Florida - Day Four

Today was a day of monitoring Steve on his new medicine...as well as introducing the next step of his treatment...another med. So far, Steve has tolerated both equally well. His spirits remain high and his appetite has not suffered any either!

Tomorrow Steve will have 2 apts. to keep. The first will be an appointment with Dr. Hammesfahr to monitor the medications. Then onto another apt. with a doctor in Clearwater who was referred to us by Dr. Hammesfahr. We are finding that there are many aspects to the healing process and all are equally important.

There are some lifestyle changes we all will go home with including a commitment to drinking the right amount of water daily as well as moderation on our caffeine input. We want to support Steve by being a team with all the changes he will need to implement to help the entire process along.

Most of all...we are so filled with hope and the promise of more improvements on the journey of continued healing for Steve.

Florida - Day Three

Unbelievable would be the first word that comes to my mind to describe the events of this morning's doctor appointment! Dr. Hammesfahr showed us the results of yesterday's scans as the first order of business. What would look like interesting pictures of a brain to us suddenly became "a road map to treatment" (Dr. Hammesfahr's words). He patiently described the scans' results which confirmed what we knew (traumatic brain injury) but which also detailed the specific areas affected and the severity of injury.

The next step was beginning treatment for Steve. Minutes after the first dose of medication we began to see subtle, yet significant changes in Steve. Some of those were: a more symmetrical smile, better balance, ease of walking, more fluent speech. Steve said he felt "more together". The changes fade after the medicine fades in his system...thus the need for monitoring closely timing and changes. Because of this, we will be staying on another week so more medications can be added and monitored before we leave for home.

We remained at the office all morning before being released with dosing instructions and our appointment time for tomorrow. Steve, of course, was very hungry after the morning and wanted to stop at Arby's for lunch. While we ate together Randy & I noticed that Steve was eating without the difficulty of choking and coughing frequently. So, we rejoiced over yet another improvement in Steve's condition.

Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4 Today is indeed a day of much rejoicing for us. We ultimately know that it is by God's sovereign hand that we are here today. We stand amazed at the possibility of more Hope that is before us on this journey.

Florida - Day 2

We are at the end of a significant day here in Clearwater. Steve did not have an actual doctor apt. but rather a MRI and PET/CT scan.

The folks at the radiology place were so wonderful and helpful. Steve got along great with both tests. One neat thing that happened was the MRI tech invited me into her observation room to ask me background details about Steve and the treatments and surgeries he has previously had. I was amazed to see on screen the images of Steve's brain. I kept thinking about Psalm 139:13-15: "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well."

I completed reading the book, "Peeling the Onion: Reversing the Ravages of Stroke" by Robin Robinson. Ms. Robinson details her experience in traveling to Dr. Hammesfahr's Institute with her father who had suffered from a stroke and the effects that continued to linger after his 'recovery'. Although the book was over 200 pages long, I could not put it down. It not only detailed her father's marked improvements under Dr. Hammesfahr's care, but also talked about the method itself.
Tonight after the tests, we enjoyed a local favorite sea food restaurant...see above photo. It was a real treat and actually located right on Clearwater beach. The sky was cloudy as we ate, but we were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset before the storm hits. Randy told me that approaching stormy weather can make for the most beautiful sunsets. He should know, as year round he is constantly observing the sky as any prudent farmer normally does. The Lord truly blessed us with a day of rest as well as a time of important tests to determine the 'next thing'. Our next apt. is tomorrow at 8:50 a.m. We do go to bed with a prayer on our hearts for a weakening storm through the night.

Florida - Day One

We arrived safe and sound in the Tampa/Clearwater area last evening after an on-time flight from Indianapolis. We were even offered the exit row seats which gave the 3 of us more leg room than would have been normal! It was a blessing from God to us and a wonderful way to begin the trip!

As we drank our morning coffee in the hotel lobby we picked up the Monday USA Today newspaper. We were amazed to see an article about our very own school's Project Ignition http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/yourhealth/2006-08-27-teens-driving_x.htm How amazing that we would start the day reading about the project and the reason we are here...Greg & Steve's car crash.

Today we dropped off paper work at Dr. Hammesfahr's office on our way to explore Clearwater Beach while the sun still shone in Florida. You would never guess a storm was on the way and the water and beach were stunning in their beauty. Steve & Randy had a chance to jump in the Gulf (much too warm according to Steve).

Early afternoon we met Dr. Hammesfahr where he did a brief neurological exam of Steve as well as describing upcoming tests and treatment for Steve. We left the office encouraged and full of hope. Tomorrow will be full of many scans for Steve. We will update more as we know more.

Then to now...

