Sunshine Soldier

Silas is certainly progressing. Praise the Lord! To Him be all glory and honor and praise.

He is doing so well in school. He is working hard. He is asking for assistance when he needs it.

Silas continues to spend time in the word deeply and daily. He finished memorizing 1 Thessalonians 3 and he is ready for the quiz meet tomorrow.

His energy level is good. He is not experiencing the extreme fatigue that he once was. We even played some family pickleball yesterday and today. He did so well! Even with just one eye. On that note, his vision seems to be improving some. He is able to read almost anything, even small print. He still has double vision if he doesn’t wear the eye patch, but it seems less severe. The two images that he sees are closer together, which we have been told shows progress.

Silas has some important appointments coming up. On September 7, he will go see Dr. Wadley (opthalmologist) and he will also have an MRI, his first to be exact. Dr. Savage (neurosurgeon) wanted an MRI when he was in the ICU but he was not stable enough. Then, when he came home he had severe nausea when he laid flat. But now, in God’s perfect timing and provision, he is good to go.

This week we have had all the encouragement. Person after person has expressed to me how much and how hard they have prayed for Silas. They talked about how it grew their own walk with the Lord. I ran into 2 sweet VG friends just today that read Si’s testimony every time I posted it. Amazing.I know those of you reading this right now feel so connected to us. You have journeyed right alongside us through reading the updates and fervent prayer. What a blessing that is for all of us! I love God’s design so much. What a gracious God we have who loves us so much that he does not ever want us to journey alone.

Please pray for a 100% recovery for Silas. Please pray that his vision returns to normal. Please pray for his upcoming MRI. Please pray that he is calm and that the results are as good as we expect. Please pray that Si’s faith deepens all the more. Please pray that he takes every opportunity to point others to Christ. Please pray for Ryan and I as we parent Silas during this time. We need all the wisdom and discernment. God tells us in His Word that when we ask for wisdom he gives it to us. Imagine how much we will have with all of you praying for us too!

If you have not read Si’s testimony, here it is…

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

Silas is amazing. It’s always good to lead with that.

That being said, this is hard. A traumatic brain injury is a big deal. Silas is at a place where he really wants to process all of it. He wants to talk about all of it. We have talked about the morning of the accident, the moment of the accident, the horrible phone call I received, the helicopter, the timeline of all of it, what the doctors said at first, what the doctor’s said two hours later, the people that reached out, how his siblings and family were effected, his testimony spreading far and wide, the roller coaster/torture device, sedation (he remembers a lot from when he was “asleep”), waking up from sedation, delirium, coming home, the first week home and so on. The unpuzzling requires all of us.

Silas has never wavered in his love for the Lord. He has not doubted the Lord’s love for him. He sees God’s hand in every bit of it. And he continues to be thankful.

The first 2 weeks of school went really well. Silas worked hard. His head stayed above water. Knoxville Christian School walked right alongside and did whatever was needed.

Last Monday, Physical Therapy went so well that his therapist bumped him down to just one day a week and challenged him to train for a 5k. Not to actually run a race, but just to get back to his baseline fitness level. What a blessing that he is ready for that!

Some challenges of today: Si’s vision is still about the same. He is not able to filter background noise like normal. He gets extremely fatigued at times, but that does seem to be improving some.

Please pray that his vision returns to normal. Please pray for 100% healing. Please pray that he continues to see God’s hand in all of this and remain thankful. Please pray that God will continue to use all of this for His glory and Si’s good.

Please pray for Ryan and I as we parent Silas through this. Right now feels really challenging. We do not want to expect too much or too little. We want to point him right to the Lord. Constantly.

If you have not read Si’s testimony, here it is…

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

God is good. All the time.

Silas is simply amazing. He did school last week. He never called me to pick him up early. He was tired but he powered through. And he loved every minute of it. He was so so so happy. He had homework every night but he loved that too. He continues to have that grateful heart that is looking for and finding all the blessings. Everywhere.

