Sunday February 28

Sunday February 28

“Just the facts, ma’am.”

Ultra sound of the broken leg was ordered to make sure there were no blood clots. I guess there wasn’t. Dr. came in and explained Jeff needs to be able to move around, off the morphine, taking food, bowel movement. So that’s all Jeff needed to hear. Just tell him what to do and he’ll make it happen. He came off the catheter, ate a banana, came off morphine. All was going well. Then at 2:35 the hiccups began and did not stop for an hour and a half. The dr said he’d just have to let it pass. That was at 30 mins. Problem is it was excruciating with a broken sternum. Finally stopped at 4:00. Then they started again an hour later but continued for only 30 mins. Later that afternoon, he began to suffer pain in his gut. His abdomen was distended. He was taken down for an ultrasound and then made to wait for several more hours before getting relief. They are not sure what the cause was, but he was better by morning. He continued to suffer from marathon hiccups off and on for the rest of the night.

Mental wanderings:

What does it mean that as I sit in a hotel room at 4:30 in the morning typing on my computer and slowly a ladybug crawls into my view on the wall? Are lady bugs even supposed to be around this time of year? In a motel room on the eighth floor in downtown Atlanta? God sent me that ladybug. I’m not sure why. Speculation is scary. And I don’t want to “force” a meaning. They are supposed to be lucky, I think. But since I know the Lord is with me, luck’s not even necessary. Must be something else. I’ll wait and see. Meanwhile, I’ve captured it and will release it outside.

In the middle of getting dressed (actually blow drying my hair), the power at the hotel went out. The bathroom was completely dark, but as I walked out into the room, the sun was just breaking the horizon. During times like this I find myself looking for little encouragements, remembrances that God is with me and the day would be good. What I should have taken away was that God is with me. Whatever the day brings, it is a good thing, for God is with me. This would be important to remember as I looked down at my watch (now running behind since the power came back on) and realized I had about two minutes until I needed to be down in the lobby to catch the shuttle to the hospital by 8. It was important to catch the first shuttle (7:30) because it didn’t run again until 8 and by that time the drs were supposed to have already come and gone. I rushed down the hall, flew into the elevator, flew out of the elevator and rushed out into the parking lot only to see the tail lights of the shuttle disappearing down the road. I stood there completely deflated and dejected. NO NO NO NO NO!!! This can’t be happening! I can’t handle it! I’ve GOT to be there! I AM with you, I was again reminded. I walked back into the lobby and up to the desk to find SOME way to get the shuttle to make another (unscheduled) run. The ladies were very nice, but firm. Even after I tried to explain my predicament (and the tide was rising on my lower eyelids,) they explained it was not possible. I slowly nodded my head (I couldn’t talk) and walked over and slumped down in a chair to wait until 8. I must have looked really pitiful, or maybe the Lord was with me as I heard, Ma’am? I looked over to the same ladies and they told me they would pay for a taxi for me. (It was parked, waiting, in the parking lot.) “You just tell him to come in when he gets back and we’ll pay for it.” I mumbled my thanks and rushed out the door. As it turned out, of course, the doctors did not come until much later, but in the meantime, the Lord had specifically, personally met my need. Praise be to our living Lord.

The day started out calmly enough, even great! Jeff came off his catheter, got off the morphine pump and began to eat a little. Then at 2:35 he started the hiccups. Every time he hiccupped, it jarred his broken sternum and caused excruciating pain. What to do? What to do? I tried everything I could think of. Finally I went out to the nurse and she said she’d call the doctor. Thirty minutes later, she came back and said the doc said Jeff would just have to let it pass. Easy enough for him. He wasn’t sitting here watching a loved one suffer with no knowledge of how to ease the pain. It was not a fun time. He hiccupped for an hour and a half. Finally he stopped then an hour later, started again but only for 30 mins this time. Sometime later that afternoon, his stomach looked distended (his gut was swollen) and was painful. The doctor came in and suddenly Jeff was headed down for an x ray. At this time I had to leave the room, since he’s in a semi-private room with another man. Paul and I talked and we decided it was best for me to head back to the hotel for the night. I was torn since I didn’t know what was wrong or if it was serious. Paul promised to call me immediately if I needed to came back for any reason and I left. Paul called later and let me know he was sleeping and doing some better. A couple of bowel movements helped relieve some of the pressure and he continued to improve throughout the night.

My ladybug had escaped. Oh well. And when I got back to the hotel, I was excited to find it again on a lamp. Then I realized it wasn’t the same one. It was definitely different. Then I looked on the wall and saw another one, Then I discovered a dead one on the bedside table. What in the world! Lady bugs around this place was nothing exceptional. Obviously, it happens all the time! And at that point, the Lord reminded me that people are suffering and dealing with difficulties like mine constantly. I remembered mentioning to my brother Tim as we were on our way down to get Jeff’s “personal affects” (I hate the sound of that…) that I will better understand what others are going through in circumstances like this after going through it myself. Certainly, the Lord can use our experiences to enhance our empathy for others, and allow us to be more versatile tools in His hand. Blessed be the name of the Lord!