A Word from Jon......

After sharing with me the significance for him of today, Jon wrote the following:

Well, after five years I figured it was about time I actually posted something to the site!

I have so much to be thankful for. I do not remember much of anything that had happened in the month of March 2005; my first memories after my aneurysm weren’t until a month later at the Shepherd Center. Initially, I wasn’t confused about being paralyzed on my left side and needing a wheelchair in order to get around. Somehow I felt that’s how my life was, but didn’t know how long it had been that way. My family visited me daily, so I somehow felt like they were living there too, but in different rooms. In my bedroom, there was a large yellow banner across the wall that read, “www.prayersforjon.com” on it. I didn’t know why people needed to be praying for me, other than my release from Shepherd in order to go home.

I didn’t begin to question why I was at Shepherd until frustrations began to build on why I had to go through daily rounds of therapy. When someone on staff told me the reason I was at Shepherd was from a stroke, my mind refused to believe it. After coming home from Shepherd, , I began to accept the possibility of that reason through the extraordinary difficulties I experienced in the simplest tasks, such as dressing myself and getting into a car. When I finally came to terms with the truth of what had happened, God has done amazing things in my life! Almost eight months after my aneurysm, He “woke” my left leg up by allowing me to move it while being dressed in the hospital bed that was in the temporary bedroom of my home. And three months later, God gave me the ability to surprise my dad with a “thumbs up” from my left hand.

How amazing the first steps I took with a walker were, and how emotional was I when I saw my physical therapist say to my mom, “Jon’s gonna walk again!” I thank our Lord every day for the strength he continues to give me and for the independence I continue to gain from all the physical assistance I used to require from both my parents and medical personnel. I am also very excited to see myself typing this post at my personal computer with both hands, which is a skill I am certain will be very helpful in allowing me to play guitar and write songs for the first time in over five years.

Thank you all for your continued prayers over my family and me, and may God bless and keep you.

Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God every time I remember you.”

In His Precious Love,
Jon

Has It Really Been FIVE Years?

It's 8:25 in the morning and I am sitting exactly where I was five years ago at about this time when the phone rang. The news we heard in that one phone call changed our lives forever. We were told that Jon had collapsed at a retreat where he was chaperoning a group of students from our church, and that 911 had been called. As we quickly and frighteningly shared Jon's medical history (which was virtually non-existent since he had always been so healthy) with the doctor on the retreat as well as the EMTs, we scrambled to figure out what to do. As soon as we learned that the decision had been made to LifeFlight Jon to Grady, the nearest Level 1 trauma center, we drove there to meet him. We spent the next four weeks at Grady, practically living in the ICU waiting area. For those who have followed Jon's story, I won't go into the details as you have all so compassionately shared your hearts and support with us over these past five years. For those who don't know the history, it is recorded in the Forums section at http://www.prayersforjon.com/, a site created within just a few days after Jon's collapse. As Jon's journey began, we posted news of his progress and setbacks for our faithful friends, family, and often strangers to keep them informed of his status.

A year after the aneurysm, we celebrated in a big way with a cake and guests to commemorate the One-Year mark. That particular post is here. It is both humbling and amazing to realize just how far Jon has come! I remember when the doctors told us that recovery from such devastating neurological damage could take YEARS and thinking, "Years? What does that even mean??" Months, I understood........but YEARS? I just didn't get it, but here we are........years later (five to be exact) and the recovery continues. Jon is walking with minimal assistance and no longer uses his wheelchair at all; he is able to totally care for himself; he has been able to return to college; he is--for he most part--totally independent in his personal life. Are there things he CAN'T do? Yes, there are. He can't drive, but he will quickly add a "yet" when talking about his inability to drive. He has very limited left-side peripheral vision, but he can see! What he cannot do or has not recovered, he more than makes up for with what he CAN do and HAS recovered! God has been so faithful to His promises! He has given Jon hope AND a future!

I often reflect on the scripture in Lamentations that Jeff brought to us and that we claimed during the early days of Jon's journey: "I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: 'Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.' You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." God indeed has come near and when the fear threatens, He speaks to me, reminding me of all that He has already done and of His promise to each of us--that He will never leave us or forsake us, and that in Him ALL things are possible!

Happy Anniversary, Jonathon; you've come a long way, baby! God has been gracious.

LATE APRIL 2005

NOVEMBER 2009