Big News!! Shepherd Center

    Wow, how time has flown by! I cannot believe it's the middle of May already! and I have some BIG NEWS that some of you already know about...but I haven't posted anything about it yet.

     I have been accepted into the Shepherd Center Day Program! You might be asking yourself,  "what is that?" well, here's a detailed description I copied from the Shepherd Center website.

 

Day Program

Shepherd Center's Day Program enables patients who no longer need 24-hour nursing care to continue their recovery and rehabilitation while living in nearby apartments provided by the Center.
Services are focused on the functional return of skills necessary for community reintegration. Services you may need include physical or occupational therapy, nursing, respiratory therapy, counseling sessions, therapeutic recreation and educational training sessions.
Depending on your goals, you may need these services for a few days or a few weeks.
The Day Program also helps minimize the chance of further medical complications that are secondary to the neurological injury or illness.
Going home and perhaps back to work or school can be stressful. We offer a wide range of services to help make this transition go smoothly, including:

• Medical care
  Our nursing care continues in the day program and may include care for neurogenic bowel and bladder, spasticity, blood pressure, blood clots, contractures, strength and mobility issues.
• Return-to-work counseling
  You may or may not be able to return to the same type of work you did before your injury. Our counselors will help you find a job or career that's right for you.
• Back-to-school program
  Through our No Obstacles program, you and a Shepherd therapist design a back-to-school plan that can include in-school awareness and sensitivity training for school staff and students, as well as instruction regarding medical issues, which may come up during your school day.
• Life-skills training
  Our therapists help you practice the skills you'll need to get through a normal day. This can include everything from grooming and dressing to managing your schedule and working with others.
• Mobility training
  Outings into the surrounding neighborhood will help you practice skills you'll need in your own community.
• Family/caregiver training
  We offer classes for your family or other caregivers to make sure they understand your injury or illness and your needs.

Housing for patients in the day program is provided for the duration of the rehabilitation program. To qualify for housing, patients must live more than 30 miles from the Center.
For more information about admissions to the Day Program, click here.

Outpatient Services

Outpatient Services at Shepherd Center provides medical treatment, therapies and care for people with disabilities for a wide range of needs on an outpatient basis. Our programs provide individualized, integrative care and include family members when appropriate.
___________________________________________________________________________________

     Now as many of you remember, I was an in-patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta from the end of September 2010-December 2010.  I was there to have a muscle flap surgery on a bedsore, as well as extensive Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy. My care and therapies were some of the best in the nation, but I was still almost 200 miles away from my family (Matt was there as much as he could be, but he was working and needed to be home with Asher), friends, pretty much anyone I knew. So, there I am in some strange city, lying in a hospitail bed, all alone...

   And then an amazing thing happened! What seemed to me out of nowhere, people, Christians, whom I had never met before started showing up..in my hospital room! God knew my need, and WOW...did he meet it in abundance!

      I had visitors from several difference MOPS groups in Atlanta, women from Christ Presbyterian Church, and of course my dear sweet friends from Passion City Church! You all have forever touched my life. I am so blessed to know you and look forward to seeing you soon!

    So I am off for Atlanta on May 28th (that's like 2 weeks!) and I should be there for about four weeks. Pray for me, that the Lord will just touch my body where I will be able to make significant progress while I'm there. Pray also that God gives wisdom to my therapist in my treatment. Last, and most important, that I will continue to keep my eyes fixed on Him and seek His kingdom above all else, no matter what happens.
     
To Him be the Glory,
Chelsey 

  

Matthew 6

I've decided that I just need to begin everyday with reading Matthew 6.

Teaching about Money and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

²² “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. ²³ But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[d] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the reaussuance of your word, and Lord forgive me of the countless hours I've spent worrying needlessly about money. Their has NEVER been a day that has passed, where ALL my needs were not met! God, you are so faithful! Help me to keep my eyes fixed upon You and Your Kingdom, for it is the ONLY thing that lasts! I love you. Amen

Chelsey

Testimony

This Monday evening I will be giving my testimony for the very first time at my church home, Westminster Presbyterian. It will be for our Spring Women's Ministries Coffee. The event begins at 7pm but I wont be speaking til around 7:30 (so, if any of you men want to crash it, and I already know of some who are, be there at 7:30!) I cannot tell you how honored I am that the Lord has given me this amazing story of his healing power and his faithfulness to share!


