Six days ago we were at the lake with friends from northern Virginia, the Young family. We had just gotten back from Ohio with them the day before (Cedar Point amusement park!!) and we were having fun at the lake. Zhana, Tyler, Stephen, Corey, Abby, Mariah, Katie, and I decided to start a soccer game, but not thirty seconds after we started, I rolled my ankle off the ball and landed on it. I heard it crack twice, but didn't think much of it at first because it's not unusual for my ankles to crack and occatsionally I roll them when I run. But the pain was not going away and was in fact getting much worse and I found that I could hardly talk, so they sent Stephen back to the beach area to get their dad. I had been squeezing my ankle and pressing into the ground, but thankfully Tyler knew better and kept it elevated for me while we waited. I don't remember much of what was said during those few minutes, but I do remember that Zhana said we need to pray and she immedidately started praying for me. Stephen soon returned with their dad and he drove me down to the house. He told Mom and Dad that he thought I broke it, but I was in denial- I had gone 18 years with no breaks and I didn't think this little fall would do it, but he and mom took me to the orthopedic docotor to see what I did to it. They x-rayed my leg and we waited in the room as I watched the doctors examine the x-rays. I was not prepared for what he was about to tell me. The doctor came in and told me not only had I broken my ankle in two places, but it was broken so badly that he was going to have to put a metal plate in. At that I fell apart. A broken ankle and surgery was not part of my summer plan!!! I sat there in tears as mom questioned the doctor to make sure that surgery was the only way to go. He assured her that he hadn't seen an ankle break this bad in a long time and that there was no other way to fix it. They put a cast on my leg and scheduled my operation for the next evening. The sugery went well, but longer than anticipated- it took about two hours. I made it through the night with my pain meds, and was thankful that Dan has a flexible job because he was able to spend the next morning with me, and that afternoon I was able to go home.
As I sat at the lake that first evening that it happened, it seemed completely surreal and really hard to believe what just happened.... how could I be having surgery tomorrow? What about the annual Bear Creek picnic on Saturday and going to Florida in two weeks? Why did I have to break it
right now?! I began telling Zhana and Tyler how I can either question God and be sad about what happened or be thankful with whatever happens because I know that God knows what He’s doing. As the shock wore off and I began to accept what happened, there were two things right off the bat that I realized I was learning through this.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." - Romans 8:28 For one, There are verses in the Bible which I always knew to be true but never actaully had to hold onto personally. I have said to myslef many times "Romans 8:28" but this time when I said it, it had a whole new meaning. At first I couldn't see how anything good was going to come from this. But these are the times, as Pastor Dan says, we have to remember in darkness what we know to be true in the light. Now, just six days later, I've already seen several ways that God is using this for good. I have to remember, though, that this isn't always the case, and we don't always get the answers we want on this side of eternity.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11
"You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." -Proverbs 19:21
Before this incident, I was just going along with my summer plans, not expecting a broken ankle and surgery to interupt me. This injury has caused me to realize that I live by His plans, not mine. He is the one who hold my life in His hands, and I know that I can rejoice in
whatever comes my way because His ulimate plan for me is always good.
"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Right before I went into sugery, this verse came to my mind. Be thankful in
all circumstances, for this is God's will. Sugery was practically the last thing I wanted to go through at that moment, but I was grateful for this verse, knowing that even in this hard time I had
so much to be thankful for.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you that the testing of your faith produces perseverence. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." -James 1:2-4 So this broken ankle is indeed a good thing, and I am becoming a better person for it!
The second thing that has changed about me is that I can, even in a small way, relate to other people who have had it much harder than me. Right in my own family, Dad, Dan, and Nathan have all walked through (Nathan still is) a much harder trial than what I'm going through. When I woke up from my surgery, I could still feel and move my legs. When Dad came out, he couldn't feel or move his legs, and he had to learn to walk all over again. When Dan had his quad accident, he couldn't even breathe without horrific pain. He had SO many broken bones; I have two, and not nearly as bad as his were. Nathan still has his face covered in stitches from his last surgery, with a drain tube still draining the fluid from his face. This is his about his sixth surgery, and I was scared to death of going in once for something much more minor than his! He is my little hero... The evening that I broke my ankle I overheard him telling someone "I just feel so bad for Anna." At this point, he was only a few days out of surgery himslef and even though he may not have been in as much pain as me, I'd say he was in a much worse state. Bless his little heart... so focused on caring about other people! Even though I knew that what each Dad, Dan, and Nathan were (and are) going through was extremely difficult, I wasn't able to understand it as well as I do now, having stepped into that world, even on a
much smaller level, myself. They are definitely three big heros in my life!!!
these girls are my favorite medicine :)
Big thanks to this family right here for being the best distraction, encouragers, and company in the world!
)
at Cedar Point!
and the memorable drive home.... last day before I became an invalid!
Of course a big thanks to Dad and Mom for taking such good care of me (woud not be where I am without them), to Emily for making me healthy food and being my sleeping buddy (even though I can hardly hold still for a minute), to the girls (Abby, Mariah, and Katie) for getting me whatever I ask and making me get well cards, to Nathan for always reminding me to be optomistic, to Dan and Sarah for being so encouraging and making me laugh, to Anj, Jen, and Jon, for their love and support even though they're not here, and to Will, Hal, Tristo, and Livia for being the best nieces and nephews in the world!!!
_3)
