Here is an update on Josiah as of Thursday, December 23, at 4 PM:

Josiah had another great night last night.  He continues to rest well, and I am thinking that we will be able to try him without his sleeping meds here pretty soon.  Jennifer and the kids are due in here today, and he is very excited to see her and all of his siblings.  We get to spend the next 5 days together!

Here are some highlights from the day:

• His speech therapy (thinking therapy) has been going very well.  He is writing very well with his left hand, and is remembering stories that are being worked on with great detail.
• He gets himself ready in the mornings now, which is a big step towards going home.  Simple things like tying your shoes come easy for him now compared to last week at this time.
• Today they had him getting down on the floor and getting up by himself.  He did very well!
• He has received several cards, letters and boxes this week.  These brighten his spirits so much!  Thank you to those who have been able to do that.

Here are some specific prayer requests to remember for Josiah and the family:

• We are still awaiting the results of the ENOG test that he had Wednesday.  Please pray that the results will be favorable and tell us that there is no surgery necessary.
• Pray for safety for us as the family travels here and also as we go out into the community with Josiah for the first time.  This can be quite overwhelming for those with this type of injury.
• His left side is gaining strength each day. Pray that that the strength on that side improves in great strides.
• Pray that as a family we will have the opportunity to speak into the lives of people that are here and looking for the peace and love that only God can give.

Psalm 27:5 “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.”

Here is an update on Josiah as of Wednesday, December 22^nd at 5:00 PM:

Today’s schedule was just a tad different for Josiah as he was taken to his ENOG test for the nerves on the right side of his face.  He continues to improve physically each and every day and he gets his strength back.  He also continues to improve in his ability to do the tasks that his speech therapist assigns to him. His ability to hold attention has really improved over the last 2 days.

Here are some highlights from the day:

• Josiah was again up and ready to go early today.  In fact, he has been ready early the last three days, so the occupational therapist asked us to wait for her tomorrow so she can asses how he is doing getting himself ready in the morning.
• There is a building here called the Wege center.  I will not say any more than that, but Josiah has really wanted to go visit that building as he gets a kick out of the name.  His occupational therapist took him there this morning.
• He is writing with his left hand now and is doing remarkably well.  In fact, it is probably neater writing than his right hand.  (He normally writes with his left hand)
• Today was the first time that we have been out of the hospital in over a week.  We had to go by “vanbulance” to another hospital for his ENOG test.  The good news is that test is over!  It was painful for him.
• He is transferring himself between bed and wheelchair and walking so good with his cane.  Great improvement!
• I am sitting here typing this and looking at him.  I cannot believe that three weeks ago today was the accident and we did not even know if he would survive.  He looks SO good now!  The glaze in his eyes is almost gone!

Here are some specific requests for you to remember if you would:

• Pray with us that the results of his test will be that there is no surgery needed and that the nerve will come back on its own with time.
• Continue to pray for his left side, that it will strengthen greatly each day.
• Pray for the family as they travel here tomorrow.  We are really looking forward to having us all together for several days!
• Pray that he remains emotionally strong.  The news that he would be here probably around a month was not what he wanted to hear.  He knows it is for his best, but is still wanting to be home and back to school.
• Pray for us to be God’s vessels to show love and compassion on people up here.  There are so many sad stories, but these stories are full of hope and opportunity to show Christ.

Psalm 52:9 “For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”

Here is an update on Josiah as of Tuesday, December 21^st at 4:30 PM:

Josiah has risen early each morning and been anxious to get ready to go for the day.  I am glad for that, as it beats trying to motivate him each morning with some type of bribe for the day!  We have made some great strides so far this week and I am excited to see what we will have accomplished by weeks end!

Here are some highlights for the day:

• I had his team meeting this morning.  This is a meeting with all of those therapists and doctors that are working with him.  They go over his progress and evaluate where he needs improvement and more work.  They are also responsible for saying how long he will be here.  As of now, they are saying it will be a month.
• He was walking with his cane again today, and doing quite well.  He wants to take it everywhere we go now, as he feels so strong using it.  He is not quite to that point, but he is determined to get there soon!
• He really enjoyed getting back on facebook for a bit last night.  He is amazed, and thankful, for all of the kind words and prayers offered on his behalf.  He wants everyone to know he is doing well, but still needs the prayers as rehab is very hard.
• I am amazed at the improvements each day in what he is able to do.  It literally is like night and day with some things (like tying his shoes).  It is just incredible how much healing the body can do over night.

