Miracles Still Happen

by Betty Day

Pictures

God is Still Working: A Continuing Journey
Betty & Travis Day
This is a testimony from Betty and Travis Day.  Although Betty has no memory of the car accident, or time spent in Huntsville Hospitals Trauma ICU, our thoughts are together to tell of this happening.  
This testimony is written through the eyes of Travis, with Betty by my side, having as much input as myself.

As you read through this testimony, please understand it may get very personal.  The outcome of a testimony should Glorify God, which we do, but not without showing all sides of what we experienced, and what we’re still facing, since Betty’s accident. 

June 26th, 2024 marked a year since the terrible car wreck.  We felt this is a good time to share this testimony for those who don’t know about it and also update for those who were by our side, praying, helping, and loving us during that trying time.

June 26th, 2023 – Life Changing
On June 26, 2023, approximately 7:30pm, Betty finished up the day working at our two sons’ business, traveling on I-565 heading back to Birmingham.  She had traveled a short distance out of Huntsville, near the Huntsville – Decatur International Airport, when she was struck from behind by an erratic driver. 
He was traveling at such a high rate of speed, her Honda CRV flipped end over end multiple times, (three eye-witnesses gave their report to the Huntsville Police Department that the car flipped 6 to 8 times end-over-end), crossing lanes of traffic, airborne, came down onto the steel guardrail, continued down a slope, into a ravine and landing into a tree, breaking branches as the car came to a rest.  
The driver door had been torn off during the multiple flips of the car, exposing the sharp metal frame of the car in place of the door.  The car landed on the driver side.  Her arm was under the door (frame), and the weight of the car was laying on her left arm.  The arm was pulled out of the socket, broken in the ball-joint of the shoulder, as well as in several places between the elbow and wrist.  The top layer of the forearm had been sliced off by the sharp metal of the door frame.  Needless to say, her left arm was almost gone.
Her left lung collapsed.  All the ribs on the left side were broken with multiple breaks in four of the ribs.  Her sternum, as well as a couple of ribs on the right side were also broken.  The right forearm had a chunk of skin / flesh, sliced and torn away.  The Trauma Team assumed there were breaks in this arm as well, but due to the many other concerns they just wrapped the right arm until the next day.  In the follow-up x-rays the next day, the right arm didn’t show any breaks, only the terrible gap of flesh missing from the arm.   She also had an approximate 5-inch cut on the top of her head, along with a brain bleed. 

At The Scene of the Accident
Witnesses called 911.  
Per witnesses, his rate of speed was so great it catapulted her car, causing it to become airborne, but greatly slowed his car at the same time.  As Betty’s car hurled end-over-end multiple times, the man’s car then hit the median wire fence, and came to a stop.  He then got out of his car and ran, disappearing into the dusk, as the sun was setting. 
As the emergency crews were beginning to swarm the area, Huntsville Police brought their K-9 units to the scene and had the police dogs smelling of the man’s car, then tracking his path away from the crime scene.   The dogs lost his scent.  The man was gone. 
Note:
The Huntsville Police Department identified the man from the car by witnesses that saw him, items in the car such as mail addressed to him, as well as by the owner of the car that said he was using her car for a few days.  She later said he stole the car, as well as he was buying the car.  We still don’t know the correct answer.  

Crime Scene / Victim / Fatality
The call made to 911 stated there was a fatality in the accident, still in the vehicle.  The Fire & Rescue team that went to the scene, expecting to be removing a fatality from the mangled vehicle, found a very slight pulse.   Everything changed at that moment.  
Huntsville Police marked the area a Crime Scene, due to the impact being at such a high rate of speed, as well as the man leaving the scene.

Recovery turned into Rescue
With the car resting on the driver-side, before Betty could be removed from the vehicle, the car had to be tilted to free her left arm from under the door frame.  The Fire & Rescue Team, working through the opening that was once the front windshield, also cut through the sun-roof, making the opening to where they could better tend to her medical needs, and then removed her through this opening. 
The paramedics carried her up the ravine to the side of the interstate where they could work more easily before transporting her to Huntsville Hospital.  
On the way to the hospital, the paramedics radioed to the Trama Team multiple times that she “bottomed out”, and did not feel she would make it to the hospital.  All the medical supplies in the ambulance were exhausted on the attempt to keep Betty alive during transport.
From the time of the accident, to arriving at the hospital, was a time-span of approximately one hour and ten minutes. 
(This information was told to us by the Trauma Team at Huntsville Hospital).

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. . . . Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23 KJV)

When the Wreck Happened 
I was at home in Bessemer.  Betty called me from her cell phone, using the car’s voice control to call and talk with me.  
Betty:	Hey, I’m on my way home.
Travis:	 You’re leaving later than normal.  Be careful.  
Betty:	Ok.  (Pause) . . . Hey, I’ll call bac . . .
We lost connection at that moment.  I called multiple times, trying to reach Betty.  I then pulled up my GPS “Friend Find”, and saw she was on I-565, leaving Huntsville.  
I remember looking at my phone and it was 7:27pm when we lost contact.  
I called back.  I kept calling.  
I expected Betty to call me back stating there was an accident and she would be tied up in stalled traffic for quite a long time.  (This is typical for I-565).
I texted the kids to see if they heard from Betty.  Hoping that one of them was on the phone with her.  No one had heard from her.  

