2022

I can't believe it's January 2022...or that I survived 2021. Or that Brian survived the crash at all. So, with that, I am grateful that we are both still here.

Things have been very busy since we got the new house. Lots of packing, moving, home renovations, trips back and forth to the hospital to be with Brian for therapies. With all of that plus the holidays, I have had no extra energy to update everyone. So without further ado, here are the updates:

• In mid November, Brian said 'Lauren' & 'Okay.' He hasn't said any words since, but we're encouraged that he may be able to speak and also that he remembers me.
• Brian has begun spontaneously moving his left arm and fingers. 
• He has started to activate his shoulders and fully lift his arms (instead of just bending at the elbow).
• A few nurses have witnessed him sit up in bed (twice that we know of).
• His head control has improved immensely. He of course has had off days, but the past 2 weeks he seems to consistently hold up his head & neck and have good control of it while sitting up and while in the standing frame.
• His endurance for standing has improved, maxing out at 20min without any impact to his vitals.
• This is the longest stretch of stability Brian's had all year. Since arriving at this new facility in Sept, Brian has only had mild pneumonia once and a mild rash on his arms a few times. But otherwise he's had no health concerns.
• He is awake for longer periods of time during the day (less napping / lethargy).
• He makes more sounds more often.
• It seems like Brian is now experiencing noticeable emotions (frustration, pain, anger, contentment).
• We were able to fully open Brian's mouth last week and scrape his tongue and brush the insides of his teeth for the first time!
• He manages his saliva on his own really well...aka less drooling  (almost never aside from normal sleep drool). His swallowing has become strong and consistent.
• No more storming or hypothermic episodes! Hooray!
• He is completely weened off seizure medications & sleep aids and doing just fine without them, which is a great sign.
• He used to posture & tense up when he woke up, but now he wakes up very peacefully and full body stretches.
• His localizations seem to have improved (visual responses to sound, physical responses to pain, etc).
• Visual tracking has improved. His eyes used to only go left to right but every now and then I see them move downward now.
• He is back to his pre-injury weight of 172 lbs and has zero atrophy. In fact, he looks very muscular to many of the medical team's surprise. It's very uncommon for someone to appear built, after 11 months unconscious.

Of course there are some days that are much better than others. This past month it seems like he has 1-3 strong days followed by 2 sleepy days. It's sometimes hard because we get so excited to see progress and then those sleepy days can be long and frustrating. But overall, he looks so healthy, he is medically stable, and he makes strides week over week, even if they're mini strides.

I provide a lot of these kinds of updates weekly on the Sunday night prayer call, so if you want to keep up with these details, please feel free to join us. We meet via zoom every Sunday at 5:30p CST. Here is the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88408700881?pwd=cUhkdmlVVmUxVzFhNVl1Rlo1aVJFUT09#success

This Sunday, we will be gathering to pray for our dear friend Chelsea's father, Jim, who suddenly passed away this week. Her mother, Jean, and Jim have been faithful to pray for Brian and join on the prayer calls every Sunday since Brian's accident. We are heartbroken at the news of his loss, but we know he is safe in the arms of Jesus in heaven now. He was precious and we're so lucky to have known him. Thank you to the Wellmann family for being such an example of faith to us this year. We love you and stand with you in your heartache.

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I am tired of feeling so sad. But God has provided every step of the way for 11 months. He has sent out an army to save us. He is healing Brian. He is creating a community far greater than any network I've ever worked to build. He has placed the exact right people by my side when I needed them most. HE's not done yet. 

As we approach the year anniversary of Brian's accident, let's not worry. Let's not sink back. Let's celebrate all that has progressed forward, and will continue to progress forward. Let's pray that while we wait for home renovations to be completed, Brian continues to make bigger strides toward consciousness. Let's pray that he may awaken before he discharges home. Let's thank God for this amazing facility that so clearly loves and cares for Brian. Let's celebrate every win listed in bullet points above and wait in great expectation for Brian's comeback. Let's not dwell on how 'hard' Feb 15th will be. Instead, we shall run forward and not grow weary, keeping one foot in front of the other, because ultimately only God is in control. And all we can do while we wait, is love on Brian and each other. It has taken me a very long time to try and find peace with this circumstance, but I too am making progress in this territory week over week. It gives me great joy to care for Brian and make him feel safe, loved, comfortable, clean and warm. I meant every word of my vows and pray that he will wake so we can renew them and have a beautiful future together. Thank you to everyone that believes, has hope and is still #brianfrankstrong. 

Lastly, if you know anyone that is a caregiver or CNA that would be interested in applying to be one of Brian's home care providers, please email me at brianfrankstrong@gmail.com for more details on how to apply. Thank you!!

-Lauren

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Excerpt from 'Streams in the Desert' felt fitting this week:

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better (Ecclesiastes 7:3).

When sorrow comes under the power of Divine grace, it works out a manifold ministry in our lives. Sorrow reveals unknown depths in the soul, and unknown capabilities of experience and service. Happy, trifling people are always shallow, and never suspect the little meannesses in their nature. Sorrow is God's plowshare that turns up and subsoils the depths of the soul, that it may yield richer harvests. If we had never fallen, or were in a glorified state, then the strong torrents of Divine joy would be the normal force to open up all our souls' capacities; but in a fallen world, sorrow, with despair taken out of it, is the chosen power to reveal ourselves to ourselves. Hence it is sorrow that makes us think deeply, long, and soberly.

Sorrow makes us go slower and more considerately, and introspect our motives and dispositions. It is sorrow that opens up within us the capacities of the heavenly life, and it is sorrow that makes us willing to launch our capacities on a boundless sea of service for God and our fellows.

God never uses anybody to a large degree, until after He breaks that one all to pieces. Joseph had more sorrow than all the other sons of Jacob, and it led him out into a ministry of bread for all nations. For this reason, the Holy Spirit said of him, "Joseph is a fruitful bough…by a well, whose branches run over the wall" (Gen. 49:22). It takes sorrow to widen the soul.

Every person and every nation must take lessons in God's school of adversity. "We can say, 'Blessed is night, for it reveals to us the stars.' In the same way we can say, 'Blessed is sorrow, for it reveals God's comfort.' The floods washed away home and mill, all the poor man had in the world. But as he stood on the scene of his loss, after the water had subsided, broken-hearted and discouraged, he saw something shining in the bank which the waters had washed bare. 'It looks like gold,' he said. It was gold. The flood which bad beggared him made him rich. So it is ofttimes in life."
--Henry Clay Trumbull