The day we witnessed a miracle

On October 3rd 2010, my husband, Jason Paul, was in a collision on I-80 with a semi on the way home from Newton, where he worked. There was an ambulance on the way back from Iowa City and a car with nurses on the way home from a conference right behind him. All four of these fabulous individuals pulled my husband out of his mangled car and bandaged him up and got him off the interstate to be flown by helicoptor to the hospital where his left arm was amputated to the shoulder. I arrived at the hospital (alone) right as he was being wheeled into surgery. I felt very relieved he was still alive, but before the 4 hour surgery they did not know if there was any brain injury or spine injury. Until my siblings arrived for support there was a very long moment of lonliness, despair and horrific fear that gripped my soul. The thought of being a widow or having a severly disabled husband was too much to bear. These moments tell us who we are as individuals. I remember the walk to the surgical waiting room very well and the "self-talk" that was going through my head. I was thinking of calling his family and how I would console them, of our children and how I would be a good mom through this and our friends and how the upcoming plans and promises would need to be broken. Our jobs, our finances and our daily responsibilies crossed my mind..my head was getting filled quickly with all the "what-is" of our future. Then I sat down, closed my eyes, dried my tears and said a prayer. Knowing that I needed help that second, I called on the only person that could help at my time of need..God! I asked for His comfort, His strength, His guidance and the 23rd psalm filled my mind...As I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I will not fear, for God is with me. I gave my worry and doubt to God and told myself Jason would be fine and our life will be better in the end. I know the Holy Spirit was at work within me..strengthening me and giving me that assurance and strength. When my siblings arrived, they brought with them their faith and their hope and when our friend Cindy arrived and started praying, .I knew everything would be ok..and I genuinely felt it. As more family and friends arrived my assurance and faith gained strength with every well-wisher. Jason came out of surgery and started to heal. He had another surgery a few days later and was out of the hospital within a week. Four months later he is training for a triathlon and to me..seems to be a stronger and happier man than he was before the accident. He now has a prosthetic arm and is back to work. We were able to go to Dinsey world with my family a few weeks ago and many times I forgot he only had one arm..I kept handing him more things to carry..lol, He seems as good as new and even better!

I believe a miracle saved my husband that day. It was a miracle having all those people there to quickly respond and stop the bleeding. The fact that his artery was severed for 90 minutes and he did not loose that much blood is a miracle. His quick healing was a miracle and his positive spirit is amazing. God has carried us through these past four months in his hands..we feel so blessed! Praise God!