Visits & Calendars

Following up on a recent post about the proposed visitation calendar:  After trying this for a couple of days, Rick, Mary and Isabel have reluctantly concluded that at least for the foreseeable future we need to abandon the idea of the two nightly visitation slots with Isabel.  Her rehab regimen is, at this point, pretty aggressive and as a result she is often completely zonked at the end of the day.  They appreciate your understanding and patience as they work through this new phase; it's pretty safe to say that this hiatus will only be temporary and as Isabel rebuilds her strength that there will come a time when we can try this again.

Regarding the food calendar, Sarah Oldham wishes to remind everybody that there are new meal assignments currently open for those interested in preparing food for the Wimmer-Brown family.  Contact Sarah for more details or point your browser to CareCalendar.org, calendar ID 79978.

Attention Vigilists! (Vigilantes?) Calling all Visitors! (Visitistas?)

Vigils
Now that Isabel is in her new "digs," Rick and Mary are thinking that perhaps the urgent need for vigil help has passed.  Their reasoning is based on several important changes that make the need for this support less urgent:

1. Isabel is now very aware of what is going on and understands what has happened, why she is in Rehab.
2. She is able to communicate about her circumstances so she'll be able to help Rick and Mary manage her care
3. St. Mary's Rehab Hospital is only 5 minutes from the Wimmer-Brown's house.  This will make it much easier to pop in to see Isabel at various times during the day while at the same time balancing other important family activities
4. The therapy regimen at St. Mary's promises to be quite vigorous for Isabel, including Occupational, Speech and Physical six days a week.  At least initially, staff and family are expecting Isabel will be spending any free time in deep, refreshing, restorative sleep...

So, in keeping with their current thinking, I've been asked to close out all the vigil slots, at least until further notice and pending additional assessment.  

A very BIG "God Bless You" to everyone who helped in this vital ministry to the Wimmer-Browns over the past 6 weeks.  To know that their daughter was being watched over by so many unselfish Guardian Angels during those times when they had to be away was a inexpressible comfort.  And speaking on behalf of all of you who gave of your time, it was indeed an honor to stand guard in their stead, wasn't it?  A very special, contemplative time!  Thanks for your servant heart!

Visitations

Because of the rigorous therapy schedule, St. Mary's maintains strict visitation hours for short periods each evening.  Rick and Mary are thinking that until we see how Isabel manages these workouts it will probably be good if we reestablish a visitation calendar so that we don't overtax her at the end of a long day.  So, in keeping with their current thinking, I've created two slots on CareCalendar each Sunday - Friday for the remainder of August, the first from 4:00PM until 4:30PM and the second from 5:00PM until 5:30PM.   Shorter is probably better. We'll need to take our cue from how Isabel is holding up--she could be pretty "tuckered out" at that hour and may not be inclined or able to stay engaged (the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak).

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Isabel is now at St. Mary's Rehab

As of 6:00PM this evening, Isabel is safely ensconced at St. Mary's Rehab Hospital, 6420 Clayton Road.  The move went very well and she was bright and alert after the trip.

Vigilists, take note.  Rick and Mary are assessing what kind of support will best assist them in the new quarters; the fact that they can now see their house from the rehab patio on the 6th floor opens up all sorts of possibilities that haven't been available (like going home for a nap or a bite to eat or swinging by to or from work in Clayton or over lunch hour).  Unless you hear otherwise, assume for now that you're still "on," but be ready for adjustments as Rick and Mary get things figured out.

We pray for God's continued protection and guidance in her recovery via the restorative therapies she will receive there!

Okay prayer warriors, time to suit up again!

Among the many things we've learned over the past 6 weeks is that every major milestone in Isabel's recovery is eerily followed by another of those jarring and unpleasant "bumps in the road."  And each of these threats, without exception, has been effectively answered and neutralized with prayer.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise to any of us that immediately following this morning's fabulous news that Isabel can write her name (Hallelujah! His name be praised!), comes the latest setback.  Thankfully, this time it isn't related to Isabel's medical condition (Hallelujah, His name be praised!).  