If you would, remember these specific requests for us:

• Pray for the upcoming nerve test on his face.  It looks like the test will be tomorrow at a hospital just up the street.  It will allow us to get a better understanding of how he is healing.  We are praying for complete recovery without surgery.
• Pray for his spirits.  He is doing so well, but he also gets very upset about missing so much back home.  He misses his friends greatly, and wants to be doing what every normal senior in high school is doing.  Pray that he remains strong and confident about his healing.
• Pray for safety for the family as we travel a bit over the next couple of weeks for the holidays.  We are spending them up here in Grand Rapids together, which will be very nice.  I am excited to have us all in one place for a change!  Details are still being worked out for where we are staying, so I guess you can pray for that too!
• Pray that we can help make a difference in someone’s life as we try to bring the hope and love that only Christ can give to people that are hurting.

Psalm 145:21 “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.”

Here is an update on Josiah as of Saturday, December 18:

Today was a day Josiah and I had been looking forward to all week!  Jennifer got to come and visit today! She got here early enough to be able to see him go through all of his rehab sessions.  He did a great job as he showed off for his mother today!

Here are some highlights of the day:

• Though it is the weekend, there is no rest for those here in Mary Free Bed.  They have sessions scheduled every day of the week, so Josiah got his workout in.
• Josiah started doing his laps without holding on to the handrails today.  The therapist says that likely by the end of next week he will be able to walk on his own!
• Josiah did a great job on some tests that the speech therapist (really more of a “thinking therapist”) gave him today.  There are some things that he has to relearn, but that all will come with time.
• He had a visit today from an eye doctor and had a full blown eye exam.  The doctor said that his eyes can see fine on their own, but the head injury has made it difficult to work together. It will take some time, but the doctor says all should return to normal.
• The boy has been a big show off for his mother today.  He has made us laugh at nearly everything he has done, whether it is in therapy or down in the cafeteria.

Here are some specific things to remember in prayer for Josiah and our family:

• We are still waiting to hear when he will have the test on the nerves on the right side of his face.  Hopefully it will take place in the next day or two.  We are praying that the nerves will heal on their own, and that there will be no need for surgery.
• Jennifer will be traveling back in the morning.  Please pray she has a safe trip.
• We have decided to have Christmas up here in Grand Rapids.  It is the best for Josiah, and will allow the family the most time together during the holiday.  I certainly will enjoy having everyone, including Daniel, Jordan and my grandbaby here for the holiday.  With that in mind, we still have a few details left to finish up.  Pray that Daniel and Jordan as they travel.  And pray we find some time to finish getting the Christmas shopping done.
• Pray that we can live out Matthew 5:14-16 and shine our lights before men here at the hospital.  We would have never chosen this path for us, but God has, and we certainly trust in His sovereignty.

By the way, Josiah wanted to to thank everyone for the prayers and support.  He loves you all very much, and would like for you to continue praying for him as he heals.

Psalm 16:7-8 “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Here is an update on Josiah as of Friday evening at 8:00 PM:

We had an early visit from an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor to look at Josiah’s right side of his face.  They are going to schedule a special test that looks at and compares the nerve activity on both sides and will let us know if there is any surgery needed.  Obviously we hope that there is no surgery needed, but we are glad they are doing everything they can to treat him.

Here are some highlights from the day:

• Today Josiah has more strength and stamina than he has had yet.  I can tell each time I help him move into his chair or into the bed that his strength and balance are returning.
• He normally would do one lap and rest in his chair during his physical therapy.  Today, he did up to four laps at a time and kept his left foot up as he walked.
• This kid will NOT stop eating!
• We had a great time visiting with some folks from Cornerstone Church.  It is such a blessing to get to meet people of God that have been praying for you.
• We had a special Christmas dinner in the cafeteria tonight.  Josiah really likes going down the cafeteria to eat, and responds very well to all the stimulation.
• We have enjoyed getting to know some more of the families that are here. They are all special in there own way and each has a story of God’s healing and grace.  We are praying for opportunity to let them know that they matter to God.

