Day 1
My beautiful 29-year-old daughter Jessica has suffered a brain aneurysm. I could spend this time updating her medical condition, but that does not define Jessica. This defines Jessica: "Strength and dignity are her clothing..." (Prov. 31:25). I asked God to give me a sign that my child would be well and whole again. I went to the chapel and opened the bible to Jessica's favorite passage.

In its entirety, the passage describes everything that is Jess: "A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies...She riseth also while it is yet night and giveth food to her household...She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy" (Prov. 31:10, 15, 20).

After the neurosurgeon performed a 6-hour surgery, he explained to us that Jess actually had three aneurysms. He was able to stop the bleeding, but she might need more surgeries on the other aneurysms. At that time, Jess was hooked up to 27 IV bags. The ventilator was breathing for her. She was in a coma and was being kept comatose with a drug concoction that included fentanyl. She was completely unresponsive to any stimulation. Doctors were essentially keeping her alive for 24 hours to determine if there was any brain activity.

On the second day, Jess suffered from several seizures and a stroke. She had three more surgeries, and her head was shaved.

I know I can't look at my daughter without seeing "unresponsive." I want to see a mother, wife, teacher, daughter, aunt...anything but "comatose!" Yes, she is very sick, but she is a little better today than yesterday. Yes, she will have a long battle ahead, but amazingly powerful, godly people surround her, and she is so strong. This is a journey of faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.