Flashback. Flashforward

FLASHFORWARD:

SEPTEMBER 1:

I woke up this morning knowing that something beautiful was going to happen! There is so much joy, excitement, and relief. Cynthia returns home today!!! Whilst it can be emotional for Cynthia to come home and not have Roshan beside her, let’s pray for comfort and peace for her to deal with this reality. It’s going to be an amazing day! Heaven celebrates! We will celebrate because our God’s love for us is greater than anything we can imagine!

SEP 2:

because your love is better than life my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name, I will lift up my hands.

Psalms 63:3

Our daily intimacy with our Father remained strong. We pursued our God; we know He was with us every day! Two months after the tragic accident, Cynthia is back home! It has been a rough, long journey. The support and love from family and friends is beyond measure, no words can describe the genuine love and affection extended.

The celebrations had to begin, we know that heaven was celebrating, we had to continue the celebrations on earth! We rejoiced, we gave thanks, we know that the God we serve is a mighty God! Cynthia remains in casts, her surgeon requires her to stay this way for another two weeks and this means that, even though she is home, she remains immobile. We cannot express the joy, it is only a miracle! We are confident, we have no doubts, the days ahead are well planned, and the journey forward is so overly exciting!

Despite the excruciating years of longing and disappointment, Hannah knew there was no replacement for God. There’s no one else who’s able to create something from nothing. There’s no one else who holds the power of life. There is no other Rock on which to build our faith.

No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

2 Samuel 2:2

There’s no one else who sees the worst of us and loves us anyway. There’s no one else who has compassion for our deepest longings. There’s no one else who can be trusted with the most tender part of our dreams. There’s no one else who’s there to guide, teach, and comfort—when it feels like everyone else has left. There’s no one else who has the power to save.

Many have contributed in cash towards the expenses for Cynthia and Beno and this is deeply appreciated. We have forged forward positively because of your generosity and support for the family Thanks you!

FLASHBACK

JULY 2:

There has been a tragic accident in Sri Lanka involving Cynthia and my brother Roshan. Roshan unfortunately lost his life, while Cynthia is in critical condition in the ICU. Their son Beno was not involved in the accident. Three others, a mother with her two children, were also in the car, they too are in a critical condition and admitted to the Badulla hospital. Prayers are requested for Beno and Cynthia and the three other victims during this challenging time.

JULY 3:

A surgery was performed today for a tear in the diaphragm for Cynthia. It went well. She is on life support. Both her legs are fractured and have been treated with a plaster cast. Currently, she is receiving a medication called noradrenaline. We need to wait and see how she progresses. The medical team wants to perform a CT scan to check for any head and spine injuries. However, she cannot be transported in her current condition.

JULY 5:

Roshan was laid to rest. We praise God for the wonderful life of a devoted husband, a loving dad, a son who obeyed, a patient brother, a super friend to many and one who loved the Lord and gave him the first place in his life. More on this at https://diljacob.com/2023/07/09/the-perfect-storm/

JULY 9:

A week later, we are taking baby steps, one day at a time. The situation is such that planning is not possible. We can visit Cynthia in the ICU at certain times only.  She remains under strict observation. The doctors do not want to commit to anything because her consciousness when off life support is semi. It is a faith walk; we see improvement each day. Last evening, she recognized her son and reached out her hand to hold him. This was the big miracle. The signs are clearly directed towards restoration! She kissed his hand.

She was off life support as the weaning process had begun. A tracheostomy (an opening created at the front of the neck so a tube can be inserted into the windpipe (trachea) to help breathe) was performed successfully.

Beno, our 15-year-old nephew is doing fine, strong, head above the water, always with a smile and very much at peace. He is a walking testimony. The 3 other victims who were travelling in the back seat are from one family and they are pulling through. The mom had a skull injury which has now healed. They need her to get strong to attend to her fractures.  She is progressing well. Her 11-year-old son has plaster from shoulder down, on both hands. His right leg is plastered with multiple fractures and despite all this, he is very cheerful!

