Moving forward

We've been through two full days with Ian at the Children's Institute, and here's what's happened:

• He got a shower - first one in 9 weeks. His hair and his head look noticeably cleaner.
• He's wearing real clothes instead of a hospital gown - first time in 9 weeks.
• He was sitting in a chair for an hour; I'm not sure if that was a special hospital chair or just a regular wheelchair.
• He's been to speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy twice. He's scheduled for every day. He hasn't had that pace up to this point.
• The doctor at Children's talked with the orthopedic surgeon who originally operated on his knee, and they're planning further surgery that hopefully will allow him to bear his weight. Talks begin December 27. Ian's doctor told the surgeon, "he's waking up."

Just to be clear, Ian hasn't emerged from the coma. Medical people use various methods to describe the various stages a patient goes through in a coma, and Ian is at about a stage III on the Ranchos scale. He is still in a coma, but we're encouraged by his progress. Please continue to pray that he wakes up and recovers completely.

Steve

Praise and Prayer (again)

Yesterday, we asked you to pray because the doctors at Children's Institute couldn't get Ian's trach out to replace it with a new one (he moved to a rehab center on Wednesday). They said that if they couldn't get it out, they would have to send him back to the hospital so they could replace it.

They tried again this morning, and (thank God!) they got it out! This is God answering another prayer! Now Ian won't have to move again; thank you for praying.

It's a huge answer to prayer that Ian is even where he is. We really like this new rehab center because they treat Ian very aggressively; they give him three hours of rehab a day. Pray that the rehab would be effective, and pray that his right leg would heal - it'll need surgery at some point.

Here's some helpful, short thoughts on prayer. Check it out here.

Thanks again,

-Ben

Amazed by His Love

Ian and I started dating a year ago today. When I look back at all God has done for us in a year, I am amazed. I’m amazed by all of the ways that He has used us in each other’s lives. I’m amazed by His love for us and compassion toward us. He has taught us so much in our young lives in a way that gives me excitement for the future. I am amazed by how He is using our lives now. I can’t wait to tell Ian what God has taught me and I’m looking forward even more to hearing how Ian has experienced God since the accident.

I have been so comforted lately thinking of the care that God has poured out especially on Ian’s life in the past two months, even in the seemingly small things. Holding his hand the other night, his skin was soft and healthy- I remember just weeks ago when it was dry and had pieces of glass in it. Every day he looks more like himself and it’s only by God’s kindness that he is still with us. What a unique experience to see God’s healing hand move through Ian’s body and to see His mighty hand direct hearts to Himself.

God is so good. Even if He were to stop healing Ian today, our hope in Christ would remain, and I would await the day to laugh with Ian in heaven! Times of trial on this earth are just a blink compared to the wonder that is waiting for us in heaven.

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”Psalm 34:1

-Larissa

Praise and Prayer

Ian was transferred to Children's Institute this afternoon- praise God! He's now in his own clothes and tonight he'll be getting his first shower- yay!

Ian's new doctor said that he looks really great. However, we have a need for prayer. His trach needs to be replaced and when his doctor tried today, she couldn't get it out. She will try again tomorrow, Thursday, but if she still can't get it he will need to see an ear, nose and throat doctor, which would require him going back to an ER and hospital room to have the surgery done. Please pray that the doctor at Children's would be able to remove his trach tomorrow so that he doesn't have to be transported again.

Thank you all for your prayers.

-Larissa

Strike Two

Ian was supposed to go to the Children's Institute this morning, but it didn't happen. Yesterday, everything was all arranged. Today, we learned he had a slightly elevated reading very early this morning, and that was enough to put the brakes on for another day. Readings that followed were normal. We're supposed to show up at Children's tomorrow morning to receive him.

There's a sovereign, good God who rules even over slightly elevated sodium levels. I don't understand what God is up to, but I have to keep my focus on His character.

Pray for Ian.

Steve

It Is Good That We Are Afflicted

"It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." (Psalm 119:71)

Ian's coma is good thing. Ian's wreck was a good thing. The difficulty that we are going through is a good thing. Anything that points us to Christ can only be a benefit. It may not seem like it, but we can confidently declare with the Psalmist, "it is good that I am afflicted, that I may know you better!"

We've seen God in ways we never would have imagined. We've been given the amazing opportunity to learn to rely on and trust in God's character like we couldn't have otherwise. We have a greater reason to pray more fervently. We've gained a greater appreciation for Christ's church. We've seen God's care for us. We've seen several thousand (literally!) people pray to our God. Through this very trying time, we've come to know God to a greater degree.

Although we don't always see it, we know that God is working this for our good. We have a great Savior who shows himself greater through hard times. Keep praying to this God of surpassing worth!

-Ben

See also: Psalm 119:36-37, Romans 8:28

What is Painful Will End

"If He were to deal with us always as He does sometimes, we should faint outright and go down hopelessly to the gates of death... Bear up, for the Lord will bear you up and bear you through. He who made you knows how frail you are and how little you can bear. He will handle tenderly that which He has fashioned so delicately. Therefore, be not afraid because of the painful present, for it hastens to a happy future."