And I know he was a blessing to others as well. I saw it with my own eyes. He is encouraging the hearts of those around him.

Today, our boy is exhausted. Beyond exhausted actually. He needs to pump the brakes a bit. And that’s difficult. He so wants to keep powering through. But, that’s what parents are for. To lead and to guide. And Silas understands that. And he is grateful.

Please pray for Silas to know when to go and when to stop. Please pray that his brain and body continue to heal and that he makes a 100% recovery. Please pray for his vision to return to normal. Please pray that his heart is encouraged and that his relationship with the Lord grows deeper and wider. Please pray for Ryan and I. For wisdom as we parent Silas through this.

Silas loves the Lord so much. Even more today than yesterday. If you have not read his testimony, here it is…

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

Hello all! Silas went to school today and did so well! He loved being there. He loved seeing his teachers and friends. He is so thankful for the work that the Lord has done in his mind and body. He is so thankful that he actually got to go on the first day. What an amazing blessing.

He is absolutely exhausted. He went to bed an hour early. Because he wanted to. This is going to be a lot. Silas is under no illusions about that. Today was really just rules and procedures. The real work begins tomorrow.

Please pray that Silas can do Tuesday at school. Please pray that his attitude continues to be one of submission to the Lord’s will. Please pray that he continues to look at life through the lens of gratefulness. Please pray that his vision returns to normal. Please pray that his life and testimony continue to bless others.

If you have not experienced the great blessing of hearing Si’s testimony, here it is. This was the day of his baptism, just 2 weeks before the accident…

Silas is a miracle. Period.

Dr. Spiller (hematology) called today while we were at the Ophthalmologist. She wanted us to know that WE ARE DONE WITH THE BELLY SHOT!!! Silas actually made me do a “no more belly shot dance” with him. That is the most excited I have seen him since he woke up. I love it so much!

Dr. Spiller went on to say that the CT scan from yesterday showed no inflammation. Silas is truly in the clear from a hematology standpoint. She said that his recovery is amazing. 🥰

Dr. Wadley (Ophthalmology) was very encouraging as well. He said that Silas is showing a lot of improvement in his horizontal vision since his visit a month ago. His vertical vision is no better. That nerve has not “woken up” yet. That is to be expected. He is hopeful for progress in that area very soon.

Physical therapy also went super well today! Silas is making amazing progress. Our grateful boy said this when we were leaving, “I’m really thankful that my ankles are getting so strong. They are stronger than they were before the accident. Because I have to work so hard to keep my balance.”

Please pray for Si’s vision to return to normal. Please pray that he makes a 100% recovery. Please pray that he continues to see all the blessings and rejoice in them!!!

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

Oh what a work the Lord has done! Si’s clots have cleared!!! His CT scan today was gorgeous!

Thank you all so much for praying!

Silas and I got to visit the ICU this morning. His reception was pretty amazing. There were some happy tears for sure! We got to see several of the nurses that took such incredible care of him for 20 days. We love you all so so so much and we are so thankful for you!!!

Please pray for 100% healing for Silas. Please pray that his vision improves. Please pray that he runs this race with endurance. Please pray for wisdom for him and for us as we add some more activity to his life. Please pray for Silas as he starts school next Monday, August 8.

Silas and I did a little video interview today in an effort to answer some Frequently Asked Questions. Here it is…

Silas is a follower of Jesus Christ. He loves Him and serves Him and trusts Him. If you have not read his testimony, here it is…

“My Testimony” — by Silas

Fyi… In case the video is unclear… the tree that hit Silas was not being touched by anyone. No one was near it. It fell on it’s own.

All is well. Sometimes a mama just can’t sleep. Sometimes the thoughts are just so swim-y. Sometimes the heart and mind are just too excited. And too thankful.

Of course, I have a lot of conversations about Silas. About how he is doing. About what he has been through. About what we have all been through. And most importantly, about what the Lord has done.

