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June 16, 2005
June 15, 11:30 pm
after 2 days of struggles, both ashers and ours, today has been filled with new challenges and breakthroughs. the new challenges have to do with being told by one of asher's trauma doctors that in the next week or so decisions will have to be made concerning the next steps for asher's overall treatment and where that will be done. there are several factors that will determine what his options will be. one factor will be whether he is still on a ventilator and the second will be whether he is awake and able to respond to commands.
we weren't expecting to hear that he might have to be moved to another facility, probably in the city, if either or both of these factors has not changed. that was a little unsettling, to say the least. our hope has been that when he leaves the hospital that he would be able to go for rehab at a spinal cord injury rehab facility. instead, what we are hearing is that he may have to go to an assisted care facility until he is off the vent. and he is awake and able to respond to commands.
the trauma case worker at the hospital met with us today and has begun the process for putting a plan together for asher's next potential move. she also put us in touch with the service coordinator, patsy nickle, for the chattanooga area brain injury association. we had the opportunity to meet with patsy today and it was like the lights were turned on for us for the first time since asher was first injured. i sincerely wish that we could have met with her 3 weeks ago. i cannot tell you the huge difference it would have made in helping us to understand asher's brain injuries in a more comprehensive way. at the same time, i count our meeting with patsy today as both providential as well as God's timing.
please pray for us to have quick understanding as well as to act wisely on asher's behalf as we go through this process for preparing ourselves for the necessary changes that may be taking place for asher in the not too distant future.
some really great news occurred for asher today. they removed his ventilator. all he has now is an oxygen hose attached to the wall that only produces a minimal output of oxygen (less than an oxygen mask). we are really giving thanks for this amazing improvement in his breathing abilities. this will also factor in considerably as decisions are made for the next steps in his recovery process.
according to one of asher neuro doctors, who spoke with gloria this morning, he believes that asher is really trying to wake up. i think we saw this clearly demonstrated by asher throughout the day. if he wakes up soon this will so vastly improve asher's options for being able to go to a rehab center for physical therapy both for his brain injuries as well as his spinal injuries. otherwise he will have to first go to some other type of recovery care facility, and the options for those are not very many, nor necessarily good. we really need for him to wake up.
as far as his temperature. it has been between 100 and 101.5 throughout the day. this is still much better than yesterday's high of 104. please keep praying for his temperature to go down.
his lungs are still filling up, but he did not seem to be in as great a distress today like he was yesterday. i think they have really been staying on top of keeping them clear today.
gloria, hadrienne and i continue to give thanks to all of you for being so faithful to keep us and asher in your prayers. we are in our 4th week since asher's fall and i know that many of you, as well as me and my family had hoped that greater healing would have taken place by now. please don't be discouraged. we are not. everyday we continue to see God work through this in so many ways that we could not have possibly imagined and i know that He will continue to touch lives as God's purposes continue to be made clear to all of us as we all continue in this together.
God promises to never leave us nor forsake us, and I can positively say that He has not left our sides for even a second at any time since may 23, when we received the call that asher had been seriously injured. nor has God ever left us at any other time in our lives, either, it is just that there are times and circumstances that seem so grave to us that we have a difficult time recognizing Him because the fog of our circumstances hinders our vision. perhaps, that is what happened when the disciples on several occasions, after Jesus was resurrected from the dead and He appeared to them, they did not recognize Him at first either. maybe it was because they felt abandoned and in the pain of that abandonment they faltered in their faith and were filled with doubt. at least for me, when that is the case in my life i find that it is much harder to recognize God's presence than when everything is going my way (which is not necessarily His way).
this morning i also shared with you about denise and dave baker, and dave's accident. i spoke with denise this afternoon and she shared with me more details about what happened. denise had come to the hospital earlier to bring one of the widows (anniebell) in our widow's prayer ministry to the hospital to visit asher. on her way home she noticed that one of her wheels was making a noise, so when she got home she asked dave to check on it. while he had the car jacked up with the tire off he had his hand underneath the rotor when the car fell off the jack and his hand was both burned and crushed under the rotor.
miraculously, not a single bone in his hand was broken or fractured, but his muscles and nerves were severely damaged. the doctor said it could take up to a year before he might get any feeling back in it. please pray for God to heal and restore his hand.
continuing to hold on,
andy mendonsa
| By Leda | 09:03 AM
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Comments
Andy,
I continue to keep you guys and Asher in my daily prayers. I know that with all the prayer, you are in God's hands. That is the only place to be. You guys are being great parents and a great witness in a very painful situation. The Lord God has not forsaken Asher or the Mendonsa family. - Doug Daugherty
Posted by: Doug Daugherty at June 16, 2005 09:41 AM
"hold on"
--". . . your right hand will hold me fast."
Ps 139:10b
--" For I am the LORD you God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear:
I will help you."
Isa 41:13
--Isa 42: 6
--Nahum 1:7
Posted by: grace at June 16, 2005 09:51 AM
You don't know me, but I am praying for your son, Asher, and your family since this blog went up. May God give you so much grace during this time. ~ Beth Stacey
Posted by: beth at June 16, 2005 10:14 AM
You probably don't know me, but I've been going to CCS since second grade and am a rising senior. So, I went to school with Asher for a while. I've been praying for him and your family, and have been reading the updates you post on this website. It's so encouraging to read how you are looking up to God through all of this and leaning on and learning about Him. I pray that God would totally heal Asher, but most of all be glorified through this. -Laura
Posted by: Laura Spalding at June 16, 2005 11:42 AM
Andy, catherine and Harry have been keeping us updated on Asher. Just clicked on to the website today.Thank you for sharing your heart. Our church and home group are praying for your family. In Christ, Edith Davis Gwaltney
Posted by: Edith Gwaltney at June 16, 2005 02:16 PM
Andy,
My brother, I cannot begin to express with mere words how much we feel this pain with you over this completely unexpected tragedy as if for our own son.
YET THERE IS HOPE and we are believing and praying that the same spirit that raised Messiah from the dead LIVES IN ASHER and WILL RAISE HIM UP for such a time as this!
Our fervent prayers, sympathy, love and support if you need anything at all, please call (left our phone number on your voicemail if there is anything we can do or if you just need to talk). Meanwhile, we shall continue to believe and pray for a miracle. ALL THINGS are possible with GOD.
Michelle & Joe
Posted by: Michelle Gold & Joe Franco at June 16, 2005 03:12 PM
Andy and Gloria:
Steve and I continue to read your posts each day and pray for all of you. I wanted to let you know that my brother fell out of a three story window when he was in his early 30's. He also had severe injuries and had to go to an assisted care facility from the hospital. However, he was able to recover enough to finally return home within a year. He married a wonderful girl and was able to lead a full life. The present circumstances we find ourselves and families in can be so hard to live through at times, but they are never hopeless and God always holds us in the shelter of His hand. Stay strong.
Sharman
Posted by: Steve & Sharman Sherfey at June 16, 2005 05:19 PM
Thank you for sharing your story with us! It is not easy to be transparent amist the pain! Thanks for allowing us the priveledge of praying for the burden of your family!
Posted by: Laura Lee at June 16, 2005 09:55 PM
Andy, Donny told me about what had happened. I am encouraged by the support and community the Lord has provided around you, Gloria and Hadrian. God is good. My prayers are with Asher, you and your family. May the Lord continue to show you His light through these dark and difficult times.
-your cousin, Rachael
Posted by: Rachael Mendonsa at June 17, 2005 01:58 AM