Why is she not calling me back?    God, please have your hand on her!

I called our son Adam (in Huntsville).  I told him the last time I heard Betty’s voice, and felt there was something very wrong happening. 
GPS showed movement approximately 8:22pm, while I was on the phone with Adam. 
We followed Betty’s GPS back to Huntsville, and to Huntsville Hospital.
Adam was already going out the door, heading to the Hospital, while we were on the phone.  He immediately suspected something terribly wrong, while I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and already denying any horrible thoughts.  
I kept calling Betty’s phone, although I watched each mile go by as her GPS headed in the direction of the hospital. 

I still could not think in my brain the reality of what was happening.  I see her moving in GPS.  Why is she not calling?

Reality Hit Me – Jane Doe 
I called once again and a woman’s voice answered Betty’s phone, “Huntsville Hospital”.
I immediately felt dizzy, for my (any of us) worst reality was becoming true as I spoke to the voice on the other end.
Travis:  This is my wife’s phone!
Voice:	 Sir, is your wife allergic to any medications?
Travis:	 What is happening?
Voice:	 Please sir, (the voice very solid) answer these questions for me and I’ll then talk with you.
Travis:	 Ok.
The voice now held me, and was in full control of my thoughts.  She asked many questions concerning life-threatening circumstances.
I was told I, and family, would need to get to Huntsville Hospital as quickly as possible.
The last question was, “What is your wife’s name”?  (She was listed as “Jane Doe”).
Jane Doe . . . She’s “Jane Doe” . . . A name is everything.  It’s our identity.  They couldn’t even call out to her by name to see if there was a response.
Prayers were already happening.  They didn’t know her name, but there is One that sits on the Throne that did.  
Her name is Betty . . . Betty Day.
After the questions, the voice became my hope, and my only knowledge of minute-to-minute happenings.
The hospital representative told me that Betty was in a critical car accident.  She had bottomed-out several times on the way to the hospital and was not sure if she would make it, but she is now at the hospital and the Trauma Team has met the ambulance at the door.  She stated Betty is unconscious, but as she’s moved around, she unconsciously-awakes and becomes combative due to severe pain, but then falls back to unconsciousness. 

This picture became imprinted in my brain and was all I could see.  Reality was hitting me from every direction.

She got my cell number and said she would call me back as soon as she could, and would stay in touch with me through the trip from Birmingham to Huntsville Hospital.  The call ended.  

I remember leaning on the wall in the hallway, calling out to God, sobbing.  This can’t be happening.  

Adam was already on his way to the hospital in Huntsville.  I immediately called Matt, Beth, and Melanie and told them of the news. 
Matt and Beth both live in Birmingham and were instantly on their way to pick me up and head to Huntsville.  Melanie and her family quickly left their home in Oklahoma City for the long trip to Birmingham.  
What seemed like a very long time was only minutes.  
I called Pastor Bertram, and thinking back, I’m not sure how or what I said to him through my crying, but delivered the news.
While in the process of calling other Prayer Warriors, my phone rang.  It was the hospital.  I don’t remember all she said, but know she was informing me that Betty was in the hands of the Trauma Team and receiving full care.  She told me that Betty is still unconscious and being very honest with me that the Trauma Team is doing everything they can to bring her through, but she continues to “bottom out”, but at the moment she is still with us.  
I told her we would be leaving within minutes, headed to Huntsville. 

As the phone call was over, I again loudly called out the Name of Jesus, sobbing greatly, asking God for his hand on my wife.  

On the way to Huntsville
Matt and Beth arrived at the house about the same time and we headed out on the two-hour trip to Huntsville.  Matt was driving. 
Adam reached the hospital moments after I received the second call from the representative.  He will now be the point of contact and relay the news to us as we make the drive.

I remember during the drive, each time the phone would ring from Adam, Matt would answer the call.  But what I remember most is, as the phone would ring, we would all instinctively take a deep breath . . . each call facing the unknown. 

When Adam arrived at the hospital, the doctor told him that Betty was, “very sick”, and tried to prepare him that she would probably not survive.  Thankfully, Adam had family from the Huntsville area gathering at the hospital for support.  
(Note:  Betty has five sisters and a brother, as well as several dozen nieces and nephews in the area, and family is “tight”, Praise the Lord!)

The next few hours would be very critical.  The ambulance was met by Dr. Kevin Tyler, the trauma surgeon, and his team.   Betty was immediately placed on a ventilator, 100% oxygen, as first priority.  Several hours went by with the trauma team working on her injuries.  She was moved to the Trauma ICU.  Me, Matt, and Beth arrived at the hospital to join Adam, and a host of praying family.  Melanie would be arriving in the morning.    
Myself, Adam, Matt, and Beth were allowed into the Trauma ICU around 11:00pm that evening to see Betty for the first time.  The team went over the list of injuries, along with the seriousness of the next few hours, and days ahead.   The visiting hours were 10:00am, 1:00pm, 4:00pm, and 8:00pm, each being a ½ hour visit.  I was reminded several times that Betty may not make it through this, and prepared me for the possible fact that I may be going home without her. 

