Thank you--everyone who has prayed for my sweet sister Clytie's recovery . . . as I write to you, it is with a thankful heart.
Clytie, darling Queen of Hearts, had a stroke at 5 a.m. Friday morning. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital--it took me an hour to get there from where I live. Her right side was paralyzed and she could barely speak. To write of this, just . . . well, as I type here I am weeping . . . I have lost a brother and came close just now to losing my beloved sister, my friend.
I stood by her side. They had done everything they could do--it was a waiting game. She would get better, worse, then better, then worse—that last time was the most frightening, I was rubbing her numb foot when suddenly I realized she wasn’t feeling the pressure of my fingers.
I walked to her side, looked at her right hand and it was starting to curl. I felt so scared for her. I took her hand into my own. The nurses did some tests and she could not lift her leg or her arm--her speech was blurred. The nurses left. She had closed her eyes--her face was white and so still. So I put my hand on her hair.
I was praying over her when I felt that God was telling me to put my other hand on Sissy's head and to pray for her healing. I felt a little foolish—I thought maybe it was my own wishful thinking. But I obeyed. As I prayed for her healing, my hands got hot—like an oven. It was the strangest thing--I could feel the heat actually radiating down from my palms. My prayer was that God's healing would pour down through her body like warm oil, sweeping away the numbness imprisoning her. In my mind’s eye, I saw the connections that were hurt, reconnecting and sparking. I don’t know how long I stood there praying.
When I was done praying, I lifted my hand away. Clytie opened her eyes and said as clear as a bell, “Aren’t you getting bored standing there with nothing to do?”
I said, “of course not, I’ve been praying for you!” Tears gathered in my eyes as I tried to explain what had just happened.
A couple seconds later Clytie lifted her right hand—the one she couldn’t move before and was looking at her fingers and hand with astonishment. She started wiggling her fingers. She lifted her leg and curled her toes. The numbness was leaving her body.
Just after that, I left for my parent's place to pick up the twins to see her. While I was at my parents house I wrote the last blog entry. By the time we returned the numbness was totally gone. Clytie could lift both her right leg and arm easily, she could speak clearly, the numbness was gone!
Clytie has steadily improved since then—Last night she ate dinner, she sat up in the chair and she’s been walking the halls—if all goes well she’s going home this afternoon. I’m just so amazed, and moved. Clot busting drugs and the power of God and the prayers of a loving sister--I am convinced a miracle happened.
All the doctors and nurses are just agog. The physical therapist says Clytie is a “rock star!” (grin) They are astonished she’s completely recovered, given that her entire right side was totally and utterly paralyzed. One nurse told me a full recovery like hers is exceedingly rare. The neurologist hardly knew what to say, except to stammer sometimes things happen they can't explain.
Please pray for my precious sister's continued healing and growing strength—the MRI shows she did have a stroke—the doctor says it is an area the size of a Lima bean, with a kind of vulnerable halo around it. She says she doesn’t feel anything is different than it was, but she’s still a little weak and tires easily.
I am so thankful for your good thoughts and prayers for my precious little sister. I promised Clytie I would let everyone know how she's doing and she sends her grateful love and thanks to each and every one of you.
Sometimes we wonder if God cares about us as we live our lives here on earth. He does--He cares. He's watching over us and loves us! All Glory to God for the things He has done!