- Charles Spurgeon

Spurgeon captured what God is like. He doesn't always deal with us as he does sometimes. He knows we couldn't handle it. Spurgeon titled this devotional "What is Painful Will End." I know Ian can hear us; he was responding today to Mary reading long portions of Scripture by moving a lot. Don't be "afraid [Ian] because of the painful present, for it hastens to a happy future."

We're not sure about the move tomorrow. They're still working on stabilizing some things. Keep praying for Ian...

Steve

Looking ahead to rehab

Ian continues to lay in bed in the same state of consciousness - sometimes more "awake" than others. His eyes are frequently wide open, and he really looks at us now. When I look at him, I really want to pull him out of bed and annoy him or shake him or talk to him till he wakes up. He looks like he's just being lazy and out of it, but I have to remember he's been through a terrible trauma. I'm really looking forward to getting him into rehab. I'm very aware of my need for the help of the Holy Spirit to stay patient.

The hospital staff people are slowly learning to regulate his sodium levels. They said if they take too much control and bring the levels down too quickly he could have seizures. The goal is to get him to rehab on Monday, but it may be more like Tuesday or Wednesday.

Pray for Ian...

Steve

Pray for his knee

We got a call today from the surgeon who operated on Ian's knee. He said he visited Ian today and was disturbed to discover the "external fixator" gone from Ian's knee. Another doctor from LifeCare removed it thinking it had been on long enough for the healing to have taken place, but he never checked with the original surgeon before doing it. The original surgeon intended for it to be there for an extended period of months to have it prepared for further surgery. His knee is extremely unstable, but his chart said he could have rehab on it - the opposite of what should be happening. An immobilizing brace is going to be placed on that knee now.

Please pray that there would be no further damage to his knee. Please pray that the Lord would heal Ian's knee. Please pray that he could forge ahead with rehab. Thanks...

Steve

Collar Off

They took the collar off of Ian's neck today. It will be eight weeks on Saturday since the wreck; I guess a standard amount of time to have a collar on for a fracture of the kind Ian had is 6-8 weeks. Happy Thanksgiving, Ian. We'll take any small improvement and be thankful.

Ian seems to be looking at us more and more. His extended family came in Wednesday night, and we've been visiting in shifts. Several of them expressed how they visited Ian with their own private suspicions about whether Ian was really conscious of our presence, but each came away convinced for different reasons that Ian is really with us. One common thread in their reports was that he really seems to be looking right at us and apparently wanting very much to communicate with us.

The sodium levels are slowly getting under control; when it's under control he can begin rehab. The goal is to transport Ian back to The Children's Institute for rehab on Monday. For your information, our visiting hours there will be limited to the evenings. He'll be so busy there that they don't want guests slowing him down. Our family and Larissa will be able to visit but only to participate in the rehab.

Please keep praying. We really want him back.

Steve

A Specific Prayer Request

Ian has something called diabetes insipidus. The trauma to his brain has led to this condition, and it's why he's in the hospital and not in rehab. One medical staff member said that even though his organs are fully capable of doing what they're supposed to do, his brain isn't controlling those functions properly. He's had this since the wreck. It's the reason for the elevated sodium levels, and it's the reason the rehab staff were concerned. It's something that needs to be more stable before he can begin rehab. Please pray that his brain would take proper control of those functions.

Thanks for praying...

Steve

Communicating Discomfort

Jenn Grover was in to visit Ian tonight. She called me to report her experience with him. She said that at one point his eyes were open, but he was blinking a lot. He was moving his jaw a lot, too, and his heart rate was way up. She thought he might be uncomfortable, so she asked him if he was. She said, “Ian if you’re uncomfortable squeeze my hand.” She happened to have her hand on his right hand when she said it. He moved his left hand across his body to get her hand, and he took it and squeezed it. She asked him to squeeze again if he wanted to lay flat on the bed. Again, he squeezed her hand. She reported her experience to the nursing staff, so they came in and moved him to his back. He stopped blinking so rapidly and moving his jaw and his heart rate went way down. Pretty cool, huh?

Steve

Persevering Prayer

I was really encouraged by this passage from Andrew Murray. The passage is a little bit long but very encouraging:

"Of all the mysteries of the prayer world, the need of persevering prayer is one of the greatest. That the Lord, who is so loving and longing to bless, should have to be supplicated time after time, sometimes year after year, before the answer comes, we cannot easily understand. It is also one of the greatest practical difficulties in the exercise of believing prayer. When after persevering supplication, our prayer remains unanswered, it is often easiest for our slothful flesh, and it has the appearance of pious submission, to think that we must now cease praying, because God may have His secret reason for withholding His answer to our request. It is by faith alone that the difficulty is overcome. When once faith has taken its stand upon God's word, and the Name of Jesus, and has yielded itself to the leading of the Spirit to seek God's will and honour alone in its prayer, it need not be discouraged by delay. It knows from Scripture that the power of believing prayer is simply irresistible; real faith can never be disappointed. It knows how, just as water, to exercise the irresistible power it can have, must be gathered up and accumulated, until the stream can come down in full force, there must often be a heaping up of prayer, until God sees that the measure is full, and the answer comes."