He’s a merciful, on-time God

The doctors stated if she did survive, she would most likely have brain damage, not be “the same person” as we knew before, may not have clear speech, and probably will have difficulty with either walking and/or body functions, (mainly due to the head injury, brain bleed). 
During the first three days of Betty’s hospital stay, she had four separate surgeries.  There were several specialists over this time-frame that worked continuously with her.  Each of the surgeries were “planned / scheduled”, for specific times, but, on one occasion we arrived to find she was currently in surgery, and another time we arrived she had just come back from surgery and we couldn’t go in for the visit for another hour.   We were told each time that there were “at the moment” opportunities, where her current vital signs would give the best advantage for “at the moment” surgery.  
Surgeries included:  

-	Repair the collapsed left lung; 
-	Reattached and set left arm in place
-	Left forearm set and rebuild 
-	Restructured full left chest wall 
-	Plating 4 ribs that were broken in multiple places
-	Scanned brain-bleed / head injury 

Betty was on the ventilator in Trauma ICU from June 26th, through July 7th.  The trauma surgeon on duty that particular day stated if they didn’t get her off the ventilator by Saturday, July 8th, the next step would be a tracheotomy.  If she remained on the ventilator after this amount of time, her body would be dependent only on the ventilator, and the chance to be removed would be slim.  It was expected that Saturday, July 8th would be the day to attempt to remove the ventilator.
On Friday, July 7th, 2023, at the 10:00am visit, I walked in to see Betty off the ventilator, and on the pressured CPAP.  The doctor was still in the room watching her response to the change of oxygen.  He said when he arrived earlier, Betty’s oxygen level was at the best point of “risking” the removal of the ventilator, and the risk had to be taken.  If it failed, the ventilator could quickly be replaced.
It worked.  The risk was successful.  
The CPAP was on full air.  They said it was like traveling down the highway at 55 mph, your head out the window, your mouth open, and trying to take a deep breath.  This remained as her source of oxygen for a couple of days.  She was kept on a high level of medication due to pain, and the uncomfortable state of the high air flow.  
After the ventilator was removed, Betty remained in Trauma ICU for another 6 days, moving to a “step-down” room on July 13th.  It would be another 10 days before she would be able to leave for home. 

Singing Like You Can Hear Me
During each ICU visit, two people were allowed into Betty’s room at a time for the ½ hour visit.  I was in for the full ½ hour each and every visit.  Our children, family, and church family would take 5 to 10 minute “change-outs” during this time.  
Each visit I would have my “alone time” with Betty.  I would lean over to her ear, and even with the loud noise of the ventilator, and later the CPAP, I would sing songs into her ear . . . 

God is Great, God is Good, He is Merciful,
Unto all who will call on His Name.
Yesterday, and today, and forevermore,
He abides, and He’s always the same. 

I didn’t know if Betty could hear me or not, but I spoke to her like she heard every word.

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I love you Cupcake
It wasn’t easy to see Betty lay there in front of me, never moving, never responding.  If I could get a response from her, I knew how to do it.  Several times I would lean over to her ear and say, “I love you Cupcake”.  I knew she hated for me to call her “Cupcake”, and if there was anything that would stir her, this would be it.   
Several times, when just the two of us were in the room, I would lean over and say, “I love you Cupcake”, . . . there was no response.  I would lay my head on her pillow and cry. 

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“Hair Do” 
There was one day I walked into her room and the nurse was standing there smiling ear-to-ear.  She stepped aside and I saw she had brushed Betty’s hair, placed it in little braids, and had the braids laid across the pillow.  The nurse was so happy with this.  I told her it looked beautiful, and thanked her as she stepped out the door.  I leaned over to Betty’s ear and said, “If you knew what your hair looked like, you would probably jump out of this bed and run down the hall”.  I laughed hard, cried for the release of laughter, and told the nurse again later I loved her personal touch.  
You get to know people quickly in stressful circumstances.  I thanked God daily for the people that worked in the Trauma ICU.  What a dedicated team of people.

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Prayer was continuous.  I didn’t have to be on my knees, in the Prayer Room at Church to pray.  I prayed continuously.  I had Jesus on my mind when hearing the hospital representative tell me the horrible news over the phone.  I called out to God, sobbing, numerous times, begging for Him to spare my wife.  I was praying while I was listening to our children on the phone.  Prayer was a vital part of each moment.  Asking God to take us from the “valley of the shadow of death” . . . “for thou art with me” . . . stayed in my mind and in my heart.  My inner soul was in a prayerful mode.  Every fiber within my flesh was in prayer. 

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God guided the hospital staff and Betty’s life was spared.  In her words, “I was given a second chance!”

To Amputate, or Not To Amputate
While in Huntsville Hospital, and later in a follow-up visit with the Orthopedic Specialists, Betty was shown by two different doctors where her left arm would most probably be amputated.  Both said the same thing.  It would be about half-way between the shoulder and the elbow.  Each doctor stated, “ . . . due to the severity of the injury, the arm will eventually start drawing up as the muscles tighten and die out”.  Each doctor (during their respective visits) reached out and drew an imaginary line of where the amputation would take place.  Approximately 3 Orthopedic Surgeons told us the left arm would need to be amputated. 
Our last visit in December 2023 with Dr. Su, over Huntsville Hospital Orthopedics and The Orthopedic Center (TOC), recommended we look into a nerve transplant procedure.  His recommendation was to contact the University of Kentucky Medical School, for they had the best nerve transplant physicians that could possibly help us.    
We left the hospital believing we had two options:

-	Contact the University of Kentucky Medical School for a possible nerve transplant, or,
-	Amputate the left arm, mid-way between the shoulder and the elbow. 


