In Jesus Name, I stand in agreement with my sister Nico. May she has asked be done according to Thy Divine Will.

Another letter from Terry's Dad. Keep praying! This is encouraging!

Taylor


Yesterday started off with bad news. A friend woke Shannon up early to tell her that Shannon and Terry's cat had just been killed on the road. Then, when we arrived at the hospital to visit, Terry wasn't in his room. They told us he was out for a CT scan. That was good news, but also scarry since they had almost lost him as he returned from the first CT scan shortly after he arrived.

A few minutes after we got there they wheeled Terry past us and said he did REALLY well. Because of that they decided to do leg surgery later in the day to put the rod inside his leg instead of on the outside. The surgery involved a new procedure that has only been done 37 times before and they wanted to video it for an up coming conference - we said OK figuring they would be really careful if they knew they were on camera :-) (we feel very confident in the doctors and nurses he has - some have said that two of the four best trauma surgeons in the US work at Erlanger, and both of them have been working on Terry). After the surgery we learned that one of the Sabbath School teachers from Terry and Shannon's church is the research director at the hospital and was in Terry's surgery because of this new procedure. He found us after and gave us a full and encouraging report.

By the evening visit Terry was seeming to be even better than before. The doctor told us the CT scan showed a small pneumothorax (sp? = pocket of air) still on the side of the lung where they have the chest tube, but was nothing to worry about - just may delay the back surgery for a few days till it clears up. They said the CT of his head showed absolutely no physical injuries to the brain! They can't tell about possible injuries from lack of oxygen yet, but were very pleased that there are no bruises or swellings. They say it is still too early to tell. There are many factors affecting when he wakes up (including the sedation he is on), and they will just have to wait a while longer to see what happens before they start getting too worried. We went home to bed very encouraged.

This morning his eyes were mostly open. That is partly from still being swollen, but we could see the lids moving a little and even the eye balls moving slightly from side to side. When I flashed the camera a couple of times his pupils got small and the eyelids blinked. His heart rate jumped from 99 to 111 when we started talking to him and at one point got up to 125 when one of the pastors was praying for him.

We decided to do what the doctors had said and ask him to do things for us. They said he would probably respond more to Shannon than to them since he knew her voice and it would pull him out of his groggy state more quickly than their voices would. Three times we told him to close his eyes and he immediately closed them as far as he could. When I talked to him his eyes twitched sideways a little as though he was trying to look my direction. He also lurched his shoulders and neck twice - both times just as Shannon let go of his hand and moved away from his side. It seemed very clear that he did not want her to go and leave him.

We know Terry still has a long way to go, but are rejoicing in the progress so far. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. They mean so much to us right now.



Homer Trecartin, Secretary-Treasurer
Middle East Union of Seventh-day Adventists

This is exciting news! I just know the Lord is going to bring a full restoration to this young man. It might take time, but I strongly feel it will one day all be completely behind him.

Yes! I was so excited yesterday when I received this email. Do keep praying for Terry and his whole family. If he does survive, I want him to have the best recovery possible. He is very athletic and the thoughts of being bedridden or something would be just about impossible for Terry to handle. He loves outdoor activities like hiking, and probably all that goes with like like repelling etc. God is still a God of miracles!

Father in Heaven, we know that You never begin any good work that You do not see through to completion as well. We thank You for the good work you have begun with Terry's recovery, and praise You for that, and look forward now to watching You bring it to full completion. Bring Your promises to mind for his family to give them courage and strength as they watch and wait with him for the completion of Your excellent work. Continue to guide the minds and hands of his doctors to provide the very best of care for him as You continue to fill him with life force and work in the hidden places of his cells and tissues to knit him back together in fulness of health and strength. Thank You so much for being our Divine Physician, our Healer, and a Worker of Miracles. We give You all the praise and glory for what You are doing for Terry right now, in Jesus' name! Amen.

Terry will be restored Taylor. Never doubt it. Jesus has more work for him to do.

Clio

Abba Father,

I give You glory, honor, and praise for grace which allows the healing and restoral of Terry to his family. I praise Your Mighty Name, Hallelujah to JHVH. Thank You.

Jesus, my Jesus, Master Physician, Healer, I claim the promises on behalf of Terry that with Your stripes we are healed. You were scourged instead of us, not once, but twice. I thank You for the healing You are working in Terry. You alone are worthy of all honor and praise, how I glorify You. Jesus, I want to cast my crown at Your feet, for You are wonderful.

Thank You for healing Terry. Restore him whole to Shannon and his family. Cover them with healing, with Your Grace, and Your Mercy.

Thank You for answering this prayer according to Your perfect will.

Here is an update from Terry's Dad. Sorry I haven't updated you in a while. I am out of the USA on a mission trip and can't log on as often as usua.

Taylor


Surgery tomorrow - we think! At least they have it scheduled for 1:00 p.m.. We will see what happens. Terry is doing really well, so they would like to get it taken care of during this window of opportunity. If it happens tomorrow we probably wouldn't get Dr Gallager as the neurosurgeon and that is disappointing since we have developed a lot of confidence in him. He is the one who told us he has been praying for Terry and wants us praying for him. It will probably be Dr Fullbright, the neurosurgeon who was behind Terry on the bike ride and was one of three doctors that stopped to help after his accident. God knows best, and we will leave it in His hands.

We had three exciting developments today.

