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July 09, 2005
Another First. July 9, 2 PM
i got back to atlanta yesterday about 3 PM and found gloria, hadrienne and asher altogether in his room. asher had already had a pretty full day by that time and was pretty tired. in fact, soon after i got back, he went to sleep. it was after he went to sleep that gloria shared with me another first. she said that earlier in the day, when asher was with one of his therapists, the therapist had been able to get him to raise both of his hands on command several times in a row. the therapist went on to explained to her that what this meant was that asher would no longer be classified as a quadrapalegic with the ablilty for this kind of voluntary motion in his hands. his hands, we found out are controlled by the C7 vertebrae which is below his C5 injury. which means that coming down from his brain signals are making it down his spinal cord past this injury. i was really speechless when gloria told me this, yet again, news of miraculous proportions. thanksgiving continues to be the order of the day as well as for eternity.
gloria also told me that asher is now officially advanced to the status of being in rehab therapy rather than still having medical care status. when asher first came to shepherd, almost 2 weeks ago, he came as a medical care patient in order to get him ready for rehab therapy. at some point they will be moving him to the spinal rehab unit, but for now he will remain in the acquired brain injury unit. i am honestly not certain what will determine the move.
asher was also able to go downstairs and visit the garden yesterday. the weather finally cleared up enough for him to be able to do that. it was so wonderful to hear all of this great news and to be back with asher. i miss him so much every time i have to be away for a few days to travel back to chattanooga. i think he was as glad to see me as i was to see him. it is so incredible knowing that he knows when any of us are gone from him and that he seems to miss us as much as we miss him.
i have gotten to be with him for most of the day today by myself. gloria and hadrienne had to go out and do some shopping. asher needed a few things and so did hadrienne. while we have been together today we have been down to the secret garden (that's what they call it) and i got to feed him for the first time. he didn't eat too much for me, though, hopefully it was because he wasn't hungry and not because i just wasn't persistent enough. it is still hard for me to believe that he is actually eating 3 meals a day, now and only getting a small supplemental amount of his over all carlorie intake through his feeding tube in his stomach. i honestly don't think that he will have that too much longer either.
asher also had some movement in his legs yesterday. he pulled them together several times when he was sitting in his wheel chair. these are not voluntary movements, though, at least not at this time. this can, and is probably happening as a result of muscle spasms connected with his T5 spinal injury. whatever is causing it, though, at this point doesn't even matter to me. it is just so wonderful to see them move. i know that the commands coming from his brain for the areas along his spine below his thorasic injury will come, it is just a matter of time.
as i mentioned a couple of days ago the young man in the bed next to asher, kel, who is in a coma, is starting to wake up a little bit more. thank you all so much for praying for him. please keep praying for him to not only wake up, but for his brain to be restored to the place that it was before the injuries he sustain in an automobile accident about a month ago. i have to tell you, his mother is an amazing woman. he is so fortunate to have a mother with such great faith and determination for his full recovery. just in the brief conversations that i have been able to have with her since last night, after i got back, i have found that we are also very fortunate to be sharing a room with her and her son for the very same reasons. she also reminds me a lot of one of the widows back in chattanooga who has been a part of the widow's prayer ministry there for quite a number of years. not being able to be with the widows every week has been one of the most difficult things about being in atlanta. kelvin's mother, in an amazing way, though, has truly been a gift from God in filling that hole. of course, she is not aware of that at all, and it is exactly that kind of humilty that makes her all the more endearing.
i also want to say to all of you, again, today that it is because of all of you and your amazing faithfulness to continue to pray for asher and all of my family that i am able to keep these updates coming each day and that we can all continue to rejoice together and to give thanks to God for miraculously continuing to answer our prayers. i truly continue praise God for all of you. thank you so much.
continuing to give thanks to the the giver of all good gifts,
andy mendonsa
| By Andy Mendonsa | 02:16 PM
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I will restore. . . repair broken places,
. . . and build it as it used to be. . .
amos 9:11
Posted by: grace at July 9, 2005 04:20 PM
Wow!! Even though we are expecting to receive good news about Asher, we are amazed and encouraged everytime. Truly God is and will continue to be glorified through Asher. We love you four dearly. Shalom JAN
Posted by: Jan & Rich Moore at July 9, 2005 05:01 PM
Good Afternoon Andy, Gloria and Hadrienne and Asher. We are so excited with this report. I was struck by the pattern of encouragement you have been writing about lately. Before you went to Shepherd in ATL a few of your posts chronicled the amount of time since the fall. Since arriving in ATL, each posting shares with us a new firsts, not from an accident but of God's hands in Asher's and even your recovery. You are now writing about "two weeks" since you arrived there and all that has happened in just the last week has been amazing!!! It is just so exciting to witness and believe me, I know there are still dark moments and overwhelming days but you sound good and even though we miss you here, we are so glad that you are there where Asher can improve so much. Hadriene, we had so much fun with you at the skate park last week. I am praying for this weekend to be one in which you all feel joy and the burden will be lifted. We love you all. Leda for the family
Posted by: Leda at July 9, 2005 05:07 PM
I am teaching a series of lessons in Sunday School from the book of Ezekiel. Over and over the Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel to say " and ye shall know that I am the Lord God." Be encouraged, I believe again HE is saying through all the events since Asher's fall, "Ye shall know that I am the Lord God." Not only will you know but many others will come to that same knowledge of truth also. Praise to God forever.
