Tomorrow will be two weeks since my loved one’s surgery.

The spot on his right kidney was considered an “incidental finding” as the doctors sent him for a scan due to stomach discomfort.  The urologist referral was made, and the doctor explained this is how 95% of kidney cancers are found.  Now that they knew about it, they could not ignore it.  A biopsy was performed which revealed results none of us wanted.  Tearfully, we tired to make peace with the news, trusting in God the entire way.  We knew the mass would ultimately need to come out.  Thankfully, it was a slower growing cancer, but it was cancer … and no one likes to hear that “C” word.  Ever!

What started out as a mission to get the spot on the upper right portion of the kidney ended in the removal of the whole right kidney.  Once inside, the doctor determined this was the safest way to proceed, even if it was not the desired outcome.  It was too close to a major artery.  Therefore, the doctor proceeded with removing the entire kidney instead of chancing anything detrimental and catastrophic happening.

It was hard to hide the disappointment in his face when we told him after he woke up in recovery.   That was his very first question, and we could not keep it from him.  He was still with us, and that was the most important thing to us all.  He still has a good functioning kidney, and we will pray that it remains healthy.

In these two weeks, he has had to adapt to a new way of life … for now.

He is used to going and doing, but right now, he has to take it easy.  It is at the end of Winter here, so the timing was right so he wouldn’t be tempted to get outside and do yard work.  But, being inside day in and day out is wearing on him.  Walking to the mailbox helps, but it doesn’t take the place of having your hands in the dirt or hooking up to your tractor to plant seeds in the field.

The doctor asked him to allow two weeks before driving again.  You don’t really realize all of the muscles you use to drive, look over your shoulder, steer, turn, etc.  Reluctantly, he agreed to wait and not push himself.   A massive sneeze snuck up on him over the weekend, and he felt incredible pain as a result.  Usually, he will keep a pillow nearby to hold next to his stomach if he sneezes or coughs to soften the force.  It happened so fast, though, that he was not able to get the pillow in time.

Ouch!

One would think the incisions would be on his back, but the mass was located in an awkward position facing his navel instead of his spine.  Therefore, it was necessary to go in through his stomach.  The doctor was one of the first trained in robotic assisted surgeries, so the incisions aren’t as big as what one would have with traditional surgery in years gone by.  Technology has advanced, and we are thankful for the improvements made.  Even still, there are five incisions.   The lower one, being longer than the others, is the main one giving him soreness.

Two weeks may seem to fly by for us, but they drag on for someone recovering from surgery staring at the same four walls day in and day out.

Please pray for comfort and complete healing, for his left kidney to be perfectly healthy and functioning as it should without any issues.  And please pray for his mental wellbeing as well as he allows himself time to rest and fully heal from this major surgery.

Thank you for those who have taken the time to follow along and for the prayers lifted up.  God hears, and we will continue to trust in Him.  We thank Him for His hand of protection over our precious loved one.  As much as we love him, we know God loves him even more!

We’ve all heard the saying, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”  Right along with that is an often quoted bible verse, 1 Corinthians 10:13, where Paul is saying God will not tempt us beyond that which we can bear.  It has also been turned into comforting words of God not giving us more than we can handle.  Some respond with, “I wish God didn’t trust me so much then,” when they are going through an extremely heavy and burdensome situation.

We are not promised a life without problems, struggles or trials.  When we are going through these troublesome times, though, we should ask God to help us.  There have been times in my life when I know God is the only way I made it out of those low valleys.  He provided strength to survive those awful times in my life.

Going through a horrendous ordeal will leave you with battle scars.  Some actually have post traumatic stress disorder as a result of what they have been forced to face in this life.  It is very real, and there are “triggers” which will throw them right back into something that happened in the past, as if they are there in that moment.  I’ll never forget an older man struggling with scenes from Vietnam once he was triggered by an event happening in his life.  Something seemed to sneak up behind him, tap him on the shoulder, and place traumatic events in his face.  He could recall and describe in details the buttons on his fellow soldier’s uniform upon finding him fatally wounded.  I couldn’t understand completely what he was going through since I was not there myself, but my heart went out to him seeing the pain reflected on his face.

