True Love…

Last week Ruby had another seizure. But this wasn’t a “usual” one, not that hers are ever usual. The type of seizures Ruby has are called Status Epilepticus (SE) because they go on and on lasting way past “normal”. The one in April lasted a nightmare two hours. But this last week her seizure was different. At the end of the seizure Ruby did something she has never done before and it was terrifying. Trust me.

Anyway, as her seizure seemed to be ending, I ran to our closet to throw some things in my night bag knowing I would be heading to the hospital as soon as the ambulance arrived.

As I came back to Ruby, I paused and noticed her siblings, all seven of them, gathered around her in a breathtaking display of unconditional love. Of course her daddy was right beside her too.

I had the morning “off” and Dw had been dressing Ruby after her bath when her seizure began. He yelled loudly, “She’s having a seizure.” The kids were all doing their school at the kitchen table.

Without another word, each sibling, had sprung into action. In fact they’ve never been asked to do anything or to come and sit with us as we tend to Ruby. They do it out of their deep love, commitment and adoration for her.

True love is Nehemiah immediately starting to time the seizure. True love is Isaiah running to the kitchen cupboard for our mini oximeter and running back to our bedroom, slipping the monitor on her for pulse and oxygen stats while watching the stats and telling us what they are doing.

True love is Elizabeth kneeling beside Ruby tenderly whispering how much we love her while wiping her face. True love is Jubilee and Elijah all surrounding her and praying. True love is John not even taking the time to position his walker but rather dropping to the floor from his chair at the table and quickly dragging his body to our room. True love is Birdie right there in the thick of it “talking” to her Ree as she seizes.

What does true love look like? This. This is true love. This is true love for others. This is truly love – day in and day out – even when it isn’t “fun” but actually when it’s even scary.

This is true love. I’m forever grateful we get to. And that Ruby knows true unconditional love.

7 thoughts on “True Love…

  1. Amen! What a beautiful picture of unconditional love. As God’s children, getting to join in oneness of heart with him and live in that with others, is life! Your family lives out this love every day; always celebrating the joys together and sticking close in the hard times. Praying for Ruby and you all!

  2. So thankful for the gratefulness and love you and your precious family continue to pour out pointing all to Jesus, Linny. Prayers for all of you!

  3. Oof. Sorry you had such a scary experience. I’ll be praying. But most of all, God bless your beautiful family! Ruby has such a wonderful impact on so many people – her siblings most of all, of course, but really on all of us who have ‘met’ her. I talk about her all the time as an example of God’s unfailing, beautiful love for the least of these. She’s been a true inspiration for me, in my own weaknesses and especially in my psych issues. She is so, so easy to love, and she reminds me that if I can love, love, LOVE Ruby in her difficulties, I can also love, love, LOVE myself in mine. Thank you so much for the effort you put forward to share her with the world.

  4. My seizures were complex partial and I can’t even begin to imagine the way Ruby feels after her seizures are over. I always had auras before and tremendous headaches and toothaches after mine. My 6 yr seizure free anniv is 9/23 after having a right temporal lobectomy 9/30/14. You have my complete understanding for what she is experiencing and I’m thankful for the closeness she experiences with her siblings! It is an unexplainable feeling of relief to know people are there to help you when you are seizing.

    1. Oh Marla! I am so thankful that you have been seizure free for 6 years! God is so very good. I definitely wish I could ask Ruby what she is feeling after, but she is unable to tell me. It does take her about a week till she seems more like herself. The rescue meds must make her feel so yukky. Thank you though for sharing your story!

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