Hi Everyone,
Corey has been suffering with a constant headache and a slight cold. She tried to write tonight but asked me to tell you about her day. Today’s progress is not the usual update.
Each morning as I assist Corey dressing she asks, “when can I stop wearing my brace” or “when can I where normal shoes”? We rehearse the usual mantra’s but today she was very upset and couldn’t grasp what she is forced to cope with.
We have a prayer bag in Corey’s armoire. It contains Holy Water, Relics, prayer cards and Rosaries sent to us by many of you. We usually use its contents at night as part of our bedtime ritual. One of today’s chores was to mail back one of the relics on loan to us to help another family. I opened the box containing it and placed it in Corey’s left hand, she cupped her right hand over her left to enclose our gift.
M – I know how much the brace bothers you. You have the relic in your hand. Pray for whatever you want to help you feel stronger today.
I watched Corey as she turned her head slightly to the right. She was upset, her eyes rapidly blinking. Her gaze shifted. Her head moved gently towards the left, her eyes became fixed; she stopped blinking. She sat quietly, staring, her breath became still. I was mesmerized by her intense focus. Her face relaxed, she was serene. Corey was silent for more then 2 minutes. I stared at her unable to move, and then she broke her trance like state blinking at a natural pace. She turned to look at me.
I hesitated to ask but couldn’t help myself, I needed confirmation as to what I thought I saw.
M – What did you pray for?
C – that my left leg would get better
M – did you ask for anything else to help make you stronger today?
C – He said He would help me understand why I am a miracle
C – my brain hurts, pretty much all the time. I asked if He could help with that too.
M – Honey, were you praying with someone?
She gave a gentle smile but never answered…she didn’t have to. It’s not the first time I’ve been privileged to witness her prayers being heard.
This afternoon we were driving back from Bryn Mawr. Corey’s headache persisted throughout the day so we were driving in silence. She turned to me;
C – you know when people say they don’t remember the minute before they died? I do.
M – what do you mean?
C – I remember.
M – what do you remember?
C – there was a car and lots of people
I was very confused by this statement
M – what made you think of this?
C – that car. it scared me. I’m afraid to drive
Then it occurred to me. As we drove on Highway 1, a car appeared on our right merging to join the traffic. The entrance ramp curved, the car appeared to approach us head on but it followed the curve of the ramp to ride beside us. I moved to the left lane to allow the car easy access to the right lane.
M – Are you always afraid of driving or just this time when you saw the car?
C – I got scared when I saw that car
She had a flashback memory. I reached out and held her hand. We continued to ride in silence.
When we reached our exit Corey turned to me again.
C – Mom, I’m sorry you had to go through that
M – I’m sorry you’re still going through it.
Corey wanted to handwrite her entry tonight. Although she struggled with what she wanted to say I noticed another significant sign of progress. Her writing was controlled and she did not have one B/D reversal. Her sentences were slanted on the blank page but her letters/words were the same size and spaced appropriately.
She wrote;
my brain hurts almost all the time.
I get scared
I don’t know why its taking so long
Corey, today was not about your physical healing. Today represents your emotional, spiritual and cognitive healing. Everyday you heal and get stronger. Its not just about what your body can do physically but how you heal completely; mind, body and soul.
One day I hope you can understand YOU are the miracle. Against all odds, you are here today, alive, proving everything is possible and YOU are shaping the world around you. I think of how far you’ve come and how much further you will go. I pray you will one day come to understand the miracle that is your life. Because of you we are reminded to celebrate it everyday, xoxo