So There We Were On Friday Night In The Emergency Room---

"The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes."   ...Psalm 10:28

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Friday afternoon--beautiful! The sun shone (finally), 'God College' still felt incredible, after paying bills I even lifted my hands in praise. Saturday our favorite, total day of rest was near. TV. Movies. Being together, totally relaxed.

Then Tom came home. 

All bent over, he hobbled across the lawn, moaned that he might have appendicitis. Oh my goodness! He showed me the painful portion, I told him the appendix is lower, I think (and recalled a favorite medical show had just featured an appendectomy. Hmmm.) But if he thought it best? We'd go to the emergency room, something never done in our 41 years together.

He did, so we did, after checking with his insurance company.

Fast-forward hours and hours into the night (waiting--isn't it exhausting?), the emergency room doctor says Tom has a kidney infection (later they discovered a kidney cyst had burst, as well). He would not be going home that night.

Oh dear. By the time we got Tom settled into his hospital room, I'd been awake 19 hours. So tired and now, how to get home on such a dark, crazy-rain night? Wisdom whispered, "Since you've only driven that car once, take a cab and leave the car in the parking lot." Whew.

Long story short? On sunless Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Tom didn't feel up to company. With each short phone conversation, he sounded worse, not better. By Monday they said he also had pneumonia. And a low red blood cell count.

Gah. Tests! Such tests. But oh Honey, I saw clearly how these months of  wee morning hour God College had prepared me for such a time as this. That, and these past 25 years (especially) of daily needing/enjoying Jesus every moment.

This weekend felt long, tiresome, but never desperate or lonely or fearful. Never.

What also helped enormously? You, my friends at Facebook. I kept asking for prayer for Tom and you kept commenting that you'd prayed! All those 3 1/2 days you prayed and encouraged me. An old Fallon friend even called. 

And again, thank-you all so very much.

Another helpful thing? Speaking firmly to myself aloud the very minute I'd get that sinking, fraidy cat feeling. The very minute! Not waiting till I'd actually sunk, when I'd have to p-u-l-l myself up.

And ok, watching Avenger movies. ツ Chuckle if you will, but they also reminded me to be brave.

Then Tuesday afternoon Naomi and I went to bring Tom home. Woo hoo! His lungs were said to be sufficiently clear and he just needs to rest till Monday. Our homecoming time and visit was lovely, celebratory, indeed.

Today's lesson? Go to all the goofy, I-don't-get-this places God takes you. If we do, we'll be as prepared as possible for what He knows awaits us on the road ahead. And we'll get through it just fine.

"Hope keeps expecting, 'Today is the day'!"  --- Joyce Meyer

Speaking of The Avengers... 

Tom said he wants to, in Heaven, learn how to surf. Me? I want to learn this Natasha move (advance to 2:20) where she spins down a guy's back. All in a fun, non-fighting way, of course!  ツ (P.S. I like to think my spirit resembles a strong, godly Natasha type.)


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And to end this on a humorous note--


That Friday afternoon while Tom spoke to the medical insurance lady, he asked if she knew what the hours were of the hospital's Emergency Room.

Heh. I'm still chuckling about that one. 

Even teased him about it later, "Yeah, you've got to be sure to time your emergency just right so they'll be open."   ツ

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15