“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Anyone who has ever visited a patient in a hospital or rehabilitation center has located that patient with a room number followed by “Bed 1” or “Bed 2.”
Last September my dear friend from Atlanta, Susan, was diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm which required immediate intervention. She underwent a coil procedure to clot off the artery and was then placed in a medically-induced coma to allow for brain healing. She was in ICU for 29 days and then went to a rehab center for an additional 22 days.
When Susan entered the rehab center, she was placed in room 308, Bed 2. For the majority of her stay on the unit, she was not assigned a roommate. She relished the solitude of her "single" room.
Susan comes from an energetic and out-going family where humor, quick wit and fun all play an important role in daily interactions. She also has strong Christian faith through her Southern Baptist roots. Following this neurological insult, Susan had to work extremely hard in PT, OT, and speech in order to relearn functional skills such as walking, writing, talking, and finally learning to drive. Her performance was not perfect initially, and both mental and physical errors were made.
Keeping a lighter and more playful mood within the group of family and friends, visitors were also subjected to “scrutiny.” When anyone came to visit and appeared to misspeak or make a faux pas, the family joke was “Bed 1 is open: do you need to climb in?”
As Susan relays her incredible odyssey through this terrifying ordeal, she writes, “I know that Bed 1 was never really empty during those days. For God was there with me, and all I had to do was look at that empty bed and know that I was NOT alone.” (With permission of Susan Angevine McKessy)
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father: Help us to remember that in that empty chair, bed or corner of the sofa, we can invite you to sit quietly with us and know that we never have to face life's hardships alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Linda Erickson
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