The third passenger seated in the rear was the 4-year-old daughter who was discharged from hospital. She had a fracture on her right shoulder. She is fine, was very fond of my brother, insisted that she wanted to attend the funeral service!

We will take each day at a time. God has a clear plan in place, I see it as the perfect storm. We will face it and our eyes will be fixed on the Lord, not the storm. People asked us to explain how the accident took place. My only question back was, ‘if I explained, can we change the situation?’ Yes, we are shocked, devastated and lost, and yet, we have so much to be thankful for. We appreciate the prayers of so many, for their love, their genuine concern, and the support. Thank you!

JULY 14:

We visited Cynthia yesterday. She is semi-conscious and able to recognize people. She cannot speak, she is trying to talk, however, she is progressing slowly, and we just want to make sure she is well.

 The three other family members who were in the rear seat are progressing well. The mother remains in the hospital, she has a surgery for her fractured leg today. She is very cheerful and hopefully, she should be able to go home early next week. We received the news that her 11-year-old son has three fractures, two on both arms and one on his leg. The best news was that the son was discharged from hospital and is safely home. He will return next week together with his four-year-old sister to remove the casts from both their arms.

 Beno is doing fine, he is coping well, he is strong, and he is a boy with so much faith, his faith is absolutely amazing.

JULY 19:

Cynthia is progressing in a fantastic manner!! Our Lord is constantly encouraging us that everything will fall into His perfect will. She is now completely off life support!

The next step is her fractured/broken legs that require surgery.

JULY 21:

Cynthia’s surgery was a success. Praise God indeed! Her leg is on traction. The surgeon placed a pin inside the bone of her right leg. This pin provides a base for a pulley system. There is a weight attached. It uses gradual pulling force to realign the broken bones and promote proper healing. She will be required to stay in bed for a few more days. To add to the positive news, her tracheostomy was removed, giving her the opportunity to speak! It’s a slow process until the wound heals.

Beno was the first to greet her. She began speaking slowly. She then asked him about Roshan, and Beno had to break the news slowly.  What was amazing is how she responded. God has given her grace to take it. She accepted it positively. Her comment was that God’s ways are perfect, and we will accept it. We’ve been praying for this moment, God was surely present, and it was all accomplished according to His perfect time.

The feedback from the ICU is that Cynthia is being prepared to be transferred to a surgical ward. The next step would be to have someone who can stay beside her in the hospital ward. Cynthia cannot recollect any of the incident or even the day before the incident. This is all part of the big plan He has. It’s all incredibly positive. We are progressing forward.

“We do not consider ourselves yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing we do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead”

Philippians 3:13

We continue to thank you for your loving concern, your prayers, and your affection.  We are so thankful for every moment we are facing.

JULY 25:

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Psalms 113:3

Each day is praiseworthy because we have a miracle working God!

Cynthia has progressed to the next level. She was released from the ICU, her condition was well under control, and today, she was transferred to the orthopedic unit! Three full weeks in an ICU, two weeks on a ventilator, and today, she is free from intensive care! When we saw her on the 5th day after the accident, her condition was so frightening that we pleaded, “Lord, what is your will for Cynthia’s life, show us your plan we pray, we are helpless, we are desperate”. Within 24 hours, the Lord brought about transformation, Cynthia gained consciousness, and we witnessed a 360° turn towards restoration! From that Friday, the seventh, each day was a miracle, our wonder working God, the God of miracles assured us that Cynthia was part of an excessively big plan!

A member from church volunteered to stay with Cynthia in hospital. She came forward willingly and has committed herself to being with Cynthia for the next few days in the orthopedic ward! This clearly is not a coincidence. This is a God ordained plan, well in motion!

Beno is so excited that mom is progressing well. The family is ecstatic of the progress, and all of us sincerely and humbly express our sincere gratitude to all of you. Neither of you ceased without praying or checked on how Cynthia and Beno were doing. You had them in your thoughts. Today, you give thanks together with us for the miracle of restoration, progress, and plans that will unfold for the future. To God, and only to Him, be all the glory!!!

JULY 27:

For no word from God will ever fail.”

