Learning Miracles

It was this night, exactly one year ago, that miracles irrevocably became a cornerstone of my existence. When my brother Max sustained a severe brain injury in a car accident on 13 December 2011, it became perfectly clear that the only viable option was the impossible. Since then my family has operated in a delicate web of what can only be called miracles. If there is anything worth learning, this must be it. 

Image: Max & Me, December 2012 (mtcleroux)

A brain injury can have any of a range of effects of varying severity, and it can take a long time to determine their nature and scope. In Max's case the wait was long and uncertain. It was almost four months before he showed clear signs of awareness and comprehension. Complications, many of them caused by hospital "superbugs", side effects of medical treatment and inactivity, left his life hanging in the balance long after he regained consciousness. Forget recovery: for a long time survival alone was nothing short of a miracle. And what would his quality of life be after all this? 

While the effects of such a massive injury are extensive and do take time to address, his condition today, one year after the accident, is awe-inspiring. Seven months after being sent home by doctors who said there was no longer anything they could do for him, Max is undeniably back on the map. Today he woke up after a full night's natural sleep to enjoy a playful and complex two-way conversation over a morning drink. He demolished small, nutritious meals every few hours, carefully chewing and swallowing without incident. He frequently requested what he needed to be more comfortable or satisfied. He graciously received guests and made conversation with them, referring to shared knowledge and long-standing private jokes. And, yes, he made his thumbprint to certify a document, because he has not yet regained full control of his arms, legs and neck. That is a matter of time. 

Because when you deal in miracles you soon realise that they are not always beyond understanding. Most certainly there are things over which no human can exercise control, and it is justified to marvel when they go right. Yet the scope of what we can control should not be underestimated. How many seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be scaled with persistence in even the smallest steps? Even the tiniest actions add up phenomenally when they are persistently taken: the results seem nothing short of miraculous. 

In this case, above all, an atmosphere of unconditional love has meant that everything is all right, every moment, no matter what. The only expectation is to fully explore potential, and this expectation applies not only to Max but also to everyone in his support team: the family, care workers, the army of healing practitioners with a battery of techniques ranging from the conventional to the extreme fringe - and even the many administrators guiding us through the red tape surrounding all this. Everybody plays their part, and it all adds up.

I am in no position to deny that miracles that transcend human understanding are possible: like a presidential spokesperson I can neither confirm or deny their existence. What I do have evidence of is that when small actions and small kindnesses add up, the results are nothing short of miraculous.

To all those who have taken those actions - big and small - and shared those kindnesses, I offer my sincerest acknowledgement. You have participated in a miracle. More than that: you have exposed the formula for miracles that can be duplicated in any situation. What we can accomplish together is mind-boggling. Miracles? We should do this more often.

And to Max? You are perfect. Always have been, always will be. With a brain re-wired and a life re-invented, perhaps more so than ever.