Eyes Open – Thank you Lord!
From the evening of June 26th, Betty was kept in an unconscious state due to the severity of pain and the need to remain immobilized.  On Tuesday, July 4th, Betty opened her eyes.  The Trauma Nurse said they lessened her medication for they want to observe her responses.  It had been 8 days since she had the accident.  Eight days of talking to her with her eyes closed.  Eight days of not knowing if I would see her open her eyes again. 
The nurses told us to speak her name, talk louder than normal, and try to get responses from her.  I did just that.  It wasn’t long before you could see we were bothering her, like she was trying to sleep.  A few minutes more, her eyes came open.  

I cried.  I laughed.  I told her I loved her.  I tried to fill these precious minutes of consciousness with everything I had.  She was expressionless, but she could see me.  

She kept drifting off, but I understood why.  She had so much medication, she could not remain awake very long at a time.  Each visit after this, as we would walk down the row of ICU rooms, filling with anxious family members that were waiting with us to get back in for a visit, I could see Betty, laying in her hospital bed at the end of the row of rooms.  Her eyes open.  It wasn’t long before she would watch for us.

Expressionless – Are you ok?  “She Smiled”!
One visit, a few days after Betty was able to open her eyes, Pastor Bertram and I entered the ICU area for a visit.  Betty saw us, I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead.  Pastor Bertram spoke with her as well.  She would look at us, but she was expressionless.  Was she seeing us?  Did she know us?  How can we know what she is thinking?
The ICU Nurse came in and Pastor got into a depth of conversation with her.  I found it a little humorous, for I know what he was doing.  He was speaking on an educated level with the Nurse, going after the “big questions” in hopes we could learn anything more than we already did.  Maybe get a scoop.   (I love my Pastor)! 
While they were talking, I leaned over to Betty, got face-to-face, looked her in the eye, and said, “Do you know who I am”?  There was no response, only a blank stare. 
I repeated this once more.  “Do you know who I am”?  “I love you”.  Again, just a blank stare as the response.
I rose up, turned to the nurse and Pastor Bertram, and asked the nurse, “Do you think she understands me”?  “I’m afraid she may not recognize me since she’s not responding”.  I felt very emotional.  I’m not even sure how the nurse responded, but I turned back to Betty.
As I leaned over to her, the nurse and Pastor Bertram watched me as I said, “Do you know who I am”?  There was a brief moment.
Betty, looking straight into my eyes, gave the biggest smile I could have ever hoped for.  It lasted for about 3 seconds, but “She Smiled”, I blurted out.  About the same time, Pastor did the same, “She Smiled”!
In my emotional response, tears of joy flooded my soul.   We all laughed heartedly.  I turned back to my beautiful wife, planted a big kiss on her forehead, and told her I loved her.   
I could have moved a mountain at that moment!

Sometimes there’s tears, sometimes there’s joy,
Sometimes I have tears of joy,
My praise to you, comes from my heart,
I give to you, my quiet praise.

Quiet Praise,
Lord, you hear my quiet praise,
Above the noise of all the world.
Quiet Praise,
Flows gently from the heart,
From you I won’t depart, with my quiet praise.

I’m So Blessed
Our Pastor, family, church family, and friends spent countless hours visiting and supporting Betty, me, and our family.  Prayer requests had been sent out to multiple churches, throughout many states.  
How blessed we were to have so many prayers go up on behalf of my lovely wife, Betty.  I will forever be thankful to everyone.  

Knowing Betty was initially listed as “Jane Doe” at the hospital because, her purse was unknowingly under the car with all of her ID, the doctors didn’t know her name, . . . 
but God did!

Planning “No Insurance”
For 40 years of marriage, we always had medical insurance for our family.  We were never without medical, dental, and vision insurance.  In February 2023, I had surgery on my spinal cord, and was covered by Medicare Insurance, due to me already being retired.  Betty worked at Chick Fil A in Helena, AL, for the sole purpose of having medical insurance.  However, due to my surgery in February, Betty left her job to help me in recovery, and planned to return to work later.  
“In the meantime, there would be no medical insurance for her”.  
In 40 years of marriage, she rarely went to the doctor, was rarely sick to even go to a doctor for flu or cold medication, and didn’t even like to go to a doctor.  Even with medical insurance she rarely used it.  What could go wrong over a few short months?

Summary:  Betty did not have medical insurance at the time of the accident, or for the remainder of the year 2023.

Hospital Social Workers (doing their job) (?)
One day, out of the blue, two hospital Social Workers came into Betty’s room and asked how she was doing.  We told them she was doing so much better, meaning she was out of the woods of life-threatening injuries, and recovering faster than we imagined.  The lead Social Worker quickly stated, since we didn’t have insurance, they would have to turn the room fairly quickly, and we were up to be discharged.  In disbelief I asked, “When will this be”?  The lead Social Worker stated Betty would be discharged “today”.
I was in shock.  I noted how her arm is still like raw meat, the level of dressing and care she needed each day, that she can’t even stand on her own.  The two women only apologized and stated that we would be receiving our discharge papers later in the day.  
Although I am slow to anger, I did find myself very boldly telling them to leave the room.  I do remember asking the two women how they can place us out on the street when there was still more detailed care, therapy, and medical attention needed.
The two women left the room as I was literally crying out very loudly.  I remember sitting back down next to Betty and laying my head on her bed and sobbing out of disbelief.

