Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

This is my story.. The PowerPoint will advance automatically so sit back and enjoy.

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "This is my story.. The PowerPoint will advance automatically so sit back and enjoy."— Presentation transcript:

1 This is my story.

2 The PowerPoint will advance automatically so sit back and enjoy

3 To speed it up you may also click your mouse or press the space bar

4 Here goes….

5 Is there any hope after two crippling strokes?

6 Through Gods grace, there definitely is! Psalm 39:7 My hope is in You

7 Do I have to spend the rest of my life like this?

8 Or could it be like this?

9 Canal boating with my home group

10 To see Swallow Falls in North Wales

11 Arriving on Snowdonia

12 Snorkelling in South Africa

13 I knew that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:28

14 The choice was mine!

15 Either I could accept my paralysis and hold a pity party…

16 Or I could choose to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to heal me!

17 I chose to trust our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

18 I also knew that I had to do my part by working very hard, enduring a lot of pain and many challenges

19 I would not be able to do it on my own but know that in Philippians 4 :13 it says I can do everything through Him who gives me strength

20 The Lord would also send me many human angels to help me along the way to recovery

21 I hoped I would be able to smile throughout, constantly giving praise and thanks for my countless blessings

22 I also knew that if I was to be healed completely it would only be if it is in His will and in His time so I need to be hopeful and patient

23 My long journey begins!

24 On 28 th March 2007 just after 6am I collapsed in the shower and then crawled to my bed

25 I somehow got onto it and lay there as the stroke rapidly spread throughout my brain paralyzing my entire left hand side

26 Several times throughout the day I tried to phone for help but somehow could not get through

27 I lay on my bed all day until a friend, Jean phoned at 10pm and sensed there was something wrong

28 Jean suggested I phone 999 but I did not think there was anything wrong saying I am just feeling a little drowsy

29 Jean then incessantly said she would be driving over a distance of some 35 miles

30 Knowing that Jean was on her way I thought I would go downstairs to make a cup of coffee. I then fell onto the floor and was unable to get myself up

31 I struggled unsuccessfully until Jean arrived shortly after 11pm

32 Jean called 999 and soon I was admitted to Hemel Hempstead diagnosed with having had an ischemic stroke. It was now after midnight

33 I have no family in the UK and I feel that Jean was in my life for a season and a divine reason and also my first human angel

34 A few days later I went for physiotherapy and was still able to maintain a sitting balance and only needed a standing hoist to get up from my bed proving that through the grace of God I had come through this first stroke reasonably well

35 my second angel, my sister from South Africa just happened to be on her first ever visit to the UK

36 The Lords timing was just perfect having my sister at my bedside for the first two weeks while she was supposed to be on holiday

37 Two weeks later I started feeling extremely tired and on 16 th April had a second haemorrhagic stroke which was more crippling as I could now barely move and had to be transferred by means of a sling hoist

38 The next 5 weeks were the worst and was probably like living in hell. This part of my journey is described in a book I am working on. Some chapters now available online at www.hofland.co.uk www.hofland.co.uk

39 my third angel, my youngest son Warren arrived from South Africa as I was being transferred to St. Albans

40 I was glad to have Warren to comfort me

41 My first night at Holywell neuro unit at St. Albans city hospital

42 My 4 th angel, my eldest son, Darrel arrived 4 weeks later

43 The stage is set and the hard work begins!

44 Learning how to get out of a chair

45 Daily physiotherapy

46 And arm stretches

47 My one and only time in the hydro pool on my birthday (27th June)

48 Relearning how to walk

49 Learning to drive an electric wheelchair

50 Relearning to get into a car

51 Relearning how to cook simple meals

52 After a few weeks I did not seem to be getting anywhere?

53 I was told certain negative assumptions by the human professionals

54 I felt dejected

55 Everyone felt dejected at the dining table

56 In walked Leah Mtembu

57 Leah asked the matron if she could pray for us

58 Leah then held me by my left arm and prayed for all of us

59 Leah then quoted Hebrew 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith…

60 Leah gave me renewed hope!

61 Matthew 14v6 with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible

62 I wanted to publically thank and praise the Lord and needed to go to church

63 The nurses allowed me to phone for a taxi

64 Enabling me to give thanks and to praise our living God

65 15 weeks after my stroke I was discharged

66 And moved into a respite home in Welwyn Garden City

67 Our church administrator set up a roster of volunteers to bring me to church each week

68 Regular physiotherapy would now cease

69 With odd visits by therapists the real hard work begins with Christ aided self motivated daily exercises

70 Standing in a standing frame supplied by the NHS and stretches

71 Daily short walks

72 With my Lord Jesus Christs wisdom and understanding of my neurological condition I set myself small but achievable daily targets

73 Soon ready for a few challenges

74 When still in hospital I was told that I probably would not be able to get upstairs in my former home so could no longer live there

75 Three months after my stroke accompanied by my niece and her fiancée Tom

76 I got upstairs to where it all began!

77 I was told that I probably would not be able to drive again

78 But during a trip to SA in early 2008

79 The journey had not ended as my healing was not completed

80 My Christ motivated work continues….

81 I thank God for providing man with the knowledge to develop technology to aid the healing process

82 Use of a Saebostretch to fool the brain that my arm should be straight

83 Nightly use of a splint to prevent muscle shortening

84 Daily stimulation of nerves with a Microstym

85 Encouraging my toes to lift with a FES (functional electronic stimulation unit) when walking

86 Wearing a splint to help against permanent footdrop

87 Regular arm stretches to slow muscle shortening using a pulley supplied by REMAP

88 I thank my God for providing human angels for volunteering to help me

89 Yvonne Gee for loosening up my shoulder to assist me in balancing and so soon able to climb stairs

90 Melinda Ward for doing upper arm stretched and preventing too much muscle shortening

91 Jack Bourner for doing arm exercises and wrist stretches

92 Peter Lagden for supporting and encouraging me throughout my long and arduous journey

93 I thank God for the people of St. Pauls St. Albans for their support and encouragement and being my family

94 I especially thank God for providing human angels giving me the strength and perseverance and for healing me this far

95 In His strength my healing continues...

96 Thank you for looking at the presentation

97 The end


Download ppt "This is my story.. The PowerPoint will advance automatically so sit back and enjoy."

Similar presentations


Ads by Google