Let's continue to 'heap' up our prayers for Ian's miraculous healing! We serve a loving and tender God who is eager to bless. Continue to ask for His mercy. For His glory alone...

-Stephen A

Ian's Big Adventure

Mary and I arrived at Life Care at 9:00 this morning and were really excited that Ian was packed up and ready to be moved to Children’s. After a short ambulance ride, we got to Children’s Institute where the nurses started checking him out. After about an hour, the doctor came in and told us that because of Ian’s fluctuating sodium levels, she was not confident that she could meet his medical needs right now. She suggested that he be transferred back to Life Care or to UPMC under his original doctor.

So that brought another ambulance ride and four hours in the UPMC ER. But being back at Presby almost felt like being at home, and we were (and still are) confident of the care that he receives there.

Now Ian is in Montefiore, just across the street from Presby. The endocrinologists are working to balance out his sodium levels so that he can return to Children’s. There are tons of doctors and nurses checking up on Ian and, God willing, it will be a short stay at UPMC.

For those of you that want to visit Ian, please call the Murphys first. Ian’s new room is 1044 South, Montefiore.

I was reminded again today that God knows what is best for Ian and He knows exactly what Ian’s body needs and where the best place is for him to be.

Thank you for your prayers.

-Larissa

An Emotional Roller Coaster Ride

Ian was scheduled to go to The Children’s Institute this morning, and he made it there without any problems. Once he got there, though, the staff reviewed his chart and discovered that his knee was swollen and that he had a little bit of a fever. So, they contacted Ian’s original doctor at UPMC and made arrangements to send him back there to UPMC. He’s in the emergency room at UPMC as I write this waiting to see the doctor. What an emotional roller coaster ride. The Children’s Institute still wants him there when the knee is more stable medically; in fact, we left his suitcase filled with clothes there. They said he shouldn’t be more than a couple days at UPMC. Thank you for staying with us in prayer…

CORRECTION: IT WASN'T HIS KNEE THAT WAS AT ISSUE. HIS SODIUM WAS TOO HIGH. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S A PROBLEM.

Steve (the medical genius)

Another Report from a Visitor (Vicki Gold)

I had the privilege of visiting Ian today along with his brother Caleb, Maureen Bourke, and Sarah Kearney. Ian was “awake” for the entire visit, although for much of the visit we were working hard to keep him awake. I hadn’t seen Ian since three days after the accident. He had his eyes opened for most of the visit and was looking at us. He held one of our hands the entire visit. He moved his fingers a lot and has a very tight grip. He was holding Caleb’s hand so tight at one point that Caleb’s hand was all red when he was finally able to get his hand loose.

Steve had told us that when Ian’s heart rate goes below 90 that he is entering into a sleep stage and it is hard to wake him. At one point his heart rate was about 88 and Maureen pulled out some chocolate chips. She took one chocolate chip and let it melt between her fingers and kept waving her fingers back and forth under his nose. Ian’s heart rate went up to 103 and he even made the “ahhh” sound pretty loud (see gizmo noise 11/9/06) like he was trying to tell us, “Stop teasing me and let me have the chocolate!” Ian started to “convulse” a little and Maureen got some on his lips. Maureen wiped it off. Ian started moving his tongue in and out like he was desperately trying to lick his lips. Poor guy – he never got any chocolate. I don’t think he could have opened his eyes anymore if he tried. He was really responding to the chocolate. A little later Sarah pulled out the chocolate covered coffee beans and he had a similar response.

I saw Ian holding our hands with a tight grip. I saw Ian “come alive” when smelling the chocolate. I was encouraged that Ian is still very much with us. He is trying to communicate with us, and he is trying very hard to come back to us. Please continue to pray for Ian. Everyday the Lord answers another prayer for Ian. So many prayer requests have already been answered. Everyday he is a step closer to waking up. Do not grow weary praying for his healing. The Lord hears our every prayer.

Vicki

Sing to the Lord; bless His name. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! Psalm 96:2a,3b


Thanks for visiting Vicki!
Steve

No infection

The signs that led the medical staff to be concerned about an infection in Ian's knee are no longer present. The doctor was not able to examine him until this morning, and when he did he was not concerned at all. As for the fever, that hasn't been uncommon throughout his trauma.

Did God heal him? I don't know, and I guess I'll never know until I can ask Him face to face. If He didn't, He's the One who provided this scare to keep Ian right where he is until his transfer to rehab. So, I'm grateful either way.

Thank you for your prayers...

Steve

Need for Prayer

An infection was found in Ian's right knee this afternoon. He also has a fever which is most likely being caused by the infection. Please pray that the infection would not be anything too serious and that the antibiotics would start working quickly.