I believe when we go through something traumatic in our lives, God will equip us to help another that crosses our path.  Maybe it then becomes our job to be like a beacon in the night shining the light for them so they find their way through the stormy seas of life.  Perhaps this explains my obsession with lighthouses knowing the ships were tossed around as swells threatened to capsize them.  They struggle to get out of the storm and safely to shore but cannot find their way.  They look out into the night sky amidst the lightening and torrential rain, and suddenly they see a light shining in the distance. This light will provide their way to safety and to sandy shores!

Now, God is certainly the light leading the way for believers.  But I’ve been in situations before where people are really struggling and feel as if God may have turned His back on them.  That is never the case, as if anyone moves it is US … not God.  In their pain and anguish, they cannot feel His presence and don’t call out to Him.  It is then that we step up and help, hoping to lead them back to God along the way.

I’ve also been in situations with non-believers, and my heart breaks at the thought of them not believing in God and not securing their future with Him.  But it isn’t my job to judge, and I won’t try to force my beliefs down their throats either.  What I will do is provide a listening ear, a helping hand they can reach out to when they feel their boat has capsized and they may drown.  I can’t save them, only God can do that.  But I can help them get back to safety and try with all my might to ensure they survive.

Having been bullied, dealing with a loved one’s mental illness, having been cheated on by a spouse, going through a divorce from hell with a narcissist, losing my sister to suicide, coping with the guilt of not being able to save her, enduring the special grief after losing someone to suicide, having survivor’s guilt, suffering a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and facing fertility issues afterwards, having a spouse struggle with pornography addiction … these are just a few things I have struggled with in life.  These things could have taken me right out had I not leaned on God through it all.  He provided strength to go through these devastating events in my life and still be able to stand tall and victorious today.  These painful situations have equipped me to help others I encounter in life who may be struggling with these very same things, wondering how they will survive.

And I’ll be here … shining my light … offering my hand …

“Let’s go … shopping!”

With Valentine’s Day upon us (and having passed by the time this scheduled post is on the site), my daughters and I set out to find cute gifts for our friends and family.  We didn’t realize everyone had the same idea today, too!

Walking into the store, we noticed the long lines but still decided to join in on the fun.  It seemed like no matter which section of the store we were shopping in, everyone soon made their way there, too!  We would shift to another section, and the crowd shifted with us once more.

What were we thinking venturing out in this?!

In one section of the store, two ladies invaded my personal space by getting way too close to me, as if they were trying to climb into my back pocket.  Then, one lady moved to my right and reached over my head for an item on the shelf directly above me without even so much as an “Excuse me.”  It was as if I was invisible.  When the opportunity presented itself, we moved further down and finally on to another aisle to get away from them.  We  decided to go to an “off season” section of the store thinking surely it wouldn’t be crowded there.  Everything was going great until another woman started coming straight for me.  I moved to my left to clear the aisle since she was walking toward me on my right side.  As she passed me, she started mumbling something about, “People … ”  Shortly thereafter, my daughters joined me on the aisle and told me the same woman brushed shoulders with my youngest daughter as she passed.  That is WAY too close for comfort, so we decided to leave the store.

Where are people’s manners these days?  While this scenario can certainly play out in another town, it seems commonplace here.  We were reminded once again why we drive an hour away to shop.  The stores are better stocked, neat and orderly, and the people offer more respect and common consideration than here in our small town.

It was almost more than my frazzled nerves could bear!  It’s too people-y out there.

And so we made our way back to the vehicle, ordered dessert, and headed home.  Although the shopping experience left a lot to be desired, I still had a fun day with my girls.

We all have times when we question our worth and value.  The struggle is real due to people of the world seemingly reminding us daily how unimportant we are in the grand scheme of things.  We wonder if we are truly useful to those around us.  Fight those thoughts as you meditate on Psalm 139:14, which states: I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

When thoughts like these invade, it’s hard to get out of our head.  We can be our own worst enemies feeding these thoughts, and it’s hard to stop the vicious cycle. That is why it is so important to recognize when this starts happening and combat it with the word of God.