Adam (our eldest son), and Trauma Doctors to the Rescue
When Adam heard of the visit by the Social Workers, he quietly hung up the phone from our conversation, and unknowing to me at that time, called the Hospital Administrator.
He told the Administrator his thoughts of what happened, and the Administrator immediately let him know Betty would not be discharged, as he apologized for such a behavior.
Later that same day, one of the Trauma Surgeons, along with their team were making rounds to their patients.  I told him of the visit of the two Social Workers and he raised his voice quite loudly, and waving his arms stated outwardly, “There will be no discharge until WE say discharge, and it will not be soon”. 
I never asked anything about why this happened.  All I know is the discharge plans stopped immediately.  I never saw the two Social Workers again until the actual discharge, that was planned in detail by the Trauma Team.  The two Social Workers were nothing but helpful at that time.  

Preparing To Go Home
To go home, the doctors wanted Betty to first go to Rehab, for several reasons:
-	Her left arm still looked like raw ground beef when the bandages were being changed each day.  From the elbow, to almost the wrist, the top and sides of her left arm were nothing but one large open wound.  There was tedious care that needed to be done with each daily change of bandages.
-	Betty could still barely walk, much less stand on her own for very long at a time.
Due to no insurance, there was not a Rehab that would take Betty.  We were expecting her to be in a Rehab for a couple of weeks, but now things changed.
After multiple phone calls from people we knew, a Rehab in Birmingham also had an office in Huntsville and wanted to do a charity visit for us.  We were accepted for two days into Rehab.  However, we would be there long enough for the following:

-	They will show me how to care for Betty at home in:
o	Changing bandages, ordering supplies, etc.
o	Daily needs of dressing, bathing, care.

Another Blessing
When we had our first visit from the two Social Workers telling us we were to be discharged that same day, along with the Rehab’s not accepting us, I got with the nurses and we formed a plan.  Under their care, I would change Betty’s bandages, know the supplies that are needed, and help her in any physical way needed from that moment on.  The Trauma Surgeons also knew of our plan.  Going forward, changing bandages, eating, bathing, toileting, became my sole purpose.  
It was well understood . . . If we needed assistance, the nurses, techs, and any additional help would be there.   The full time we were in the step-down room of the hospital I “assisted” the nurses in changing the needed bandages.  They were in charge, and they did the actual work, but I had “hands on” in the care, and so very thankful of this.  Any physical needs that could be done by an aide, I did it, along with their instructions.  
This team trained me to where they felt we would be self-sufficient in event we were going home.


Rehab or Not – We had a Choice 
We ended up turning down the charity gift of two days in rehab, for we, (along with the Trauma Doctors, the team of nurses, and the aides), all felt comfortable for us to go home.
 
HAPPY 40th ANNIVERSARY – Let’s Go Home
Betty’s Notes:
The day I was discharged was a beautiful day.  It was July 23rd of 2023.  Besides going home after such a long, life altering event, it was a day that should have been celebrated differently.  July 23rd was mine and Travis’ 40th Anniversary.  Instead of having a big 40th wedding anniversary trip planned, we were thankful the trip we had was going home from the hospital.  We have each other.  Instead of Travis going home alone, (expected just a short time before), we were going home together.  Happy Anniversary!

Going Home with Injuries – Getting a Birmingham Doctor
Arriving home was glorious, emotional, and scary.  The first day I had to clean the open wounds, change bandages on her left arm, as well as opened, healing wounds from the four tubes on her side and back, that kept her left lung drained, was now all mine and Betty’s to deal with.  Can we do this?

Prayer continued.  My faith was strong, regardless of the outcome.  Mountains have already been moved as you look at the miracles, we had from day one, at the site of the wreck, to now being home, living, breathing, talking.  I cried often.  Not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy.  Prayer changes things.  Prayer coming from a depth of your soul, changes things faster.   
I still feel like we had Angels camped around us many days and nights.  When you are so far down in your flesh, that the inner-man is exhausted, but you whisper “thank you” to God, I believe this quiet prayer is heard at God’s Throne as loud as a shout of joy. 

Cleaning wounds and changing bandages became a part of our daily life.  Before the accident, any one of our grandkids could come up to me and wiggle a loose tooth that was ready to fall out, and I would get queasy, and have to turn my head.  Now I’m cleaning a fully open wound, placing cream on it, and bandaging it, without the first thought of queasiness.
We would drive to The Orthopedic Center in Huntsville every other week to be checked by Team of doctors.  Each visit showed signs of healing in the left arm, as far as open wounds were concerned.