The Insurance Company, as the source of funding for this expensive journey, is now inserting itself in the equation and wants to dictate direct the next step in Isabel's medical care.  Based strictly on the electronic patient record they see from their distant vantage point, the bureaucracy isn't ready to support moving Isabel to a comprehensive rehab facility, preferring instead to send her to a long-term care facility (read: Nursing Home). Staff can't believe it; doctors are frustrated.

Mary asks for our urgent prayers to God that He will manage the path for the Wimmer-Browns through these twisty man-made passages.  She and Rick ask that we pray for the ultimate Insurance and Assurance policy and that Rick, Mary and Staff are beneficiaries of His perfect wisdom and clarity in their work as His agents in this latest battle.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   Ephesians 6:10-17

Graduation Day!

Tomorrow (Monday, August 1st) Isabel is scheduled to be moved out of the Intensive Care Unit at St. Clare Hospital and into an offsite transitional care facility located in St. Charles (see right sidebar of this blog for details about the facility and directions). The purpose of this transfer will be to focus on managing the remaining medical aspects of Isabel's recovery and beginning the process of important physical and neuro- therapies.

At this point we don't know specifics about vigil and visitation needs at the new facility, but because of Isabel's increasing awareness, it will be very important that we continue to surround her with the reassurance of friends and familiar faces, especially at those times when Rick and Mary must be away to maintain their own physical and mental health and to also allocate some of their precious time to Isabel's brothers and sisters.

Once Rick and Mary have an idea of how we can best help them, we'll post the needs and times on CareCalendar so that everybody that wants to will be able to self-register for any available openings; I think it is reasonable to assume at this point that these future vigil needs will look very similar to those that developed at St. Clare.  Continue to watch this blog for more information!

Thank you for your continued outpouring of love and support for the WBs through and with the leading of the Holy Spirit!  Do you share the sense that there is value in this work beyond what we each can see with our limited human vision?  God is working among us in ways that are mysterious, powerful and undeniable!  To permit us to be a part of that process is humbling, isn't it?

From Rick & Mary

We would like to extend an open invitation to anyone for visits Monday through Saturday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

You can arrange a visit through the Care Calendar.

Isabel is being weaned from external supports over the next week in preparation to leave the ICU.

We will continue to post her updates on the blog.

We look forward to visiting with you.

Visitation Overload

Our hearts are breaking.  The tears flow like water.  What can be done?  To whom can we turn?

It's a human instinct to seek out one another in times of stress and crisis, the old "a worry shared is a burden halved" sort of thing.  Spiritual and emotional support for our brothers and sisters is an absolutely vital requirement of both the Church visible and invisible.  We are a body and are knit together with sinews of love and are commanded by Jesus to work as one so that the world will know that God sent Him.

But we also know that as individual human beings we sometimes need to quietly reflect on where God is leading us, to listen very carefully to what He is saying.  Rick and Mary are in such a time.  Mary told me on a phone call this afternoon that "God is teaching Rick and I soooooo much.  He has a massive defroster running, melting many of our pre-conceived ideas about who He is and what He wants for our lives."  They're listening hard to hear what He has to say; to follow His request to step out of the boat when all around them the waves are pitching and solid ground is seemingly many leagues distant.  Like Jesus in the garden, they know that they have some very long stretches of thorny ground in front of them and they need time to prepare, to reflect and to pray.  And the silence to listen.

Couple this with the fact that Isabel is, as we all know too well, very critically ill and that Rick and Mary must understand and digest the bewildering complexities of intensive medical options and procedures, each with their own sometimes intersecting and conflicting impacts.  Doctors show up when they will and need to be consulted and advised as the opportunities present themselves. These discussions, in turn, lead back into how they seek God's will and how the Holy Spirit intends to lead and comfort them.