This morning Terry seemed to be wrenching up his face and writhing in pain. It got so bad we asked the nurse to give him some more pain medicine. But she seemed very hesitant. She said the doctors had been pleased to see emotions on his face this morning. And, she pointed out, his heart rate wasn't going up - in other words, his contortions didn't seem to be pain. She didn't say more, but we started watching more closely. It really did seem like maybe he wasn't in pain, so much as he was trying to tell us something (he can't make sound because of the trache in his throat - only can move his mouth). Shannon asked, "Terry, are you trying to talk to us?" and he seemed to twist his mouth up and say "yes". Then he seemed to form the word, "hurts" and then a whole lot more.

After several minutes of him trying to talk and us trying to understand she asked him to stop and let us ask him questions instead. He lay back and we asked him if he hurt. Immediately he made this contorted face and could possibly have formed a "yes". We asked if his head hurt (which it shouldn't). He lay still and only moved his lips slightly. Then we asked if his throat hurt (it should because of the NG tube). He screwed up his face and silently yelled out that contorted word we thought was a "YES". Next we asked if his arm hurt (there is no damage and he moves it so we thought he would say "no"). He was quiet, almost no movement of his lips. We asked about his chest (broken ribs should be hurting a lot). Again he made that silent shouted "Yyyyeeeeaaahhhhsssssss".

All the way home I practiced and realized I could say "no" without moving anything but the tip of my tongue, but to say "yes" I need to move my jaw, back of my tongue, and tip. If I had as many canker sores on my tongue as he has bites on his, I would have had a VERY hard time saying that "yes". And if no one seemed to be understanding me, I would have made it as pronounced as possible.

This afternoon he didn't seem to be as worried about trying to talk to us. But a couple of minutes into our visit Barbara thought she saw his foot move. Now remember, they have told us it is a total break of the spine and they don't see any way there could be anything below the waist. She decided maybe it just jiggled when he moved his shoulders and wiggled the bed. But then Shannon and her Grandma saw it too. It didn't seem to be in time with his other movements. They started wiggling his toes and rubbing his feet, something we have been doing for three weeks now with absolutely no response - we have even been rubbing cream on them. Then Wreatha (Shannon's Grandma) took her little finger and lightly rubbed the bottom of his foot - it distinctly jerked - the same way it would have if she had done it a month ago when he was sleeping on the couch. We did it again and again on both feet. I even videoed it several times.

We aren't neurologists, or even nurses, but we were VERY excited. When the nurse came in we told her. She paused and said slowly, "I saw that also, about an hour ago, when I moved a monitor from his hand to his foot. That is the first time we have seen any response from his feet." You could tell she was quite excited, but she was trying to stay calm and said "we will just have to watch this for a while and see how it develops."

Then she went on to tell us that she had watched the tech talking to Terry earlier when he was just really moving his face and mouth a lot. She said she saw Terry calm down, look at the tech, and really seem to try and listen to her and respond. She told us she couldn't say for sure, but that is really what it looked like to her. We told her about him "talking" to us and again she said we would just have to keep watching this new development.

When we went back in tonight we saw one of the young doctors that we really appreciate. He told us about the surgery being scheduled and explained several different things. While he talked Terry kept moving his foot. We asked if the nurses had told him about this new development. He said they hadn't. So we pulled up the sheet and showed him that Terry jerked his foot when we ran our fingernail along the bottom. We asked him what he thought it might mean. He said, "I have one word for that - its a miracle!" He said muscle spasms can cause twitching after a severe injury, but that is usually in the first week or two only. We are now way beyond that and he doesn't think there is any way to explain it as simply reflexes. He will make sure the surgeons know before they go into surgery.

Finally, we were frustrated tonight as we watched Terry try over and over to tell us things. He just couldn't get us to understand. After many tries Shannon said, "Terry, if you are trying to tell us something wink at me." Immediately he tried. The left eye closed part way. It took him two tries and he got it all the way. He has NEVER shut just one eye during these three weeks. After a minute she said, "Terry, do it again." Immediately he gave a complete wink. We all got SO excited and told him that was wonderful. Then, I gave him some fatherly advice - just don't do it to the nurses! :-)

As usual, we left Shannon alone with him for the last few minutes. When she came out she said she told him tomorrow was their anniversary (their second one). He got a shocked and frustrated look on his face. "Yes," she said, "you have been in here for three weeks!" Then he got really frustrated and started moving his arms all over and trying desperately to say something. I guess he had no idea how long he had been in there. Shannon has been telling him every day what happened and what is going on, but I guess we haven't really said much about how long it has been. We all hope it won't be too much longer.

Thank you so much for all your prayers. We know God is in control. We believe He is healing Terry. And we pray that we will all (including Terry) will let God use whatever abilities He gives us to His honor and glory. We want to see the work finished so Jesus can come.



Homer Trecartin, Secretary-Treasurer
Middle East Union of Seventh-day Adventists

It has really been amazing to watch this young man recover from death's door. I'm positive without the strong arm of the Lord upon him, he would not have made it. Praise God!

Taylor,

Thank you for the update. Will continue to pray for Terry's recovery. Also, that his family and friends will be blessed with God's peace and courage.

Naomi

Abba Father -

Terry is doing better, and for this we praise You. Thank You for the healing You have done in him, we give You glory, honor, and praise.

Abba, there is still a long way to go, but we know You are in control. Please cover the hands of the surgeons with Yours, guide them, and make their thoughts clear, direct them. We ask for full and complete healing for Terry, not because we haven't asked before, but because we know that You know our hearts... and we desire this greatly...

Thank You my King. We will be most careful to give all glory, honor, and praise to You for this miracle unfolding before our eyes.

Amen.

Clio