| After what I call the pirates--the mosquito-borne | | | | We've gained plenty too. We now live an edited life |
| virus that precipitated my husband's case of West | | | | with a great many changes--plenty of them very |
| Nile Neurological Disease--invaded his body, assaulting | | | | good. |
| his brain with encephalitis and paralyzing him in three | | | | We've learned much about pirates on our journey |
| limbs, our lives changed dramatically. | | | | down West Nile. How to fight them, how to make |
| After a month in our local hospital, fighting for his life | | | | friends with them, even how to discover the hidden |
| at first, doctors transferred Rick to a rehab centre | | | | treasure they bring. Three things have proved |
| two hours from our home. There his brain continued | | | | monumental in finding our way about in our new |
| its slow road to recovery, and there he began | | | | normal. |
| in-depth therapy to relearn all his basic mobility skills. | | | | In the rehab centre's physiotherapy room hung three |
| Most patients, we knew, improve faster if a family | | | | words, linked vertically with chains. Each word was |
| member remains with them to help and encourage | | | | deeply carved--and would become as deeply etched |
| along the way. The centre had a hostel attached for | | | | into both our souls: Faith. Hope. Therapy. |
| relatives of the patients. For the duration of his | | | | Like a musical motif, the reminder to keep faith, hold |
| five-month stay I made that my home. | | | | onto hope, and employ therapy, repeated itself many |
| Any room with a view of the sky is a room with a | | | | times after we first saw that sign. The motif is |
| view as far as I'm concerned. My room had that, and | | | | ongoing--and it has kept our little boat afloat, even in |
| more. It had a tree. A HUGE maple that filled my | | | | pirate-infested waters. |
| window and touched that sky. It also had a view of | | | | Why? Because faith, hope, and therapy are not just |
| a courtyard playground which featured as its main | | | | words. They're crucial weapons in the business of |
| attraction, a play-structure. A play structure built like | | | | pirate-fighting. |
| a ship, complete with portholes, a ship's wheel, a | | | | In the first few days after my husband was |
| telescope--and a black flag that unfurled in the wind | | | | admitted to hospital, as I read from the book of |
| like an ominous specter. | | | | Psalms in the Bible, one verse seemed to stand out |
| "God," I prayed, "I've always appreciated your sense | | | | from the rest--a prayer that God would strengthen |
| of humor, but did you have to let the pirates park | | | | hands for battle and fingers for war. At that point I |
| their ship right outside my window?" | | | | expected to take a healthy husband back home in a |
| I didn't spend much time there. I slept in that room. I | | | | week or two. I recall wondering why those verses, |
| showered in that room. I wrote in that room until I | | | | but felt I should pray that way, anyway. |
| flopped exhausted over the keyboard. But I spent | | | | I know why now. Our almost three year journey has |
| most of my days at Rick's side, helping where I could | | | | been a long series of battles. We have needed extra |
| as God and the therapists put Humpty Dumpty back | | | | measures of strength every step of the way. |
| together again. | | | | If your life has been flipped upside down by pirates |
| Almost three years later, the pirates haven't totally | | | | of whatever stripe, remember those words. In a |
| dis-boarded. We've lost much--a way of life, among | | | | battle one needs strong, reliable weapons. Don't |
| other things. But though he hasn't regained enough | | | | refuse therapy, whether physical, mental, emotional, |
| health to return to consistent work, Rick is walking, | | | | or spiritual. Never stop hoping. Most important of all, |
| usually with a walker, and able to enjoy life again. | | | | clutch onto faith. |