New Insurance 2024 – New Doctors 
On January 1st, 2024, we were able to start the new insurance.  We immediately had an appointment with her new General Practitioner, who we needed to make ‘referrals’ to the Specialists we needed in the Birmingham area.  Priority showed we needed a Specialist for the care of her left arm, more than anything at the moment. 
We were referred to two separate Orthopedic Surgeons, with both of them calling us prior to the scheduled appointment time and saying, “I have reviewed your charts and files from Huntsville Hospital, and sorry to say that there is nothing our team can do for your arm.  We see it is more than our team can deal with”.
We lost a great deal of time in getting appointments set with these two doctors, waiting to almost the day of the appointment, only to hear there is no reason to come to them.  I do believe each one was sincere in their hope that we would be able to find a doctor to work with us.
One of the Surgeons made a referral to a UAB doctor.  Dr. Mohammad Morsy.  We reached out for an appointment, received one, but it was almost 3 months in waiting. 
April 9th, 2024, we had our first visit with Dr. Morsy.  We talked about the long awaited Nerve Transplant.  He immediately noted Betty’s age was against her.  We actually all sat there and laughed.  We had come so far down this terrible path, only to hear this news.  He went on to say the best candidates for this type surgery would be young adults, but better yet, children, and even babies.  For their nerves mend, and grow better.  However, for someone at this age, the nerves would not mend and grow as needed in such a delicate operation. 

Amputate or Not to Amputate      (once again) 
We told Dr. Morsy of the Orthopedic Surgeons that drew the imaginary line across Betty’s upper arm, noting where the amputation should / would take place.  We also told him of the two Orthopedic Surgeons that we didn’t see, for their teams were not to the level of working with a Brachial Plexus injury such as this.    
Dr. Morsy told us he does not recommend amputation.  After his exam he stated that Betty will have structured physical and occupational therapy to strengthen her upper arm, and work any possible muscles in her forearm.  She goes to Therapy South in McCalla, three times per week, for hour long sessions devoted to strengthening her arm.  
At this time, Betty still cannot feel, or have the use of her left forearm or hand.  The goal is for the upper arm muscles to be able to lift the lower arm.  If this can happen through therapy workouts, Dr. Morsy will then possibly perform a surgery to fuse her wrist in her left arm to keep the hand from bending.  If this can be done, it may be possible for Betty to have practical use of her left arm to support different levels of carrying items.
It is still not known if this will work, or if she will ever have the use of her left arm, ever again.
This is why we are seen at the altar in Church often.  We greatly believe in Miracles.  We greatly believe in Prayer.  Betty’s words are, “If God see’s fit to restore my arm / hand, or if He does not, the pure fact that I’m still here is miracle enough for me”.         
We return with Dr. Morsy on September 10th, 2024 for an update to see his thoughts after several months of pushing deep therapy.  Prayers are always requested. 

Insurance vs $500,000  (spelled out:  Half a Million Dollars)
This entire section is “very difficult” to write about.  No one wants to place their financials out for the world to see . . . but I’m going to “tell all” only to “Glorify” the name of Jesus.  Believe me, . . . you will understand why soon. 

$468,000
Betty entered the hospital on June 26, 2023, and was discharged on July 23, 2023.  Calendar-wise, this was 4-weeks to the day of hospital stay.  With the exception of the two Social Workers, no one ever spoke to us about “the bill”, how much it was, how we were going to pay it, or when we were going to pay it.  All that was talked about was the medical care for Betty, and making sure she received the care. 
Huntsville Hospital, (as well as other hospitals around the country), have benefactors that give funds to assist in paying for medical treatment when the recipient may not have the funding, or a resource, such as insurance) to cover what they owe. 
I’m not a Charity Case – I pay my way
Define “Pride”
-	A feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements . . . 

I have to confess . . . I never looked at myself as ‘prideful’ until I was faced with a bill of $468,000, payable . . . upon receipt.  Instead of thinking of myself as prideful, I looked at myself as “I paid my own way”.  Overnight I found myself in serious debt with Huntsville Hospital, Doctors, Anesthesiologists, Radiology, X-ray technicians, lab’s, MRI types, Network’s of Physicians that we never saw . . . you name it, we owed it. 
I came to terms very quickly that I could not afford this.
Someone at Huntsville Hospital gave me an application and said to fill it out, turn it back in to the financial office, and proceeded to give me the information about the benefactors that are willing to help.  It took a lot for me to fill this application out, and especially to hand it to the nice lady across the counter the day I turned it in.
Over a few weeks, we were approved for assistance.  A company named, ‘Equate’ called me and stated we would receive 50% off of a portion that normally Medicare would cover.  The lady at the counter stated it would generally turn out to be approximately 60% of the billing.  This would be if the company deals with Huntsville Hospital / Equate.  It turns out that some did, while others did not deal directly with the hospital, but had separate billing procedures.  “IF” this can happen, we could still owe approximately $250,000.  Either way, how can we pay this?

Shot in The Dark; Reaching for the Stars; . . . whatever you want to call it 
The only insurance we could say we had was Auto Insurance, with Allstate.  Out of all the people I had to speak with, tell our story to, deal with a totaled car, the adjusters, etc., there was one lady in the Claims department that somehow connected with Betty’s story.  I won’t mention her name, but I first spoke with her approximately a year ago.
She told me we had Uninsured Motorists insurance in our full-coverage policy that would give us $50,000.  This was amazing, for as noted above, we had “outside” medical bills of medical services that were with companies not under the Huntsville Hospital umbrella.  
We learned very quickly how the system worked.  Huntsville Hospital / Equate placed a lean on “any income that may come through as a Settlement”.  Equate told us they would not bill us (as we became approved with them), and they would work with us for settlement.  I told them of our financials, but they were more interested in how much we did not have.  We were never pressured, never felt threatened by Huntsville Hospital, or Equate, once we were approved.  I would receive a phone call periodically to see how we were doing.  Equate knew the story of the person that hit Betty’s car, how they had run from the scene / disappeared, after the accident.  They also understood that until this person of interest was caught, convicted, and taken to court, there were no monies available to pay a bill of this magnitude, or even of the left-over 40% to 50% of the balance once the benefactors and Equate paid their accepted portion. 

