The Myer's Stockings Were Hung By the Chimney With Care Because the Love for Frieda Hudson Was Their Christmas This Year...

My posts since the first of the year have been geared toward gratitude, simplicity and leading a more productive life. This year, my close friends Martha and Gene Myers along with their sons Jason and Eric AND Grammies on both sides dedicated their Advent/Christmas season to Frieda Hudson. As anyone who reads my blog knows, Frieda, a dear and wonderful friend to MANY beyond the reaches of Pamlico County, suffered two debilitating strokes in July and September of 2007. Martha and Gene have been instrumental since the first stroke in giving support, love and advice on ways and means to enable Frieda to improve. Martha specializes in (my words) bringing out the absolute best in adults and children with severe and profound limitations. Some of these limitations are due to accident or injury, some are birth-related, some are from disease. Martha is one of the most inspirational, motivating people I know.
This is a family of "do-ers." They do not sit around and "speculate" on what they can accomplish. They set out on a project and it is as good as done. So, it really came as no surprise to me when Martha said they were going to do something special as a family this past Christmas. I had no idea just how special it would be! Eric, the younger son, is already at home waiting to leave for his service in the Peace Corps. He will be leaving for Uganda in February. Martha's mom from Pennsylvania and Gene's mom from Ohio had come down to Brunswick County early in the month, so they were there to start filling stockings with the beginning of Advent. Jason, the oldest lives in Seattle and he came home to join the fun during his Christmas vacation.
Each day, someone filled one of the stockings with something useful, something funny, or something that would encourage Frieda's skills. Each day, much love and many prayers from the Myers family went into GIVING...not RECEIVING. Yet, look at what they received as a family in reaching out to someone whose entire life has been changed by catastrophic illness.
On New Year's Day, Wayne and I met Martha and Gene at the facility. Armed with ALL the stockings and hearts full of love, we gathered with Frieda. When we first arrived, she had been sitting upright on a mat for about a half hour. Then, she was in a wheel chair, sitting just fine unassisted with a TENS unit for a while. (These are electrodes used to stimulate muscles and nerves.) After that, we went back to Frieda's room. Still sitting in the wheel chair, Frieda opened one stocking at a time. She was grinning from ear to ear with all her "haul!" The Myers family even made sure the STOCKINGS were gifts as well! They were all great feeling socks, funny socks, nice thick socks...you name it...Frieda now has a pair of socks for it!
I'm still in awe that so many folks have no idea just how much Frieda is improving. Though she cannot "speak" with words, she is spelling, reading and able to communicate much better than you would think. She can still cut you in half with those eyes! Frieda spelled some things for Martha and Gene and we had some very good laughs. Frieda loves it when she can get a good "crack" in on me when we're there.
Also, another dear friend of Frieda's from New Jersey (Joyce Allen) sent $50 to purchase "whatever Frieda wants." I told Frieda about it and she just shook her head. She couldn't believe it. I named over several items and she kept shaking her head "no." Long story short...I made my way to the sentence, "HEY! Do you want me to get as much as I can on the 4 for $20 sale at Blockbuster?" WOW! A resounding YES was evident...so, that's what I did. Frieda loves movies. That is probably the thing I miss most are our weekends together watching MOVIES! We used to say we needed to start a 12 step program for folks who buy too many DVDS and then we'd laugh like crazy. So, the movies are a hit.
Brenda Campbell of Kure Beach, NC and Joyce Allen also made Christmas ornaments, Joyce did original paintings for Frieda and other demonstrations of love and support for her.
The folks around Oriental and Pamlico County have NO idea just how many people outside this area have prayed for Frieda, supported her, loved her and cheered her on to wellness...and continue to even to this day! Actions, words, prayers...all those things go on each and every day FOR FRIEDA. It is truly amazing.
I thought those of you who read my blog when I write about Frieda should know how much bigger than "Pamlico county" this love and healing have been. There are so many caring people out there who continue to love and pray. They don't give up just because so much time has passed. Severe strokes take time to heal. Life for Frieda is not exactly like it was before...but FRIEDA IS STILL HERE! Frieda has taught me more about courage
and strength through her experiences than I can find the words to express. No matter what anyone has said regarding her condition, when she will improve or how much...Frieda keeps pressing forward...even when it's hard...even when it's not fun. She knows that it's going to require considerable hard work on her part from here on out and when you watch Frieda, it is so inspiring. You know right away she's up to the task. She knows ALL the people who love her, pray for her daily and who are cheering her on in her fight to recover. For me, it's an amazing thing to watch. In situations like this, when everyone is operating from a place of SELFLESSNESS, everyone wins! SELF-LESS-NESS---a big word to spell out...even harder to achieve.
Thanks also to Donna Mooneyham, Renee Schram and all of the folks down in the Brunswick country area who have offered prayer, love, incredible advice and loads of information and items to HELP Frieda improve. I can't tell you how much it means to Wayne and me...and on behalf of Frieda, I can assure you, she is both grateful and totally stunned that there are so many people who truly want to see her get well.
God bless each and every one of you. You are all such an inspiration. I appreciate all the support and information you have given ME as well on this journey to stick closely by my friend on her fight to wellness. We will all high-5 each other and give a great big FRIEDA THUMBS UP one of these days when she makes a spectacle of the doctors who gave up on her too soon!
I look TOTALLY forward to that day too! RIGHT FRIEDA??? Keep getting better my friend! You're my hero!
Martha, Gene, Brenda, Joyce, Donna and to ALL the others who have sent prayer, inspiration, emails, cards, pictures...please know your FAITH in Frieda is carrying her as well. There is no tangible item that could ever mean more than FAITH that a person can overcome adversity. I'm watching that happen right before my very eyes.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.
Love to each of you from Annie, Wayne and Frieda.

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