**Just wanted to say that every post is NOT going to be about Chloe's accident. I will get back to my fun normal stuff, but for now - this is what's processing in my brain! ;) Thanks for hanging in there with me!**Last week, I had a steering meeting for my MOPS group at church. My coordinator suggested that I write down all of the little miracles that we saw take place during those five days at the hospital. I thought it was a GREAT idea, because I really don't ever want to forget any of it. So while it's still sorta fresh in my mind, I'm gonna take the time to get it all down.
First of all though, I just want to say that watching all of this first-hand was so amazing! It certainly wasn't fun to be in the situation itself, but to watch it all unfold for good was just awesome and we are so thankful that the outcome was so great! God is so good!!
My main avenue for communication while she was in critical condition was
Facebook. I would update it as often as I could, cause that was the easiest way to keep everyone informed all at once - and it kept us from being on the phone all day. It was so easy for me to update it on my phone, and give everyone specific prayer requests, etc.
Let's move on...
That first night, Ryan was trying to rest and of course, me being the worry-wart, couldn't sleep a wink. The nurse stayed in our room - ALL NIGHT! It was awesome! I felt so comfortable with her in the room with us. Every time she'd check her eyes, I asked her if they were still "brisk and equal" {that meant there were no signs of brain damage} and each time they were just that. I'm sure she got sick of us asking her, but that was huge for us to know that her brain was responding to the light. I finally asked her {Kim, the nurse} how she thought Chloe was doing. We were both standing over Chloe and she said to me, "I got called in tonight to work because of Chloe, they told me that she was going to have a bolt in her head, multiple broken limbs, and many other things. She doesn't have any of that." I of course started to cry. You see, when we were at St. Anthony's before getting air-lifted to University of Chicago, I couldn't even be in the room with Chloe. I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do for my baby. I knew she was in good hands, but I just wanted to be there with her. I finally began thinking about what I could do, and the only thing I could come up with was to get people to pray for her. I had my friend, Susan, call our church secretary, Joan to get it on the prayer chain at church. My mom had called her prayer chain at her church. I called my dad to get it on his prayer chain. I'm sure it was on many others too. Before you know it, it was on prayer chains all over, and it was all over
Facebook too. We had hundreds {maybe even thousands!} of people praying for her - even people we don't even know!! It was truly amazing. I believe that the doctors at St. Anthony's and the doctors on the helicopter originally thought that she was going to be in worse condition, but because of all of the immediate prayers, I believe that she was saved from all of those things that the nurse said.
The next morning on one of my MANY trips to the bathroom, {I don't handle stress well} I recognized one of the nurses sitting at her station. I walked over to her and asked her if she was so-and-
so's brother. She said yes, and I explained who I was. She asked why I was there, and I told her my daughter got into a snow mobile accident. "Oh, that's you!" she replied. And of course, I started to cry. {I did
alot of crying at that hospital!} She asked if she could come see Chloe. We walked in and she took a look at her and said she looked good - her vitals looked good. To have that comfort of hearing that from somebody we knew was so awesome! We talked a bit and then she asked us if we needed something to drink. I asked for a Diet Coke and Ryan said a coffee would be great! We thought she was just going to go to the nurses kitchen or something to get it. Little did we know she was going to go to
au bon pain and get coffee, diet coke, muffins, danishes, etc. I'm sure to her, it didn't seem like a big deal, but to us it was HUGE!! We didn't want to leave Chloe's side, but we needed to have a bit of nourishment. She was a gem our entire stay - bringing coffee and
chai tea and just giving comforting words! She was awesome! {Not sure if she reads this, but just in case - THANKS SO MUCH CARYN!!!!}
That same morning, the helicopter team came in to see Chloe. They explained to us that they were so busy the night before. They actually were in
Kankakee when they got the call about Chloe. The team explained to us that they were a little bit late getting to Chloe, but it worked out good, because at first, they didn't realize she had a collapsed lung, and because they were late, it gave the team at St. Anthony's time to do a scan and then insert a chest tube. The helicopter team said that it was a good thing they were late, because it wouldn't have been pretty if they had to insert the chest tube in the helicopter. {Yet another fingerprint of God doing his work!}
We continually asked for prayers for no pressure on the brain from the brain bleed. We prayed for no changes in the CT scan of her brain, and all of those prayers were answered! The contusion on the back right side of her brain swelled a bit, but according to the doctors it was completely normal for it to swell a little - just like a normal bruise would on any other part of your body. So yet again, prayers answered!
Originally, we were told she had two fractures in her lower vertebrae. On Monday {or maybe it was Tuesday - not sure} she went down for another x-ray of her back and also an x-ray of her wrist, cause the doctors thought that may have been fractured too. Before we left for x-ray, I did a quick post on
Facebook to pray specifically for no fractures. I'm sure you can guess what the results of those x-rays were. No fractures! The doctor came in and told us she had no fractures in her back and explained that it was probably because the original scan was from a different hospital, so it maybe wasn't accurate. I proceeded to tell him that no, it wasn't because it was a different scan, it was the Lord! I told him that he could believe what he wanted to, but I was going to believe that she was healed!
I've heard of a couple of people who have renewed their relationship with God because of this accident. A new Christian at my dad's church felt the holy spirit urging her to pray all night on Sunday night. She couldn't fall asleep. She prayed and prayed all night. Went to work on Monday - not even tired! This has strengthened her relationship with God as well!
Throughout this whole experience I just feel like I need to give all the glory to God! He got us through this horrific ordeal with so much peace. I actually sit and think about how I got through that first night not knowing what was going to happen to my baby, and I think "how on earth did I get through that?" I know how. The Lord was holding our hands every step of the way.
So in answer to my own question - Do I believe in miracles? Why yes, I do - VERY much!
People who never prayed before - prayed for Chloe. People who did not believe in God, are believing. People are reevaluating their faith and priorities. I am reevaluating my faith and my priorities.
And THOSE, my friends, are miracles.
Aren't they just the cutest things you ever did see?!?! {Yes, I took them outside to photograph them! :)} I did 50 with Red Velvet cake, and 50 with Strawberry cake. They taste SOOOOOO good - of course, I had to try them!