Speaking with the representative from Allstate on the $50,000 Uninsured Motorists, it was noted that this representative wanted us to receive the dollars to help pay the host of other medical bills, as stated, not under the Huntsville Hospital umbrella. 
The representative told me she is working with Equate, for them to “accept the $50,000 as Full Payment”, in place of the $468,000.  In my mind I only thought the insurance company didn’t want to pay the dollars to anyone, for this was so far-fetched in thinking, I could not even believe this would be possible.  Talk about a long shot.  

I have Hope.  We prayed.  It seems impossible.  Please God, if it’s Your Will.

Time to Sell the House
This is a decision we saw coming from early in the life changing event(s).
-	Surgery on my spinal cord in February 2023
-	Betty’s wreck in June 2023
-	Upkeep of a large yard
-	Upkeep of a house we had purchased a little more than a year before that having “fixing needs” (that’s why we bought it . . . but the work we wanted to do ourselves is now the reasoning why we cannot keep the house).

This had to happen, but I could only think as a man now.  Although my Faith is strong, my flesh was beat.  We would talk to people in a very “positive” voice, with smiles, about moving in with our children, but as a man, I felt like a complete failure.  

The man that caused my wife’s wreck has now placed me as a complete failure in the eyes of the world.  I could not help myself to think this.  My flesh is trying to find blame.

Our son Matt jokingly says this about Betty and myself:
-	“Between the two of you, y’all have two good legs and three good arms”.

Unfortunately, this is a very true statement.  We did not want to sell, but besides the items listed above, we now had a debt of $468,000 to Equate, plus a list of other medical bills that took the total medical billing to approximately $500,000. . . . this is a Half Million Dollars.

A POSITIVE MOVE OF GOD IS IN THE WORKS

With all of this information, please do not think that we were “down and out”, or that we were under “such stress”, that our lives were turmoil.  We kept going day-to-day, feeling blessed that Betty is still with us.  

We didn’t like our current situation, however, GOD IS BIGGER than our fears, our finances, our short-comings, our inabilities, and anything else you want to throw into the mix.

			We Never Quit Paying Our Tithes
I have to say this on the topic of Tithes, to remain honest.  There was one particular time that the money was not there.  Not even for the current bills.  We had paid out a lot of dollars to medical services and it was money for Tithes, bills, groceries, and gas.  I kept track of this and “paid-up” as the next money came in.  I felt uneased, unkept, and low-esteem through this time.  
Yes, even though we paid our tithes, we still had a difficult time.  However, “because” we paid our tithes, we still came through. 


Moving-in with Children
How do you spell “Blessing” . . . . we spell it “C H I L D R E N”.
We sold the house.  We used the money to pay the additional medical bills, but still came short.  We have temporally moved in with Matt, Mary, Mason, and Maggie.  We are thankful for our basement apartment.  It’s actually larger than many two-bedroom apartments we were looking at. 

We feel we are “Home”

I feel comfortable that we could have gone to any of our children at this time and “be home”. 
God has blessed us tremendously.  We may be offset at the moment, but we hardly notice it.  

Family:  (defined)
I define Family as our blood-kin (our four children, spouses, 9 grandchildren, brothers, sisters, their spouses, . . . you get this…), as well as our Church Family.  With our Church Family, we are “covered by the blood” of Jesus.  This is truly a bonding, a kinship, that runs deep and flows through our veins.  When we walk into the homes of our children, we feel “at home”.
When we walk into the doors of The Sanctuary, we feel “at home”.

I always heard, “If you can’t feel at home, you need to go home”.

Physical and Occupational Therapy
For Betty’s Physical and Occupational Therapy, we saved out money from the sale of the house to pay for the rest of the insurance deductible, approximately $4,000, and kept a small amount for the 20% coverage for each additional visit.  We wanted to start Therapy in 2023 but could not afford for her to go.  Per Dr. Morsy, we were still in good timing starting the therapy earlier this year for her left arm. 
Both PT and OT Therapy are going very well.  She continues with 3 therapy visits per week.  

The News – Tears of Joy (once again, Thank you, God)
On the morning of July 22nd, 2024, approximately 9:00am, we received a call from our contact at Allstate Insurance. She was short and to the point.
Allstate:  Good morning Mr. Day.  This is Ms. Smith (fictitious), with Allstate.
Travis: Good morning Ms. Smith.  
Allstate:  I heard back from Huntsville Hospital on the settlement of the $50,000 uninsured motorist policy you have.
Travis: (it felt like my heart skipped a beat out of the unknown about to happen).
Oh good, I replied.  
Allstate:  Mr. Day, Huntsville Hospital has agreed to settle the claim with $40,000 of the uninsured motorists, and let you have the additional $10,000 to pay against the other accumulated medical bills you may have. 
Travis:  They accepted the $40,000?  I then paused, a little stunned, but a lot in “did I hear you correctly”.  I repeated what Ms. Smith just told me back to her. 

“THEY ACCEPTED $40,000 IN PAYMENT OF $468,000”? 