We wonder what has happened to using the golden rule when interacting with others?  Remember the whole, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you?”   That doesn’t seem to apply now because people would not mistreat others if this was the case.  They wouldn’t want to be mistreated themselves.

Let’s meditate on Ephesians 4:32, New American Standard Bible, which states:  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

When you can choose to be anything in the world … choose to be kind!

Even if people don’t talk about it, there are battles being fought within.  There are things going on with us that others might not guess because we choose not to speak about them.  Or, maybe they don’t know exactly what it is and can’t quite pinpoint it, but they see us act in a different manner or handle a situation out of character than what we usually would.  We are troubled, and only God truly knows what is at the heart of the situation.  We can be useful by just praying for someone.  We don’t always have to know WHY a person is behaving this way or what is going on with them in their lives.  All we need to know by their subtle clues in their change of behavior is that we need to pray for them.  We can extend kindness, offer our prayers to Heaven on their behalf, and choose to be forgiving if they happen to say or do something in their turmoil that overflows on to us unknowingly and unintentionally.

Just tonight I read a post Hoda Kotb, of the Today Show, shared regarding her friend of 27 years, Karen.  The day Karen’s husband was diagnosed with cancer, her doctor friend suggested she buy a candle and light it.  This odd suggestion was to allow the body to go where the mind takes it, according to this doctor.  In focusing on the flame as if it was the power of the human spirit, determination, love and will, she was to harness the strength.  Further, she was instructed to watch as the wax dripped away, thinking of this as the cancer cells disappearing.

What a unique way to look at things!

I was so moved when reading that!  Karen’s husband outlived his prognosis by five years, which is amazing in itself!

I believe a person’s outlook and attitude when they learn of a diagnosis like this makes all the difference!

My friend, Mary Sue, is also proof of this.  When she learned she had breast cancer, she never skipped a beat although it certainly wasn’t the news she had hoped to receive.. She went right on with her positive attitude, just as she always had, and she conquered and persevered!  While I’m sure she had her moments, she never let us see her cry or get down about her diagnosis, surgery, and treatment.  She shaved her head prior to chemo while she poked fun and even laughed about the shape of her head.  Completing treatments, she rang the bell, and kept that smile on her face throughout the entire ordeal.  There aren’t too many people that can choose to remain positive in the face of something that could take them out of this world.

I’m happy to report my straw hat wearing, sunflower loving, Marsh Tacky riding friend, Mary Sue, is still going strong today at 77 years old.  She is an amazing woman, and I am proud to have had the chance to get to know her and love her!

If you have stayed with me during this Write 28 Day writing challenge, thank you!  Since you have been brave enough to read all of my idle ramblings, you have seen that my thoughts have been all over the place during the past 15 to 16 days.  That’s part of the fun!

Allow me to explain this madness.

With this 28 day challenge, you are given a prompt word daily (thank you, Anita!!).  It is your job to think on the word and then write whatever comes to mind regarding that “word of the day.”   You can write for five minutes, setting a timer to go off when the time is up.  Or, write until your heart is content. I have done a little of both in this challenge.  Truly, it has helped for me to have something else to focus on, especially at a time when someone close to me has gone through major surgery.  The very human side of me feared the worst leading up to my loved one having his right kidney removed.  We thank God for a successful surgery and my loved one doing so well in his recovery!  As you can imagine, this writing challenge has helped a great deal and provided an escape when I needed it the most!

Now then …

Today’s prompt word “Entrap” immediately brought thoughts of a possum that was recently found on our property while my husband and his friends were working one afternoon.  This little guy wobbled right up to them in broad daylight, taking them all by surprise.  They noticed one of his legs was injured and imagined he had been entrapped and struggled to break free from a predator’s grasp.

