Good Evening! It’s been a few days since our last update. Our inpatient rehabilitation has been hectic and exciting. Ashley is making great progress. You stood with us in prayer last week for a great rehab team and those prayers have been fruitful. Ashley’s rehab team has been amazing.
The schedule has been hectic and we’ve made adjustments each day in order to tailor it to Ashley’s specific needs. She’s gaining more and more movement and control in her hands and arms. Today she began moving her legs more. It may seem like a small thing but she also has nearly full control of her neck and head position. She gets tired quickly but she’s positive and putting forth great effort.
Over the last few days Ashley has done extremely well with yogurt and even Graham crackers. Tomorrow they will do a swallow video to make sure she’s swallowing everything properly. When Ashley does well, she’ll be cleared to introduce more solid foods.
So… good progress in all the physical areas. Now, for the mental areas. Ashley’s brain has obviously been through quite a trauma. She is speaking more and more every day but there are many times that she can’t find the right words. God has given her amazing strength and thankfully she has taken this in strides. We’ve continued to encourage her and work with her day in and day out.
Through all of this God has remained faithful… Showing His Goodness and mercy not only to Ashley but to our children and family as well. Over and over we’ve seen His hand at work.
I want to share something with you that we learned just last week. I made sure to get confirmation before sharing it.
Ashley was rushed to the OSF emergency room on Tuesday, May 7th. At the time, we had no clue what was going on. The ER surgeon on call took Ashley for a scan right away. With the info he saw on that scan, he knew exactly what to do. He sent us directly to the Carle neurosurgery team who took quick action. Roughly one month BEFORE we arrived at OSF…. One of the Carle neurosurgeons showed that same OSF ER doctor exactly what to look for on a brain scan. Because of that meeting we were sent down the street to Carle instead of Peoria or somewhere else.
Even when we don’t see it… God is working on our behalf.
We so appreciate your many prayers of faith on behalf of Ashley and our family.
Please stand with us in faith in the following areas this week…
- Sweet sleep for Ashley each night (her body and brain need rest to heal)
- Ability for Ashley to process information and properly communicate her thoughts
- For Ashley to have the joy of the Lord through this process (knowing that healing has already been provided through Christ Jesus)
You can go to bed without fear;
you will lie down and sleep soundly.
Proverbs 3:24
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31