 That being said, I am also crazy nervous! I am not a public speaker! I've always been most comfortable in the background,behind the scenes,in a supportive role.... So, even though I feel so blessed that God has chosen me, I'm having a bit of a Moses moment, where I say "God, are you really sure you want ME to do this? wouldn't you rather pick someone more eloquent, who doesn't get stage fright?"

 So please keep me in your prayers! Pray that I don't have a panic attack or get flop sweat(ha ha) But seriously, pray that the Lord will give me the right words to speak and that he will open the hearts of the people there to receive Him. Pray that I remember it is not about me and its ALL about Him!

to Him be the Glory,
Chelsey

Post Surgery Update!

Sweet Jesus,

     I hang on you. I only see, believe, and Live, when Your will is done..not min
There is nothing in myself, I can not take any credit, it is ALL You!
If it is Your will and mercy that I am poor and weak, then I am SO blessed!
Prayers that come from these needs are preparing me to be a witness to Your glory!
Help me to honor You by believing before I feel,
for great is the sin if I make my feeling a cause of faith...
      Help me to pray in faith and so find Your will,
by learning to completely depend on You and your rich free mercy,
by believing You will give what You have promised;
for MY God can not lie!
     Strengthen me to pray with the understanding that whatever I receive is Your gift,
so that I will pray until my prayers are answered.
Amen

        A very dear friend email this prayer to me, she had read it in 'Valley of the Vision'. I changed it some because it was written in old English. But it was just so perfect! So I wanted to personalize it and share it with you all!

    Rehab is going VERY well! I'm already up and back to doing everything that I was before  surgery ...and then some! I've started  out on the lowest dose of medicine the pump can put out, but my doctor will be increasing it on Monday. So, please be praying that my body responds well to the new dose.

     Also, I would really enjoy having more visitors! my schedule changes daily, but pretty much Monday-Friday good times are: 11am-1pm & then any time from 3:30pm-8:30pm. just send me a text and I'll let you know whats good for that day as well as how to find me! Its 803-493-1890. love you all!

to Him be the Glory,
Chelsey

also, I want to share with you a song that God has put on my heart to minister to me this week.

SURGERY TOMORROW!

Well..tomorrow's the Big Day! I'm having my ITB pump "installed" (as Matt likes to put it) bright and early at 5:30am at CMC Northeast (which is about an hour north of where we live). I think Matt and I are planning to just pull an all-nighter, instead of trying to wake up at 3:00am (especially since I won't be able to have coffee, which I absolutely can not function without when I wake up!)

They want us to be there at 5:30, which means I probably will not get into the OR until around 7:30. The surgery will take an hour an a half, where they will make about a 4 inch incision into my abdomen (to put the pump in) and then they will feed a small catheter from the pump to my spinal column, with the medicine being delivered directly into my spinal fluid. I should be all finished by 9am.

They'll keep me at CMC Northeast overnight for observation. I could technically go home, but Matt and I made the decision to have me be transferred from there to CMC rehab. We are doing this because I will not only have therapy, but my doctor will be able to regulate the amount of medicine that the pump is putting into my body, so that the dosage is precisely what my body needs. With that medicine "tweaking", the device will deliver the precise dose of  medicine to control my muscle spasticity and allow me to function the best I can!

I will post more regarding rehab, as well as a schedule for visitation-'cause I definitely want/expect visitors!-and Matt and I will be tweeting post-op to let ya'll know how it goes tomorrow!



