The Ups and Downs

You can accuse Handy Man of many things, but being verbose wouldn't be one of them. Ahem, well, except perhaps in traffic with words I will not repeat here.  Quite the contrary, I don't know many people who have less to say than he.  So, imagine my surprise and delight when I wake up to a very loud, for him, proclamation of "Thank you Jesus!"  Surprise number two, perhaps wanting to be sure it was going where it was aimed, he said it again.  Needless to say, I was curious as to the why of such an unusual outburst.  He was beside himself with joy that he went through the entire night in his own bed, mostly sleeping till 7:00 am.  Perhaps the midnight bed, to recliner, to couch, to couch, to couch, we have three, is over.  He is delighted! At least twice more he commented on that feeling so good.
I said it looks like a frat house in here with a glass, a pillow or three, and a balled up blanket on every soft surface. He was like Goldilocks trying to find the just right. Glad it turned out to be the bed.

His blood count is low, but not lower than his last labs on Friday. It is ever so slightly higher.  I am guessing the paleness is because he is doing about five times the amount of moving around than he was doing in the hospital.  His heart rate is down, so, thank the Lord, all numbers moving in the right direction.

The physical therapist came today to give him some exercises to do and more information about what not to do.

You know of course, I want him to feel wonderful, but it likely will work to his advantage that his blood builds back slowly and paces him. Otherwise, he'd be a booger trying to do things he shouldn't.
I moved the eight tackle boxes, don't ask, I can't even, to the front porch and that is the first goal.  Divide the plunder asunder into the one he wants to keep and the rest for the gramerlings.
When that chore is done, he can  move into the garage for a few minutes each day and straighten his not heavy tools into whatever way makes sense to him.  I am hoping having a cleaned out space to putz in will stir again in him his love of woodworking. Perhaps one of the most telling things to me about there being something wrong was his complete abandonment of woodworking.

It is very hard to believe it has only been two weeks and a day since that surgeon said those chilling words to me. "Valve repair, easy, bypass, easy, aneurysm, big and scary. Your husband will be very sick for four, five days, then he will recover, or he won't."  For the  first time, in all the many hospital places I've been, I just did not know if I could hold myself up.  All I heard was, "or he won't," and all I could think about was that Handy Man might have gone through all of this for nothing.  Then you go back there and you see all the bank of drips and the respirator and the drains and the balloon pump and you can't even wrap your head around that. It is like so very astounding that in a few short days all of it would be gone and the poor heart and lungs that suffered such an assault heals bit by bit. Bodies can be so amazing.

Gardner E. stopped by with a treat of peach ice cream.  Between that and the tomatoes from Uncle Joe, it felt so summer time.

I've said many times how I value words.  I am fascinated by the folks so kind to care about Handy Man. First a card from a friend of Gardner E. and then today, a card from someone in that friend's church group who has been praying, complete strangers to us. In addition, a friend of mine, who included the Episcopal Bishop Jennifer's commencement address.

You are being summoned to places you did not intend to go, people you did not intend to pastor. You are being called to extend and to receive the kind of lavish, radical hospitality that unleashes the the Holy Spirit and changes the world. You will find your ministry outside of the city gate, with the women at the river, in the most improbable ways. And it will be hard, and it will be good and God will be with you.

I do not ever want to forget those who have been hospitable to us in this big, scary place.
Was it you?  Thank you.