As the nurse approaches…….I think I might stop breathing. She tries to prepare me for seeing my son. Ma’am you are about to see…… NOTHING could have prepared me for what happened next. I saw a young man with a tube in his mouth, bandages around his head, a rod coming out of his head measuring pressures, oxygen,  neck collar , pressure cuffs on his arms and one leg, his left leg was broken, his left side of his face had 9 fractures, oh the bruises! Bruises like I had never seen! Never want to see again!  Monitors everywhere! Beeping everywhere!!! IV’s in both hands,  His wrist were in restraints,  he had pillows under his arms for comfort and a mattress that alternated to help with skin integrity.  They tell me this is my son, however, it isn’t connecting. He resembles Joshua however, I just can’t believe this is him until I take his hand and then I know……… this is my son.

I can’t say that I remember the next few hours, maybe the next few days. I know that each day that Joshua spent in a coma was a day that I relied on my faith to carry me through, more than I normally did. I prayed everyday that God would heal Josh, I prayed and cried out asking why, I wrestled with God trying to find and answer, then on day 17 I remember crying to God and saying, “God I surrender to Your plan, Heal Josh either here or there I can’t carry this anymore.” I knew that Josh was in God’s hands no matter what but sometimes He patiently waits on us to submit to Him. Three days later Josh just woke up. He opened his eyes and the first thing he was able to say was “I Love Adam”. His brother who was with him just after the accident. Isn’t God amazing?

The next several days were such a roller coaster! High pressures, not responding to tests, possible feeding tubes, trachs which would be best for him. You see I work in hospice and to think I need to be making this decision I just never thought I’d have to be facing this for my son.

We did place the trach and the feeding the tube for his recovery. I have to say it was one of the hardest decision’s I’ve ever made but you know God has a plan. He didn’t need it very long. God used it for his Glory. The trach came out in 2 weeks, and the feeding tube was out within 17 days! Many, many miracles!! Joshua was discharged to RHI for rehab and made great progress. Now what did that look like? He didn’t walk out of there but he didn’t have a trach or feeding tube when he came home. He was wheelchair bound, he wasn’t able to feed himself but he could talk, he could make his wants and  needs known and he knew us. That is a miracle!