Update on Courtney Claxton

On December 8th, one of our Stevens Creek families had the phone call that no parent wants to hear and that is, their only daughter had a very serious accident. Courtney Claxton was a student at the Medical College of Georgia and was returning home from studying with some classmates when she lost control of her SUV on a rain slicked Stevens Creek Road.  They rushed her to the hospital to discover that she had severed her spine and was paralyzed from the neck down.  Her parents,  Charles and Gail Claxton, called me and Pastor Dave and I made our to the trauma center.  We prayed and asked the Lord to heal her.

At times God heals instantly and at other times healing is a process.  We see an example of the process healing when Jesus touched a man that was blind.  After the inital prayer, Jesus asked him if he could he. His reply was, "I see men as trees walking around."  In others words, I can see but everything is blurry.  So, Jesus prayed a second time and he was healed.

We prayed for Courtney and God started a healing process.  This process has been very long and it is very difficult.  A few weeks after her accident, Courtney was transferred to the Shepherd Spine Center in Atlanta. This is a wonderful facility that helps people learn how to live with spinal cord injuries.  Over the next four months, they worked with Courtney.  At times, it seemed like she was getting worse instead of better. In fact, she "coded" and was revived on more than one occassion.  Throughout those trying moment, Charles and Gail, through their tears continued to pray and believe.

Patty and I visited Courtney five times while she at Shepherd. At times, she looked like progress was being made and at other times things looked bleak.  Each time, however, whether good reports or bad, Charles and Gail, stood in faith praying and beleive the best for their daughter.

Courtney moved home on April 7th. When she arrived she found that friends and family members had taken the initiative to renovate her bedroom and make it wheelchair accessible. Since coming home, she has been in the care of Walton Rehabilitation Hospital and has received great care.

Last night, we stopped by to say hello and found that Courtney has made so much progress. We were surprised. She is breathing on her own. She can turn her head and has some flexibility in her shoulders and the biggest surprise was that she can now move her arms.  The arm movement has come as a result of aquatic theapy.  Practically speaking, if a strand of hair falls in her face, she can move it. That's a huge blessing.

Like I said, she can move her arms, but still does not have control movement in her hands.  That's the specific prayers that I am asking you to pray.  If hand movement is restored, then her possibilities are multiplied. Courtney looked so good last night. Patty and I left so encouraged at her progress.

Charles and Gail are still believing that miracles will continue.  They realized that in Courtney's case that healing will be a process and they are taking it day by day. In the coming weeks, Courtney will be cruising into The Creek....hmmm...I guess that means that we have another "holy roller".

Keep praying.

~Marty