"For as in Adam all die, so in
Christ all will be made alive." (1 Cor 15:22 NIV)
My reunion with my mom in Europe last summer was
bittersweet. Although Alzheimer's had nearly overtaken her entire brain, she
still recognized my wife, children and myself.
Up until that time, my only contact with my mother was
through daily phone calls, and due to her high level of anxiety, especially
where air travel is concerned, we hadn't told her we were coming. As we arrived,
unannounced, at the entrance to the nursing home where she lives, we called her
on the cell-phone.
We began our normal conversation: What are you doing? How is the weather? Etc.,
and then we entered the residents' area where we knew she would be. As soon as
she saw us, a huge smile came over her face.
My mom wasn't able to communicate much with us during
our stay, but she enjoyed looking at the photos we brought. Most of the time we
sat in the residents' area, watching TV in silence, as even basic, general
conversations was more than her mind could grasp on most occasions. From time to
time though, she would turn to look at one or another of us and smile.
Interestingly, the night after our first visit, my
mother reported that she had dreamed of our yard in Canada. When she woke up,
she began telling everyone that we had come to take her out for ice-cream. We
were excited by this, for the last time we had visited, two years earlier, she
had refused to leave her chair to venture outside. The fact that she was
initiating a little outing was really cool!
Being with her was the highlight of our trip, but
after ten days, it was time to say goodbye. As we headed for the door, she
became agitated and anxious. The head nurse stayed with her during this time,
holding her arm and encouraging her. My mother was waving to us with a big smile
on her face as we walked out of the nursing home. It was a moment I will never
forget.
A few weeks after our return to Canada, she began
showing signs of stroke. Nothing acute showed on the CT scans, and it was
assumed she had suffered a mini-stroke, or trans ischemic attack (TIA). As
compared to previous exams, the CT scan showed significant advancement of the
Alzheimer's, and since this time, we were unable to talk to her on the phone.
She didn't understand us, and the whole concept of a telephone conversation only
served to frustrate and aggravate her.
If she, indeed, experienced a TIA, some initial
improvement of symptoms was anticipated, and people all around the world began
praying for her. We fixed our hopes on God. I am happy to report that today, for
the first time since the TIA three months ago, we were able to have a
conversation with my mother on the phone. A big thank you to everyone who has
been praying for my mother! Your prayers made a difference!
God answers prayers my friend. My mom is a living
example of that. I am aware that the going will be tough, especially since we
live so far from her. But our eyes are focused on the One who is renowned for
making the impossible, possible. Even after we pass away, we "will be made
alive" in Christ. There is hope no matter what happens to us, thanks to our
Forever friend.
Never lose hope. Jesus is our hope in all things.
Hallelujah!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.