Ian has been approved by the insurance company to stay at Life Care until Monday. However, there could be complications getting into Children's with an infection and fever. Please pray that God would continue to heal Ian and take away the infection.

"He who did not spare His own son but graciously gave Him up for us all, how will he not also along with Him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32

Thank you.

-Larissa

Ian Moving?

It appears that Ian will be beginning rehab on Monday morning at The Children’s Institute in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. This is a very good place for Ian to be. How this happened is too long of a long story to report here, and it’s not a guarantee. Everything seems to be falling into place, though. Pray that this actually happens. There are still some hurdles we need to get over first. Pray, also, that he could stay where he is until Monday.

Ian continues to do well physically. They removed the giant “external fixator” or brace from his leg. They also removed the brace from his wrist. He continues to breathe very well, and it looks as though sometime in the next week his trach will first be downsized and then removed altogether.

He also continues to take baby steps to cognitive recovery. Once again, he removed the little oxygen sensor that’s clipped to his finger today. Larissa moved it to another finger, and he removed it from that finger, too. When he was done, he curled his fingers as if to say, “you’re not getting that thing back on me.” Last night, when Larissa came in the room and started talking to him and holding his hand, I thought he was going to jump out of his bed. He was almost convulsing. He’s also beginning to move his right hand more and more, since the cast and brace are off. When the speech therapist was in to work with him today, she noticed that Ian was really trying hard to make sounds, and he did succeed.

Pray that Ian wakes up. If this is to be a long process of rehab, he needs to be fully awake to be able to participate. Pray most of all for a miracle. Thank you…

Steve Murphy

O Lord, Make Haste

Yesterday Tom Kurtz, Joe Ryer and I were able to spend a little time with Ian and Mary. It is amazing to see the changes and improvements that God has worked in Ian in the last few weeks. I was thinking how challenging it must be for the Murphys and Larissa to persevere. In the natural, I thought, it looks like Ian's recovery will be a long slow process. Then this morning I read the following verse:

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! Psalm 40:17 (ESV)

I was struck by two things. First of all, David says that though he is poor and needy, the Lord "takes thought" for him. What an amazing statement! The Lord of the universe, the Most High God, takes thought for us who are nothing but specks of dust. He sees us, knows us intimately, thinks about us, is sympathetic toward us. He thinks about us with tenderness, pity and love. He thinks about us continually; we are never out of our heavenly Father’s thoughts; we cannot number his thoughts toward us. He takes thought for us as we sleep and work and play. Even when we aren’t thinking of him, our loving God is thinking about us.

Ian is “poor and needy” right now, but the Lord takes thought for him. Jesus looks down from heaven and sees Ian in his bed and thinks of him with affection and love. He takes thought for Ian throughout the night as he sleeps and in those hours when no one is able to be with him. And as God is taking thought for Ian, so is he for the Murphys and Larissa.

The second thing that struck me was David's cry, "Do not delay, O my God!" Although God is sovereign and the timing of every answered prayer is up to him, God condescends to let us cry out, "Do not delay!" God lets us cry out, "Lord please answer this prayer now. Please don't put it off. Please answer me today."

In verse 13 David prays, “Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!” He is praying, "Lord, please deliver me now! Please do it soon!" Oh, let us cry out to our God who takes thought for Ian to not delay and to make haste in healing him. If God chooses to take some time, then by God's grace we will persevere. But I'm going to ask the Lord to make haste.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you take thought for Ian, the Murphys and Larissa. Lord Jesus, if it please you, heal Ian now. Would you do a mighty miracle today? Oh please make haste! Lord Jesus, do not delay. Thank you, Jesus!

Mark

He has been our help

"We must trust God or remain without hope. We dare not look to others, for we have discovered their incompetence. We cannot rely on ourselves, for we have learned by bitter experience the folly of self-confidence. We are compelled to look to the Lord alone." -Charles Spurgeon

It is not the medical staff at LifeCare that is keeping Ian alive. It is not us talking to Ian that is keeping him alive. We must look to the Lord alone Ian's healing. Ian must look to the Lord alone for his strength.

"My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net." Psalm 25:15

God is Ian's healer and provider. God is our strength and our refuge. He will deliver us.

"we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again" 2 Cor. 1:9-10

Today is Ben Murphy's birthday. Pray that he can talk to his older brother today.

-Larissa

Our Tender Father

I read something this morning that greatly encouraged me to pray for Ian, the Murphy Family, and Larissa. In 2 Corinthians 1:3 we read, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction..."

Ponder these words with me for a moment. Our God is the Father of mercies. He is abundantly rich in mercy and He delights to pour out mercy on His children. Just as a human father loves to give His children gifts, so our heavenly Father is eager to pour out His mercy upon us if only we will ask. God is eager to pour out mercy on Ian Murphy. He is eager to pour out mercy on the Murphy family and on Larissa. Let us thank God for the mercy He has already shown them and let us continue to ask Him for more mercies.