Steve has made miraculous improvements since the fall of 2003! He has taken several college courses and has decided to farm full time with Randy & his uncle. Steve has always wanted to be a farmer, so his decision was not too hard to make. Steve was able to rebuild a 1950's Farmall tractor that he had begun working on before the car crash. He has driven it in local 4th of July parades with much pride.

Another exciting time for Steve was earlier this summer as his first crop was harvested. He is making plans already for the crop that will be planted next Spring, and he enjoys the marketing part of farming as well as driving tractor and other chores around the farm.

The journey to wholeness has been a hard and long one for Steve and for us as parents. We have had much to rejoice over...and we have all had times of great sorrow resulting from the effects of traumatic brain injury.

A New Chapter....

A year ago, we agreed to allow a group of students at our local school to use the story of Greg & Steve in a safe driving initiative called, Project Ignition funded in part by State Farm Insurance Company. (A link is provided at the right...) In the course of the year, many assemblies were held. As the project gained momentum and eventually became the National Champion for 2005-2006, news coverage increased. What once was a local story found its way onto the front page of the Chicago Tribune July 2nd edition. One result of that article was a contact from a writer in Chicago who had information about a Neurologist in Florida who has a new treatment for stroke and brain injury patients...Dr. William Hammesfahr www.hnionline.com . We leave tomorrow a.m. for Tampa, Florida where Steve will have a week of appointments with Dr. Hammesfahr. We ask for your prayers that this indeed may be another part of the Journey of Hope we have been on for the past 3 1/2 years. We will attempt to keep you all posted by way of this blog.

Recovery begins...

Steve was a patient at RIC for 3 months. While there he remained in semi-coma state with inconsistent responsiveness. One thing that happens at RIC is many hours of therapy (Physical, Occupational, and Speech) as well as training of family and loved ones on how to care for one who is 'total assist'.

During those 3 months I lived at the bedside of Steve, and Chicago became my unofficial new address. Randy would come and stay with us on the weekends, but would then go home and farm during the week. I was blessed to be able to attend and become a part of The Moody Church during those long, bleak weeks and months that I was not able to worship at our home church.

The Moody Church and our church, Gibson City Bible Church demonstrated what the church or 'The Body of Christ' is to be to those who are hurting or in need. They prayed for Steve and with us; they opened up their hearts and their homes; they wept with us; and they celebrated with us as Steve began to improve. Galatians 6:10 says: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

By August 2003 we returned to Maranatha for our annual family vacation...however, this time we returned without Greg. Romans 12:15 admonishes us to..."Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." That week many did weep with us, however as the week progressed they also rejoiced at the daily improvements Steve was experiencing. By late fall, 2003, Steve was taking a college class and beginning to walk. All this while he was also busy with out-patient therapies to aid his recovery.

The Story Behind the Story...

. Our Family on vacation at Maranatha - 2001.

This is one of my favorite pictures of all of us...before January 17, 2003. The picture says so much about us and about what matters most to us individually and as a family.

Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference Center in Muskegon Michigan is a favorite place of ours to go to each year. It is a wonderful place to relax, refocus and reconnect with God and with each other in the midst of great Bible teaching, challenging missionary projects, and fellowship with other believers.

Photo from left: Bonnie, Greg, Randy & Steve

By summer 2002, Greg & Steve posed for their Senior pictures in preparation of their Senior year of High School. Both Greg & Steve decided to be part of the school Co-op program. Greg worked 4 hours each morning at the local John Deere store in maintenance/parts while Steve worked at a repair shop for ATV's. They would then complete each school day with class in the afternoon. They also were co-captains of the High School Varsity Golf team their senior year.

The boys were members of the high school youth group at our church as well as another local church. At school, they were members of the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) huddle. Greg was able to attend FCA Leadership Camp the summer of 2001. We are so thankful for the teaching and fellowship these groups provided as well as the faithful preaching in our own church.

Shattered Dreams...

January 17, 2003 many of our dreams for the future of Greg and Steve were shattered in an instant as the result of a car crash when the car Greg was driving went out of control and slammed into a utility pole. Little did we know that as we said our 'good-byes' that morning we would be speaking to Greg for the last time here on earth. Nor, did we realize the painful journey that Steve would begin. We had to drive by the crash scene on our way to the hospital. As we slowly drove by we were shocked, stunned and devastated. Yet, we knew that our sons were in the loving hands of our God...Whether they were home with Him in heaven or they were still here on earth. As we found out later, Greg died at the hospital and Steve was in critical condition. Steve was transferred to a local trauma hospital where he remained for almost a month in a coma state. When he was stable, he was transferred to Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).