A Hope Fulfilled in Yosemite + A VIDEO
5 years ago, in the Summer of 2008, I lay in a hospital bed in UCLA's Neuro-Acute Rehab. I couldn't speak or eat. I barely had the strength to hold up my head. It was like I had awoken from a dream, only to find that the waking was worse than any nightmare. And yet, as my wounded brain and broken heart struggled to make sense of my new reality, I experienced hope...hope that one day, I might be OK again.
That hope sparked from within, a gift from God, but it was fanned into flame by my friends, my family, my son, and Jay. I think Jay's tireless advocacy, persistent strength, and unwavering presence encouraged me to put one foot in front of the other on this journey with no end in sight.
The social worker in that ward of the hospital candidly approached my father-in-law, "Big Jay" regarding my Jay. "You need to get your son away. Give him a chance to clear his head. He'll burn out at the rate he is going. 90% of marriages, especially young ones, fail when there is a traumatic brain injury." "Big Jay" lovingly presented his son, my Jay, with the offer of a respite time in Yosemite, a chance to breath again. My Jay replied with a statement that will forever warm my soul and bolster my resolve on this journey. He said, "Katherine's not getting a break from this, so I won't leave either. I'll go to Yosemite when she can go."
And we did. ..
{thanks to the talented
for taking our shaky cell phone footage and making this sweet little video!}