Posted by: Carole H.Camak at July 9, 2005 08:06 PM
Amazing report on Asher. This progress reflects so many awesome things; Asher's endurance and tenacity, Andy's, Gloria's, and Hadrienne's steadfast support and love, and God's incredible goodness and faithfulness! Thank you so much for the updates. There are many of us reading and praying for Asher every day; it is a privilege.
Posted by: donna phillips at July 9, 2005 08:09 PM
Hi! This is Caitlin Smith. My father used to be in the room next to Asher and was discharged on Friday (right now he's living at home). I was just wondering how Asher was doing. All of you are in my prayers.
Posted by: Caitlin Smith at July 9, 2005 10:15 PM
Andy,
My son and myself use to skate with Asher at the skate park at least twice a week for quite some time. I only learned of Asher's accident last friday when I saw the news report for the benefit at the Skate Park. My heart has ached for your family and you all have been in my prayers daily. I came upon this web site the beginning of this week and have read past entry's and check for daily reports.
I have shared this with many friends who also are praying for all of you. Your faith and God's answered prayers have touched me more than you know. Our God is a awesome God!
God Bless all of you.
Posted by: kim from cleveland at July 9, 2005 10:29 PM
Praising God for your updates today! I've been praying that Asher would regain the use of his hands soon & for feeling to return in them as well; i have something i want to send him to hold in those hands.
Love & continuing prayers for all of you, & for Asher to keep on regaining ground,
louise
Posted by: Louise Tucker at July 10, 2005 01:06 AM
I am praising God for Asher's progress and pray that God continues to restore his health. I am rejoicing with you for the miracles God is working in his body.
Posted by: Brian Checchio at July 10, 2005 11:18 AM
I AM KATHY WILDER, MOTHER OF KIRK WILDER THE 21 YEAR OLD FROM U OF ALABAMA WHO WAS THE VICTIM OF A RANDOM VIOLENT CRIME 10 MONTHS WHICH RESULTED IN HIS BEING CRITICALLY STABBED IN THE HEAD...AFTER BEING IN A COMMA 4 WEEKS AND ON THE VERGE OF DEATH AT UAB IN BIRMINGHAM, KIRK WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE SPHEPARD ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY HOSPITAL FOR 6 WEEKS AND ON TO SHEPARD PATHWAYS OUTPATIENT REHAB FROM THERE. KIRK HAD TOTAL PARALYSIS ON HIS RIGHT FOR MONTHS AND AFTER MANY PRAYERS, THERAPIES, AND TEARS KIRK HAS 10 MONTHS LATER REGAINED 80% OF THE MOVEMENT ON HIS RIGHT SIDE WITH EXPECTATIONS OF FURTHER RECOVERY. OF THE LAST 10 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM CHATTANOOGA 7 MONTHS AND ARE CURRENTLY IN A 12 WEEK APHASIA SCHOOL IN MICHIGAN WHERE KIRK IS LEARING TO READ, WRITE, SPELL, AND SPEAK AGAIN...I KNOW FIRST HAND THE DEVASTATION AND PAIN OF THAT CALL THAT CHANGES EVERYONE'S LIFE IN A SPLIT SECOND. KATHY WILDER
Posted by: kathy wilder at July 10, 2005 01:44 PM
PLEASE KNOW I WILL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH YOU 423-432-8570 OR kathywilder@crye-leike.com IF YOU DESIRE. GOD PERFORMED MIRICLES BY SAVING KIRK AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ASHER HAVING MOVEMENTS IN HIS HANDS IS A BURNING BUSH MIRICLE...JUST NEVER GIVE UP ON HIM, PRAYING, PUSHING THE THERAPIES, AND GIVING ENCOURAGING POSITIVE WORDS. SHEPARD IS A MISSION FIELD OF HURTING AND DEVASTATED YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILILIES.FOR YOU TO REACH OUT TOO...REMEMBER THE SUN WILL SHINE AGAIN BEHIND THESE DARK CLOUDS OF LIFE...KATHY WILDER
Posted by: kathy wilder at July 10, 2005 02:08 PM
MY NAME IS TRACY F. WEEKS AND THE COMPANY I WORK FOR BUILDS EQUIPMENT FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLANGED. PLEASE EMAIL ME IF I CAN BE OF ANY HELP, AND MY WHOLE CHURCH WILL BE PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU.
REGARDS,
TRACY
Posted by: TRACY F. WEEKS at July 11, 2005 05:39 PM
Still in our prayers.
Posted by: jackie at July 16, 2005 12:27 PM
Faith's Check Book, Daily Entry
C. H. Spurgeon
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July 19
Heavy-Duty Shoes
Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Deuteronomy 33:25)
Here are two things provided for the pilgrim: shoes and strength.
As for the shoes: they are very needful for traveling along rough ways and for trampling upon deadly foes. We shall not go barefoot—this would not be suitable for princes of the blood royal. Our shoes shall not be at all of the common sort, for they shall have soles of durable metal, which will not wear out even if the journey be long and difficult. We shall have protection proportionate to the necessities of the road and the battle. Wherefore let us march boldly on, fearing no harm even though we tread on serpents or set our foot upon the dragon himself.
As for the strength: it shall be continued as long as our days shall continue, and it shall be proportioned to the stress and burden of those days. The words are few, "as thy days thy strength," but the meaning is full. This day we may look for trial, and for work which will require energy, but we may just as confidently look for equal strength. This word given to Asher is given to us also who have faith wherewith to appropriate it. Let us rise to the holy boldness which it is calculated to create within the believing heart.
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Posted by: jackie at July 19, 2005 12:18 PM
