This week will not be any better than last week. We both have multiple medical appointments. I am trying to figure out a new schedule but as loaded as this schedule is there is NO wiggle room. If only I did not need an afternoon rest! If only my fatigue did not ramp up after 6 PM!
I just remembered the “If-onlys” can lead to increased emotional and mental suffering. I do not want to go there. This month we celebrate 55 years of marriage. In November I turn 75 years old. This is my life right now and I am never alone. God walks with me and also guides my steps.
1 Thessalonians KJV implores us to “rejoice evermore.”
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
I rejoice that we have access to such good medical care. I rejoice that we are able to afford what the physicians and their assistants wast us to buy, be it medication or physical therapy or devices to aid in healing.
I rejoice that Bob and I are able to cheer each other on when one of us gets low.
I pray for healing, not only for ourselves. We have a neighbor who is not going to get well from Parkinson’s. I pray that neighbor can have the best life possible and find ways to cheer the family and self.
I give thanks for the flowers that have survived the drought so far. I ask for grace as I drag one the hose again. Not a drop of rain the forecast.
Okay, my ship is beached for now – but not forever!
Would you get hold of the passage above and form prayers,, thanksgiving and rejoicing for yourself and those you know?
This is the week that writing has lapsed. Too many doctor appointments and physical therapy, etc.
So I will just chat. The last week of August I noticed that the clump river birch and the spice bush were both starting to turn yellow. They are now spangles of bright yellow and green.
This town went nuts recently with Bengals clothing. So far we have seen Joe Burrow not off to a good start, or Bob says it might be the defense that is ailing? Arch enemy Cleveland Browns are the opponents and the yelling is loud! Fireworks outside. Bengals WIN!!!?!
Speaking of orange, teh aphids have destroyed the front nasturtiums shown in opening photo. I sprayed with a suggested mixture of water, soap, etc. Just tortured those plants. Ugh. Last year we enjoyed those flowers well into late October.
My mother said she never had to make another pie crust since Pillsbury did such a good job. I have tried, but my results are not worth the work. Betty and my neighbor Ginny both make good crust. Do you know what happens when you take the last 2 frozen Pillsbury crusts out of the deep freezer and accidentally drop them on the garage floor? They break!! Had to get frozen mixed vegetables at the store anyway, so I bought more crusts. This afternoon I made a chicken pot pie with the leftover rotisserie chicken from Sam’s. Now I am baking the cracked pie crusts into large apple tarts. I will share one with a neighbor.
Things regarding Bob’s recovery were going slower than he would like. The swelling has been awful. He discovered the more he elevates and rests the less it swells. He is doing his stretches and hoping to have improvement in his range of motion numbers on Tuesday. He sees both the surgeon and the PT folks then.
He only uses the walker at night to get to the bathroom safely. He is walking on his own around the house. We made it back to church today and he used his cane.
We had the blessing of a whole inch of rain in one night this past week. So grateful for that! Most of the yard is still crunchy. Night time low last night was 49! Forecast to be 48 tonight! Highs still going into low 80s.
I am debating whether I will compile another book of devotions or not. Pray for me to have wisdom. I am applying myself to writing poetry again. Dana and I will work on getting the poetry ready to publish through Amazon.
So as I fill this week with the usual care of Bob, driving, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry I will be praying for you, my readers.
May you be blessed with an increased awareness of the hesed of God. You are so loved and held. Listen for the singing over you! Rejoice that it is so!
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5b NRSVUE
The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 NRSVUE
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV
This verse serves to remind us who we are in Christ! Do you see yourself as God’s special possession? Each one of us has a calling upon our life. We are to declare his praises! This can be so easy to forget. Have you been living it?
What might you use as a reminder as this week unfolds? You belong to God and with that comes the ability to declare his praises! Called out of darkness into his WONDERFUL light. The iPhone has an ability to make letters in a text message jump. I want to make the word wonderful jump before your eyes!
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:19-21 NIV
I have always liked flowing water. In Hinds’ Feet on High Places Hannah Hurnard wrote “The Water Song.”
Come, oh come! let us away - Lower, lower every day, Oh, what joy it is to race Down to find the lowest place. This the dearest law we know - "It is happy to go low." Sweetest urge and sweetest will, "Let us go down lower still." Hear the summons night and day Calling us to come away. From the heights we leap and flow To the alleys down below. Always answering the call, To the lowest place of all. Sweetest urge and sweetest pain, To go low and rise again.
