Admitted back

John has been admitted to VGH. This does not mean he has a bed. There are very few ventilator beds. He is not admitted to the spine unit as that is not his problem at the moment. He has a urinary infection and probably a chest infection as well. Please pray that as he spends his second night in emergency that he will get the care he needs (his brother Robin is spending the night with him so I can get some sleep) and also that he will get a bed soon. My prayer is from Ps. 25:6 Remember O Lord, Your compassion and Your loving kindnesses, For they have been from of old

Back to VGH

Yesterday John was not well and was sent back to VGH. He spent the day and night in emergency and this morning they have decided to admit him. He was dehydrated and they have started him on antibiotics.Please pray for him as he is not feeling well. I will write more later today

My Walk Continued

I realized later that my life belonged to Christ because on that night when I decided to go to Bible study I nade the decision to try one more time. When I accepted he rescued my from my depression. Before I was afraid to talk to people because I couldn't"t be sure what they thought of me. After I accepted Christ I realized that since God accepted me it didn't really matter what others thought of me. Through the years God has used me in Bible study and speaking, both skills that started with the group where I became a Christian but in my life I took little thought that God owned it. I was doing a lot of Christian things on my own. Then on August 17th 2009 it was as if God called in his markers. When I awoke on the Spinal Step down Unit I realized my life had changed dramatically. Rather than blame God I view this new life as an opportunity to serve him wholeheartedly. Each day I wake excited about what God is doing in my life. Please pray that I will continue to life my life wholehearted for God. 1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

The start of my walk with Jesus

When I first went to university I suffered from severe depression so much so that I dropped out but came back the next year determined to do better. By January I was falling back into depression so one night I was contemplating ending it all but decided to take one more chance. Early in September a Christian group had come round the dorm with a questionnaire and an invitation to a Bible study. I remembered the guy on my floor who had invited me and so I took courage and knocked on his door and asked if I could go to the Bible study he had invited me to. He said "sure it is in the main lounge." Another challenge to my courage as everyone entering my dorm went right past the lounge but I went. We sang hymns and played games and then divided into Bible study groups. This study had been going for 3 weeks and so I missed the studies on salvation and accepting Christ so things went along smoothly until the study on the Lordship of Christ. One of the questions asked what areas of your life have you turned over to Jesus and I realized that I had not turned anything over to him so I knelt by my bed and accepted Christ more (to follow tomorrow) 2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old is gone the new has come!

GF Strong

Today John left VGH for the first time in over two months. He was transferred to GF Strong Hospital in the morning. By 3pm many members of his new care team had come to introduce themselves and help him understand how they fit into his care plan. After he was set up in bed had had measurements taken for the wheelchair for him there. It takes 4 hours to set up a chair for him and since the hospital just had 3 new admissions he doesn't expect a chair until at least tomorrow. Just after they set him up with a call bell the assistive technology people came by and set up his TV so he could control it using "sip and puff". Sip and puff is done into a special 'straw' and is how he can control his environment, turn off lights, use the phone etc., as well as drive his wheelchair. Please pray for John as I (Laverne) am back in PR for a few days. Also pray for his adjustment to new staff and expectations a GF Strong. Pray for those from the step down unit staff that he affected. Our verse for today in Phil 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
PS GF Strong is at Laurel and 26th close to Oak St. If you are visiting you access it off King Edward(25th) turning north onto Laurel St.. Visiting hours are 12 to 8.

How Great is Our God

^{Phil 2:13} God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to be in keeping with his good purpose.This was the verse John was reflecting on for the past day. It was the verse he immediately thought of after he had figuratively picked himself up off the floor when he was informed that he is to go to GF Strong Rehab tomorrow. John's plans were that it would probably be at least a month of waiting before he would get to go, obviously that was not God's plans.We are so excited that he is able to go so soon. The verse that came to my mind was Eph 3:20 God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us. I could not have imagined that John would get into rehab so soon.

On another note John also had his nerve test today and it was successful. This means he will progress to the next stage in the possibility of having a diaphragm pacer. We will keep you posted as to what happens next with that when we find out ourselves.

Kids Club

Kelly Creek Kids Club comes to VGH. As I said before Gerry and Alma brought the cards from Kids Club to my hospital room. Laverne used her decorating skills to put them up on my wall. They immediately became a topic of conversation with the staff asking how I got so many homemade cards. This gave me an opportunity to tell them about Kids Club especially the teaching sessions about God. I also told about how the community school and the church share facilities and that blew their minds. I also got to tell them about BC Hydro putting in 2 free street lights so kids from kids club could safely cross the street from the church to the gym. One batch of cards allowed me to start several Bible conversations. Isa. 11:6d and a little child will lead them.