Adjusting To A Disability

It has been almost a year since Bill's table saw accident.  I will never forget his phone call from the ambulance, "Deana, can you bring me some clothes?  I seem to have cut my pinky off."  I had no idea how much damage was done until I got to the hospital.

Bill had cut off his pinky, but had also severed a number of tendons, two arteries, and most of the muscle and nerves in his hand.  The first surgery took about 3 1/2 hours and the second one was about 12 hours.  This summer he will have to have another surgery on his hand and we are praying that will be the last.

Bill has had to overcome so much this year.  The nightmares were horrible for awhile.  He has had to become ambidextrous. but is left-handed now for the most part and uses mostly dictation software.  He had to have his bike rebuilt so he could adequately use the brakes and has had to learn to face his fears when he hears the sounds of power tools.  He has severe pain in his hand a great deal of the time.  If he wears a glove it helps his brain to focus on the pressure rather than the pain and it makes it more bearable.

It has been hard to watch Bill be in pain and have to relearn so many skills a different way, but the great thing is, he has.  All of the phrases we have used in disability ministry have taken on a new meaning now.  "You can still do it, you may just have to do it differently."  

The other day God gave us a precious gift though.  I was with my mom at a restaurant and said hello to a gentleman that was leaving as we were leaving.  I asked him if he was a veteran and he told me he had served in the Korean War.  I told him that my father and father-in-law had too.  This gentleman endured many injuries from serving our country, including a missing arm and surgeries on his other hand. On his hand he had the same surgery that Bill is going to have.  

I cannot describe the amazing spirit this gentleman and his wife had.  I was very moved by their story and invited them to come over and meet Bill and have some dinner with us sometime.  It makes me sad to think I would have missed out on some amazing people if I hadn't said hello.  It reminded me that God is always going to go ahead of us and provide us just what we need.  Encouraging friends that can understand our situations are a tremendous blessing.

As we get closer to the surgery at the end of July we would appreciate your prayers that Bill will gain more strength and movement in his hand and that the scar tissue will be at a minimum.  We are also praying for release from the pain in his hand.  Thank you for praying.  We are so grateful.