Later in the book she wrote. "From the heights we leap and go to the valleys down below, Always answering the call, to the lowest place of all.
Why am I quoting this now? I have been following a few lessons from a musician on the app Insight Timer. She recently did a sabbatical with her cello and studied the qualities of water. She leads a meditation and then has about 15 minutes of water and cello music blended together. Hearing the first lesson I immediately thought of Hind’s Feet. The lesson about going low is throughout the book. The Shepherd calls us to humility. The way of water is the path of least resistance.
Towards the end of the book Hurnard writes, “(They) saw that the great waterfall quite close at hand was leaping down to the Valley too, with the tumultuous, joyful noise of many waters, singing as they poured themselves down over the rock lip:
For the heights we leap and flow To the valleys down below. Sweetest urge and sweetest will, To go lower, lower still.
Such a wonderful image for the call upon our lives. If we are to serve well we must desire the humility of our Risen Lord. The Almighty calls us to go lower still, just as Jesus did when he came to earth for us.
Listening to the meditations on water with the cello presented by “The Wong Janice” is helping me as I serve Bob during his recovery. When I am tired I remind myself to go low, take the path of least resistance, be like water.
We have a dearth of water in Ohio right now. Some counties have been declared drought areas. The farmer’s tomatoes have tough skins. The garden soil in my back yard is cracked. This is unusual as a natural spring flows on the back edge of our property. Anyone trying to grow anything around here is needing to drag the hose around and provide water to the plants. Yards are brittle and dry. I am surprised there are not more fires along the roadways. While trying to be like water I am praying for water, pleading with the Lord to let it rain here. We occasionally have a one to two minute sprinkle, not nearly enough to saturate the ground. I realize some areas of the country are flooded. There is nothing here but sunny days and dry air for the last six weeks of so.
We choose to go lower, lower still.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 NIV
It is always a relief when the Doctor calls and tells you, “The surgery went fine. He did well.” Total knee replacement is in the rear view mirror. The opening photo is minutes after getting home from the surgery. You can see he is still wearing the wrist band!
Bob’s recovery has gone very well. He is making rapid progress. He always sets such high expectations for himself, at times I have had to try to convince him he is NOT Superman! The opioid medication was only used 2 or 3 times. The new medication Journax along with Tylenol are carrying him along very well.
First physical therapy was rough, but he made it through. I did not have to convince him to allow the ice machine at the end of it! Watching the therapist put the compression sock on his leg taught me how best to do it. Yep, Nurse Molly is in full swing here! He was delighted when therapist said he could quit using the black knee immobilizer. It was causing him much discomfort.
I was laughing the first time I washed his white stockings and thought of the old World War II era movies and women hanging their stockings to dry.
Joan Crawford. No I was not wearing that outfit or those high heels as I hung the stockings to dry!!
The recommendation not to use the walker with wheels and brakes was absolutely correct! He saw right away how it might get away from him, especially on the hill that is our driveway. Wednesday morning surgery and Sunday afternoon he used the basic walker to go down the drive and walk 2 driveways to our right and one to our left.
Rolling in my sewing chair he is making his knee bend more than it wants to, as directed. He is doing his exercises regularly so far! He wants to walk the dog. I said no. First of all she is terrified of that walker (and anything else new to the house). How is he going to accomplish that? He swears he is going to use only the cane before the therapist says that is okay. We will wait until she says he can park the walker. He also declared he is going to be driving asap. Yeah, right. Guess I better hide the extra car keys!!
Thank you for your prayers and cards, meals and phone calls inquiring how he is doing.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6-7
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Hebrews 12:12-13 NIV
Almost every morning I use a chair in our bedroom for my prayer and meditation time. Lately there has been a racket outside!
Remember when we recently went to the dirt track?
The cars zoomed around, not in lanes as much as trying to be first, not crash and get the prize.
Things began just after dawn. Seated for prayer I suddenly had a ruby throated hummingbird just the other side of the screen looking me in the eye! It might have flown in had there not been a screen! Are you familiar with the twitter of the hummingbirds?