Thank you Jesus for this opportunity for progress! And Lord, even if after all of this, I am still not able to do a thing more than I can today, YOU are still GOOD! And YOU are still sovereign! And I pray that you will continue  to use my life to bring YOU GLORY! .....Dear Jesus, I love you so much, thank you for your amazing faithfulness through this entire journey. and thank you for allowing me to personally experience your Majesty in a way I never would have been able to had I not gone through this. I am so very blessed! amen

to Him be the glory,
Chelsey

ITB pump Update!

   Had my consultation Monday with Dr. Hancock who will be putting in my ITB pump. It was a very encouraging visit! He thinks they'll be able to get me in for the surgery within 2- 3 weeks!( total answer to prayer, thank you all!) He also thinks it will be a good idea for my to go into in-patient rehab for a little over a week, so that they can get the levels of medicine that the pump puts out just right. Now, all we need to do is coordinate the surgery with in-patient. Please pray that they will have an opening available at CMC rehab for me, soon!

Lord THANK YOU for opening up the door for me to have this procedure done and allowing my body to continue to make progress! And just use my life, and what you have allowed my body to go through and miraculously overcome, to bring You glory! amen

Chelsey

..but, the Tongue of The Wise Brings Healing!

I would really like to thank you all for the overwhelming encouragement I received after my last post! From emails, to texts, to phone calls your words really touched my heart! and the Lord has really used it to minister to me and bless me. I thought I would share just some of what you said and pray that it will also be a blessing to you:

-  Sweet Chelsey, bring every thought captive and know those reckless words have no power...because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. You are precious and an inspiration to so many~your story of God's miracle in saving you has touched many lives and people you will never met this side of heaven. Many have been enriched by your gracious way of fighting though all your difficult days and relearning how to do what so many of us take for granted, as I am sure you also did before all this happened. Do we know why God allowed this to happen? No, but what we do know is God promised He'd NEVER leave us or forsake us, I am sure there has been many times and especially nights you had to be really still to find His presence but thankfully we do know He is there! Continue to look up, sweetheart...forget about looking around...it tethers us too much! much love and hugs to you

- James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be MATURE and COMPLETE NOT LACKING ANYTHING." I know you have faced one trial after the next since the accident and I cannot presume to know the extent of all that you have had to face daily but I know Gods Word is truth and he is PERFECTING YOU! PRAISE GOD! And he is using you to minister to so many others including me! I love you girl. I got fired up reading that. Do not let it detour you. Give it back to God as I am sure you already have and let him take care of the rest. Like I have said before I love reading your posts and am so glad to be connected again and a part of your life and journey

-  when I have been accused of something terrible, or misunderstood, I remember Christ knows the truth, and that's good enough! He is the complete and holy guard of your situation. The person who said this is simply a tool of God's enemy, "THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN"...as Jesus commanded, "pray for those who spitefully use and abuse you" for His name's sake. We will never stop praying for you!

-  We have received a few negative comments on our blog and they've been pretty hurtful...but you are so right, the Lord is our defender and we don't need to explain ourselves. Love you and am praying for you girl!

- Chelsey your blog is such a great testament to the Lord's work in your life. I am so proud of you each and EVERY day. I hope this message box will serve as an opportunity for observers to ENCOURAGE you and love on you. you are the best sister in the entire universe and again, i am so proud of how you handle yourself each and every day. Love you!

- Chels, here's a favorite Scripture of mine lately...
"Woe to you when all men speak well of you..." (Luke 6:26)We can't please everyone - only God! I pray for the person who wrote that on your wall. You are an amazing girl- and you NEVER have to explain yourself or your intentions to anyone. There's always that other saying (of which I struggle with too.) What people think of you is none of your business. Ouch. The truth hurts doesn't it? The truth is not everyone is going to like us but in that truth we are set FREE when we finally realize He is our only standard of measure! No need to worry your pretty little head over such things, or feel the need to explain. God knows your heart beloved and so do I! Love you girl! xo

- Love you Chelsey and am praying for your heart to be protected by the love of Jesus <3 Psalm 61..He is your refuge. You are an inspiration and encouragement to so many, always remember that!