We would love it if you would remember these specific requests for our family:

• Pray that the left side of his body will continue to strengthen.  His left side is his dominate side, so getting that strength back will help him to be able to function much better.
• Pray for the testing and results of the nerve tests that will be run here in the next day or so.  We do not want him to have surgery if he does not have to, but we certainly want his healing to continue.
• Pray for our ability to share God’s love to the people we meet each day. We met another family that follows Christ and had a time of prayer tonight for Josiah and their daughter.  It has been a sweet time getting to know them.
• We are supposed to get some snow, so pray Jennifer gets here tomorrow safely.  She will only be able to come for one day, but both Josiah and I are grateful for that and will be thrilled to see her.
• We are still praying about what to do for Christmas, but I think Jennifer and I are both leaning on staying up here in Grand Rapids, as it will be less stressful for everyone.

Psalm 145:1-3 “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”

Here is an update as of Thursday, December 16th at 8:00 PM:

Another great day of work by Josiah! I have been impressed by my sons work ethic here at the hospital. He has such a good attitude with his therapists and then with me in the evenings as we continue to work his body out. He pushes himself, even when he does not really want to. I am thankful that he has such a strong spirit!

Here are the highlights from the day:
• His walking continues to improve. The therapists even let go of all but the belt around his chest so that he takes control of his balance. He is doing so well! If you did not see the video from last nights’ post, take a look at it here.
• He devours his food! I never knew a kid could put so much food away! I order a little more on his tray for me, and he even takes that away from me! He had 2700 calories yesterday!
• Tonight, he got to go down to the cafeteria to eat a meal. He responded very well to all the stimulation. We are not sure as of yet how long he will be here, but if he continues to make such good progress, they are talking about him getting a pass to come home overnight for Christmas. That would be great!
• They had therapy dogs in the unit tonight. It was so cool to see the eyes of all the children light up as they interacted with these animals. There are some really sad stories of why people are up here, and to see their eyes light up and see smiles on their face is so nice!
• Josiah did get a little sleeping pill last night to help him rest well. And boy did he! I have not seen him so relaxed since his accident!
• Josiah is also amazed at the number of people that have emailed, called, sent letters and posted on facebook and my blog about him. He is so encouraged, and really emotional about the love that everyone has shown to him and to our family at this time. We do not take that for granted.

Here are some specific things you can remember in prayer for us:
• Pray for that left side. His strength is coming back quickly each day!
• Pray for the opportunity to encourage and love on people while we are up here. Josiah has been a source of joy for many families and the medical staff here on the unit. His spirit has brought a lot of laughter as he walks around the floor.
• Pray for the swelling on the right side of his face. As it goes down, we are praying to see the nerves come back to life.
• Pray for our family as we are apart. Jen and the kids have a bug going around, and that may keep her from coming to visit this weekend. A disappointment, yes, but we do not need Josiah sick in bed for two days!
• Pray that the right decision is made about him coming home for Christmas. It would be great, but it also makes me a bit nervous.

Psalm 116:1-7

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”

Here is an update on Josiah as of Wednesday, December 15th at 8:45 PM.

I am continually amazed… and please, do not take that as a phrase that I am just throwing out there… I am amazed at the progress that I see in our son from morning until evening each and every day that we are here.  I really do feel as if Josiah is a walking miracle.  I especially can see that as I meet families that are up here that have children that have been here for 4 months already, or another family whose 3 year old daughter was on an accident on the same day as Josiah (December 1st) and yet cannot walk. “When I’m found in the desert place Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed Be Your name.”  I would never have wished this upon my son, and I wish I could have been the one in the accident and facing this, but ultimately, God is in control, He is sovereign and He has a great plan and purpose for Josiah and my family. I am confident of that.

Here are some highlights from the day:

• He started with speech therapy today, and seems to be doing very well with it.  The speech therapy is not really teaching him how to talk.  He has no problems with that.  It does help him to relearn the thinking process and fill in the gaps that he has due to his accident.

• Occupational therapy then came in a supervised him getting himself ready for the day.  He pretty much did it all on his own. In fact, he even tied his own shoes today!