Not only is God full of mercy, but He is also the God of all comfort. He desires to comfort His children in every affliction. Do you see the tenderness of God shining forth in this passage? He is so tender and affectionate towards His children. He wants to comfort them in their afflictions. Just as an earthly father wraps his arms around his child when the child gets hurt, so God wraps us in His everlasting arms when we face affliction. He cares very much about Ian, the Murphy Family, and Larissa. His heart is soft and tender towards them in their affliction. How can we not ask such a tender and compassionate God to heal Ian? God cares about Ian more than we care about Ian. Let us ask our tender hearted God to restore Ian to his family. Also, let us ask God to comfort the Murphy's and Larissa in their affliction. He longs to show them mercy. What a wonderful God we serve...

-Stephen A

A Visit with Ian: Two Accounts

From Joni Cairns:

Kathie Kearney and I had the great privilege of going to see Ian today. What an encouragement we received when Ian responded to us the way he did. We spent time talking with Ian about all the happenings at church and various other nonessential banter, and he looked at us the entire time, he held our hands, and his heart rate increased. Kathie then began reading the back of one of Ian's favorite movies, and his heart rate increased to 109 (which to our understanding is good), he smiled and lifted his thumb to the "thumbs up" position. We clapped and cheered enthusiastically! Mary's niece, Sarah, at one point asked him to smile for Kathie and I, and he responded immediately to her request. We received the best smile in the world (although a little crooked). She was later reading to Ian and got to a part about the Lord; once again Ian's heart rate increased to 110, he smiled and held on to Sara's hand very tightly. Ian remained alert and active most of the 2 1/2 hours that we were there. He seemed to respond when Lydia and Larissa's names were mentioned and when certain songs were played. I was personally motivated to pray more earnestly, and I was reminded of the faithfulness of our God. Isn't God good to let us, his mother's "old" friends, experience a glimpse of his goodness today?

From Kathie Kearney:

Joni Cairns and I have tried to go see Ian once a week. The difference between last Monday and today was very encouraging. When we walked in the room Sarah Hall, Ian’s cousin, was talking with him. Although Ian wasn’t totally focusing as he looked at her, somehow they were connecting. He was really gripping her hand and when she asked Ian if he would smile for us, he did, with the left corner of his mouth. Ian had been “awake” as Sarah chatted and sang for maybe an hour or two. (When Ian “sleeps”, his heart rate is in the mid 80’s and his eyes are almost closed. When he is “awake” he is blinking and his heart rate is in the 90’s and goes up into the 100’s.) Both Joni and I had the chance to sit beside Ian’s bed, hold his hand (and he ours) and talk with him. There is a very helpful sign above his bed with things to talk about; so I did. I started to talk about one of his favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption, and I read from the back of a DVD case that was there. Ian heard me and reacted. He smiled, his heart rate went up to 109, he squeezed my hand then gave a thumbs-up. We all squealed. He gave another thumbs-up as I read about The Truman Show. A bit later Sarah was reading from a short story that Ian recently had published. When she got near the end and the story was talking about God, Ian again smiled and his heart rate went up to 111. Ian is not only responding, he is responding to “Ian things”. He was “awake” and responding for about four hours.

Sarah, Joni and I walked out into the hall when the nurses were in with Ian and when we came back in he appeared to be sleeping. The three of us started talking about Larissa coming soon to the hospital and Ian heard us. Just mentioning Larissa’s name woke him up and caused his heart rate to go well into the 100’s again as we talked about her.

Please, please continue to pray. Pray fervently; pray often. God loves to bless his children.

Thank you. I know so many of you are praying....Steve Murphy

Some highlights from the weekend

On Friday night, Frank Wilhelm and Tim and Donna McKelvy visited. They said he opened his eyes and followed them with his eyes. They said, “he started to open and close his hand and curled [his] fingers and put his thumb up.” That’s a very significant sign that he hears us!

On Saturday, he didn’t really “wake up” until late morning (he’s still in a coma, but he goes through cycles where he’s more or less active). When he was “awake”, once again, he smiled at Larissa, and he was moving his arms and squeezing their hands as he has been doing for the last week or so. Larissa’s sister, Lisa, was holding photos up to him, and he was following those pictures with his eyes.

On Saturday night, in addition to all the other things we’ve noticed him doing, he responded to a nurse’s request to open his mouth when she needed to clean his mouth. He smiled at Patty Wallwork when she and Meghan and Jan McKelvy visited him. They noticed that he smiled and his heart rate went way up when they put headphones in his ears while an Alexi Murdoch song was playing. The Alexi Murdoch CD is a new one he just bought the week before the wreck; he and Caleb bought it together. This may suggest something about the state of his short term memory.

More baby steps…please keep praying….

