Hi John,

    I've told everyone else this story and now I feel God's nudging; what are you waiting for? 

   My son had only been 20 a few days when he dove into his friends backyard swimming pool, his head hitting the bottom, breaking his neck and becoming a quadriplegic (unable to move anything from his neck down).  By God's Grace, Karl was saved from drowning!

  A week later as I was waiting outside the ICU at the hosp. to feed Karl, I heard over the PA system, "Code blue ICU".  It was for Karl who had stopped breathing and had had heart failure.  This was his end I knew but couldn't bear to hear it from the doctor so I left the hospital.  At my car, it occurred to me to call the leader of the prayer group I belonged to at work.  So I called and told him what had just happened.  Within 45 minutes the entire prayer group was there at the hospital.  After a prayer, we held hands, and stood outside the ICU making an arc about the door from about 6 to about midnight, (not blocking the door).  A doctor came out then and said to please go home, that Karl was fine.  After a lot of Praise and Thanks to God, someone went out to McDonald's and bought a lot of hamburgers. fries and cokes for everyone including the doctors and nurses. 

   Karl remained completely paralyzed and was sent to a spinal cord injury hosp. in Pennsylvania.  It was there we were told, if Karl didn't get any movement return in 6 to 8 weeks, he never would!  It had already been about that long now.  I kept telling Karl the doctors were not God and he should not listen to them and pray for himself.  I might add I was sometimes put out of Karl's room because I was told I was giving Karl 'false hope' by telling him about God, and that he would never again move anything except his head and mouth.

    I was given a cot at the foot of Karl's bed so I could assist the staff with him.  Every time I saw a man of the cloth go by his room I would ask him in to pray for Karl.  A couple times a Rabbi came in.

   One night Karl was very restless and unable to get to sleep.  When he finally did, his phone rang.  I almost broke my neck trying to keep the phone from ringing again.  Too late, he woke up and answered it!   I just said (shocked) Karl, you answered the phone!  It was the 1st time he'd moved in about 9 weeks!  He said, I don't want this to go to your head mom, or anything, but last night I did pray to God but I forgot to tell Him I was right handed. 

   The doctors and nurses came by Karl's room every morning.  This morning I couldn't wait until they got there.  As usual they said "Good Morning Karl, how are you?" and Karl put out his left hand to shake and said, Fine!  At that the doctors threw back his covers to check him all over and conceded he could move and things got a lot better for me!  He was sent to a Rehab Center in VA shortly thereafter. 

  His roommate in VA was also a quad and a dynamite Christian!  He walked out of the center when released astounding everyone and gave Karl his Bible.

   Karl's art talent began to be recognized at the center and to make an (already long story shorter) he went from drawing (adjusting from being right handed) to writing to carving.  His carvings have won him blue ribbons and even white for 'Best in Show'.  Karl would not allow judges to know about him so he could be judged solely as a wood carver.  He carves mainly his feathered friends but other animals too.  His carvings look more like taxidermy since he makes the paint on wood look like feathers and or fur. 

  Karl's doctor here in VA wrote an article about him in a Wood Carvers Magazine called "Overcoming Adversity". It has pictures of his carvings as well as a picture of him with his doctor (also a wood carver).

   Needless to say we went through our 'Dark Night of the Soul' but he's not a bit depressed and doing quite well.  His father had died but left him capable of being well cared for.  He has a beautiful Christian nurse who lives with and cares for him. His Christianity has grown quite strong.  I'm not needed any more and glad for Karl too.  He and his nurse/friend are looking now for the Rapture!

Obeying God's nudge....

Mary Anna
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Wow! What a testimony!
Thanks for sharing, Mary.
John