And there's no need to explore the management challenges associated with the emotional and physical needs of a large family, yanked into a new operating mode, far away from familiar routines and expectations.

Bottom line, they all need the space and time to think, to reflect and ponder what God is telling them through all the bewildering inputs of medicine, a parent's heart, His word, prayer and vision.  For these reasons the family has requested me to respectfully ask that until further notice all impromptu visitations be curtailed.  The cultural demands of hospitality, especially for dear friends and family that they may not have seen in a while conflicts with the immediate work they feel they have to do.  Like Ecclesiastes reminds us, there will be a time for these things, but we must for now focus on the season that dawned on them this past weekend.

Rick and Mary still desperately need to know, however, that the Body of Christ shares in their reflection and somber seeking of the Master's will.  One great way for you to do that is to sign yourselves up for the available prayer times discussed in the previous post. They'll be encouraged by your willingness to hold them up in prayer before God.  

We can also use the comment spaces associated with this blog to publicly share our insights and what we hear God saying to us as we pray; it would be a very Good Thing if we as the Body of Christ spent some time in shared reflection on what all of this means to us collectively and as individuals (it isn't just something that has happened to "them," God is trying to get our attention as well.)

Finally, for those that would like to share with the family in a more private way, I've created an email address as a place to share.  This can be a place where you can say what's on your heart, how you are feeling--the sorts of things you'd say in the waiting room if you were there.  All these messages of love and support will then be available for the family to internalize as time and circumstances permit.  Just send your messages to WimmerBrowns@gmail.com.  Please do write; opening a communications channel will enable them to share as they can.

Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your kindness and love. 

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. " Romans 12:10-13

Prayer calendar update

The Church is responding to this need!  I'm personally overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern as it is being channeled in practical ways.  Sarah Oldham and I appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we attempt to get everybody up to speed with the online calendars.

If you're looking for ways to be of service to the Wimmer-Brown family, there are still many opportunities to do so.  One way, in particular is vitally important and something that everybody can do.  We have 24 prayer slots to fill every day.  Of course we all know that it certainly isn't necessary that you sign up in order to pray for Isabel; we know that the prayers of the Church are like a powerful and untamed river;  no mere on-line tool can ever hope to channel this spiritual and supernatural energy.  But the idea is that by signing up for one of the slots we are making a practical reaffirmation of our love for the WBs in general and Isabel in particular.

The text box on the right-hand side of the blog will give you the information you need for this vital task.  As Mary said in her post last night, Rick and Mary are God's representatives in the decisions that must soon be made, but they ARE HIS TO MAKE.  We can't do this without His direction.  Pray for His guidance and that His supreme will is crystal clear to  those who must interpret what He is saying.  Please, Lord Jesus, help us.

And, signing up for a prayer time is a practical way to show the family that they are constantly in our thoughts and prayers and comforting to them (and to us!) to know that the Church is filling one of it's primary roles in this broken and fallen world.  The words of the old hymn inspire us...


The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended
The darkness falls at thy behest;
To thee our morning hymns ascended
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank thee that thy Church unsleeping
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping
And rests not now by day or night.

As o'er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day
The voice of prayer is never silent
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren 'neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never
Like earth's proud empires, pass away;
Thy Kingdom stands, and grows for ever,
Till all thy creatures own thy sway.

Amen

How you can help

In addition to this medical update blog, we've created two separate online calendars to coordinate help for Isabel and her family. The first is the place where individuals can volunteer for helping with Isabel's needs, specifically in the areas of prayer and bedside vigils. Prayer slots have been scheduled throughout each day; anybody interested in boldly bringing our earnest petitions to God is encouraged to sign up--the prayer privilege is open to all. Send a message to jo-ellen@swbell.net with the phrase CARECALENDAR ACCESS in the subject line.

A second calendar has been established that will coordinate support for Isabel's family in areas related to childcare, food preparation, transportation and home support. To sign up for family support, send your request to oldham74@gmail.com with the phrase CARECALENDAR ACCESS in the subject line.