Going Back To Houston

Could it possibly be that Paul is finally heading due West? We have been told that he does not need to come back to Charlotte for any more surgeries, as the shunt is working. It has been set on the lowest setting possible and is relieving pressure in his brain. Dr. McLanahan said that there is really nothing more that he can do and the ventricles have reduced in size. They are not as small as he would like to see them, but they are a lot better. He said that there is a possibility that Paul will eventually not need the shunt. He is very borderline in his dependency on the shunt and over time, may outgrow his need for it. Paul will follow up with him in December for one more visit and then he will be referred to another neurosurgeon Dr. McLanahan knows here in Atlanta for any follow up appointments.

In these last 22 months, we have seen a lot of different doctors. If someone was suggested, we have made an appointment with them to see if we could get an answer to the issue of Paul's headaches. In May of 2006, we had taken Paul to a chiropractor. He saw Dr. Talley only one time because Paul had to have another surgery for the hydrocephalus. We never made it back. At that appointment, xrays showed that Paul's cervical spine was out of alignment. It was very visible. We were going to start a program of treatment, but got side tracked. Last month, I remembered this doctor again and decided it was worth a try to see if he could help us in anyway. I knew that the cervical spine had probably not mended itself. Jerry took Paul to this appointment and said that Dr. Talley remembered Paul very well and was so impressed with his present condition. He took a lot of time with Paul and gave him a number of excercises to do at home and also gave him some ice packs to use. He told Paul to try using an ice pack for headaches before reaching for pain medicine and showed him where to place the ice pack. After this initial appointment, Paul said that his shoulder was hurting a lot less. He mentioned a few days later that his headaches were not spiking so high in pain. When they were bad, it was only on a level of about 5-6, not 8-9. Jerry told me that one evening, Paul was over at his house and asked Jerry for some Tylenol. Jerry reminded him about the ice pack and Paul got one and rested for a little bit. 20 minutes later, he came into the computer room and with a look of happiness, told Jerry it actually worked. His headache was much better. Paul has been back to see Dr. Talley again and will see him for a few more treatments. I will admit to you, I am a claims adjuster and I handle the bodily injury portion of the accidents. I have not had a very high regard for the chiropractic profession as a whole because there is a lot of fraud involved. I don't mean to offend anyone with this statement. Heck, there is a lot of fraud in every profession, but in my line of work there is fraud that involves attorney and chiropractors. In fact, behind the illegal drug activity in our country, insurance fraud is the number 2 illegal activity. Unfortunately, it made me very skeptical and I was reluctant to take Paul to one.

Like so many other times in my life, I have learned another valuable lesson. I was using a very wide paintbrush in labeling innocent people as being dishonest, not legitimate. God brought another person into our lives to help Paul and I truly believe, to show me my prejudice. One more time, God has reminded me to be very careful of my tendency to quickly judge others. I have been given another chance to try to conform my will to God's. Oh, how He loves His children! Patiently He teaches and waits. Praise be to God.

Paul is really doing so much better with the lessoning of his headaches. He forgot to take his 3:00 PM medicine and when he remembered later, I asked him if he was suffering any pain from missing it. He said no, he was feeling fine and in fact, had not had to take Tylenol or Advil since early that morning. We decided to drop that afternoon medication since we had tried before to wean him from it. It has been determined it was not really going to help him, but he had to be withdrawn from it slowly. The 2 times we have tried before, his headache would be very intense. Looks like we have finally reached a stage where we can do it! Paul was pretty excited about not having to remember an afternoon medication. He is now taking only his morning and night time meds. He is also not having to take over the counter medications as often. This has all come about after only 2 appointments with Dr. Talley. I truly stand corrected!!

It was so cool what happened on Sunday. I had to get some gas and groceries because I ran out of time on Saturday. I did a quick shopping and was trying to get to the house to wish Paul well at his first guitar lesson. I knew I wasn't going to get there in time and I called Jon. He reminded me I had the checkbook and they needed it in case Mr. Sutherland had a guitar that Paul could purchase. I said I would meet them at the corner drugstore that was on their way and right down the street from where I was at that moment. We met and I hugged Paul and told him to remember that God was leading him on this pathway and to give it all he had. He was so excited about his lesson and his smile could not have been any more joyous. They drove away and I ducked into the drug store to get a few more items. I was standing in the check out line and an elderly man behind me asked me if that was my penny on the floor. I looked down at my feet and sure enough, there was a penny to my right. I told him that while it wasn't MY penny, it was meant for me. I told him that it was God's way of asking me if I trusted Him. He laughed and said he liked that idea. I told the man I was growing in greater trust every day!
How much has changed for us. One year ago I was still tending to so many of Paul's needs. He was still weak and bed ridden with headaches. We could not plan anything for the next week, nor even the next day back then. We never knew how well Paul would feel. I was planning his birthday party last year, with the great hope Paul would be able to attend! And in that moment in the drug store, my mind was filled with the joy of knowing Paul felt better, his headaches reducing in intensity and he was going to be working on his music with his dad and favorite teacher by his side. I left the drugstore and was stopped for a red light. As I prayed in thanksgiving, a butterfly flew past my windshield, turned and flew back again. I was smiling so big-time and it made one more pass across my front windshield - How awesome, how God!

The lesson went very well and Mr. Sutherland reminded Paul that it once again, it would all depend on the effort Paul would give. He also told Paul that he was working on a new teaching methodology book and he was going to use Paul as his 'guinea pig'. He said he had a lot of hope about Paul's ability and even felt that it would come back quicker than Paul knew. He said he was so happy to see Paul doing so well. He said he was very surprised getting Paul's telephone call because he had been told a couple of years ago that Paul was probably not going to live. He had not heard any more information after that. He was so glad to see this outcome instead!

Is Paul finally heading West? At this moment he is. His dear friend Geneva has moved to Houston to teach and she has kept in touch with Paul. They were dating at the time of the accident, but Paul does not remember those 3 months. He does not remember her except in small snip-its. There were long stretches when he did not remember she had called. He saw her the week before she moved to Houston and a couple of weeks ago she called Paul and they talked for a good while. I told Paul how they used to talk to each other every night and prayed together. I told him that they had started the month-long prayers for consecrating themselves to Mary, but that the accident happened in the middle of that. Geneva went on to pray the prayers of that devotion for Paul while he was in his coma. He said that was so awesome of her to do and so he asked her if they could do it again this November. In the meantime, they started a 9 day novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It is a blessing that Paul has the friendship of this wonderful young lady after all this time. It was so kind of her to stay in touch with Paul, especially after it became evident he did not remember her. He does not remember most of the things in the 3 months before and 4 months after his accident. Every once in awhile there will be a glimpse of memory for him, but at this time, it is mostly a void. I trust God had his reasons.

Paul has said more than once that he truly must have had a "Come to Jesus" meeting while he was in a coma. Guess what Paul - you are not the only one!

God bless you and keep you surround with His love and protection,
Love,
Jon and Rebecca