Part 2 of 3 part blog.
If you missed the first blog in this series, until you go back and read it know that my step-dad Steve was in a work accident on Christmas Eve.
I always knew what my step-dad did was a courageous job and that he was a hero, but it never really clicked until we were at the hospital.
The first nurse who had been with him in the ER came in to give us his report and before she even gave the report she gave her gratitude to the linemen who were outside working to restore the power in conditions where people were asked not to leave their homes.
That’s when it hit me. These men have all left their families for the holidays to go help other families. They are working in such cold weather that the news was saying people out for 10 mins could get frost bite. These men are the ones who go out in the middle of a thunderstorm to restore power so the families are not out more then a few hours if that. These men are the ones who get called out to house firers to turn the power off so the firemen are safe. These linemen are hero’s and selfless people.
Once the nurse reminded me of how important of a job this was, we went with Steve to be moved to a room on the 6th floor. He would be in Nero-ICU. When walking off the elevator the mayor of Lansing greeted us to check on Steve and thank us for his work.
my step-dad was finally settled into a room. He could recognize the people entering the room and tell you who they were, but didn’t know what happened to him or where he was. After some testing we found out he had 6 broken ribs, a separated shoulder, collapsed lung, and a traumatic brain injury. This all happened on the right side of his body. He was in severe pain.
Standing in the hospital room looking at the man who has provided for me not only financially but spiritually as well, and seeing him so helpless was hard. We knew this was going to be a long road, and it was.
My mom stayed the night with her husband Christmas eve and didn’t leave his side the entire time he was at the hospital. I went home to have Christmas with my sister, brother in-law and nephew. It was not a Christmas like any other. my nephew opened his presents and then we headed back to the hospital. After all that is where are family was.
I spent the rest of the day at the hospital with my mom and step-dad. My step-dad could barely talk it sounded all mumbled and no words formed. But I sat with him and my family, and just prayed and encouraged him. Knowing the Lord was talking to him and healing him.
The doctors told us it would be a long road to recovery, that he could have mood swings, and his short term memory will be effected for a time because of the brain injury.
Sitting with him, having to repeat yourself every 30mins about what had happened to him, or tell him where someone was, is not easy to do. And sometimes it’s hard to think that it will go back to normal.
One night I was exhausted, and so was my family. I texted a good friend of mine just asking for prayer and he reminded me to separate the truth from the facts.
The facts are everything the doctors have told us. But the Truth is he will be healed. He will be fine, and the Lord is still good and present in every situation we experience. That is good news and where I needed to keep my focus.
When something so life altering happens to your family, how do you react? I chose to stay positive fill the room with laughter, and overall pray. I knew the joy of the lord was going to be our strength and that is all we had at that time.
My step-dad was in the hospital for a total of 3 weeks, just coming home this past Wednesday the 15th. While at the hospital he went from ICU, to step down, and then rehab. No matter where he was in that hospital the staff was very encouraging, and thankful for his service.
His right lung has now fully inflated itself, we are still looking into info for his shoulder, and the ribs will heal themselves. As far as his memory goes, it improves a little more each day. As of now he is doing outpatient rehab 5 days a week to help with the memory and get him back to work.
The staff at sparrow hospital took great care of my step-dad but also my mom. He has come a long way and we know that is because our lord is protecting, and healing him.
God has not left his side not for a moment, the Lord has supported my family and given us tiny blessings through out the day. My family knows the truth and that is that my step-dad has some healing to do, but we know he will be 100% again.
He will be the man who is cracking jokes, walking through the house praying in tongues, worshiping the lord by playing the bass, and working as a lineman helping people who don’t even know his name. He will be the humble joyful man I know and love, who I am privileged to call my dad.
