journeys-page

Earlier this summer Rev. Kelly gave a sermon about how we need others and others need us. Our son Jim was born on Aug. 12, 1975. My first two children were sleeping all night within 3 weeks, and I always told people, ‘Have them like you raise them”. Not Jim. He never slept all night until he was 10 months old. To say he was a boy on the go is an understatement. April 6, 1992, at the age of 16 Jim’s life was changed forever. He was driving our pickup with 2 friends when he pulled the steering wheel to the left. He hit a concrete bridge. The boy in the middle went through the back window but appeared to be okay. The Jaws of Life were used to get Jim out. On the way to the hospital, his friend died. Jim was life flighted to Kearney, where he had brain surgery. The next morning the surgeon said they had done all they could and that we would not want him to live. Jim and God had other ideas. On April 30 Jim was transferred to Madonna’s in Lincoln with one eye open. In Sept. Jim came home. In May, Jim walked across the stage at graduation. But later, Jim developed tremors and today is confined to a wheelchair and requires 24-hour care. He has his mind but cannot do anything for himself. By bracing his arm on a desk, he can operate a computer and still has a great sense of humor most of the time. He has had treatment at facilities in Gardner, Kansas, twice in Austin, Texas, Sheldon, Iowa, Omaha, Beatrice, and Grand Island, and now lives in a group home in Kearney. He will be 48 in Aug. After a meeting with staff this summer, we walked out in the commons area to find Jim rubbing the arm of a non-verbal male and talking to him. Staff told us that he does this often. At a doctor’s appointment the next week, I told Jim how great I thought that was. Jim’s response, “Mom, he Needs Me”! -Leila Johnson