Emily the Nurse

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Emily who loved to play nurse. She’d dress up in the costume her mother, one of my best friends from our tiny town in Michigan, had gotten her. It came complete with a traditional cap with a bright red cross.

Emily loved to take care of her dolls and stuffed animals. She loved to wear her beloved uniform to the hospital to hold newborn babies, mine included. Emily, even at that young age, sensed God’s call on her life.

Fast forward a two decades. Emily is now a grown woman with a nurse’s degree, a love for missions, and a wedding ring on her finger from a handsome, also missions-minded man from Charlotte, NC whom she married last May.

Sweet little nurse Emily became beautiful Mrs. Lane Bargeron.

Their courtship was the kind many parents dream of for their kids.

With their kiss at the altar, they set off on their picture-perfect newlywed life.

Then came the Midwest snowstorm the day after Christmas.

I drove home from dropping our daughter Kenna off at the Detroit airport that night. The normally three hour round trip took me nine. Just as I returned home, shaken from my near-misses due to the slick roads and limited visibility, I received a text that rattled my soul. Emily and her husband Lane had been in a serious accident in Ohio while traveling to Lane’s childhood home in Charlotte. Their “In sickness and in health” vows were challenged just seven months into their marriage.

Here is Emily in her own words:

With the snow storm getting worse we decided to take a break at a rest stop as we neared Cleveland. After getting coffee we recognized that the weather had stayed about the same and decided to trek on while it was still light.

Within a couple miles all three lanes began to slide left, during which a semi hit my side. After doing a 360, Lane’s side of the vehicle was forced into the semi a second time. Once our vehicle came to a stop we were both unconscious and were told afterwards that a nurse driving by sat with us until the health care team arrived (whoever you are, we are forever grateful for you!).

At the accident site Lane had no outward bleeding or signs of broken bones but began to have seizures, which led them to recognize his brain damage. I had external head bleeding, so they also took me to a trauma hospital, not knowing what else could be going on.

Within hours with the wisdom of excellent care providers Lane was having a portion of his right skull removed to allow for swelling with the trauma, and I had 12 staples placed where I had a minor head laceration (I was released from the ER within a few hours). 

After being in an ICU in Cleveland and Sparrow LTACH (both for 3 weeks), we are now at Mary Free Bed where Lane is continuing to receive the wonderful rehab and care that he needs to walk again, Lord willing. We praise God daily that Lane’s Traumatic Brain Injury has not appeared to effect his personality, memory, or general cognition.

I am also grateful now more than ever that I went to school to be an RN, as my training has helped us both in so many ways as we’ve set out this already unfamiliar and difficult path. We appreciate all of your continued prayers, for compete healing, as Lane’s motor skills were most effected with the area of his brain damage/swelling. As we wait and Lane works harder than ever before, we rest and find our hope in Christ alone. 

This young couple has been an amazing picture of a willingness to glorify God NOW MATTER THE COST.  At first, with Lane nearly comatose and on a ventilator, there seemed to be little earthly hope. Today he is breathing on his own and they rejoice with each slight recovery of muscle movement whether that is moving a part of his body, holding his head steady or even rocking push-ups or taking assisted steps with a special walker and human help.

They are using the hospital as a mission field, speak of God to the staff whenever they can. Lane works beyond what he is asked in therapy to reach his goal of being able to care for himself again and, most importantly, one day again to carry his bride. And though his most basic skills are having to be relearned, his witty charm remains. (When asked to name something that basically meant strong and powerful he replied “My biceps!”)

They are accepting this horrible tragedy and, in true Romans 8:28 fashion, are using it to glorify God in a way I’m not sure many Christians twice their age (me included) would do.

They also have enormous bills. Emily’s recent first nursing job had to be put on hold so she can care for her husband. They have no income coming in at all.

If you feel so led, you can help this sweet couple. Two friends of both our families are running the Boston Marathon April 15th in their honor. Team Bargeron will be trekking up and down the hilly terrain to raise money—one $26.20 unit at a time (the race is 26.2 miles)—for this young couple. (although a gift of any amount, large or small is greatly appreciated and if it is mailed after April 15th, no problem. Still send it in!)

Below is a link with how you can be part of Team Bargeron. If you donate, you’ll be listed as a partner on the Facebook page.(This is a hometown, grassroots operation so I’m sorry there isn’t a way to give online to the race, only by mailing in a check. They LOVE getting mail from all over so this is an old-fashion method that touches their hearts. If you want to give to their expenses in general—not the race specifically—there is a way to give online should you not have time to hand-write a note and check. Details below)

Thank you.

From the bottom of my mama heart, thank you.

I know one amazing nurse and a most important patient who will be eternally grateful for your sacrifice. She may not ever get to thank you on earth, but she’ll certainly hug you when you see her in heaven.

She’ll be the one who while on earth as a little girl had a cross on her cap and, as a young bride, made it her goal—along with her courageous husband—to boast ONLY in the cross of Christ.

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFO ON LANE & EMILY AND A REQUEST:

To send an email or letter with your well wishes, a prayer, and/or scripture to cheer them on in the faith, or to help them financially please use these below: (Sweet blog friends who are local and want to run right over and hug them both, we SO love your heart but please do not visit the hospital. They are receiving family only during this difficult time. Thanks for understanding.)

And a request: If you email, send a note or mail in a donation, would you please attach a little note letting them know that you heard of the Bargerons here? We’d love to see how far and wide our little community of blog friends reaches.

For the link to give any amount toward the Boston Marathon Team Bargeron by mailing in a check and well wishes, click here.

To join over 2,500 people praying for Lane and Emily and to get encouraging updates on his progress, “Like” their Facebook page here.

Mailing address:

Mary Free Bed

Patient: Lane Bargeron

235 Wealthy SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Email:

Send an email directly through any email account:

• In the “To” field, type: [email protected]

• In the “Subject” field, type “Lane Bargeron”

• Type message and send

TO GIVE ONLINE: The Lane Bargeron Medical Benefit Account through Paypal or Wells Fargo:
This link will take you to a PayPal page on which you can make a donation. If you have a PayPal account, you can sign in and go from there. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can click ‘continue’ under the “Don’t have a PayPal account?” heading and make a donation using a credit card. PayPal has agreed to waive all associated fees with your donations. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EGXNDG6D3P8K8
You can also make donations at any Wells Fargo bank branch across the U.S. Just let the banker know you want to make a donation to the Lane Bargeron Medical Benefit Account which the banker can find on his/her “Store Portal” system. Or, you can mail a donation directly to Wells Fargo at the address below. (Please make checks payable to: Lane Bargeron Medical Benefit Account). Wells Fargo has agreed to waive fees donations for the administration of the account. Well Fargo 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd MAC D1110-024 Charlotte, NC 28262 ATTN: SUSAN SYMONS / Lane Bargeron Medical Benefit Fund

THANK YOU ALL!!!!