My daughters are both tenderhearted just as I am, and we did not want the little guy harmed in any way when we learned he made his way past the guys and into our Rosemary bush.  We gathered in front of the bush to take a peek at him.  Possums are ugly, nasty creatures from what my dad said, but they surely serve a purpose (eradicating ticks, cockroaches, mice, and rats) and deserve to live.

We kept an eye on the little guy for a while, then went inside to leave him in peace.  We don’t know what ever happened to him, as he was gone when we checked the Rosemary bush later.  My daughter was sad that her little friend left, but her heart is so big in wanting to help the little guy.  It is our hope that he survived.

How many times have we jumped to conclusions about a situation, not truly knowing the facts or what transpired?  Or, we make our own assumptions about things that couldn’t be further from the truth.  We speculate, when what we need to do is learn more about the situation and the people involved.

I’m reminded of a situation that occurred shortly after going to work in the two story brick building our office is housed inside of on a busy street corner in town.  Being new, it was my desire to make friends with others in the building.  I was friendly, smiled, and spoke when I encountered anyone in the hallways or going up and down the stairs.

One day, as I sat at my desk proofreading some legal documents, I heard a knock at the door.  Since we are a business open to the public, it alarms me any time someone knocks instead of coming right in to conduct business.  (We have an apartment complex nearby, and residents has wandered over a time or two in the past.)  I hesitantly rose from my seat.  Before I could make it around my desk, the door opened, and I saw a lady I had passed in the hallway before.  I smiled, thinking surely she was coming to have a friendly conversation.  In my mind and heart, I had desired to befriend someone in the building, and it was my hope that she was there with the same longing as I; to be friends.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

She motioned for me to enter the hallway so we could talk privately, so I followed her thinking at this point she must need my help for something.  As I walked, I prayed for God to equip me to help her to the best of my ability.

As I stood there in the hallway smiling at the lady, she proceeded to ask me if I flushed the toilet earlier when I used it.  I’m certain I had a confused look on my face, as I was truly dumbfounded by the question.  Yes, of course, I had flushed the toilet.  The lady never cracked a smile as she proceeded to say that there was toilet paper still in the toilet when she went in the bathroom.  Honestly, I did not know what to say at this point.   I just stared back at her, as she rendered me speechless as she interrogated me about whether I flushed the toilet or not.  I could not believe I was 49 years old and being asked about my bathroom habits as if I was a young child that didn’t know any better and hadn’t thought of flushing the toilet behind themselves.  When I could find words again, I assured her once more that I had, indeed, flushed the toilet.  The building was extremely old, and I imagine the plumbing inside of the building was just as old and may never have been replaced through the years and were likely clogged due to some type of build up. Some times even with modern plumbing, the back flow will cause remnants of paper to reappear after you’ve flushed.  This was my only guess as to what was happening with the situation.  I expressed this to her, and she stood there with this disapproving look on her face as she asked me once more if I flushed the toilet.

Now she was starting to get on my nerves.

First, she summoned me out of my office.  She not only had the nerve to ask this question about whether I flushed or not, but she asked me several more times while giving a disapproving look.

There are three bathrooms in that building, and anyone from the public can (and do) use our facilities.  Yet, I’m the one they are targeting?  Really?

I tried to brush it off and return to my legal documents.

Now, I have been told that I look younger for my age, which I appreciate.  But what gives anyone the right — and how would anyone ever have the nerve anyway — to ask another ADULT such questions?!   It wasn’t like it was HER building.  She wasn’t the landlord, just another tenant acting like the toilet police.

I truly try to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I try to see the good in people.  And I certainly try to gather facts before I go to anyone to confront them about a situation.

What ended up happening?  The lady went to the landlord about me!  The landlady and I spoke briefly about the situation. Then, the landlord placed a sign by the toilets stating the plumber indicated feminine products were clogging the toilets and to refrain from placing such items in the toilet.  I was not the one clogging the toilets in the first place, but I knew without a doubt when feminine products were mentioned that I certainly wasn’t the culprit!  The fact of the matter is I had a hysterectomy four years ago, so it clearly was NOT me!

