Bella Comes to Visit

Elizabeth LOVES her dog, Bella.  Our friend Tyler tells the funniest story about one of her first experiences with E:

 We were in college living in the dorm our freshman year and a few of us were going to dinner. Elizabeth had been on the phone, and all of a sudden started hysterically crying. She was really upset for several minutes and the other girls and I just looked at each other wondering what could have happened that made her so upset... 'maybe someone died,' 'maybe her boyfriend broke up with her,' were just some of the things that ran through our minds.  When Elizabeth finally hung up the phone, we asked her what had happened. She cried out "I miss Bella!"

I was a little confused since Bella, Elizabeth's 5 pound Maltese, lived literally across town at Elizabeth's parent's house. She was seriously upset about not seeing the dog in a few days!

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In Elizabeth's new temporary home at Baptist Rehab Institute she is able to go outside during the day. There is a great prayer garden with a waterfall and pets are allowed there. Yesterday (Friday) Bella came to visit Elizabeth. She just laid in her lap while Elizabeth squeeled with excitement over her dog.  She enjoyed it so very much and apparently talked about it all day. She can't wait for Bella to come for another visit... I have a feeling it won't be long!

Elizabeth, Bella, and her sweet niece, Teegin

E has done well the last 2 days. All of her therapists have been impressed with her progress. She is walking with maximum assistance. She did 3 laps today around the gym and did take a break in between each one. She got faster with each lap which is great. Her balance is also improving at a much faster rate than her PT initially thought that she would.

She is eating very well. She is on a "teen" diet so is enjoying a lot of pizza and burgers! Her speech therapist is happy with the way E is talking and the amount of words and sentences she is using. She understands that she was in an accident and that she is sick, but still gets very confused and has some unusual thoughts at times. 

This coming Wednesday, all of E's doctors and therapists will be meeting to talk about their initial evaluations and develpoing their treatment plan for her. At that time they will be able to give Elizabeth's family a better idea of the injury to E's brain based on her function level. We will also know more about how much time she will spending at BRI.  We need to be in deep prayer the next few days. We need to pray that her caregivers will do a throrough job evaluating her and will have knowledge to put together the best treatment plan that is possible. Of course no matter what the outcome of the meeting is on Wednesday- we need to pray that we would all have faith that God is the ultimate healer and that He can enable Elizabeth to overcome all of this.

PRAISE.  For God's healing. That she is alive and with us today.

PRAISE. For her progress so far.

PRAISE. For E's encouragement and happiness. Simple pleasures like her dog making a visit that lifts her spirits.

PRAY. Pray for total and complete healing for Elizabeth. Pray that her mind would heal and that she would be our Elizabeth that we knew before this accident.

PRAY. Pray that she would regain function and that she would be able to walk, dress, eat, etc on her own.

PRAY. Pray for physical strength for E to do her therapy. Also pray for mental, emotional and spiritual strength.

PRAY. PRay for her doctors, nurses, and therapists that are taking care of her. Pray that they would be knowlegeable in their fields and that they would know how to properly diagnose and treat E.

PRAY. Pray for the Parsleys... that they would have hope, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual strength.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

Hebrews 11:6