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Will You Let Me Be Your Servant

May 24, 2018 9:44 PM | Deleted user

The greatest message I was humbly reminded of from my accident is to reach out to others especially in time of need and the greatest lesson is to ask for help. It’s so reassuring to know that others are thinking, caring and praying for you. Never under estimate the value of a simple call, card, visit or meal. It can lift your spirits when you need it the most and the spirits of those caring for you! “Let me be as Christ to you,”

People often say, “Everything happens for a reason”. My belief is, bad things happen and God helps us see the good that can come from it.

Tim and I planned a 3 week vacation to Naples Florida where my mother is a snow bird. Our goal was to get her settled and begin an exercise regime. Our 2nd day of exercise I was hit by a car standing on the curb straddling my bike at an intersection waiting for the car to turn right. The driver never looked to the right and turned onto the busy road and knocked me flat to the ground. I hit my head on the pavement and had terrible pain in my left leg. I was driven to the Naples high school by ambulance where a helicopter was waiting to take me to Fort Myers to the trauma hospital.

I was treated in the ER and waited in the hallway for 4 hours with a dozen other patients for a bed to open up. I had surgery the next day for an open or compound fracture of my tibia in which they inserted a rod and 4 screws. I also had a fractured fibula and tibial plateau which did not require surgery.

Bad things happen. How did God work in my life and our life?

+ I decided to wear a helmet that day, often I did not. I thank both God and my sister that I did. Julie bought the helmet, God inspired me to wear it.

+ The driver stopped (not a hit and run) and asked, “What can I do?” I told him to call 911.

+ God sent me a guardian angel after I was hit and laying on the ground. She knelt down and said to me in a soft gentle voice, “Hi my name is Jess and I am a nurse and I am praying for you. Who can I call?”

+ I had a wonderful place to recover. Mom’s living room turned into a rehab center.

+ Tim had just retired from St. Hubert’s and was available to be a 24/7 caregiver, coach and deacon for me.

+ Our daughter, a nurse, flew down for a week to care for me when I came home from the hospital. Our son and daughter in law and their twin girls were already there as they were on vacation. Our youngest son flew down for a long weekend 3 weeks later. It made me think they were coming to see me for the last time!

+ I did not have any complications from surgery.

+ God sent family and friends to help support us through prayers, cards, calls, meals, and visits.

This experience was very humbling for both Tim and I. Having retired from a nursing career of 40 years and Tim retiring from being a deacon for 20 years and having worked in health care for 25 years, it gave us a perspective of having the tables turned! Our role was always to help others not receive help. “Pray that I may have the grace to Let you be my servant too.” The Servant song, rang true as others became servants to us.

DeColores, Jackie Helmeke 

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