First time out….The battle with GBS, God’s Grace, and never giving up.

I had been in the hospital for just over 11 months when I was able to ride in a personal vehicle for the first time. I was granted a day pass to travel home and surprise my parents. I wanted them to hear from me that I would officially be released in one week.

My wife and siblings had arranged for mom and dad to have a big family dinner with the pastor, and his wife, of the church I was raised in.

We use a large garage that is finished out for dinners with family and friends, as we have nearly 50 show up for special dinners. That number is direct descendants from mom and dad and their spouses and children and grandchildren.

When we pulled up, we had it set up for one of my sisters and brother to be outside and help me out of the vehicle. I had to use a sliding board to transfer from the vehicle to the wheelchair.

When they raised the garage door I was sitting in the wheelchair waiting. When mom saw I was there she got up, came running to me and dropped down on her knees raising her hands praising God that I was home. Mom was 76 years old.

Dad could not believe his eyes and was basically in shock. He was 83 years old. He stayed seated and did not move; he was so stunned. I had them wheel me to him, reach out and laid my arm around his neck and it was as if he was pulled from a trance. He leaned into me and started crying uncontrollably. He would later tell me he could not believe it was me, when he looked out the door.

During this time as a family we took in the lessons we’d learned over the last year, and gave thanks that I was able to be there on that day. We ate what seemed like a feast, we told stories and loved one another. We never once took for granted the time we had together, that day and we have not done so since.