The report from the urinalysis is that Bob does in fact have another urinary tract infection. So back on the meds he goes. He sounded absolutely terrible to me on the phone today and I was tempted more than a few times to head to PA early to make sure he was ok. His nurses, Melissa and Tedra, do a great job keeping me informed (and leaving me alone when there is nothing to report). I appreciate both ends of that. I have plenty of other things to tackle on a daily basis.
Bob also made it through all three of his therapies today even with being uncomfortable. I honestly thought he would have just wanted to lay in bed and rest. But he’s a fighter. (I would have opted for rest)
I was very excited to get out there today and visit with him and even more happy that it was Tuesday, which is open greenhouse night with Jeanette. She offered us a few projects to choose from. We worked on a temporary one as well as a more permanent creation.
Quite a juxtaposition when thinking about it and looking at the art we made in the greenhouse side by side. Bob decided to create for me a vase of fresh cut flowers and arrange them himself. It means more to me than any flowers he has ever had sent to me. Though I was terrified that he was going to snip the meaty part of his palm when he wielded the snippers to trim the stems.
He told me that he picked the purple “Mother’s Day” tag because it is my favorite color. But cut flowers, while lovely, are temporary.
We then worked on a stepping stone to put in our yard at home. Bob had to add the concrete to the mold and we worked together the fill it with colorful stones and shards of glass. Bob decided that he wanted them all to be blue. And it looks beautiful.
I’ll be able to take it home with me in a few days. Hopefully this will be a more permanent reminder of this season of our lives.
It’s been seven weeks today since the accident. Seven weeks ago I was asked to sign for my husband’s personal effects by a hospital staff member. 49 days ago I was handed his watch, phone/wallet, and wedding band. I sat by his bedside at this time almost two months ago in shock and disbelief. These feelings of fear, imbalance, and exhaustion in our lives will be temporary. But the changes in our outlooks are permanent.
Permanent are the people who have been by our sides helping meet our needs where we are. I continue to be amazed at how people react to us and our temporary situation. The texts started pouring in this morning about how to help my elbow heal. And then one of my students brought in an elbow brace from him mom who read the blog and ran out to CVS just for me this morning (it has felt better with the brace on all day~Trish, you are fantastic).
Permanent is the sound of Holly’s voice on the video of when Bob first woke up from his temporary unconscious state to have a conversation with us. I called Holly tonight to thank her for temporarily caring for Bob because she has made a permanent impact on our lives. Bob often tells me that he reads the note she left for him in the visitor book we have taken with us to all of the hospitals.
I am still so grateful for all of you and the power of your prayers. Over dinner tonight with my dear friend, Suzanne, she shared how she asked a group at church to pray for my husband. No names were used and afterward, a friend of hers approached her and said that the situation sounds very familiar to one in which her accountant asked her to pray. Again, with no names. They both pieced together that the prayer requests were one and the same. Suzanne’s friend, Bob, and I have all met before and we use the same accountant. It is a small world.
Please keep your prayers coming. While it might be temporary for you to beseech God to help Bob, the effects of your prayers are having a permanent impact on our lives.
Much love to you all…Karen