Dear friends:

The most amazing thing to me, besides my healing progress, is your caring and connective response when you learned of my bike accident (which I am told could have been the last of me) on Labor Day. I consider your support key to my positive attitude and improvement. My gratitude is unending, and I want you to know what a powerful effect your kindness and love have created within me to help me get well and to keep an open spirit.

You connected from our community in many different ways — with visits to the hospital, nursing home and at home or by cards, phone calls, email messages and joyful hugs or hellos. You shared your shock and sadness, your love and prayers, your desire to connect with our family, your wish for a rapid recovery and many of you shared food and flowers. Some gave advice, which often gave me spontaneous and healing bouts of laughter. I appreciated all of your variety of responses, while I struggled to make sense of what happened.

Two recent community connections inspired me greatly. I spoke with the fire captain whose crew of four arrived within two minutes of a 911 call from a Hayward friend who saw the accident. I understand we have one of the best responsive emergency teams in Minnesota, with a top-notch cooperative team spirit. Thank you to all the components of the emergency, medical and care facilities that took care of me. I also spoke with three friends who happened to be in their car near the corner of the accident. I was touched to tears as they shared that when they saw what happened, the three of them put their arms around each other in the car and prayed for me.

Altogether the enduring phrases helped me heal, and I would read them when I couldn’t sleep. Love and gratitude for friends, each of you, for my family and my loving caregiver husband, Leo.

 

Sara Aeikens

Albert Lea