Bible Points

I thought I would begin using my personal blog to share updates concerning my daughter Sophia. It’s easier to use this tool to create the update, and it is also easier to share it across several social media platforms.

Yesterday was the 2nd Anniversary of the attack on my daughter Sophia. Our children and grandchildren got together with us December 26th for our Annual Day After Christmas Celebration. While there was much sharing among my family members about Sophia, I do not recall anyone saying anything specific about December 27th being the 2nd anniversary of the attack on her life. On yesterday, Debbie and I were home and doing some housework, and neither of us said anything to each other about the anniversary of the attack. We had a surprise visit from a close friend who lives in another state. He mentioned Sophia, but again, no acknowledgment of the events of December 27th.

We didn’t visit Sophia on Christmas as Debbie and I were both sick. We didn’t visit Sophia and Precious on the 27th as we wouldn’t be able to pass the medical questions at the security desk…questions designed to keep sick people away from the patients.

Are we losing hope for Sophia’s healing? Is it that we just don’t want to dwell on the past events of that horrific day? Are we settling into more of a submissive posture when it comes to God’s sovereign will? I really don’t know. It could be all of the above. Debbie and I don’t have much conversation about Sophia unless it comes to her care—things she needs, problems at the nursing facility, or future visits. We now have two daughters in a nursing home, and providentially, they are now roommates. We thank God that we no longer need to travel to New York City to visit Sophia and then another facility in Baltimore to visit Precious. Next spring, both me and Debbie will turn 67 years old, and while God has been our Keeper, we can definitely feel the effects of being older. 🙂

At Sophia’s recent Care Plan Meeting, where we received updates from Sophia’s care team, the nurse, activities director, dietician, respiratory therapist ,and social worker, we were told that Sophia continues to be stable. It was routine for us to be asked about the Advance Directives certification (whether we want life-sustaining measures taken if there is a turn for the worse). We spoke to the nurse and dietician about our desire to continue Sophia on fish oil as a therapy for brain healing. We asked the care team to resume some sort of speech therapy, which included a speech valve that would give Sophia the use of her vocal cords while she still has a tracheostomy. The activities person told us she uses tablets to play music for Sophia, tells her short stories, and talks with her. There is also a pastoral visitation in the schedule.

Sophia’s labs are good. Her weight is good. The respiratory therapist told us Sophia is “stable”. They have a policy to suction her every six hours. It’s my opinion that they need to suction her every 30 minutes as each time we visit, we notice her trach is filled with mucus. Sometimes I get nervous about her ability to breathe. We normally need to ask someone to suction Sophia with each of our visits. At the care plan meeting respiratory therapist tells us, “Sophia has a good cough”, in other words, she has the ability to clear herself of the mucous by coughing it out. I’m sorry if this is TMI (too much information) but this is an update isn’t it? Please pray for Sophia’s care. We ended the Care Plan Meeting with me and Debbie letting them know that we are disappointed with the cleanliness of the room and that the CNA is not dressing Sophia with the clothes we purchased for her to wear.

After the meeting, we resumed and completed the Christmas decorations we started the prior visit. The last visit we began decorating but ran into some problems. One of the Christmas trees we ordered on Amazon didn’t have the plug in the box. We also had a an issue hanging large set of garland between the two TVs in the room…it was too heavy and I needed to order some hooks capable of bearing the weight. At this visit we had everything we needed and were able to finish the job of decorating our daughter’s room!

All in all, we praise our Lord for His continued care for Sophia (and Precious). When we pray for Sophia, while asking God to sustain her physically, we ask Him to sustain her hope and joy in the Lord. Biblical joy is not dependent on our circumstances; it is based on the unwavering and immutable promises of our loving and Omnipotent God. Even though our circumstances are filled with difficulties, we can still have joy in the Lord!

God has given the Christian, the follower of Jesus Christ, many precious promises concerning this life and the life to come.

The Bible teaches the followers of Christ are “citizens of heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Heaven is where Christ is, our hope is, our future is, and so are our loved ones who have gone before us; they are with the Lord Jesus in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8). Heaven is where we will have a new existence, in a new body, a place where there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. Christ will make all things new (Revelation 21:4, 5). There will be no more sin, devil, and demons (Revelation 20:10). “The cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8) Believers will eternally worship Christ around His Throne, and there will be pure joy (Revelation 21:3). The psalmist says, “You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (Psalm 16:11)

These are the wonderful truths we remind Sophia of, and pray that she will constantly meditate on. Yes, we are continuing to pray that God will raise Sophia up from her current state. God is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Ephesians 3:20). But ultimately, it is HIS will that we want done. God allows adversity into our lives for our good and His glory. We’ve seen both manifest since December 27th, 2022. Praise Him!

Thank you for praying for Sophia.

Chuck