Steve Murphy

Quite a day

Ian had quite a day today. The speech therapist told me that she was in to work with him, and the other therapists just happened to come at the same time. They were very enthusiastic about their experience with him. Here are the good signs they saw:

1. They had him sitting up on the edge of the bed as though he were sitting in a chair (they were supporting him). When his foot came close to the floor, he set it down as though he were going to stand (without weight on it). That was good, because most patients in his condition aren’t oriented to their surroundings well enough to put their foot flat on the floor. Normally, patients are limp and set their feet down in a twisted position as though they have no awareness of the floor beneath them.
2. When the speech therapist put the bed back down after his sitting session, he looked at her and smiled. He also smiled at Larissa, and his heart rate went way up when he saw her.
3. When he was lying in the bed he held onto the therapist’s fingers as she lifted them into the air until he no longer had the strength and dropped his hand.
4. He made the gizmo noise again (see a previous post).
5. They’ve had an oxygen sensor clipped to Ian’s finger. Today he picked at it with the other fingers on his hand until he was able to remove it. The therapists put the sensor on a finger on his other hand, and he did the same thing. They had to put the sensor on one of his toes, so he wouldn’t remove it again. When it was on his toe, he kept wiggling his toes (trying to figure out how to get it off?). He must, therefore, be aware of his hands and his feet.

Thank you, Lord. Please keep praying...

Steve Murphy

Deliverer

"But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them...so the land had rest forty years." (Judges 3:7-11)

This is the theme from the book of Judges. The people of Israel rebelled and were oppressed by a foreign power, then they asked God for someone to save them, so God gave them someone and they are rescued and had peace. The problem is, though, that these judges kept dying, so when the deliverer died (only forty years later in this case) Israel turned away from God went right back to where they were. That is, until God gave them another deliverer.

Why do we need to be reminded of how it used to be? Because we have been given the Deliverer who lives forever! Through his death, we have peace, not more turmoil.
Although he owed the Israelites nothing, he continued to give them judges to bring about peace with other countries. Although he owes us nothing, he gave us his Son to bring about peace with himself! Let us be reminded that God will go to any length to be good. Keep praying!

The wonderful social worker Ian has for the weekend talked to the insurance company today, and she gave them "what for." The insurance company then agreed to let him stay at LifeCare until Monday (instead of sending him to a nursing home). Loretta even made sure to visit and pray for him.

Also, today his therapy team said they had a "very positive session." He was relatively active, and he "aahh"ed again on command.

Thank you for all you are doing, even if it's "just" praying!

-Ben

Gizmo noise

We visited Ian today when the speech therapist was in to try a gizmo that attached to his trach and that would allow him to use his voice. She attached the gizmo and told him to say 'ah'. He managed to say it a few times. He sounded a little like Darth Vader gargling, but it's a start. At least he was responding by giving us some sounds. He was very active and "awake" today, moving around and holding his eyes open. Most of the time even when he is awake he acts like his eyelids weigh about 200 pounds each. Baby steps...

Steve Murphy

Pray that he would stay

Ian is moving whenever he’s "awake." It seems every time I see him he’s moving more and more. The stimulation that he would get in a nursing would not ultimately help him to wake up, though. I’m convinced more and more that Ian is “in there,” but he needs the help of others. He needs the help of a facility like LifeCare. He would have to leave on Friday with only a three day stay (see Ben's post below). Please pray that the insurance company would approve a longer stay.

Thank you…

Steve Murphy

The One Loves to Heal

Jesus never turned away anyone who asked him for healing. He waited to heal on occasion (John 11:6, for example), but there is no record of him not healing someone who fervently asks him. This doesn't mean God will definitely heal Ian or God owes us a healing, but it does show us what kind of God Jesus is. He loves to heal; He loves to show His power through demonstrating control over His world.

Since we have a great God who is not apt to turn us away, here is one more thing we can ask Him. Ian is in a place called LifeCare, a rehab hospital in the Wilkinsburg area of Pittsburgh, and it seems like this place will really help him recover. However, our insurance company has only approved a three-day stay until Friday; if he is moved he would go to a nursing home. Pray that they would change their minds so Ian would be able to stay at LifeCare. We believe this is the best place for him right now.

Seize this opportunity to rely on God; keep praying!

"Long as they live must Christians pray,
For only while they pray they live."

-Ben

He keeps His promises a thousand times

God is so kind to bring scripture and truth to us when we most need them. I read the following entry from "Morning By Evening" by Charles Spurgeon Tuesday morning, when I was desparately in need of encouragement:

"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." -Isaiah 49:16

"No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word "See," is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." How amazed the divine mind seems to be at this wicked unbelief! What can be more astounding than the unfounded doubts and fears of God's favored people?

The Lord's loving word of rebuke should make us blush; He cries, "How can I have forgotten you, when I have engraved you on the palms of my hands? How dare you doubt My constant remembrance, when the memorial is set upon My very flesh?" O unbelief, how strange a marvel you are! We do not know which most to wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people. He keeps His promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt Him. He never fails; He is never a dry well; He is never as a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapor.....Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His hands. "I have engraved you." It does not say, "your name." The name is there but that is not all; "I have engraved you." See the fullness of this! I have engraved your person, your image, your situation, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works; I have engraved you, everything about you, all that concerns you; I have put you altogether there. Will you ever say again that your God has forsaken you when He has engraved you upon His own palms?"

