We don’t know everything–we just think we do

From Stephen Hand, whose son Jeremy suffered a traumatic brain injury a few months ago:

The nurses are amazed at the progress Jeremy is making, especially in the last two weeks. After the doctors told us there is no hope (and, make no mistake about it, urged “letting him go”) Jeremy has been responding. He blinks twice to say yes, he can blow kisses, squeeze or release his hand (left side only) on command, toy with and manipulate a hair brush near his side, follows us with his eyes and head. Today we got a call from the acute care facility where he is, saying what we already know, that his progress has been steady, repeatable, and they are ready to transfer him, as a brain-injured person to a brain-injury facility to further assist in regaining capacity. They have documented everything—as did the doctors—- from the first. As he comes to, slowly, more and more, he looks appropriately worried about his condition and predicament which we try to explain to him. People can say what they want, but we consider this a spectacular ongoing development through the prayers of John Paul II and St. Walburga —whose intercession we sought—-after the doctors had him as “gone” and urged us to withdraw everything, all life support, even the feeding tube. Body and soul were never parted in our son. That’s for sure. Don’t always believe the doctors.

When the injury first happened, as he describes, the doctors were trying to get the plug pulled.  It’s proof positive of at least two things: first, that prayer really works; and second, that doctors know practically nothing about “vegetative states” no matter how much they may protest otherwise.

Please keep Jeremy and the Hand family in your prayers, as there’s a long, long road ahead.