The Mennobrarian

Healing and Furry Monsters

Upon our return home last week, I found that a good friend of mine had spent the week in a psychiatric facility, a diagnosed suicidal. This is a woman I see most days, someone whom I was well aware was having problems in her marriage, finances, and extended family. Several of us women friends had banded together in previous weeks offering support, advice, loans, food, whatever. We were working against an ever-increasing tide of pressure from her family, siblings mostly, who were demanding that she reconcile with a man who had (among other things) spent years cruelly bullying my friend’s autistic son. This is a boy (almost a man) who will never be able to live on his own, and yet could still express his desire in the aftermath that he and mom “go away” and find a “good daddy.”  

And yet, as more and more details came to life about events in the household, we knew that the full story could not be told from any one person’s lips and that didn’t matter. We still desperately wanted to help our friend who was increasingly beyond anything but a divine miracle.

Finally, my friend emerged from the hospital, downgraded to outpatient status. Thinner, depleted, but still able to make light of what happened.

“So…how ARE you?”

“Oh everything’s great, you know. I lost my mind.”

And so we talked about the hospital, and the other patients there who need so much prayer, and her son going off to college, and the brother-in-law who showed up in the emergency room where she was first admitted only to scream that all of her problems were the result of unconfessed sin, and had to be consequently removed from the hospital by a doctor. Then, my friend unknowingly gave me the great honor of having me select some “light” books for her to read at home, the only stipulations that they not contain any death or sadness.

I carefully selected an upbeat novel of a cheerful and zany woman finding fun and adventure abroad- just the cover alone screamed gladness. Then, a funny memoir of one man’s dysfunctional family. Finally, a self help book: “My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud.” And for the first time in weeks, my friend smiled and it was a gift.

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12:11, Wednesday, September 3, 2008 .. Posted by haflinger

Sorry to hear about your friend.. She is lucky to have a group of women friends.. I will pray for her..
Brenda

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12:53, Wednesday, September 3, 2008 .. Posted by gabbie427

I am so sorry to hear about your friend and her problems. Please tell her I will be praying for her.

I love the book title about Elmo! LOL Just from the title, it sounds like a cute book with uplifting and encouraging stories. I hope reading something light like this will help lift her spirits, but I am sure having a wonderful friend like you has alrady lifted her spirits!

God's Blessings,
Amy Jo

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01:08, Wednesday, September 3, 2008 .. Posted by gilsanla

So sorry to hear about your friend. Thankfully she has a great friend in you and the support of your other friends. I will keep her in my prayers


****Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers on this. She has a long road ahead of her, and not much support from her family at this point. ~Monica****

Edited by Mennobrarian on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 12:44

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03:17, Wednesday, September 3, 2008 .. Posted by rildapeel1

Father God you said ask and ye shall receive, so I am asking that this precious friend does as your word says, " have love, power and a sound mind." I feel it fitting in this situation and I love speaking it over me so I just want to share this wonderful positive sentence with her. While you are at it Father touch the minds and hearts of all in that hospital in such away that they know you as who your truly are the Savior of all lost and broken. Bring peace beyond measure to them all and also to the Universe. In Jesus' Holy Name!! In His love, rilda *U*