Ian's image and situation are engraved on God's hands. Our weaknesses and needs are engraved on God's hands. He will never forsake us. Be encouraged by God's unending faithfulness and goodness.

-Larissa

How you can help Ian practically

The staff at LifeCare met with Ian today, and Mary was involved. They looked at Ian from top to bottom checking all of his injuries and considering various strategies. They plan to look at all the medications he has been on and to wean him off of as many as they safely can. Occupational, physical, respiratory and speech therapists (I probably missed other kinds of therapists) will be working with him, and we were glad to hear that they will be taking an aggressive approach. We told them to show no mercy. :-) We want him back.

Most of what we learned from the staff there about how to work with Ian we knew already thanks to Mary Bennett. She taught us how to provide some stimulation that will help him and how to recognize the best timing for those stimuli. If you go, let me give you some tips (Mary B, I’m hoping you’ll provide some comments for us, too).

Ian goes through cycles of wake and sleep that last anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours, and you can recognize signs that he’s awake. His heart rate is usually in the 80s or 90s. When his heart rate is above about 95 or so, his respiration is above 20, and his eyes are open, he’s probably awake. That would be a good time to provide some stimulation. If he’s “asleep,” try talking to him some and see if he responds. If he doesn’t respond, let him sleep; with all the injuries he sustained he needs lots of sleep. Let us (his family) or the staff take care of waking him up if we (they) feel it’s appropriate. Just have a seat and wait for him to wake up.

The best and easiest stimulation you can provide him is your voice. Talk to him. Sing to him. Read to him. Pray for him out loud. You can’t do this enough. If more than one person is there at a time, talk to each other, so he can hear you. Explain his injuries to him as though he can understand you; we don’t know at this point that he can’t. Then, you could hold his hand, rub his arms, and move his toes, but leave any touch beyond that to us and the staff. Bring in one of his favorite smells and move it around under his nose.

Before you go, remember to check in with one of us to make sure there aren’t too many going at once. We don’t want to overwhelm the staff there.

Most of all pray…

Steve Murphy

Ian Moving to Wilkinsburg

I’m sitting in the lobby of a special rehab hospital called LifeCare in Wilkinsburg . We were notified today that Ian was moving today at 5:30pm, and I’m here waiting for his arrival. The staff here will be able to deal with Ian’s medical issues, provide stimulation to wake him up, and help him with some physical rehab.

It seems the staff here are very encouraging of friends and family participating in the whole process of rehab, and I told some of them that I was standing in front of an army of people from our church waiting to help Ian. I think they were excited to hear that. I know that many of you genuinely want to help Ian, and I think this next stage will be the place where you can really help. I’m not exactly sure how, yet, though. He’ll be settling in tonight (in a single room; other facilities we checked have only shared rooms), and the evaluations start tomorrow. After that, I’ll have more information about exactly what you can do.

For future reference, here’s the address of the hospital:

Lifecare Hospitals-Pittsburgh
225 Penn Ave
Wilkinsburg , PA 15221

I know many of you have visited Ian at Presby, and you probably spent a bundle on parking. Parking here is free. If you’re able and willing to help, please plan to make the trip to Wilkinsburg sometime over the next few weeks. I’ll keep you posted on when you can start coming, and I may be trying to work out a schedule so we’re not all down here at once.

The most important thing you can do for Ian is keep praying. Thank you…

Steve Murphy

He delights to hear the prayers of the redeemed

Thank you again for all of your prayers. I just got back from the hospital, and while there aren't a ton of new things to update you on, Ian continues to seem more and more "awake" each time I see him. Tonight he "woke up" (he responded to stimuli well) for his mom and I for quite awhile. When we got there his heart rate was around 101 and at one point it was up to 119, which is a sign that he hears and feels us. It really seemed like he was trying to communicate with us tonight. He was squeezing our hands when we said certain things to him and he deliberately blinked his eyes in response to things we said. I know that he is in there and I know that he can hear us! I know that he is working so hard to come back to us.

We still aren't sure when he will be moved to a rehab center. Tonight (Sunday) he is having a CT scan to make sure everything from Friday's surgery is working well. I'm assuming that those results will determine when he moves.

Tonight I am reminded of my tendency to stop praying as fervently when things seem to be improving with Ian. But I need to remember that we are just as much at God's mercy now as we were five weeks ago after the accident. I want to continue to cry out to God. Ian is not awake. We still don't know what the extent of his brain injuries are. I believe that God can and will restore Ian, but I need to continue to ask Him for those things. Please be encouraged to continue to pray for Ian's complete restoration. We serve a God who is able to, with just one word, completey restore and wake Ian up. Continue to ask for the amazing!

My friend Laura sent me this quote and I wanted to share it to encourage you:
"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things, above all that we ask or think. Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!" -Andrew Murray

Thank you!

