Father Thank you for another wonderful day.
 

Another day to live
 

Another day to love
 

Another day to get stronger
 

Another day to get better
 

Another day to give You Praise
 

For all You have done for me.
 

 

 

Debbie:
I got to the hospital around 7:30Am and was able to go right in to see Chris.  He was a bit emotional but we just talked and talked and talked about tons of stuff.  He wanted to get up and go to the bathroom and I was telling him that he can’t get out of the bed and 2 different nurses told him he couldn’t get out of the bed and this went on for a while. Then I said, “Chris , Your leg is broken. You can’t put pressure on it.” He looked at me like he couldn’t believe what I said, but then he said, “Why didn’t you just tell me that in the first place?” He’s funny that way. So practical.
 

He was a bit confused today, but we talked about cars and vehicles and he said he was in a motorcycle accident, I told him he was in a car crash with his pathfinder, but I said, “It’s OK cause now you can save up and get a new vehicle, that’s what I’m doing. I want to get a rubicon. What do you think of that?” He said, “The four door?” And I said yeah the four door convertible. He remembered that I have a convertible right now. He said he would get another pathfinder.
 

The Ortho doctor’s came in told Chris that he was doing well and that he was going to see the plastic surgens on Friday.  There was a young guy, a med students, and Chris said, “Who are you? I haven’t met you? The student told him his name and Chris put his hand out to shake. It was pretty cool. Then Chris asked where he lived, He said”Victoria” I asked Chris if he had played volleyall in Victoria. He said Yes, and then the doctors talked about his volleyall pictures.  Later, the respiritory nurse came in and told Chris they would be changing his trach to a smaller tube.
 

We played thumb wrestling and Chris is currently in the lead 4 – 3. I’ll get him next time. The first game, I went easy, but not after that. He’s still pretty strong.
 

Something funny from Sunday…
Chris wanted to check his heart rate to make sure it was good so Nina put the thing on his finger. His heart rate was 113. Then we checked Nina’s, her’s was 117.  Chris was shocked that his was lower than hers. She reminded him that she has Grave’s which keeps her heart rate racing.  Then we checked mine, 82. Then Dad came in and we checked his. Chris was watching the screen now very interested in all this. Dad’s heart rate was something like 68 because of the meds he’s on…Chris looked at Dad, with his eyes bulging, and said to Dad, “ARE YOU DEAD!” It was so funny. Dad was cracking up and so was I, Chris had totally made a joke about it. And he knew it.
 

Also, Nina and I were telling Chris that his birthday is coming up. We asked him what he might be interested in. He didn’t seem interested in much.  We mentioned some CD’s and Nina mentioned some Indie Rock Music that Chris likes, he said it would be OK. Then  Nina asked if he would like some of her latin music, he looked at her and said, “I hate your music”, then he looked at me and pointed to Nina and again said, “I hate her music.” It doesn’t sound funny now but it It was so funny because, It’s true. They have very different styles of music and Chris is always telling Nina to turn her music off.  Anywasy, we got a good laugh out of it.
….
I still will never forget him looking at Dad, “Are you dead?” 
 

CJ, You’re doing awesome. We love you so very much.
 

 

 

 

Momma:
 

Patti picked me up went  in around 9:30 It was an amazing day in traffic. We sailed right through…. I guess that is not a miracle to you but to us who travel so often.. it was! We praise God for a good day on the road.
Especially when we only had limited time today.  I wanted to be in Metro town today around 12:00 to spend time with Bernie, and Patti had to be back in Abbotsford by 3:00 to pick up children from school.
 

