Tomorrow morning, Jesse will be discharged from Arrowhead Regional and will fly home to be with his family in Idaho. Steve (his dad) arranged for a direct flight in a twin-engine medical plane, accompanied by a couple of MAF nurses. He says the flight will take about two and a half hours. Steve plans to enroll Jesse in a rehab program up in Boise. After this update, I'm handing the updates on Jesse's status to Steve and anyone else up North who would like to help. Send me an email if you're interested; the address is on the left.
Jesse is doing very well. Since Tuesday (my last update), his rate of daily progress hasn't been as startling as before, maybe because the milestones of recovery aren't as obvious after he is able to eat on his own, converse intelligently, and comprehend his situation. He still has phases of frustration and agitation, and he gets really tired after talking for an hour or so. But during my visit today, Jesse seemed to have a little more of a handle on reality than two days before... Steve says he comes in and out of it during the day, similar to the way his vision comes and goes.
I have a few reassuring anecdotes to share. On Friday, Jesse was talking about how he wanted to return to UCR and complete his math degree. I challenged him with a math problem: What is the derivative of f(x) = tan x ? He worked out the answer in his head. Using the derivative of a quotient formula (which he knew from memory) for tan x = sin x / cos x, he solved it and told me the answer: sec2 x. Correct! The complexity of this problem is quite a bit below differential equations, but he solved the dang thing! Praise God!
The physical therapist brought in a squeeze-thing to help strengthen Jesse's left hand. He has to do thirty reps on it every hour or so. Jesse is good-natured about it, and he made some hilarious faces trying to squeeze that thing (pictures anyone?). Jesse also has a new brace on his right leg: it's a fixed-ankle shoe with a brace that goes all the way up his calf. Much better than the previous thing with cotton and an Ace bandage that kept falling off.
A few days ago, Steve asked Jesse what God was teaching him through all this. Jesse replied, "That life is really precious." He went on to talk about how he used to worry so much about getting to school on time, and now that doesn't seem important at all compared to life itself.
I'm going to miss Jesse. He'll probably be in Idaho for rehab for at least 6 months, and probably longer. After that, we don't know whether he'll return to UCR in California or enroll at Boise State University. From his stellar performance on solving that math problem, I don't think that part of his brain is doing too badly. We'll wait and see and continue to pray for complete healing and that God is glorified through the rest of Jesse's life.
Looking back over the last three weeks, I'm amazed at God's grace. He brought Jesse out of a terrible car accident, a really bad coma, and a lot of brain damage. Thank God for the miracle of Jesse - that he is alive and well and recovering steadily. Furthermore, God has surrounded Jesse and his family with loving, supportive people who are committed to praying for them.
On that note, please continue to pray - for a safe trip to Idaho, continued healing, and for perseverance for both Jesse and his family. May God's powerful love and grace enfold and embrace them; may they be rooted and established in love, having power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ; may they know His love that surpasses knowledge, so that they may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (from Ephesians 3)
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