The day God came to visit.

I've been a believer all my life, gave my life to Christ on 10/06/2005.  This was 2.5 months after the death of my niece, Devan Marie.  I will never forget that night, his presence at church that night was something.   Then there was the weekend at the ladies retreat, when he answered me about Grace, it was the most wonderful feeling.  Again, something I would never forget. 

On Saturday, November 5, 2011, I was watching TV, Grace was playing, and Paul Paul had actually came home that morning like I had asked him too.  My husband, Paul Ray was out doing something like he is always doing.

I was sitting on the couch in my pj's with the TV going, it felt so good to be doing nothing.  Paul Paul and his friend Sublet were in the front room with me, Grace was in my bedroom I think.

Now let me stop here and say, there is a song that Reba sings at Christmas time, The Christmas Guest, about a man, Conrad, who dreamed that Jesus was coming to visit him.  During the day, he had three visitors, and each time it wasn't the Lord, but each time he welcomed them in.  At the end of the day, he said Lord, why did you delay?  

  "Lift up your head for I kept my word.
Three times my shadow crossed your floor
And three times I came to your lonely door.
I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet
And I was the woman you gave something to eat.
I was the child on the homeless street.
Three times I knocked, and three times I came in.
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.
Of all the gifts, love is the best.
And I was honored to be your Christmas Guest.
 

Back to the story, but this song so much reminds me of that day.  First let me say, my son is NOT one to just be up early on a Saturday morning, he didn't stay at home the night before.   So the fact that he was home was something itself. 

So we're talking and watching TV, when he says to me, what is that, and tells me to turn the TV down, I hit the mute button and was getting up to see.  At that point I could hear my husband screaming for help, those screams are still in my head, they haunted me for the first week anytime I would close my eyes, (which wasn't a lot)  I could hear him.  Calling my name, and yelling Help!  My husband is an extremely strong, brilliant man, he is always level headed, always.  I don't know how long he had been yelling, he says not long.   If my son hadn't been home, I would have responsible for the death of my husband.   He is a perfectionist, there was something about a rod he didn't like.  He had gotten a grinding tool that he had used a hundred times over..   However, this time, when he hit the on buttom, it went haywire, the 6 inch wide disc came off the tool and entered my husband in his lower stomach.  I was going to put him in the car, we live in the woods.  Again, he would not have made it.   Paul Ray, had the strength and calmness he told me to call 911.  I never saw any blood, even though he lost half of his.  He was holding the wound so tight, that it wasn't going everywhere. 

Now people believe different things.  I don't know why God allows things to happen, but I know he was in charge that day.  From getting Paul Paul up and there on time.   To giving Paul the strength not to pass out and to stay strong.  He was with the paramedic who made the call to have him airlifted to having one of the top surgeon's in the country oncall when he got there.  I have no doubt God was in charge.  I think I was on the phone with EMS for an easy 10 minutes.  God Bless those people.

You know the song, You find out who your friends are!!!!  Well I don't really count her as a friend, I consider her my sister.   I stayed as calm as I could , my first thought was Grace, I had PaulPaul call my very Best Friend from the last 20+ years to come get Grace.   She was here before the ambulance took him to meet the helicopter, and she kept our daughter for the next week.  Taking her to school, doing homework, everything she needed.  the one thing I dint have to worry about was my Gracie Girl.  I also had him call Paul Rays family.   My parents, Pauls family, and my boys were all at the hospital with me.  My oldest was on a camping trip upstate, but he was there before Paul was out of surgery.  My first born baby, was such a rock for me that weekend.  He held my hand, he was just so sweet to me.

Once the paramedic had Paul and was working on him, PaulPaul took me to the hospital.  We actually arrived 10 minutes before he got there.   One blessing to come from this is that my husband has his family back in his life.   His sister and youngest brother got there about the same time as us, I think.  It seems like forever waiting on him.  Once i saw the ambulance pull up, I went out to see him, he was still awake.  We had to go back in a different door from him, the Priest came and got us and took us to him.   I want to go and thank him, he was a wonderful man who would come say a prayer, doing Paul Rays second surgery.   We were only able to see him a few brief minutes while they were prepping him for surgery.   There were people working all around him.  Those next few hours seemed like days.  Those two days (Saturday and Sunday) seemed like forever.  Not knowing if your spouse is going to live is not an easy thing to swallow.   

We were taken to the ICU waiting room, and it was like being hit in the face.  We were there 6 years earlier with Paul's sisters daughter, Devan.   It was hard for me, and I could only image how hard it would be for her.   Paul has NO clue what he looked like in the Trauma ICU, but it was a scary sight, walking in to see him.   MUSC hospital = I can not say enough good things, again, God was in charge.   The team of people working on him was just unbelievable.   He spent 5 days in the hospital and he is still recovering.  He went back to work, he just has to take things slow........which is new concept for him, one that he does not like.

But one thing is for sure, I know God was with us the entire time.

For all those that helped in any way, for all the many prayers, and notes, for those that sent food, or called.  Everything meant so much to us, we can never repay you all for all the kindness shown.   The kids in Graces class wrote him cards and they prayed for him every day.  We are truly blessed.

Much Love,

Peggy