Rachel's Reflections: Dad's new adventure...

Today was the first day of my dads new adventure. He was moved last night to Brooks and today began his new schedule. It seemed to wear him out. These pictures will be great for my before and after picture project! You can really tell where the swelling is going down in his brain and I never realized how much your skull shapes your head, nor did I realize how much swelling my dads brain had. They keep him pretty busy, occupational, physical and speech therapy twice a day. This evening we spent some time in the recreational therapy gym and he seemed to watch intently as they played a game of pool. Seth said this place is more fun than the last hospital that Grandpa was at. He has really been good about giving my dad high fives and talking with him. Tonight he told me, "Grandpa is doing better, he will be better soon." I told him that it might not be soon, and before I could say anything he said, "Well we aren't giving up on him." My sweet boy has learned what I hope they both hold in their heart and use as they grow on in life - never give up on those you love! My dad spent the day adjusting to his new routine. I hope his spirits are lifted and that fighter, determined spirit comes back! I know he will over come this, doesn't it say somewhere that we need only to believe?! Sometimes afflictions come from the hand of God and its not our place to pray them away, but use them to create within us a greater Christlikeness and dependence on God. In as much as I wish this never happened, I have already seen some good come of it. I have seen relationships strengthened and some mended. I have learned who is there for me. I have been reminded about how strong I am. I have a greater appreciation for so many 'little' things that make the big things possible. And perhaps the most intriguing thing I have learned is about a compassion that is within me to really see people through their difficult times and get back to living. My dad has had many different therapists at the hospital the past few weeks, who commented on how well I was doing with my dad. One of the neurosurgeons who was checking on my dad daily, said I was doing a good job and should consider a job in the therapy field. Then today, the doctor who will be seeing him while he is at Brooks actually asked me what I do, because he was convinced I was somehow involved in this field, after he saw what I was doing with my dad. I have struggled to find my 'purpose' in life. There are a few things I am good at but nothing really held my attention for long. I have a lot of compassion for others and feel so good when I can help people, but never really felt 'passionate' about any one profession unless you count motherhood - my boys will always be my world! I have been thinking about what it would take to be an occupational therapist, something I was not considering - nor would I have seen others mentioning it as a possibility - if it hadn't been for my dad having a stroke. I know God will use all this for good, but right now it is hard! I did hear that he was moved to a different room tonight, with his own refrigerator and one of the nurses brought him a fan. He always slept with a fan blowing in his face at home!