Soon the fun began as they raced past the window, twittering their territory song? warrior song? fighting over the feeder about 36 inches from my window. I wanted the flags the guy at the race track had! The more I thought of the similarities the funnier it became!
Love those extended feet! “Incoming! Incoming!!”
Bob caught some great images!!
Fighting is thirsty work!
Hey! Whatchu lookin at?
They will migrate in a week or two. I will truly miss them until they return next April.
ZOOM! Watch for those treasures in plain sight!!
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. Psalm 19:1-6 NIV
Bob pointed out this meditation to me. I missed reading it on the day it actually posted, the feast day of Bernard of Clairvaux, August 20. Bernard was a Cistercian monk.
Bernard of Clairvaux died 1153
Writing about the importance of meditation, Bernard said that ‘our meditations on the Word who is the Bridegroom, on his glory, his elegance, power and majesty, become in a sense his way of speaking to us. And not only that, but when with eager minds we examine his rulings, the decrees from his own mouth; when we meditate on his law day and night, let us be assured that the Bridegroom is present, and that he speaks his message of happiness to us lest our trials should prove more than we can bear.’**
Sometimes, I approach the Bible in a utilitarian manner. I want to skim through it quickly to find something helpful which I can use, but Bernard reminds me that the Bible is primarily given for meditation and conversation with God, rather than information about him. In Lectio Divina , I read slowly, prayerfully, and with imagination as a conversation-starter with the Lord who has a ‘message of happiness’ for me today..
Do I study the Bible or pray the Bible? Do I read the scriptures, or am I read by the scriptures? Do I attempt to master them, or do I allow them to master me? How expectant am I as I open God’s word today?
*** Bernard of Clairvaux, Intimacy in Prayer: Wisdom from Bernard of Clairvaux (Pauline Books and Media: Kindle Edition).
Bob focused on the question “Do I study the Bible or pray the Bible?” How about you?
Is your Bible time for ‘finding something helpful you can use,’ or allowing conversation with God? Do you even read the scriptures or just occupy your meditation time with devotionals from other people.
When you read the Bible do you turn what you read into prayer? “Do I study the Bible or pray the Bible?” That is a leap from just doing a daily reading or covering a certain number of pages or chapters. Study , prayer, conversation and of course, yielding to the Word of God.
I do all and none of the above. I desire for every time of reading to be prayer time and conversation with God. I do not always succeed. Perhaps we can change our time for devotions into one or more of the actions Bernard calls us to try.
Please pray for us today as Bob has his knee replacement surgery at 7AM eastern time. He will come home shortly afterwards. Neither of us has had a joint replacement prior to this. We are grateful for this surgical feat as he has been walking bone-on-bone, i.e. no cushioning remains in his knee. Ice machine is ready. Furniture is arranged for easy access. Throw rugs are taken up.
Medication chart is printed out and we are as ready as can be. Not certain how much writing I will get done in the next couple weeks. I will try to keep you posted. All prayers are most appreciated!
He will be using assistance devices for a few weeks. And PT will be his most common destination. I am the chauffeur for at least a month.
Have you ever waited for medical results? It is no fun. No matter how hard I try to relax all the What-if’s jump in the ring haranguing their point of view.
It is like being on Tenterhooks. Miriam Webster site says: “On tenterhooks” means “waiting nervously for something to happen.” The word tenter means “a frame used for drying and stretching cloth” and is related to tent, so being “on tenterhooks” compares the tenseness of the stretched fabric to the tension of nervous waiting. I thought a tenterhook was more like a meat hook!
The latest cardiac test was a 10 minute visit to the CAT scan machine. I kid you not, start to finish. Lie down. Put your arms over your head. Slide into the machine. Only twice was I asked to take a deep breath and hold it. Now I wait for the results.
Wait, is that a cardiac surgeon sharpening her knife?!?!
My daughter was all in my face saying, “And if they post the results before your appointment you will be online trying to figure out what is next and getting all worked up!” Really, I do not think so.
There are only a couple of options. Live with the aneurysm as our grandparents did, oblivious to the presence of it and perhaps have it pop and drop dead. Not too bad a way to go. At least I would not be a vegetable in some ward.
