So the journey continues with unexpected outcomes. As we delved into the Black Friday shopping yesterday early morning, I got a call from my oldest daughter who was with Kathy and the granddaughters. Kathy was acting very strange which had been somewhat noticed that morning and even the evening before. We all met at the hospital only to find that she had had a stroke. All of us were at the hospital all day yesterday as they ran many, many tests. My youngest daughter and I spent the night with her in the hospital so I write this in her room as she is quietly sleeping.

The stroke seems to have centered in the part of the brain where language is handled along with thinking. Her symptoms have no paralysis, only confusion and the lack of ability to express herself, unable to find words that fit what she wanted to say. She was also quite unaware that she was even struggling.

This morning as I had my devotional time God reminded me that He will use all things as I surrender them to Him. He has already used this time to bring some family together that were keeping themselves distant. I told God I knew Kathy and I both would thank Him for using this moment in time to strengthen our family’s unity. God is so AMAZING and I never want to lose sight of this!