The theme for today is: Running, Rest and Recovery.
I had a great chat with the doctor this morning while Zach was still sleeping. The doctor said it will be good for Zach to “rest and recover” on weekends as he’ll be getting more activity by the day during the week as he progresses.
Runners train hard. Runners do speed workouts. Runners run long runs. Runners sprint. Runners stretch. Runners cross train. But runners also rest and recover. Rest and recovery are just as important as the training.
Runners are just as dedicated to rest and recovery as they are to their workouts. Let that sink in. Dedicated to running. Dedicated to rest. Dedicated to recovery.
Running the race God has marked out for us requires dedication. Dedication to running. But also dedication to rest and recovery.
Courtesy of Proverbs 31 Ministries, I found this cool R.E.S.T. acronym:
•R: Recite God’s goodness. The next time we find ourselves hustling, let’s pause to praise God for who He is and what He’s already doing (see Psalm 103:1-2). What can we thank Him for? Let’s start there.
•E: Express your neediness. Then we get honest with God about our struggles and sins, casting our burdens on Him because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7)
•S: Seek His stillness. Next, we take time to “be still, and know” that He is God (Psalm 46:10a, ESV). We quiet our hearts to listen to His still, small voice. Is there anything He wants to say to us? Are there any burdens or to-dos He’s asking us to lay down?
•T: Trust His faithfulness. Finally, we declare our confidence that our good God, who began a good work in us, will be faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)
May this be a blessing to us and to Zach as we run, rest, and recover fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Today’s Updates
Zach has had an okay past few days. His days are full, including transferring between his chair and bed, doing physio, and working with speech language pathology. He has been pretty sleepy throughout the day and sometimes he is too tired to work with physio or speech when they come to visit. Zach has been sleeping okay through the night for the most part, once he is able to fall asleep. Please pray that God will grant Zach peace and rest at night. Pray that Zach will have the energy he needs for healing and working with his therapists in communication and strength-building.
Zach is no longer receiving any extra oxygen and is breathing completely on his own. He has been breathing well and all his vital signs are in good places right now. Praise God for the healing in Zach’s lungs and that he is able to support his own breathing and oxygenation.
Zach’s central line in his neck was removed on Thursday since he finished his most recent course of antibiotics, and so will not need to run anything through his IV in his everyday care. Praise God that Zach has progressed to this point in his healing, especially that he does not currently need any antibiotics. Pray that God will protect him from infection and allow him to continue healing.
Since Thursday, Zach has had more episodes of agitation and distress that have no perceptible cause or solution. Sometimes he will become quite emotionally distressed while receiving nursing care, but other times we can’t figure out what is causing his agitation. Reading Bible passages, praying with him, or listening to music can help Zach through his distress when we can’t determine a physical cause of his discomfort. He has sometimes indicated that he is in pain during these episodes, specifically in his legs. However, it is very hard for Zach to answer questions when he is in distress, which makes it hard for us to know how to help him best. Please pray that Zach’s agitation and discomfort may decrease over the coming days. Pray that God will heal his brain and grant him peace. Pray that God will give him the strength he needs to endure his suffering, whether in his body or his spirit. Pray also that Zach’s care team will have the wisdom to navigate and manage Zach’s discomfort effectively.
On Friday, Zach had a zoom call consultation to consider accessible communication devices for Zach. We hope for Zach to be able to use an iPad so that he can express more than just “yes” and “no” soon. Please pray that Zach will receive access to the technology that he needs, and pray that the technology will allow him to communicate more effectively.
The occupational therapist molded a new splint for Zach’s left hand to prevent his wrist and fingers from staying curled up all day. The plan is to slowly increase the tension of the splint as he tolerates it so that he will not lose any more range of motion in his wrist and fingers. Pray that this treatment will be effective so that Zach will be able to use his left hand in the future.
Thank you for your prayers for Zach and the family. Praise God for all the progress that Zach has made in the past few months. Please continue to pray for Zach. Pray that he will have the strength and patience to endure his trial. Pray that God will grant him restorative rest. Pray especially that God will heal Zach’s brain and allow him to communicate fully with us again.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.“ (Matthew 11:28-30)
