July 30 - Day 46

Dean has a passion to run marathons, 5ks and any race in general. It's as though God created him to run with the wind and I against the wind. I have a desire to share his passions or at least experience them, so two weeks after our wedding Dean began teaching me how to run with the wind. The night before the accident, we were talking about marathons and I asked him if he thought I could do one. I can barely run two miles and have never ran any race in my life. Dean chuckled but with confidence said after a year of training I could run my first marathon with him. The next morning on June 15th, I began my training of interval running for 2 miles just as he instructed me. It is said that marathon training is challenging; it is about endurance and maintaining pace so the finish is strong. Here are important keys to a successful marathon: motivation, goals, the right gear, proper nutrition, recovery time, plenty of hydration, awareness of injury avoidance, pre-training, and training. Dean understood these keys and implemented them in every race he ever ran. I believe God had a purpose in teaching him these disciplines in running as he can now implement these concepts in this marathon for life. God is the source of our strength and we are completely dependent upon Him! The Lord must be first in all areas of our life. We praise Him with each morning, worship Him through day, and thank Him for each night!

We thank the Lord that Dean was very peaceful today! Around 5:30 this morning the doctor gave report that Dean was stable enough for his transfer to Kessler! I was so excited that it was hard to go back to sleep. The nurses prepared him in the morning as we gathered everything together. The ambulance team arrived and transferred Dean into a stretcher bed and by noon we were pulling away from the York Hospital. We will miss the doctors, nurses and staff that we met during our stay at York Hospital; so many of them became our friends! Two nurses from ICU heard we were about to depart and met us at the ER doors to give farewell hugs. They will all hold a special place in our hearts. I was allowed to ride with Dean in the ambulance and by 3 pm we arrived to Chester, New Jersey. Dean's parents and brother, Duane, were there to greet us as we unloaded our belongings. It was Dean's first day outside since June 15th and we noticed he was sensitive to the sun as he squinted his eyes tightly. We were welcomed by several staff as we did some initial paperwork while Dean was settled into our new room. They gave us a quick tour of the facility and talked with us for several hours sharing information and answering our questions. I began to tear up when I saw the the dining room with a dozen round tables nicely set without chairs. This is where Dean will learn to eat again; memories flooded my mind of all the times we ate together and all the conversations we had around the family table. I told him he is going to be making some new friends here and already feel loved by the staff. I am very grateful to be at a place where we can learn, grow, and heal together! 

Tomorrow Dean will begin his therapy sessions and evaluations. We hope to get on a regular sleeping pattern with our days and nights. He will also be fitted for a special wheelchair; I look forwards to the days when I can take him outside and enjoy the fresh air. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. -Psalm 105:33-34



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