Luke 1:37

Your continued prayers for Cynthia are deeply appreciated. Whilst Cynthia recovers in the orthopedic ward, she is more aware of the pain and discomfort. Her position is uncomfortable, and as she is more conscious, it’s more challenging. Yet, her spirit is amazing, and this is only because of your love and the love of our creator. She is talking joyfully, asking more questions, and expressing concerns for those who take care of her!

We’ve had to add a second caregiver to take care of her. It was a little difficult with one person. The hospital does not encourage two persons normally. However, they are accommodating this, praise God! Fresh juice was added to her intake, and the process is gradual. This is the long haul. An x-ray of the second reg was done to determine what intervention is required. Thank you again, we walk each day knowing that the best is ahead.

AUGUST 2:

It’s exactly a month today since Roshan was called home. Cynthia’s progress in the hospital is only a miracle. Each day is a day of improvement. She is way better now! She even acknowledged that she is improving day by day! I was blessed to be able to speak to her when her nephew visited her. Cynthia was cheerful and spoke so well! Her main point was that it was only Gods grace that helped her in this state of recovery. She mentioned that the overall body pain has reduced so much. The urine infection she had a few days back is no more as well!

Earlier in the week, Cynthia used to get tired when she spoke a few words. However, today, she was talking to her nephews for more than 1 hour!! She enjoyed talking and was relating many old stories, including fun moments with Roshan, their travels on the motorbike, and other happy moments! It’s no wonder that she has such a clear memory because of the grace of God.

Beno remains strong and cheerful. I spoke to him yesterday. He was staying home as per his mom’s instructions to study for his upcoming exams! He has a heart of gratitude, and this honesty is only a gift from God.

Thank you again for your continued prayers. We sincerely appreciate this!  Please continue to pray for her speedy recovery🙏

AUG 6:

Five long weeks have passed, it sure is a dream when we think of everything that transpired and when we look at what we have today, we can only and ONLY thank God for His mighty hand that remains upon every member of the family. God’s love is just beyond compare!

As the family visited her, we were able to get this picture to share with you that she is progressing well. Beno can spend time with mom, they have the best conversations, and it is only with Beno that Cynthia would talk about Roshan. She would not discuss this with anyone else in the family.

She remains on a fluid/soup diet and is increasing her intake each day. Her x-ray of the 2nd leg has revealed that she does not require any surgery to that leg, it remains in a cast until the fractures are completely healed.

The right leg that was operated on is recovering well. The knee that was in a cast was removed, only her ankle and lower leg is now in a cast. The traction continues to stay in place for total healing to be completed. This is all fantastic news indeed! The progress is much faster than anyone can imagine!

We were able to talk to Cynthia today, with the help of Cynthia’s nephew. We understand that many are very keen to talk with her, however, we request you to please understand that the process is not that easy, and we too cannot talk to her as often as we would love to. From the way things are progressing, we know that her homecoming is near, we are all incredibly grateful for the healing and recovery and thank you all for your love and concern always.

AUG 18:

Dear Family and Friends, thanks for all your prayers and concerns and inquiries on Cynthia. We are now on week 7……..here is a brief update from the hospital:

Cynthia was able to have her hair washed yesterday. The relief and excitement were too good, she just loved it and was ever so grateful! She can have solids, her meal intake is slowly moving towards a normal diet, Praise God! Her Orthopedic surgeon was keen that her plastered legs should remain in plaster for 6 full weeks. We just completed 4 weeks after the surgery and therefore, 2 more weeks of the cast is anticipated. She can sit up, she is very cheerful, she is beginning to talk of good times, and she is counting the days before she can return home. Praise God Indeed!

Thank you again for all your prayers, it surely is a miracle, there is no doubt! We all are waiting for that moment when she can be welcomed back in her home! We continue to thank God for the Doctors, the nursing staff, and attendants at the hospital, they are absolutely amazing!

The purpose of this blog post is for family and friends to be able to communicate with Cynthia and Beno. Please leave a message below or email them at r@go2lk.com, Cynthia and Beno will be able to read all of it and they will personally respond to you soon!

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