-Larissa

Slowly Getting Back Together

The staff at Presby have been slowly putting Ian back together. They’ve done a superb job with Ian throughout this whole process (thank you!). They installed the shunt and put his bone flap back. Their theory in putting it back on is that the brain tends to recognize the absence of a portion of the skull and is reluctant to get fired up again after a trauma like that. They say that sometimes patients do better when they reinstall it. So, that’s done as of Friday in a 5 hour surgery.

Since the surgery, we’ve noticed that Ian’s eyes open all the way more often. I think he can hear us. I played a tape of us talking, and Ian’s heart rate went up 5 points when Mary’s voice came on. He still squeezes our hands.

I think their hope is to move him to the rehab place in Wilkinsburg (LifeCare) early next week. We’ll see….

Thank you for your prayers.

Steve Murphy

Surgery went well

Everything went well in surgery. No problems at all. He just needs to wake up. Thank you for praying...

Heroes of the Faith

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 29:29

Abraham didn't understand how God would bring a son to him and his ninety-year-old wife, but the next year their son was born. It didn't make sense for God to tell Abraham to sacrifice his son years later, but at the last second God stopped Abraham and provided a sheep instead.
But Abraham was a man who knew that "the secret things belong to the Lord," and Abraham's job was to follow what he did know. And he trusted God.
(Genesis 17:17, 22:6-13)

Ian's dad didn't understand why God chose to put his son in the middle of an accident, and it didn't make sense why God would interrupt Ian's life and injure Ian's brain at such a young age. But Steve is a man who knows that "the secret things belong to the Lord," and Steve's job is to follow what he does know. And he trusted God.

These men don't know why God works the way He does, but it's not up to them to question God. It's their job to obey what has been revealed to them. When things don't make sense to them, these men recognize that they are to follow what God has told them, not to demand an answer to what they don't understand.

Let's be inspired and encourged by my dad's example. Let's keep praying, because our job now is to trust God, and we show our trust in God through relying on Him in prayer. God has revealed to us what our task is, so let us do it with excitement!

-ben

Looking Beyond the Outcome to Christ

The book of Hebrews has been very meaningful to me lately. The author throughout directs our focus to Christ, the Giver, rather than on things we might seek from Him. In chapter 11, the author tells us that Abraham went out from his own country at God's command, "not knowing where he was going" but “looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." He never even received what he was promised, but he believed God was faithful to fulfill His promises in whatever way He chose. Sarah, his wife, looked beyond her infertile body and beyond the promised son to the One whom she believed was faithful. Later, Abraham, when told by God to sacrifice their son, believed “God was able even to raise him from the dead.” The heroes of the faith in that chapter all looked beyond any outcome they hoped for to God who was infinitely capable and wise and perfectly faithful.

Ian is still in a coma. The focus of our faith is not on his healing but on the One who is perfectly wise and infinitely powerful and who loved us enough to sacrifice His Son. If Ian remains in a coma, we want to trust Him and to praise Him for the mystery only an infinite God could have. If Ian wakes up (we’re praying fervently that he does), we will praise him for His power to heal and His kindness in sparing him. If Ian takes a turn for the worse, he will go home to be with our Savior, and, though sad, we would want to rejoice with him.

We prayed that Ian would respond to commands yesterday when the medical staff visited him. He didn’t respond. But, we got the news today that he was approved anyway for the treatment we felt he should have. We thought it was critical for Ian to respond yesterday, but our all-wise God knew differently.

Today, we thought he was moving to his new treatment facility, but at the last minute they discovered fluid on his brain. He won’t relocate today, but instead he will have surgery on Friday to install a shunt in his head. My son, Caleb, highlighted the kindness of God in this new development when he noted that God showed the doctors this problem before Ian moved. It’s not what I would have chosen; I’m too impatient to get moving with his therapy. But, God knows what’s right and best.

God is also kind and lavish, so I’m going to continue to ask for a miracle. Regardless of what actually happens, though, I want to look beyond the outcome to the Lord of every outcome who is kind and compassionate and gracious and powerful and mysterious and lavish. I want to trust Him.

Steve Murphy

The Lord Knows the Next Step

Ian didn’t move for us at all yesterday except for a brief period in the morning. For the most part, he slept. Moving for the doctors was a key to getting him to another level of care that we think is appropriate, something called LTAC (Long Term Acute Care). However, despite Ian’s lack of responsiveness yesterday, the staff at the hospital agreed that the next level of care for Ian ought to be LTAC. I was hoping he would go to a facility in Monroeville, but there’s another in Wilkinsburg that’s more likely for insurance reasons. If we can get everything approved by the insurance company, he’ll be moving somewhere at some point in the next few days. Thank you for praying.

I asked the nurse if he would be in pain if he woke up today. From what I concluded, he would be uncomfortable if he woke up but not in pain today. His bones are healing. The skin graft is healing “perfectly” according to his doctor. He just needs to wake up. Please pray that he wakes up. Thanks….