My Terrible Awful Day- 7 Months Later

I’m sitting in my office with a celebratory Hazelnut Protein Shake in a wine glass. Sure, I’ll share the recipe soon. I don’t always drink protein shakes in wine glasses, but today I’m joyful thinking about our terrible awful day.

November 25th of last year is what I refer to as our “terrible awful day.” And no, joyful has not always been my response to this day.

From what I hear, a lot of us have one of these days. One that is burned into memory and leaves us incredibly different than before that day came.

For some of us, we have more than one of these “terrible awful days.” But sometimes, and oh I pray it’s true for you, we get to have a joyful day to remind us that he really was fighting for us. “He will fight for you, you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

Today is July 15th – which means it has been over 7 months since we almost lost our lives in a car accident. I remind myself often that they call it an “accident” on purpose. No one ever wants these things to happen.

I will continue to unfold our story in the upcoming year, and if it seems to be slowly unfolding, that’s because it coincides with my processing it. Many of my memories have been taken away from this time. A blessing and a struggle at the same time. So as I process bit by bit, I will likely share it with you. Many bloggers have to make the decision whether they will chose to be private or public with information. My stance? I want to share what the LORD has done for us and not hold back. Some of these posts will reveal personal things, but I trust it is for good reason outside of myself.

What exactly happened in that accident? Mr W and I (engaged at the time) were at a stand still for traffic and struck by a pickup traveling 75 mph. I suffered greater injuries and was meta-flighted to a Trauma I hospital while my love was taken to another hospital. I had a brain bleed, skull fractures, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, fractured vertebras and a dislocated elbow to name a few. I spend 2 weeks in ICU and underwent several procedures to fix blood flow in my head while living in a back brace and having bell’s palsy on the right side of my face. While my injuries were primarily internal, Mr W was covered in lacerations and had over 170 stitches on his (ruggedly handsome) face.

Each of those injuries deserve a blog post of their own. I would have to cut it into segments to keep the blog manageable to read in a day!

But here is why I am sharing this today. Today is a beautiful day. I am rejoicing and am glad in today. (Psalm 118:24) Today this happened:

I was able to finalize all my remaining medical bills. And let me tell you- worth every penny. I am eternally grateful for the care I was provided. My life was saved by God by his miracles and through people. Not only did God save us, but he provided a way to pay for his provision of healing. He doesn’t heal just to abandon. He never leaves us or forsakes us. (Hebrews 13:5)

Today is also the day my husband and I celebrate one year from our very first date. Yes, you read that correctly. Mr W and I had our first date one year ago (July 2012). We quickly fell in love, got engaged in October, went through the hardest season of our life a month later and married in April 2013. My concept of what happens in a calendar year will never be the same!

So 7 months later, after that terrible awful day…the bills are gone. The procedures are done. The medications are done (except for my daily baby aspirin for life). I still have doctors follow ups. I still have a nerve that hasn’t fully restored itself. I still have emotional responses related to a traumatic event. But the Lord chose to save my physical body- and I will humbly worship him as I know full well he doesn’t chose to save everyone.

I hope when you think back on your terrible awful day, you can see the Lord’s hand. You can see pieces of his faithfulness, even when you can’t understand the whys. And I pray that you share it with someone. Telling others what God has done for you is more powerful than we could ever know!