Friday, December 2, 9:05 PM

MUST READ!!!

It has been a day since i have posted any updates, and i know many of you have been checking to see the progress. The lack of updates has not been because there has been bad news or even no news. It simply is because the news has been so overwhelmingly good that i didn't know yet how to fully put it into words!

Over the past few days Jonathan has been making some noise and grunting every now and again. This happened again very early yesterday morning - new years day. Mom and dad were in the room. The rest of us went home to get some rest. Through the night Jonathan kept making noises and was becoming more and more restless. Dad went over to the side of the bed in hopes of comforting him. After more grunting Jonathan, through his wired jaw and trach in his throat, said the word "mom"!!! So, mom rushed over to the side of the bed and let him know that she was there. As many times before, she asked him to squeeze her hand if he was in pain and a very muffled "no" came out from Jonathan. Mom and dad were standing there amazed, they tell me, and Jonathan said "I want to get up". Dad let him know that he couldn't and to that he replied "why?". Dad then explained that he had been in an accident and he had some broken bones so he couldn't get up yet. To that Jonathan replied "OK". A few minutes later Jonathan started saying the name of Jesus and then "Jesus help me". So, mom and dad prayed with him and he calmed down.

We have been praying for this. Just the day before someone from rehab here at Tampa General came down to asses Jonathan to see if he would be eligible for their rehab program. At that point in time Jonathan did not because he wasn't yet able to communicate consistently. So, the psychiatrist came to talk with my mom about other rehab facilities for people with head trauma and neurological issues that she assumed Jonathan had. She said there was a facility in Sarasota, which in near 2 hours away. When mom said that wasn't an option she told mom that the only other one would be a nursing home. You can imagine how upsetting that was to my mother. She told her that we would be praying and believing that Jonathan would wake up without any neurological issues and qualify for the rehab program here.

Well, on new years day that happened. At a very early hour in the morning Jonathan began waking up. For the first time in over 5 weeks he was able to truly communicate with his family, and once again - God proved his faithfulness. Mom and dad were in tears, how could they not be. When we all got the call we couldn't wait to get here to talk to him ourselves. It was the best way to start a new year.

Now, that being said, please let me explain. When i say "wake up" it is not to the extent that you and i are awake. He is still in the process of fully waking up. He is coming to little by little, his memory coming back slowly but surely. He is definitely aware of his pain, but has to be reminded at times where he is and why he can't get up. The doctors have told us that a temporary short term memory loss is pretty normal as he is still in the process of awakening as well as the medications he is on and the extent of the trauma his body has experienced. Even still, Jonathan is very much "there" and not expressing any signs of neurological damage. The nurse asked him what his sisters name was to which he replied "which one?". He then named both of our names. He knows the days of the week in order, he knows his dogs name although he didn't remember it right away. He often expresses that he wants us to help him. He is very agitated with the trach and with laying there in the bed. He wants to get up and for us to take the trach out of his throat. He calls out Jesus name often and says "Jesus heal me". He knows where his help comes from, and although he asks us for help it always comes back to Jesus. He often asks us to pray for him, and says thank you and amen afterward. It's beyond amazing to see the way that God's presence is being made known to him. In conversation many times we have all said that we truly believe that throughout this whole process he has been in the presence of the Lord. That he has been basking in His presence and comforted by His spirit. . .

Today has been more of the same. He's got lots of questions. Some are repeated. He is still not fully aware of what's going on. He does know when he is in pain and can, most of the time, express to us where the pain is coming from (jaw, forearm, etc). It's sometimes frustrating for both of us as often times we can't understand what he is trying to say.Afterall, it's amazing that he's talking at all through a trach and a wired shut jaw. So, we just say the name Jesus or ask him if he wants to pray and 90% of the time that calms him.

I truly could write to you all night about each word he has said and each thing we have experienced with him since, but no amonut of words could express our joy and gratitude. I could find no dictionary or thesarus with any words to explain what this means to us, to convey all that we feel. We have always known God would answer our prayers, and that he would wake up and be able to communicate. The reality of it is still wonderfully overwhelming.

Please, as you rejoice with us, continue to pray with us for his mind to continue to wake up and operate at it's full capacity. Pray that his sight would be fully restored, and that everything would heal as it should. Spiritually speaking, we are aware that the enemy is not happy with what is happening. We also know that the mind is a battlefield. Please pray with us for protection of his thoughts, that the peace of God truly would reign there. That the lies that the enemy would try to tell him - that this is his fault, that he has caused his parents heartache, etc. - that all of that would be gone. Pray that God would continue to make himself know to Jonathan, and continue to speak into His life the plans He has for him. We believe and know that the Lord has many great things in store for Jonathan, even beyond our biggest dreams for him. We can not wait to see all that the future holds. So, be in prayer with us, that as he wakes God would continue giving his body, spirit and mind the peace that goes beyond what Jonathan can yet understand. We serve an amazing God, a good God, a God that deserves the praise and the gory - not just for what He's done, but simply for who He is. As you can imagine, this recent breakthrough has brought many tears, as well as many shouts(literally) of praise! He truly deserves the Glory!!