3 years ago today, my family began a journey into the unknown. We were in Memphis, TN in a stark white hospital waiting on news from surgeons working on my brother. You see, about 2 months prior, doctors found a problem with his neck revealing a highly unstable spine. The problem was at C1-C2 which for those non-medical people is right at the base of your skull; a very vulnerable place for a problem in which a vast majority of problems could arise. Surgeons in Birmingham had performed only a handful of these surgeries and said that the odds of survival were low, with a high probability of complications including but not limited to paralyzation and severely decreased quality of life. Coincidently (although I don't believe in coincidence), I happened to be taking Physiology that semester which included a research component. When I heard about the lack of experience of the Birmingham surgeons, I went to PubMed and began searching the specific issue my brother had just been diagnosed with. I found the leading surgeons in the field, called to see if they would see my brother, and they happened to be in Memphis, TN. He got an appointment and scheduled surgery after 3D MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays - the surgeons built a model of my brothers spine to work from (& I got to keep it!). My family felt very confident in this group of surgeons, they knew their stuff and had performed many of these same cases. They gave us no promises of no complications from surgery, but they were fairly sure that things would go smoothly.
Back to February 29, 2012. It was a long procedure and seemed like we waited forever. Finally, the surgeons came to give us a report - the surgery went smoothly with no complications seen yet! Praise the Lord! I remember going to my brothers ICU room, there he was laying asleep, a pained look on his face, in a neck brace which he would have to wear for several months longer. But he was alive, not paralyzed, and hitting on the nurses like crazy - he was ok and I was relieved. I cried the whole way back to Nashville that day. I'd experienced first hand the sovereignty and grace of God who provided extremely skilled surgeons and well equipped hospital to care for my brother. We spent the next week or more in the hospital with him, thankfully it was my spring break.
Three years later, I still feel incredibly grateful for Gods provision for my brother. He's 18, plays baseball, drives vintage cars, and does well in school. He has side effects of the surgery and has had intensive, brutal physical therapy that I wouldn't wish on anyone. But despite all the hard stuff he's been through at such a young age, he's the funniest guy I know, sweet, loving, and one of my closest friends.
Reflecting on this today, I'm reminded of the stories of Job and Paul who suffered greatly for unknown reasons but trusted the Lord for guidance and provision. We've been studying Job in small group. Job is such a strong man, he struggles physically, emotionally, and mentally with so much loss and illness inflicted on him but His faith remains strong. Then there's Paul, who asks the Lord several times to take away the thorn in his side. Yet, each time he asks, he's denied. Romans 8:28 says "for all things work together for the good of those who love Him" - although the past 3 years have been hard in a myriad of ways, I think that the Lord has used this in my brothers life to make our whole family closer to each other, to the Lord, and most of all to trust that God provides.
Thankful for my brothers life today! Love you more than you know, Brennan! You're the best brother & friend I could ask for.
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