Can you believe this woman had the nerve to approach me AGAIN a few weeks later about this same situation?

I was the new kid on the block, so surely I was the person causing the issue in her eyes.

I tried to take the high road yet again and be polite in my response to her, but I did not linger in the hallway listening to her accusations when I had work to do!

That afternoon, however, the situation really started to bother me.  Writing is often therapeutic for me, and since I could not get this out of my mind, I stopped to write a letter to this offensive lady.  After I said all that needed to be said, I placed a copy under her door and our landlord’s door.  In the letter I pointed out the fact that I had a hysterectomy, so they needed to look elsewhere for the person flushing feminine products.  However, while we were on the subject, I felt the need to point out the less than desirable condition a menstruating woman had left the bathroom in on several occasions with (***Warning:  TMI***) blood on the floor and toilet seat.  Again, this was clearly NOT ME!

I may have been on the receiving end of the “cold shoulder” after she read the letter, but I had enough at that point and welcomed the silence from her as long as she was leaving me alone now.

The landlord called the plumber out again shortly thereafter.  He probed the lines, and then suggested adding a bigger toilet which would have a more modern and forceful flush.  The landlord agreed to the installation of the newer and bigger toilet, and the plumber went to work putting it in.  Since the shape of the bathroom had been mentioned previously, that, too, has improved.  There have not been any more issues or accusations brought to MY attention either.

The moral of the story:  know the facts before approaching someone making accusations.  Give people the benefit of the doubt.  And be KIND!!

A few short years ago my husband and I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee for our anniversary.  We visited Lower Broadway, which is known as the “Honky Tonk Highway.”  You could hear music up and down “music row” from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. the next morning.  It was fun checking out the saloons with the different variety of music luring you in.

While we were there, we also checked out the statues of famous people and historic places.  I got a kick out of the statue of Little Jimmy Dickens.  We were literally the same height which I love!

One night, we were walking in downtown Nashville going to The Ryman Auditorium, which used to house the  original Grand Ole Opry House.  As we rounded the corner, we encountered an older lady in tattered clothing wearing a hat and oversized coat with matted hair.  She saw us eyeing another statue and talking of how we were going to take turns being in the pictures since we didn’t have anything to prop our phone up with.  The “selfie” wouldn’t be sufficient since we couldn’t get ourselves and all of the statue in the camera frame.  The lady walked up to us and offered to take our picture together with the statue.  My husband was reluctant, but I thought she was kind to offer so I held out my phone as I thanked her.  She smiled softly, snapped the picture of us, and returned my phone.  We small talked for a few minutes before she started to tell me her story.  She was homeless and used to live in the nearby parking garage.  As she continued on, she spoke of the horrible living conditions now on the streets of Nashville after the city officials ran her and several other homeless people out of the parking garage.  They were not even able to use the bathroom in there any longer.  As she talked, my heart truly went out to this woman and others like her.  I imagine not too many tourists stopped to have a conversation with her like we did.  But, there was something about her blue eyes that kept me standing right there in that spot listening to her story.  She never asked for money the entire time we spoke, but I reached into my wallet and pulled out some money to give to her, wishing I had more to offer.  She sincerely thanked me for the money, which would enable her to get a hot meal, especially as the temperatures were dropping.  As we walked away, my husband seemed somewhat disturbed and a little angry by the homeless scattered along the street.  He didn’t like them begging and didn’t understand why I even gave her the time of day.  That’s when I let him know that she never, ever asked me for money.  I am the one that offered money to her, feeling as if it was the very least I could do.  While I could understand his frustration with people loitering in the streets or simply sitting outside of businesses with signs asking for money, this lady was different.  In that moment, tears welled up in my eyes thinking of her heartbreaking story.  I’m sure as a little girl she didn’t dream of one day becoming a homeless lady roaming the streets of Nashville.  Life hasn’t been kind to her, and due to circumstances beyond her control, she found herself living on the streets.  What people fail to realize is that things could change in our very own lives, and we could be financially impacted, too.  We aren’t to sit in judgement, but, instead, we are to help where we can.  What if Jesus showed up in the form of this little old lady with blue eyes that grew dim due to the way life took a downward spiral when she least expected it?!  What if He was testing us to see where our hearts truly were and if we would be the hands and feet as we are called to be?!

