I can remember everything as if it had happened yesterday. Noah's heart had stopped after the lightening strike. My mom and sister did CPR on the ground of our backyard with the rain pouring down. I remember crying out to God in complete desperation praying that his heart would somehow start beating again. It was without a doubt the most helpless feeling I have ever felt. Watching your little brother turn completely blue from oxygen deprivation was beyond heart wrenching and the almost 10 minutes we waited for paramedics seemed like hours.
After about 5 minutes of no response from Noah to the CPR my mind started flashing forward to his funeral and I just remember saying no God no, please not my Noah, please not my Noah. Paramedics finally arrived and were able to resuscitate him. They transported him to Chesapeake general and then to CHKD.
He was in the emergency room and my mom came out to get me to go in and see him. It honestly didn't want to. I was on the curled up on the floor of the hospital feeling completely broken. My mom kept telling me I had to be strong for Noah despite feeling like I had NOTHING to offer him. It felt totally surreal, I just wanted to wake up from the nightmare.
He stayed at CHKD for 2 months in a coma.
He had 2nd degree burns down the front of his chest. This is him the first week he was in the intensive care unit:
That picture does not evoke positive emotions for me bringing back emotional memories. It takes me back to that day, those weeks and months of sometimes feeling like there was little hope. But more than anything it is such a huge reminder of how far Noah has come. When I start to feel discouraged that he not walking or talking right now all I have to do is look at that picture to remind myself that God IS healing my brother and a day is coming where he will be completely restored.
Doctors were positive that he'd never move past the coma. God had other plans.
He came out of the coma and from CHKD he went into physical rehab up in Charlottesville. After about a month at Kluge rehab center he came home August 31, 2007.
SO much progress has been made since then. God is so so incredibly faithful. It's truly impossible to convey in a blog everything He has done for our family and for Noah through the whole ordeal.
Absolutely amazing things have come out of Noah's story. People have come to meet Jesus because of what God has done in Noah's life.
He is nothing short of a miracle. God is constantly doing new things in him. I don't see any miracle as 'small'. They're all significant and important to Noah's constant recovery process. I have the complete honor and privilege of calling him my brother.
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
Genesis 50:20
Awesome...I used to live in Chesapeake..
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