'Coincidences'

Andrew and I have been reflecting over the last nine months. Together we found that although Andrew isn't well yet, there have been many ( coincidences). We both felt it right to share them with you:

Our house wasn't wheelchair friendly but due to alterations started two months before Andy's stroke and finished in time for his first visit home, it is now perfect. Andrew  was project managing the build until he was unwell but our friend and architect stepped in to help and, by Andrew's own admission, did a better job!

Andrew took life insurance and hand income protection so we are financially ok. We only took out life cover around nine months before Andy's stroke.

Andrew's grandad, who was very ill, sadly passed away after ninety years just one month before Andrew's stroke. Andy's grandma said that he wouldn't have coped with the situation had he been alive.

Emma has had health problems herself, which she has been treated for with medication for the past 10 years. It would have been expected that the stress of the situation would have caused the illness to flare up but this hasn't happened and she has been able to support Andy throughout the last nine months.

Andrew's official date for him to finish his postgraduate degree to teach medical education was in Novemeber, however he completed all the necessary work just a few weeks before he had his stroke. He has now received his PGCE and we believe that this will give him the opportunity to return to work at some point should he wish to do so.

Andy has been attending hydrotherapy at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and we are seeing real improvements through this. To our knowledge, this is the only place that offers hydro in the West Midlands and people travel from all around. It just so happens to be about a mile from our house.

We couldn't see a way forward with how Andy would be able to come home from Hospital and not
go into nursing care. It was suggested that we apply for funding to have a live in carer. Emma mentioned jokingly to Andrew how wonderful it would be to have Marianne to be this person (she has always been Andy's favourite carer and the two have become friends). We audaciously asked Marianne and she agreed! The care agency said that they would employ her and she has now given in in her notice to Moseley Hall. 

Just when we were considering changing our car so that Andy could come home and be taken to
hydrotherapy, that same week Emma found by accident a car dealership in Kidderminster about 100 metres form where she was working that day, which specialised in wheelchair accessible vehicles.   The dealership was much cheaper than any Emma had been looking at on the internet. That was midweek and by the Saturday we had bought our now vehicle and sold Emma's old car for just £900 cheaper than we paid for it 3 years' earlier under the scrapage deal. We actually made a profit on the swap even though the two cars are both the same age and make!

Andy's mum felt that she should share a scripture with Andy on the day before he had his stroke because she knew that Andy had been having headaches, although none of us knew the journey we were in for. The scripture was Isaiah 40:29-31 which says that even youths grow tired and faint but those that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary and they will walk and not faint. Since then we have had ths scripture confirmed many times by people Facebook messaging it us, writing it in a card, through podcasts, 
encouraging texts or at prayer meetings(not knowing its significance to us).