And SO many more! Being hurt by someones ignorant reckless words is something we ALL face and I hope some of these comments will be and encouragement to you like they were to me! Love you all!

To Him be the Glory,
Chelsey

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Reckless Words...

  On my CaringBridge the Guestbook had been such a tremendous source of encouragement! Especially on those rough days, your words really lifted my spirits and helped remind me of how the Lord is using my life.... So, about 2 weeks ago I added the "Leave me a Message" section on my blog, thinking it would serve as a replacement for the Guestbook that had brought me so much hope! I really cannot begin to thank you enough for what was said on that page and what a blessing it was for me to read those words.
unfortunately, the message section on this blog has not lived up to my expectations. On February 29th someone under the name "A Sharp Citizen" wrote:

 "We pray for you every day and night . Please stay strong for Aston and Matt .You either blew the stop sign or pulled out in front of the truck Your airbag did deploy. God bless you and your family. Neither the road nor the truck caused the tragedy. Please, as a Christian, don't blame the tax payers of S.C. nor the DOT for your mistake."

Obviously this person must not know me very well, since they do not even know my child's name(asHER!) And not to mention, what they said was completely false! Especially given the fact that back in July of 2010 an expert accident investigation team cleared me of ANY fault for my wreck! It was still very difficult for me to read this message.

please pray for me, as I am feeling discouraged. I KNOW the Lord is my Defender, but that still doesn't make it any less hurtful when falsely accused.

Chelsey

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Faith

   Earlier this week I had a really good conversation with someone whom I had never met but who had been following my story since the beginning. In talking with her she was marveling at my faith, and she confessed to me that she often wondered if she would be able to have that kind of faith and not lose it, becoming bitter should the Lord put her through a similar situation.

   I said to her, "If you had asked me two years ago before the accident if I thought I would be able to have this kind of faith after facing this trial, my answer would be 'I don't know'". The reassuring thing is that I do not have to know because God has promised us that he is not going to let us go.

Isaiah 43:1-3 says,

"But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you.

 O Israel, the one who formed you says,
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

 And listen to how this Chapter closes out in verse 13 with a great and staggering spiritual truth: “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done."  And no one means, NO ONE, not even me!

    I have my faith because God gave it to me, not because I had anything in myself or some secret super hidden inner strength that allows me to have faith no matter what obstacles I face. The Bible says that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed that you can move mountains. I don’t think that means that we are able to move mountains on our own but that if we believe and trust and have that faith in the Lord, he can take even the tiniest bit of faith and do something amazing with it.

Matthew 17:20
"...Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.^[a]”

  

     That is what I know I have: That little mustard seed faith that God has been able to use and do something incredible with. What is in me is what God has given me. If you have faith and trust in the lord Jesus Christ as your savior, that doesn’t just mean that he is only your Savior from hell, but he is also your Savior while you’re here on earth. So, don’t be worried or concerned about losing faith should God send a you a significant trial. He is your Savior and he will save you no matter what you face.

Our faith, my faith is not in-and-of itself, ALL faith must have an object, and the object, the person in whom we place our faith is the Lord and his word.

The writer of Hebrews explains it like this...
“Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.” –Hebrews 6:16-20

 This passage binds God to his own oath and promise! It all ties together in the end with Christ as the guarantor, the payment of this promise. God can only deal in one currency when it comes to promises and covenants, and that is blood. The blood of his son, Jesus, was the only acceptable currency to secure these promises. And when Jesus was raised from the dead, we can now say with full confidence, “The check has cleared!”... Wow, what an amazing God we serve!
To Him be the glory!
Chelsey

ITB Therapy pump NEWS!

   Something new, and very exciting! As some of you know, one of the things I battle with due to my injury is severe spasticity. This effects my recovery in the following ways: it causes my muscles to stay tight and not be flexible, it makes my muscles contract (even though I'm not consciously telling them to). This makes me have to fight my own body to be able to move, and it causes continual pain(especially during the night) from my muscles cramping up.

