Lydia has had her neck collar off for 5 days now, and it is becoming apparent that she has suffered whiplash. Today her neck muscles were very tight, and strained. She tends to pull to the left side, and this was increasingly evident today. Her taut muscles are hard, and therefore painful. Pray that this tension, which is a natural part of her condition, can be released. In general, her coma is becoming lighter, and so she is progressing to an unpleasant stage where she is restless and confused. Her mind cannot grasp what has happened or what she is feeling. Consequently, she is agitated. She sweats, her respirations increase, and her brow furrows. We have read about this stage, and been warned that this is the most difficult for caregivers to observe. Apparently Lydia will not remember any of it, which is a blessing, because she appears to be anxious and uncomfortable.
In our meeting on Tuesday, Lydia's condition was likened to the season of winter. In winter, the deciduous trees are barren, and nothing seems to be happening, but unseen growth is taking place in the roots, preparing for the growth that comes in spring and summer. Lydia is in a long winter. Spring will come and she will bud and blossom. For now, we trust that in the hidden places, she is being healed. We await the beauty that God will bestow upon her. This is another image to hold, along with that of the butterfly, being transformed in the cocoon.
At our friend's funeral last week, there was a solo with beautifully poignant lyrics. The refrain caught us: Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. Please continue to pray for the hidden things that God is doing in Lydia.
In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there's a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
There's a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There's a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see