So we arrived in time to wait for the nurses to finish changing his bandages. So we went for coffee with Debbie and she filled us in on the morning. Which she has posted above.( Just a note: Sunday when we were with Chris Debbie had come to visit him. WhenI went back in he told me….. She calls me Christopher. I asked him who was she?  Debbie he said… she always calls me Christopher. I asked him,” Is this a problem?”  ‘No’,  he said..
then he said it again  ‘She just always calls me Christopher. EVERYTIME!”) Well,  Debbie left and we went in to see if we could be with Chris.  Could you give us another 5 minutes? Sure… actually during this time the physio talked with us and told us things we could do when we are with Chris to help stimulate his nerve reactions and muscle reaction. She also told us if it was warm enough outside we could all work together to take Chris out side on the little patio. She could get him in the Big Chair and we could help to move all his attachments.. oxygen, all the med. and feed tubes stand thingy and what ever they still need to monitor….while she moved the chair… It never happened while I was there but just the thought was very exciting. We waited about 10 minutes and went back… could you give us just another 3 ½ minutes?  Sure…so we waited another 6 or 7 minutes….I asked Patti… do you think that was 3 ½ minutes? ‘Hospital time?’ she asked. “probably not” but lets walk down there anyways…. We waited a little longer or a lot longer  it is hard to tell….. then he was ready.  He had a really nice nurse today. 
She was spending a lot of time with him. The other patient or patients were discharged and Chris got one on one today.. which means she was able to lots of the extras  that don’t always get done when they are busy. When we first came in he right away told her… this is my mom and this is my older sister, Patti. He seemed to be a little teary today. He was what I call ‘soft’.  He was seeing what God had done for him and how much more he needed God to do for him. We prayed together.  He saw my finger because I had taken the bandage off. He held it and prayed God heal my mom’s finger and then he said and I need you to heal me too…. In Jesus name.
 

I had to leave. Patti stayed on after I left.  Pastor Culley went to see Him today.. .He recognized him right away. He phoned me right after to say what a miracle of God to see Chris now.  He had been up several times since Chris came to VGH but not got in to see him….. It is quite a change from the time they prayed with him in Kamloops. Again.. Our God is an Amazing God. AND FAITHFUL FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES!
 

 

 

Patti:
 

It was so nice to get in to see Chris today.  I hadn’t been since Friday.  Living so far away SUCKS!  He seemed to be doing so well.  He was a bit more emotional than I’ve seen him before, but it could just be that he’s more aware of what’s going on, and is processing things better.
 

It is just amazing to see him so grateful and thankful for life and for health.
 

He desperately wants to get up and out of bed, and with that drive and determination – I believe that he can do so much.  When I left, he was just watching a movie and trying to relax and just hang out.
 

It’s so hard to just walk away and think that he might be there all alone.  That is until the Father whispers to you, “Don’t worry!  I’m always with him.  I never leave him, and I’m taking better care of him than you or anyone else ever could.”
 

Thank you Father for your love and compassion, care and mercy.  Thank you for being with Chris every moment of every day, even when we’re not.  Thank you for another day with him.  Thank you for another day to love and to be loved.
 

 

Momma:
 

I talked to Nina by phone.  We missed each other today. I knew Chris was a little down and wonder how he was doing. She told me he was a little down and then he was smiling and doing better. He had the trach changed today.
They had told us it would be Friday.. today is good. Praise the Lord. …( the nurse told us today that most patients don’t talk with the one Chris was using… but some how he was determined and managed it.) This new trach is supposed to make things a whole lot easier to talk and he will lose his ‘ewok voice’. Nina said he did. She is like sunshine.  She is wonderful. I pray for her to be surrounded with God’s love and peace. I pray that God will refresh her and walk in her with His strength. I pray He will direct her and keep her. She is so precious and I pray she will be encouraged and will know how much she is loved and appreciated.  I pray she will sleep well at nights. I thank you God for your protection around her as she travels everyday. I thank you God for your healing power in her body and that you are restoring her thyroid to complete wholeness.
 

Nina’s Mom and Dad went to see Chris  today…. They are so encouraging and Chris loves them so much. They have been wonderful. They told me Chris was peaceful  and did lots of talking.
 

I was wondering how Chris did today. So I phoned. His nurse told me she really enjoyed Chris and they talked a lot.  He was starting to see what has happened and the nurse told me that though he was sad… it was a good sign because it means that reality is surfacing in his mind. She told him to repeat after her..”this is not permanent… things are going to get better.”
 

Father Thank you for another wonderful day.
 

Another day to live
 

Another day to love
 

Another day to get stronger
 

Another day to get better
 

Another day to give You Praise
 

For all You have done for me.