If they want surgery then I have to decide if that is a yes or no from me. I have no cardiac symptoms. My blood pressure is being regulated with 3 prescriptions. The most reliable sources I have read, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, say open heart surgery is what is needed to replace an aorta. Doesn’t that sound HUGELY invasive?
Twiddle my thumbs and wonder.
Instead, I have begun the age-old American coping mechanism of emotional eating. Doesn’t solve a thing, but it tastes mighty good. Until it doesn’t. Because I know this is not going to solve anything. I will stop before long. Besides, I work hard to keep that A1C down. Why spoil those results now?
There are new techniques being developed that are less invasive. They are already being used for abdominal aneurysms. Remember the saying, “Not quite ready for prime time”? They are just occasionally being used for the type of aneurysm I have. Not certain I want to be in the beginning group of patients if my cardiologist suggests it. These less invasive methods are not approved for use in the USA yet. There is also a high percentage of leakage from those. I have no leakage now.
Please pray for me to have wisdom from on high for this decision!
The Book of Common Prayer has this lovely prayer:
Page 461 For Trust in God O God, the source of all health; So fill my heart with faith in your love, that with calm expectancy I may make room for your power to possess me, and gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The results are in! Aneurysm measures 5 cm. Now I wait for my appointment with cardiologist in mid-September. Even this moment I am leaning towards do nothing and exit this earth however that may be.
Please pray the Lord will give Bob and me wisdom about all of this. His knee surgery is this Wednesday 7 AM.
This is a month of changes. My husband will undergo knee replacement surgery this month. We are thinking his years of playing catcher in baseball and then doing the breast stroke among others on swim teams for many, many years contributed to the destruction of the cushioning in his knee. He is walking the dog and riding his bike with bone on bone at this point. Two meniscus repairs did not help either! They took measurements through his CT scan to fit the replacement parts with more accuracy than was available in years prior to this event.
We will doing all of his recovery at home. It is somewhat amazing after watching the video in the surgeon’s office that they think this is so advanced and safe that I will be his caregiver! Watching the video we both realized this is no little thing they will be doing to him. They also informed us that he will be up and walking immediately after surgery. Yes, he will need a walker or crutches for stability, but he is expected to walk regularly the day of surgery and thereafter. None of this lollygagging around in bed!
Evidently the surgery has made huge advances in the last 20 years and our particular surgeon is extremely careful. Bob will even be using a nasal antibiotic before the surgery as well as antibacterial body wash, etc.
There is a new pain medication on the market called Journavx. “JOURNAVX is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe short-term (acute) pain.” Evidently if works through the peripheral nervous system which is outside your brain and spinal column. This is used instead of opioids. According to our surgeon patients are recovering faster and not having the side effects and addiction risk of opioids. If nothing else, this will be a grand experiment in the effects of as Bob calls it, “Better living through modern chemistry! “
He has nice legs, but not like hers!
We practiced Bob getting in and out of the car with the immobilizer brace on his leg. He has to wear this any time he is up and walking until Physical Therapy releases him from it. They warned us he might have to use the back seat for the ride home. Yep! It was way too difficult for him to maneuver into the front seat. Hopefully that will not become his usual place to ride in the car! He is already unhappy at being told he may not drive for 4 weeks. The surgery is on his right knee. He told one friend he is going to put the number for Uber in his phone. He is not good at just being at home. I figure by the time he gets in and out of the car for physical therapy and doctor appointments, a nap at home might sound good! The heat has been getting both of us down.
Equipped with a leg immobilizer, walker, crutches, cane, a list of medications and printed schedule for taking them, the electric ice machine, leg compression stockings, (oh my I will be busy, won’t I?) we are prayed up and almost ready. Wednesday August 27 at 7 AM is the big day! So many people who have had the same surgery speak of how nice it is to not be in pain anymore. We have been told that the first two weeks are the hardest. I will be rearranging my schedule to accommodate his needs. He had so often been my caregiver. After almost 55 years this is not a burden or unexpected. He is the love of my life and I want him as comfortable and healthy as possible. Of course, I might have to tie him to a chair at times to get him to rest, but then I might also have to chase him around the house with the threat of a fly swatter spanking to keep him moving. Just kidding. I think?!?
There was a saying that after forty you just patch, patch, patch. I think after seventy you just crumble. Thank God we have access to so many kinds of fixes!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 