Her blue eyes and dingy, matted gray hair haunted me long after we parted ways just outside of the Ryman Auditorium.  She was someone’s daughter!  MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF KINGS!   Life has been cruel to her, and I’m sure as much as my heart was breaking for her, she has felt broken, betrayed, and deserted by those who are supposed to love her.  Where is her family?  Oh Lord, why haven’t they taken her in?  My thoughts trailed to this and how we truly won’t ever know what happened to land her where she was on the streets of Nashville.  It isn’t our job to know the intricate details, either.  It’s our job to show love and kindness to those we meet along our path in life.

It’s been a few years now since this adventure lead us to this gentle soul.   My heart has not forgotten her, nor the lesson she taught us.   Be kind … and be the hands and feet of Christ when the opportunity presents itself … and it will, when you least expect it.

See the following scripture:

Mark 12:30-31 speaks of loving thy neighbor; Deuteronomy 15:11 speaks of taking care of the poor; 1 John 3:17 is where you will find passages regarding clothing the needy and feeding the hungry in Isaiah 58:10, right along with being hospitable to strangers in Matthew 25:35.   We are to care for the captive, the prisoner, and the oppressed, which we are told to do so in Hebrews 13:3 and Matthew 25:36.

Last, but certainly not least, we all need to be reminded of Matthew 25:40, “WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME.”

I have never looked more forward to 7 a.m. than I did when my loved one was in the hospital after major surgery.  Two days of being in the hospital, day and night, with little sleep was wearing on the three of us.  We were looking forward to the doctor appearing in the doorway to advise whether today would be the day my loved one would be discharged.

With blurry vision, I saw a tall figure enter the room.  I sprang from the hard leather couch I attempted to sleep on, only to find it was the male nurse and not the doctor.  Trying to disguise my disappointment, we small talked about how our day was starting, then he disappeared into the hallway.

I walked over to retrieve the menu to order breakfast for the patient as we waited.  I dialed the number and gave the order to the friendly voice on the other end of the line.  Within minutes, the doctor entered with his hairnet, scrubs, and mask.  As he began speaking, he revealed today would be the day we got to leave, blow this joint, get out of jail, well, you get the idea.  We were free to go!!  Woo hoo!

Walking around the room, I gathered our belongings and packed them in the large black bag.  Then, we waited for the nurse to get the discharge papers ready.  They reminded us how busy they were and said it would be after lunch before they could discharge us.  We made the best of it by listening to music on my cell phone until they finally came back around with discharge instructions.  Shortly thereafter, we were wheeling the Burgundy Tahoe up to the circle driveway to retrieve our beloved, who was waiting in the parked wheelchair with a hospital volunteer nearby.  Pretty soon, the vehicle was packed, patient was seat belted in, and we were on our way home!  Thank you, Jesus!

On the morning of my loved one’s surgery, it seemed like anything that could go wrong did!  We were originally told to report at 9:00 a.m., then 9:15 a.m.  Driving from an hour away, you have to anticipate traffic delays, which we did.  However, another family member traveling with us had bathroom issues that delayed us further. Instead of hitting the interstate, we had to go the opposite way to find a bathroom.  Ugh!  We made it just in time but had to call the manager of Pre-Op/Recovery at the hospital to let them know we would not be arriving until 9:30 a.m.   With the surgery slated for 11:15 a.m., we were still good on the time.

