The Silence is Broken

I never had a problem being alone.  I often looked forward to some me time, and to be able to get lost in my own thoughts.  That novelty is very short lived and transforms into a burden.  Once I started rehabilitation, there was no longer need for constant care on the part of the nurses and doctors, or my wife or mom.  So the daily routine was what I had to keep me occupied.  Awake at 4:00am take pills, lay around until 6:00 am for shift change, and ask for help gathering my clothes.  Spend the remainder of the morning nibbling on a sub-par breakfast and exhausting myself until either my therapist arrived, or a nurse came to check on me, so I could move to my wheelchair.  Then it was a full work day of different therapies; Occupational, Physical, Speech, and my visits with the hospital shrink.  This would occupy me until the middle of the afternoon, when I would get wheeled back to my little corner, and there I would sit.  I tried exploring a few times, even made it outside once.  Which was a mistake.  The sidewalk back inside was just enough of an incline that I got stuck.  It took me 45 minutes to ever so slowly inch my way back up the hill inside.  I was drenched in sweat and exhausted... But I made it.

After that giant oops, I stuck close to my room.  There wasn't anywhere to go or really any other patients who liked to visit.  I made one good friend, whose story I will share at a different time, but his situation didn't permit for getting around much either.

I was blessed with visits from family and friends, many of which traveled great distances, but they too would have to leave and I again was left to the silence.

Countless hours were spent staring out a window that led nowhere except the air conditioning units.  I looked forward to the weekends when my wife was able to leave the kids and come visit for a couple days.  But the quiet, boredom, and frustration started to become too much.  I asked for the missionaries to again visit me, so I could ask for another blessing.  

A different couple came that weekend, which made this another amazing experience for me and my wife.  Again a sweet elderly couple whom we had never met came and visited.  Before the conversation  started he immediately asked to administer to me.  This is another one of the many incredible experiences I witnessed.  The blessing went almost word for word, the same as the blessing I received while in acute care.  The Elder commented just how thin the veil in the room, and how many people were giving strength, love and support.  He commented many times that I was never alone, and would never be alone.

I was so overcome with love, I couldn't speak.  After the blessing we all sat in the silence for quite some time.  I looked at my wife and knew she heard the same words, blessings and promises I had heard.

I believe with all my heart we are given exactly what we need when we need it most.

- Nate Taylor