I could feel the smile in her voice.
Allstate:  Yes, they did.  I’m sending them their $40,000 in a few minutes and I’ll send your $10,000 within the next half hour.  
Travis:  Ms. Smith, this is such a blessing to us, for we’ve paid the additional medical bills from the sell of our home, . . . all but approximately $10,000 that we still needed.
Allstate:  That’s wonderful.
Travis:  Thank you very much . . .
We hung up the phone and I definitely, once again, through the Love and Mercies of God . . . had “Tears of Joy”.

God is So Good, (no need to add to this)

FOUND
Over the course of a year being home, I spoke to the DA’s office, as well as the Huntsville Police, multiple times about the hunt for the person that allegedly hit Betty, and if they had any leads, etc.  Even if they had a lead of the man’s location, they were not going to tell me, (and I knew this), so I felt that part of “my” therapy, was to call them to hear the same thing over and over again . . . “We’re still in pursuit of him.  We’re still hoping for leads of his location.  He could be anywhere in the United States, but if he should be stopped for anything, or raise his head in an unlawful way, we will have him”.  

Lead – Arrested – Extradited 
On Friday, July 12th, 2024, I called the attorney as a “checking in” type call.  This attorney was new to the case so we talked for quite a while to fill him in on the accident, who we’ve spoken with over the last year, etc. He stated that his office can only “see” in Alabama, but the Huntsville Police Department can reach out across the nation with other Police Departments and request assistance for any leads they may get across their desk.
On July 17th, five days after speaking with the DA’s office, I received a call at 8:00am from the Huntsville Police Department.  The officer asked how we were doing, and immediately started telling us the person of interest was arrested the day before on July 16th, 2024, in Venice Beach, California.
We were told the person of interest will be extradited in a couple of days to Madison County, Alabama.  If he should get bond, he will have an ankle monitor, as well as have scheduled visits often to the Huntsville Police Department for drug testing and assurance he is still in the area.  The ankle monitor can only be removed by the Police Department, and tracks him 24/7 on GPS.
The Grand Jury will meet at the end of Summer, or in early Fall for possible indictment, and we’ll be notified at that time of the decision to move forward, or not.

Why the testimony?
We have had many people ask about Betty over the last year, now mainly about two things . . .
-	How is her arm?
-	Did they catch the guy that did this?
This written testimony will bring everyone interested up to date, but the main reason of this written testimony is to give full awareness of the many miracles God has bestowed upon us, from June 26, 2023, up to this day.  
Our lives changed on June 26, 2023.  We’re not the same people we used to be.  We are using this opportunity to give praise and honor to God for hearing our prayers, answering our prayers, and letting us remain together, to live, to talk, and to Glorify His Name, in spite of the accident. 

HE KNOWS MY NAME
Recently, while at open pre-service prayer at church, the song, “He Knows My Name”, by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, was being played.  
Earlier in this written testimony, you may recall that when I first spoke with the hospital on the evening of June 26, 2023, the lady that answered Betty’s phone, asking all the life-questions, the last question she asked was, “What is your wife’s name”?
This night of pre-service prayer, while this beautiful song was being delivered, there were many prayers going up to the Throne.  After prayer, Betty went to Sister Bertram and said that on the night of her accident, as she heard me say to her, the rescue team, the ambulance team, the Trauma Team, and even the hospital representative . . . didn’t even know my name.  She said, “I was listed on the hospital papers as Jane Doe”.
This had bothered Betty for the full past year when she would think of this, until the evening during this particular pre-service time of prayer . . . 
As she told Sister Bertram . . . all along, “He Knew My Name”.

He Knows My Name
He knows my name,
He knows my name,
He knows my name,

And oh, how He walks with me,
Yes oh, how He talks with me,
And oh, how He tells me,
I am His own.

And oh, how you comfort me,
And oh, how you counsel me,
Yet it still amazes me,
That I am your friend.

So now, I pour out, My heart to you,
Here in Your presence, I am made new.
So, I trust you with my life, yeah.

No fire can burn me,
No battle can turn me,
No mountain can stop me,
Cause you hold my hand.

And I’m walking in your victory,
Cause your power is within me,
No giant can defeat me,
Cause you hold my hand.
YOU KNOW MY NAME

The Take-a-Way from this Testimony
As you lay this reading aside, we hope you will feel the following:
-	God is ALWAYS with you.
-	Things “happen” to the Just and the Unjust.
-	Sometimes you’re dealt something that needs deeper Prayer, and Fasting.
-	Miracles Still Happen
-	Even when your prayers “hit the floor”, God still hears.
-	A miracle can happen today, but what about tomorrow?
-	Your life may be changed overnight, but think of the “Eternal Change”.
-	Lean on God, your Pastor, your Family, and your Church.
-	Don’t be afraid to “take the walk to the altar” for prayer (even one more time).
-	If that one-more-miracle does not happen . . . God still has a Plan. 
-	“Your” Altar is Always Open – use it.

Heartfelt Thanks
A heartfelt thanks to the firefighters, paramedics, surgeons, doctors, nurses, techs, family and friends, for everything you’ve done for Travis and me.  From visits, to gifts, to painting our home, mowing our grass, but mostly for your prayers.
After I awoke from my medicated unconscious state, my mind remembered the beautiful song, “I Can Pray”, by The Dove Brothers. 
 I can pray until the walls fall down,
Until there’s healing all around,
That’s something I can do . . . I can pray.