Once at the hospital, we encountered one administrative staff after another policing us on the Covid restrictions in place.  I spent a solid week trying to get the Covid exemption so two members of the family could be present due to the wife of the patient having somewhat of a disability requiring my assistance in order to be present.  I sent an email to a man who helped us previously with another situation, and he circulated the email to the Vice President.  My email ended up making its way to the manager of Pre-Op and Recovery, to the doctor performing the surgery as well as to the charge nurse on the surgical floor.  The vice president agreed to allow a Covid exemption.  All medical staff were aware.  It was the administrative staff at the entrance of the hospital, information desk, and at the desk in Pre-Op/Recovery giving us trouble.  It was a fight when it did not need to be!  I had to give names of the staff who knew of the Covid exemption to get past the bulldogs.  Obviously, these people were left out of the loop on pertinent information pertaining to our unique case.  I tried to remain imperturbable through it all, but after the fourth person agrued with me over this, I admit my patience were wearing thin at that point.  It was almost as if these people took a class on being argumentative.  They must have all been straight A students for sure, if that was the case.

Waiting in the surgical lobby is stressful enough without all of this going on!  You wait to hear how the person is doing before, during and after surgery.  The medical team did a great job keeping us updated, which helped calm our nerves somewhat.

After learning he was out of surgery but having trouble waking up in recovery, I fought yet again with another of the administrative staff.  He was to be transferred to the sixth floor, and we were being directed to the floor not knowing if we would be allowed to stay with him in his room or not.  We were lectured about the Covid protocols and restrictions, even though we explained the vice president allowed an exemption for us so two people could be present under the unique circumstances.  It was truly tiring to fight this hard over something that was taken care of at a much higher level.

Once up on the sixth floor, though, we did not encounter any problems whatsoever from the nurses, the techs, etc.  All of the medical team were wonderful, and it reassured us that our loved one was in good hands.  They not once told us we couldn’t be there, didn’t lecture us and didn’t try to eject us from his room.  We were greeted with warmth and kindness.  He had to be in the hospital for two nights, and they made us feel as welcome as possible while we were his “guest” in the hospital.  This was certainly appreciated so I could focus more on caring for them between nurses making their rounds instead of arguing why I needed to be there in the first place.

One cannot rest in a hospital setting, so the first night it seemed the hands on the clock were barely moving at all.  I recall at 8 p.m. looking at the clock as he exclaimed in his medicated state, “It’s ONLY 8 p.m.?!  It’s going to be a LONG night!”  And it was …

By the second night, we were so wore out we all but passed out from exhaustion.  Stronger pain medicine was given to the patient, which allowed a good night’s sleep.  Their snoring was music to our ears, as we were so thankful their surgery was a success and they were still with us!

You come across a variety of people when working with the public.  Some you encounter are extremely pleasant, while others leave a lot to be desired.  You never know what to expect!

I recall a gentleman who called the law firm back in December on behalf of his mother.  We set up an appointment with the attorney and had the paperwork prepared prior to their arrival.  At the scheduled time, a tall gentleman entered the office to make sure he was in the right place.  Once he was certain he had the right office, he stepped out into the hallway.  Shortly thereafter, a petite elderly lady, full of elegance and grace, appeared in our doorway.  Instantly, I was struck by her well groomed appearance and red suit she wore.  We offered her a seat while giving her son the paperwork. As I waited for the paperwork be completed, I attempted to make small talk while inquiring on her age.  I was quite surprised to learn she was 97 years old and making arrangements should she require the assistance of a nursing home later in life.

Now, this lady certainly did not look her age at all.  I watched in awe as she moved around the office as she left the lobby and entered the attorney’s office.  One would expect someone of that age to require assistance getting around.  She carried a cane but rarely used it.  Even her son had to remind her later to get the cane prior to exiting our office after their appointment was complete.  She was definitely independent and still lived alone.  I was dumbfounded!

Once their appointment was coming to an end, the attorney asked her the secret to her longevity.  She replied, with a laugh, “Aggravation.”  We laughed with her but never fully understood what she meant by that comment.  Did she mean aggravation from others, or did she mean she was the one causing the aggravation?  Later, we laughed at the thought of this perfectly poised lady causing trouble.

May we ALL be blessed to enjoy 97 or maybe even 100 years of life.