A Christmas Miracle

Today I came home and found this message of joy on my Facebook. I wanted to share this with those who have followed my journey over the past few months. When the medical profession gives up, it is comforting to know that God never gives up, and that families are not giving up on those they love who suffer an anoxic brain injury. Mary Beth asked the question that so many of us ask in a time of crisis, "Why us." I asked it myself so many times in my life, first with breast cancer at a young age, then at Brenna's diagnosis with type I diabetes, and again when she suffered her brain injury.

Message from Mary Beth Carney and used with her permission.

On March 6, 2011 my husband of 43 years suffered loss of oxygen for 8-10 minutes due to cardiac tamponade after open heart surgey. What he has is called anoxic encephalopathy. Jim has trouble with long and short term memory, Gait ataxia (this causes difficulty with his walking), difficulty with his speech, along with bowel and bladder problems.
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We have had a really tuff time dealing with this. I do a lot of crying and praying and yes even yelling at Our Lord, why us.

...This past Christmas I prayed very hard for one thing--A Christmas miracle for my husband.

Christmas came and went without any signs and then on the morning of December 26th I saw a miracle and for the 1st time in a very long time I had tears of happiness. No, Jim did not have a full recovery BUT what he does have is a miracle. He is standing up from chairs and beds without help. walking around the house and even checking doors and windows before we go to bed. carries on small conversations and his voice really is strong and clear at times.

I told the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that if I received our miracle that I would shout it from the roof top. I am sending this it to every newspaper etc that I can think of to evangelize that miracles still do happen and that we all need to trust in Our Lord for he is good.

Mary Beth Carney

As I sat in church today and listened to the guest speaker talk about all the "cliffs" our country has faced and survived and how each of us should do our part to make things better for our world in which we live, God impressed upon me again that I must be out in public speaking about the issues that I learned while dealing with Brenna's brain injury.

When my heart cries out, "Why?", I know the answer. God has a job for me to do. He is not through with his plan for Brenna's life. It is up to her mom and those who loved her to complete the mission.

This week I took the first step to establish Brenna's Hope Foundation by filing the papers with the Idaho Sec. of State. They gave me the information I need to file for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS so donations can be tax deductible. I have been working on the web site in her honor. I will need people to work on events to raise funds for research for rehabilitation and recovery of those like Brenna who suffer an anoxic brain injury. I am notifying churches that I am available to speak on "Thy Will be Done" and what that means to each of us. God isn't done. I must move forward with his will for my life.

As a good friend has said to me so many times, "Give up everything else before you give up hope."

This holiday has been so lonely without my little girl and my heart aches for her every day, but I know that she wants her mom to continue to share the message that people are not throwaways in God's eyes.

Pam