One day, when Eric was in the ICU at Texas Children's, a volunteer brought a package wrapped in brown paper to his room. We helped Eric open it and pulled out a precious gift. A prayer quilt, sent by a dear friend, Diana. Her church, Ingomar United Methodist Church, in Pittsburgh, has a prayer quilt ministry. When someone is in need of prayer, a member of this church can request a quilt be made. The quilt is made by tying knots. I understand many people can be involved with the knotting process. As each knot is tied, a prayer is offered.Eric was touched deeply by the quilt and the knowledge that so many people were out there praying for him. "It matches my bedroom," he wrote on his dry erase board. He kept the quilt on his bed throughout his hospitalization and when he felt cold, he asked for it to be spread over him. Covered in prayer.
A few weeks ago, another brown paper-wrapped package showed up on our front porch. Lori and Todd, friends who also attend Ingomar United Methodist, had also requested a quilt for Eric. It's a large church, and I don't believe these friends, whom I know from different circles, know each other. Imagine Eric's joy and surprise when he received another prayer quilt, this one personalized with soccer balls and musical notes! Both quilts are folded at the bottom of his bed. Come wintertime, he'll snuggle beneath them. Covered in prayer.
Eric is doing well. Still recovering. But just to look at him, he looks like any other kid finding his way through freshman year. Prayers are still welcome. I worry about flu season. Eric has already received the regular flu vaccine, and will get the H1N1 Swine flu vaccine as soon as it comes out.
We have no idea who all tied knots in these quilts. But we do know that prayer has meant everything to us these past eight months, especially the three months he was hospitalized. We thank you all. We thank all the friends, family, and readers out there who kept Eric close to their hearts, never losing hope.
Posts
5 comments:
you're welcome and god bless :)
What great gifts Eric has received. The prayers are the best gift of all. The quilts will be a lasting reminder that when he was in need, many people stepped forward will prayers and actions.
bev
We tied a knot on that quilt. It was about the only tangible thing we could do for Eric from so far away.
A friend of mine sent me an email about your blog earlier this year. I've prayed for Eric and from time to time, catch up on your blog. I recently received an email about the 19y/o that died in Denham Springs from H1N1 and thought that it sounded very familiar to how Eric's illness started. Sadly, hers ended in tragedy. I am a Nurse Practitioiner in a local ER and before reading her story, in hindsight, wondered if maybe H1N1 could have been the cause of Eric's illness. Since it was not discovered as a human illness until April or May of this year, maybe the doctors could not find a cause because it had not been discovered yet. Just thought you might be interested. God bless you and your beautiful family.
I meant to copy the email for you. Here it is:
I read the other day that unlike typical flu which seems to more readily attack the vulnerable very young and very old, the statistics being gathered on Swine Flu indicate that it is hitting the general population age group more. Not as many elderly or babies getting it as expected. (This is true. I believe the oldest person that we diagnosed in the ER with the swine flu was 37 or 38 y/o.)
Subject: Fw: Taylor Brian's Death
On Saturday, 9/5/09, my son in law (Kelly Root) and my daughter (Stacy) lost their 19 year old niece (Taylor Brian ) to pneumonia related H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus. Taylor was a senior at Denham Springs High School . She was treated for strep throat on 8/20, got better but still had strep on the 27th, began throwing up and was hospitalized in BR Gen on Bluebonnet, with a touch of pneumonia on 8/29. She was tested for H1N1 and the family was told it would take 10 days to get the results. When her fever got up to 105 over that weekend and she was placed in ICU. Her oxygen level got so low, she was given a paralytic drug and put on a ventilator Monday. Tuesday chest tubes had to be inserted. Wednesday, another swab for H1N1 was taken and a lab in BR, which as I understand will be dedicated for this type of testing, revealed Thursday she tested POSITIVE for H1N1. They tried to ween her off the paralytic drug in preparation for removal of the vent, but could not because the blood pressure and oxygen levels dropped. Everytime they would do anything to her, such as suctioning her lungs or bathing her, the BP and O2 levels would drop. The family received a call about 3 a.m. Saturday to return to the hospital as her levels dropped as she was being repostioned. This time they could not get her back and she passed away around 4 a.m. She will be buried on Wednesday.
It appears this virus attacked her lungs with a vengence. The family was told her lungs were like one big blister.
Post a Comment