Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A Freak Accident

I have this friend that I adore named Sujette. She is older than me by about 30 years, but that has never seemed to matter. She is that person so filled with life that you can't help but smile.

One of the best qualities about Sujette is how connected she and her husband seem when they are together. They hold hands, they disagree with a smile, and enjoy their time with each other. They are the couple that still go on dates even though they've been married over 25 years. I love them.

Not long ago, they decided to take a quick trip to Hawaii to use up their airline miles. On their last day, after they had checked out of the hotel and loaded up their rental car, they headed out. Sujette and Jim decided to take one last walk on the beach before catching their plane.

While walking in the shallow water, a wave knocked Jim down. A rip tide then carried him out into the ocean. He crashed against the ocean floor.

A bulging disk in his back damaged his spinal cord.

Sujette rushed into the water and dragged him to shore. Emergency help came and Jim was taken into surgery.

After his surgery, the doctors wanted him to go to a rehab center to help prepare him for the 10 hour flight home. While waiting to get admitted into the rehab, Jim contracted pneumonia and went to a different hospital's ICU.

Jim is doing better and will, hopefully, go to the rehab center sometime this week.

Jim is the man that decided to ride his bicycle to Florida from Nashville last year- just to see if he could. Jim is the type of grandfather that chases his twin granddaughters around and around. Jim has regained some movement in his arms and hands.

Please pray for both of them.

And when you're done, go hug the people you love.

You never know when a wave is going to knock you down and they are the ones to pull you out of the water.

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3 comments:

Terri said...

Exactly - this is why I am always nice to all of my family members. Well, that, and the fact that I've gotten sort of used to having them around! I really hope and pray that your friends are able to make it home soon - I can't imagine being that badly hurt so far from home.

Kimberlee Kee said...

Praying that God's strength will sustain them both. The God that allowed that wave to come is the same God that can heal...

AElizabeth said...

How tragic. You never know what life is about to bring your way. I'm sure this will test the faith and strength of the family. On a positive note, I've seen residents of mine go from paralytic and unresponsive to (with intensive rehab) regain a functional and enjoyable quality of life. Hopefully that will be him!

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