One thing that has been really unexpected about this process, is the un-puzzling. I have mentioned it several times in regard to Silas. But, I am experiencing it as well. So much happened from May 31 to June 20. So much hard. So much good. And often those 2 things were happening at the same time. It was often too much for the heart and mind to process in real time. So, here I am, un-puzzling away at 4 am on a Sunday morning.

Si Update #24 said this: “Heart rate low. Please pray.”

That was a Sunday morning. It was day 5 in the ICU. We had been riding that torture device non-stop for 5 days. We were realizing that we were nowhere near the end. One of the neuro doctors on call talked to Ryan and I about life outside the hospital. He told us that way too often he sees families “holding vigil” at the hospital. They are consumed with someone who might not even survive. He reminded us that there is life outside the hospital. That our other people need us. So, we tried to find some kind of balance.

On that particular morning, I went to the hospital alone. Ryan stayed home to spend some time with our other children after allowing me to do the same the day before. When I arrived, it was obvious that things were not good.

By Day 5, we knew some things. When the big double doors opened that lead into ICU, I looked down that hallway and saw lots of doctors and nurses in the room with Silas. Not good.

I walked toward the room on shaky legs. Every muscle in my body felt weak. When I looked at Silas, he looked so sick. When I looked at the monitors, I felt sick. His heart rate was so low. His ICP (Intra Cranial Pressure) was so high. I felt my knees buckling and they asked me to leave. They needed more people in the room and I was in the way. I turned and walked back down that hallway and out of the big double doors. And my knees buckled. I dropped. Hard. I posted update #24 and then I sobbed. I tried so hard to pray. But my mind was completely blank. I simply cried out, “Lord, Lord.”

That post was at 9:37 am. I later found out that our church stopped Sunday School and cried out to the Lord for Silas. I found out about so many other people that stopped in that moment and did the same.

God’s Word is so very rich. It gives us everything we need for life and living. Romans 8:26 reminds us that the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us when our groanings are too deep for words. In Exodus 17, Moses could not hold his hands up any longer to defeat the Amalekites. So, Aaron and Hur came on either side of him and held his hands up for him.

I am so thankful to the Holy Spirit for interceding in prayer for me in that moment. I am so thankful for all of you who came alongside.

Ryan ended up coming to the hospital. Our neighbors, Brent and Candy, came home from church so that he could. Candy stayed with our other children and Brent brought Ryan to the hospital. We were surrounded on all sides. And the Lord sustained us.

And it continued to be a hard day. Pneumonia set in. Silas needed a CT scan but was too unstable to get one. And the Lord sustained us.

This Tuesday, around 8:30 am, Silas and I will be walking through those ICU double doors again. With cake pops in hand. Oh what a work the Lord has done.

Please pray for Silas as he continues to un-puzzle. His vision is improving a bit (praise Jesus!) and he has been able to start reading the Silas Updates starting at the beginning. It’s just a lot to process. Please pray that his heart is encouraged and that his faith grows as he reads about all that the Lord has done.

Silas is a disciple of Jesus Christ. He has been used already in such a mighty way. If you have not read his testimony, here it is…

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

Silas continues to rock. 🎸

He is getting stronger every day. He is also a bit more antsy. He REALLY wants to be active. He is ready to do all the things. But that is not what God has for him yet. And Silas gets that. He is working hard to be patient. But he does have his moments where he bursts into a little sprint on a family walk or jumps on the bull in the pool. Ugh.

We went to our hematologist this week, Dr. Spiller. She is so pleased with Si’s progress. She wants to get a scan of the sinus cavity in his brain which is where his clots are. We will do that on Tuesday along with any other scans that Dr. Savage (Neuro) wants. Of course we are hoping that the clots and bleeds are much smaller. We will also see Dr. Savage on Tuesday. These two ladies have done an incredible job caring for our boy. We are so blessed.