     I've been taking an oral medication for this, but it simply wasn't working, given the dosage I am able to take by mouth. But great news! Just yesterday I had a successful trial for an ITB Therapy pump! "What the heck is that?" you might be asking yourself. Well, let me refer you to their very helpful, and informative website: http://www.medtronic.com/patients/severe-spasticity/therapy/index.htm . Please check it out because there is no way I could explain what it is and how it works. All I can say is this device is, Lord willing, is going to dramatically change my quality of life, and allow me to accomplish much more physically!

"Look and be amazed!

For I am doing something in your own day,

something you wouldn't believe

even if someone told you about it." -Habakkuk 1:5

To Him be the glory,

Chelsey

We are weak but HE is strong!

"Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so, little ones to him belong they are weak but he is strong."

Earlier this week I was blessed to have had a very heartfelt visit with a very dear friend. During which she really opened up and shared with me about a time in her life where she was weak. She'd only shared her story with a few close friends because she was worried people would view her differently and not see her as a strong enough person to be able to have overcome this weakness on her own.

Well, this really got me thinking and praying, and the song "Jesus loves me" came to my mind. "Little ones to him belong".  God wants us, no-he commands us to be like little children. In Matthew 18:1-4 we read,

“About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

I look at my own child (who is now 4!) and think on the attributes that make him a child. He is completely dependent on my husband and me to meet his needs. He is weak and helpless and he is totally and completely dependent on us and trusting in us. For example, without hesitation or warning he'll just leap into my husband's arms, certain that his daddy won't let him fall. This is exactly what God wants for us, to know that we are completely helpless without him and trust that he will take care of us. In the Psalms David writes:

“I love the LORD because he hears my voice
and my prayer for mercy.
Because he bends down to listen,
I will pray as long as I have breath!
Death wrapped its ropes around me;
the terrors of the grave overtook me.
I saw only trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
"Please, LORD, save me!"
How kind the LORD is! How good he is!
So merciful, this God of ours!
The LORD protects those of childlike faith;
I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again,
for the LORD has been good to me.”  -Psalm 116:1-7

"They are weak but he is strong". So often we see weakness as a negative or undesirable trait, but God wants us to face the reality that we are weak, helpless and unable to do anything in-and-of ourselves. Jesus could not have stated it any clearer: “For apart from me you can do nothing”. (John 15:5b) He brings us to this place of weakness and humility so His strength can shine though us:

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” -2 Corinthians 4:7

 I have seen God do that in my life in remarkable and, yes, painful ways. Lord, break me and make me SO weak that any strength people see in me will reflect all glory back to you. He receives ALL that glory because there is no way that any of it is me! The ONLY reason I'm able to even move, despite my injuries, is GOD! And, the ONLY reason I've been able to have a good attitude and thankful heart through this trial is GOD!

It brings God glory when we are weak and helpless. So rejoice in your own weakness, and know that when you are weak you are strong because of God’s wonderful grace!  

To Him be the glory,
Chelsey

First Post

So, today I crossed a pretty big milestone (for me at least)... I used the bathroom today completely on my own!
   
      It sort of feels silly to me, posting my first blog on how I went potty all by myself, but this has been a personal goal of mine for the past year and a half; and coming from someone who should be dead or at best paralyzed from the cheek bones down, being able to: get my walker, stand up from my wheelchair, walk to the toilet, pull my own pants down, sit down, use the bathroom, stand back up, balance while standing to pull up my pants, walk back to my wheel chair, and sit, with absolutely no assistance ...Well that's just pretty darn HUGE!
  
   Praise the Lord for his amazing faithfulness! Today I read Psalm 40, and it could not have been more perfect:
^1" I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
³ He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the LORD.
⁴ Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,
who have no confidence in the proud
or in those who worship idols.
⁵ O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them...."
  
     And that last part, if I tried to recite all of the Lord's wonderful deeds though this trial, I would never come to the end of them!
 God you are so good! thank you for allowing me to accomplish this milestone, thank you for your unfailing mercy and love, thank you for letting me go through this trial so I could be a personal witness to just how glorious you are!

Chelsey