wayne’s sci blog
Wayne is doing well. His second injection went without any difficulties. We continue to see subtle changes that keep us optimistic. We’d like to share a prayer we received Monday. Many of you may remember Pastor Donahue from the Baptist Church in Nashville back in the 1970′s. He and Wayne played basketball and racquet ball together. His wife Barbara was a RN and I worked with her at WCH. Jim was very active at the hospital with comforting and counseling pts. They have 2 beautiful children, Jeff and Amy. We kept in touch for several years and then our paths didn’t cross until the accident. He presently has a church in Collinsville and travels to St. Louis many times a week to see pts. The day Wayne entered St. Louis Rehab Institute on a stretcher via an ambulance Jim was walking in the door. He aways recalls ” I will never forget our first meeting in the Rehab facility. I felt so ashamed, guilty and very upset that I stuck out my hand to shake hands with you. You handled it with the kindness of a true gentleman. So, I guess all that I have to say is that I love you two and you have deeply impacted my life.” Jim and Barb have visited many times in rehab and at our home. On Christmas Day instead of staying home they traveled to the rehab facility along with their daughter and brought us food and visited. He has emailed a prayer each day for Wayne and his family. We’d like to share Monday’s prayer with you. Lord, thank you for your miraculous touch to Wayne’s body. Actually Lord, you made his body. You are Lord of his body and I thank you that since all creation was in your hands that you are doing a special work in your child. Success as we think of it is for all those body parts to begin working perfectly again. Success in your heart is that Wayne will be your servant regardless of what happens. I pray for that kind of submission in Wayne’s heart. But, I still pray and thank you that you are using the stem cells to give new life to him.
I thank you that you gave your son to give us new life. In an amazing way, and not through stem cells, you gave us your greatest gift by giving us eternal life and the confidence that you will carry us through every step of life.
St. Francis prayed, “Lord make me an instrument” and I pray that you will continue to use this medical facility as your instruments of healing. I know that you are working through people, but it is still your work. I stand amazed as I read from others who are asking you for a miracle in Wayne’s body and it is such a joy to hear of great results. But, Lord, the greatest result will be when Wayne (and all of us) fulfills St. Francis’ prayer and he (and the rest of us) become your instruments of healing, of peace, of ministry, of hope to our world. You have taken Wayne to this point for a special mission in life. As we prayed many months ago, I continue to pray that Wayne will know his role of service and ministry, not by the strength of his arms or legs but by his heart, his head and his words of love for others.
I thank you that you know when I pray for Jared that I should be praying for Jarrett. I thank you that you are greater than our short-comings. You have worked in Jarrett’s life and have taken him form never being on an airplane to taking him around the world, where he is functioning in a positive way. You are at work in his life. In a few days, his responsibilities will grow and I pray that every fiber of his being will be attentive to Wayne and the things that are happening. I pray for directedness of his mind, will and body as he becomes your servant in Wayne’s life. I pray that you would open up his spiritual eyes in order to see that he is your “instrument” just as St. Francis prayed.
I pray for Brandon, Christi, Connor, Carlee, Britt and Wayne’s mom. I pray for the people in and around Nashville who wait on every blog to know how things are going. You have touched so many lives through this experience, and while I will not thank you for Wayne’s accident, you certainly have used it and many other days and events to touch a great number of lives.
I pray especially for Britt. Yesterday as I walked through ICU, I saw a person sitting by the bedside of a patient. I could only think that with the intensity of her talk, the compassion of her position with the patient that the person in there was Britt. It is by no accident that Britt carries in her compassion and professionalism but her compassion is over whelming. It is also amazing to me that Brandon and Britt can carry on their work when their heart is torn to China. Continue to work in them that peace will be with them every day and that they will know your great love and comfort.
I continue to pray for Brandon that as he drives to work or drives the tractor that you will be present with him in those moments alone. Brandon is so much like his dad and has such great, dedicated spirit but I pray that in his hectic and unending pace that you would visit him with a great sense of your peace. I pray also for Christi that she would have ears and arms as Brandon waits through this time. I know she carries a burden with working, children and with all the emotion that goes with these days. Connor and Carlee cannot understand all the workings in each life connected to Wayne and Deb but you know their young hearts and I pray for your peace to be with them. I pray that Brandon will have the opportunity to hold either Connor or Carlee as they go to sleep and he will understand that just as they are gently held and completely at peace that you are holding his dad and mom, that you are hold the two of them and that you are holding Britt. Like the heavenly father–gently care for your children.
I pray for Deb. In my mind she fights hopes and fears, she fights patient and husband, she fights responsibility at the clinic–but I pray that you would bring and end to some of those fights. Her “fight” is exactly what has given her the spirit never to quit–be it professionally or physically with all of Wayne’s journey. So strengthen her resolve but at the same time, keep her mentally, emotionally, professionally and “spouseally” (some times you just have to make up words) alert and responsive through these days.
Everyone is riding a roller coaster of emotions. Today, take your children (all of them) and become a gentle, loving, peaceful, mother and father to them.
You promised that you would never leave us or forsake us. And, you promised that we would not be orphaned or separated from you, but that you would send the Holy Spirit to comfort them and carry them each moment of each day.
Through Christ our Lord, Jim
Thank you as always not for just your eloquent words but the deep insight into our lives. God Willing Wayne and Deb
9 comments June 20th, 2007