• Physical therapy came in and gave him a special wheel chair today that he hates because he has to use his left arm to crank it to make it move.  This will help continue to strengthen his left arm.  I did see a HUGE increase in strength on his left side today.  In fact, there was a big difference in his strength just from this morning until tonight.

• His therapies just absolutely wear him out!  That is a good thing.  He wants to nap when he has a break, and it puts him in bed early.  He has had some pretty restless nights, so tonight they actually gave him something to help him rest
• Lastly, I just wanted to share this video with you:

Please continue to remember Josiah in your prayers.  Though he is making great progress, I believe it is because people are praying.  It is needed as much right now as day one.

Here are some specific requests that we have as of right now:

• Pray that his left side continues to gain strength.  He is doing so well, and I would expect it to continue, but I do not want to take that for granted.

• Continue to pray for the swelling in the right side of his face to go down so that the nerve that is being pinched will heal and he gets that side of the face working again.

• Pray for his attitude.  That it would remain strong and determined.  He does not like being away from home, and especially his mother, but he knows that he is where he needs to be.

• Pray for our family that we would remain strong during this time.  It is taxing to be here 24/7, but I would have it no other way.  I still have 2 weeks off of work that I can spend here to make sure he gets what he needs, but it does get overwhelming at times.

• Pray that we can minister and encourage some of these hurting families while we are up here. Our faith gives us great strength during this time, and I want to be able to pass that on to others here.

Psalm 77:11-14 “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.  I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”  Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?  You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”

Here is an update on Josiah as of Tuesday, December 14^th at 7:30 PM

What an incredible first day of rehab here at the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital! The day started at about 8:00AM with breakfast, and then they worked Josiah pretty good today!  Actually, they wore him out, so much so that he is crashed here at 7PM!  Now, let’s pray for a good nights sleep!

Here are some highlights of the day:

• Today he became mobile!  He got a wheelchair to get around in and he just took right off pulling himself around in it by his feet!  He thinks he is pretty hot stuff now!
• He had a full day of therapy, including speech, physical and occupational therapies.  He did everything from shower and dress himself, to making verbal association lists, to walking around the floor using a bit of help from a handrail and the therapist.  I was really proud of my boy and how hard he worked!
• He already has the staff up here wrapped around his little finger!  He is such a comic and just cracks people up as he walks around the floor.
• The motion in his right eye has increased.  He still has the partial paralysis on the right side of his face from his fracture.
• The coffee is not half bad here, and they have hot water available for my St.Arbucks VIA coffee!  Though I am running out of that now that I found the hot water!
• As a reminder, you can send Josiah and email by going here and following the directions.  I know he would love hear from you all!

Here are some specific and very important things to remember in prayer for Josiah and our family:

• Please pray that he responds well to this new schedule. He seems to really be looking forward to it!
• His confusion and irritation have been very little the last few days.  Pray that he is able to remain like this.
• He does have some emotional times during the day about being separated from his mom, his siblings and his girlfriend.  Please pray that he can experience peace about his condition and situation.
• Michigan Medicaid is his health coverage. With my job loss at the beginning of the year also came the loss of my insurance.  When we got here, the first thing we did is see if they qualified, and they did.  They are giving us issues right now, so please pray that it gets sorted quickly and completely.  This is obviously not as important as his life, but the financial concerns do weigh on me.  Mary Free Bed in Grand Rapids gave us some very encouraging news today.  We are not getting the cart before the horse, but we may find out tomorrow how this will all be handled.
• The doctors are still looking at the right side of his face that is not totally doing everything quite right; like raising eyebrows and such. They are leaning towards as a pinched nerve, which will heal as the swelling in his face/head goes down.  Please pray that there will be healing in that area of his face.
• Pray for our family, as we are apart.  Jennifer will visit as she can, but she needs to be at home most of the time for the kids. Pray that the kids will have understanding at this time.
• Pray for Jennifer and I to have patience.  We know God is in control, we count on that, but we want to see him healed!  Also, pray for strength, endurance and the ability to rest, as fatigue is a great enemy right now.
• Pray that God’s Kingdom work will be accomplished through is during this time.  God know exactly where we are headed and what the outcome will be.  We count on that!

Ps 61:1-3 “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge…”