. We would later learn how he had to juggle to remain strong in front of us as he crumbled inside understanding the dim reality we would face if David wouldn’t respond to the interventions and medications.
In the meantime, my sisters were arranging with their work place to extend their vacation time to stay with our father back home in Casselberry who’s delicate health was declining; while we could figure out how everything would unfold. One day at a time… that’s all we could do.
Relationships are the most important asset we will ever have and the only thing we will take when we leave earth. Family is the building block of human society. My daughter wrote on a picture that sometimes being a brother is even better than being a super hero and that is true. Our church community became our spiritual family, strangers became friends and friends became family.
(1 Cor 13:13; Proverbs 17:17; 2 Cor 8:7-8)
At the small ICU waiting room we met other families struggling with the emotions that accompanies this type of trauma. One of these families was a mother and her daughter who constantly sang praise and gospel songs to God waiting for her son to emerge from over a 10 day coma. She had the most calming voice and a beautiful smile, which radiated peace. She kept assuring us to leave everything in God’s hands and to rest assure He would hear our prayer. I also remember the wife, mother in law and 2 sons of a man who had suffered a brain injury after a stroke. We shared notes and comfort each other as we waited for a response from our loved ones. David’s intra-cranial pressure continued to rise. This led the medical staff to perform an induced coma to prevent more swelling. Then he developed pneumonia and his immune system was very low. We took turns to see him. My mother sat in a corner next to him praying non-stop. Eddy kept us abreast of every procedure being performed with an assertive and strong demeanor. We would later learn how he had to juggle to remain strong in front of us as he crumbled inside understanding the dim reality we would face if David wouldn’t respond to the interventions and medications.
In the meantime, my sisters were arranging with their work place to extend their vacation time to stay with our father back home in Casselberry who’s delicate health was declining; while we could figure out how everything would unfold. One day at a time… that’s all we could do.
Relationships are the most important asset we will ever have and the only thing we will take when we leave earth. Family is the building block of human society. My daughter wrote on a picture that sometimes being a brother is even better than being a super hero and that is true. Our church community became our spiritual family, strangers became friends and friends became family.
(1 Cor 13:13; Proverbs 17:17; 2 Cor 8:7-8)
