Walking already - I think it's nap time

We've made it through a good portion of the grogginess of post-surgery blues and the joy of a liquid lunch - I think I can see a cheeseburger in my wife's future very soon! Unbelievably, the professionals from the hospital's torture - er physical therapy - department came by to take her on a leisurely stroll...

Now it's nap time. I feel a little guilty about being sleepy but getting to bed after midnight and getting up at 3:30 a.m. to get ready and come to the hospital makes for droopy eyes. She is on her side with the leg and knee supported by pillows and the lights are dimmed.

I will endeavor to stand watch without falling asleep. Thinking of that reminds me of Mark 14:37.

Still, I am wondering about autumn in Florida. I've heard of temperatures in the single digits and below zero up north. Here today? Roughly 78 degrees...

The chapel caught my eye on the way back to the room. It seemed a shame not to make use of such a peaceful place - the beauty of the stained glass and the words of Psalm 20 were just what the doctor ordered.

And for a certain author friend, I almost saw a Seabird when I looked at the chapel window the first time. 

Thanks to everyone for their prayers...We really appreciate it!

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Praising the Great Physician

No, I don't mean Dr. Hartsfield - although he is a great surgeon!

My lovely wife is out of surgery and Dr. Hartsfield reports all went according to plan, and for any surgery, that's a good thing! She'll be in recovery for about another hour or so and then it's upstairs to our luxury suite overlooking the parking lot. And tomorrow begins the hopefully short road to recovery, with tortu, er I mean physical therapy and...Pain Management!

I've always thought pain management was an oxymoron, or at least an undesirable activity. I mean, I understand what pain management is and why some folks need it but I want to eliminate my pain - not manage it.

Of course, I'm a wuss, so...

What do you think?

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Third time is the charm

As I write this entry, I an in the lobby of Gulf Breeze Hospital, a member of the Baptist Health Care family of medical centers.

My wife is undergoing a partial knee replacement - her third knee surgery this year. After two 'scopes, an injection program and copious physical therapy, our doctor has decided that this is the best option for her to finally get over the knee problems that have been a thorn in her side for so long.

I'm a little slow, so asked the doctor to draw me a picture. Amazingly, it looked a lot like the one below:

You see, the problem is, my wife had torn her meniscus a couple of times and the knee joint had reached a point where the top bone was rubbing on the bottom bone. Friction in a joint, especially a load-bearing joint, is not a good thing.

Basically, they are going to readjust the knee joint, put in the two pieces you see in the x-ray image above, and sew it all back up with staples holding the 3-4 inch opening together.

Amazingly, she will be walking on it today!

Most likely we will have an overnight stay so the staff can make sure everything is going according to plan and we'll get to go home tomorrow.

We are praying for a full recovery according to God's good plan (plan bon dew in Creole). And once Nance is all better, I'm going to go in for some adverb therapy.

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You want to know what faith is?

So many people today question faith. What is it? What, or who, should we direct it toward? How do we cling to it in the worst of times? Over the last ten years I thought I had made some progress in understanding the answers to those - and many more - questions. This morning, I discovered I don't know squat.

If you want to make that discovery for yourself, read this article about a man named Chad Arnold. The journey that this man - and his family - have been on moved me to tears. As I read, I thought of Bible passages I have learned that spoke to what he has gone through, what he's going through and what he will go through. It's not that God's Word is insufficient in Chad's case - quite the opposite - it's just the thought of, "What can I possibly say that could connect with what Mr. Arnold has gone through?"

He is a walking illustration of what the Bible is all about. Sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph. You want to know what faith is? Just read about Chad and his brother Ryan and all the rest.

Chad's blog continues to document this story as he and the Arnold family continue to live through the loss they've experienced. I am astounded by their faith and challenged by their lives.

What do you think?

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