The big question from everyone is Si’s vision. Well, it’s exactly the same. No better and no worse. We will see the Ophthalmologist on Wednesday.

Please pray for 100% recovery for Silas. Please pray that his vision returns to normal quickly. Please pray for endurance for him as he runs this race that the Lord has set before him. Please pray that school goes well. Please pray that Silas continues to communicate well.

Silas loves the Lord and serves Him and trusts Him with all his heart. If you have not read his testimony, here it is…

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

Silas is amazing.

The Lord is doing such a work in him and through him. His heart’s desire is to be an instrument in the Redeemer’s hands. And Silas is doing everything, as far as it depends on him, to be equipped. One piece of that, is learning God’s Word. He has worked so hard to learn the first two chapters of Thessalonians. And it has definitely been a challenge. His vision is blurry, his brain is foggy, he has extreme fatigue in his mind and body. But he has persevered. He has not complained. He has not made excuses. He has swallowed his pride. And the Lord blessed him. And those of us who are on this journey right alongside him.

Today, Crossway Bible Church’s Quizzing Team (The Diligent Outsiders) did so well. They won actually. And Silas certainly did his part. He actually quizzed out. Twice. “Quizzing Out” means that a person has answered 4 questions correctly inside of that round so they have to step out and let another teammate in. It’s really difficult to do. I may have cried happy tears when our boy did it. Twice.

Silas continues to choose a grateful attitude day by day. All throughout the day he finds things to be grateful for. He blesses my heart constantly. He is grateful to have more energy, he is grateful that his mind is more clear, he is grateful that his injuries were not worse, he is grateful for no pain, he is grateful for all the love and support.

I am completely selfishly enjoying having so much time with Silas. We play card games every day and I love it so much. While we play, he does all kinds of crazy made-up foreign accents and body contortions. Hilarious! I sometimes make him stop because I am actually tired of laughing. Best. Problem. Ever.

Silas and I had a meeting at school with Mr. Bobby (Principal) and Mr. Ford (the vice principal). They could not have been more supportive. They were so thrilled to see Silas and are willing to do anything to make this year do-able. So we have a plan. Silas will go to school as much as he can. His school mama, Mrs. Sheila, will be right there. When fatigue sets in, I will come get him and we will finish the work at home. We are so thankful for the Lord’s provision of Knoxville Christian School.

Please pray that Si’s vision clears and returns to normal. Please pray that the fatigue subsides. Please pray that he sleeps well at night. Please pray for 100% recovery. Please pray that his hematology appointment goes well this week and that it is uneventful. Please pray that he is able to keep up on his schoolwork. Please pray that he continues to be diligent in his scripture memory and Bible study. Please pray that his heart is encouraged and that he desires to minister to others.

Silas loves the Lord and lives his life as a follower of Christ. If you have not read his testimony, here it is…

https://sunshine-soldier.com/2022/05/20/my-testimony-by-silas/

Well, Silas is a nut. Yes please!

Sometimes a boy just gets the giggles when his sweet dad is trying to put a needle in his belly. And on that note, the blood work from hematology is in and it looks great! So, now we will just maintain that dosage and re-test in a few weeks.

Silas is doing super well on his 1 Thessalonians memorization. He is now through Chapter 2 Verse 7. Amazing.

Silas continues to do Physical Therapy at home daily and at the rehab center 2 days a week. He continues to have an incredible attitude and his heart is encouraged by the progress he is making.

Please pray for 100% recovery for Silas. Please pray that his vision gets back to normal. Please pray for physical strength, especially on his left side. Please pray that he will be diligent to study and memorize God’s word. Please pray that he can be a light for Jesus. Please pray that he is equipped for his quiz meet this Sunday. Please pray that he can start school with his peers on August 8.

Silas loves Jesus Christ and follows Him wholeheartedly. No matter what. If you have not read his testimony, here it is…

“My Testimony” — by Silas